Los Sueños Fishing Guide: Seasons, Charters & What to Expect

Los Sueños fishing begins at one of the best natural advantages in Pacific sportfishing: geography. The Los Sueños Marina sits on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific coast in Playa Herradura, about 90 minutes from San José’s international airport. The continental shelf drops off steeply here: deep blue water starts just 20 to 30 minutes from the marina mouth. Billfish don’t require a three-hour run offshore. You’re into 1,000-foot depths before you’ve finished your first cup of coffee.

The marina has hosted competitive billfish tournaments since 2004. The annual Signature Triple Crown: three legs, three fishing days each, typically running January through March: regularly draws 40+ boats and some of the best crews in the Pacific. During tournament weeks, the fleet commonly releases over 1,000 billfish combined across three days. Those aren’t marketing numbers. They’re posted on the official scoreboard.

That kind of fishery, paired with a full-service marina and a resort community built around it, is why Los Sueños fishing draws serious anglers from across the Americas, and increasingly, first-timers who want to see what the fuss is about.

What You Can Catch (and When)

Los Sueños produces fish year-round, but what you’re targeting shifts with the seasons. Here’s the honest breakdown:

Billfish Season: December through April

This is peak season. Pacific sailfish show up in big numbers starting in December, and blue marlin become more consistent from January through April. During the Triple Crown tournaments (January–March), boats regularly release 15 to 30+ billfish per day. Striped marlin also appear, though less predictably.

If your trip is built around a marlin or sailfish bucket-list moment, book during this window.

Green Season: May through November

The rains come, tourist crowds thin out, and the fishing actually stays strong: it just shifts. Sailfish are still around, especially early and late in the season. But the real draw from June through October is dorado (mahi-mahi). Schools of dorado stack up under floating debris lines, and it’s some of the most exciting light-tackle fishing you’ll find anywhere. Yellowfin tuna also peak during these months, with fish running 40 to 150+ pounds.

Inshore: Year-Round (Best December–April)

Roosterfish (the one everyone wants a photo with) are catchable year-round along the rocky shorelines near Herradura and Jacó. Dry season (December–April) tends to produce more consistent inshore action. Cubera snapper, jack crevalle, and amberjack round out the inshore roster.

Seasonal Calendar

Month	Sailfish	Marlin	Dorado	Yellowfin Tuna	Roosterfish	Snapper
Jan	★★★★★	★★★★	★★	★★★	★★★★	★★★
Feb	★★★★★	★★★★	★★	★★★	★★★★	★★★
Mar	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★	★★★	★★★★	★★★
Apr	★★★★	★★★★	★★★	★★★	★★★★	★★★
May	★★★	★★★	★★★★	★★★★	★★★	★★★
Jun	★★★	★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★	★★★★
Jul	★★★	★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★	★★★★
Aug	★★★	★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★	★★★★
Sep	★★★	★★	★★★★★	★★★★	★★★	★★★★
Oct	★★★	★★★	★★★★	★★★★	★★★	★★★
Nov	★★★★	★★★	★★★	★★★	★★★★	★★★
Dec	★★★★★	★★★★	★★	★★★	★★★★	★★★

The short version: there’s no wrong month to fish Los Sueños. There’s just a different kind of good.

The Marina

Los Sueños Marina was the first government-approved marina in Costa Rica. It has 200 wet slips accommodating boats from 30 feet up to 180 feet, plus over 100 dry storage slips for smaller vessels. It’s a proper, full-service operation: fuel dock, maintenance, harbor master, customs and immigration for international arrivals.

The charter fleet ranges from 27-foot center consoles up to 52-foot sportfishing yachts. You’ll see names like Cabo, Viking, Hatteras, and custom Maverick builds lining the docks. Many of these boats are owner-operated and tournament-proven, the same crews that compete in the Triple Crown take paying clients the rest of the year.

Walking the docks in the late afternoon during peak season is its own experience. Boats coming in with flags flying: blue for marlin release, red for sailfish. Crews hosing down cockpits, mates filleting dorado on the cleaning tables while pelicans crowd in. The tournament weigh station sits at the end of the main dock, and even on non-tournament days there’s an energy to the place. People gather with beers to watch the boats come in and hear the day’s reports.

The Signature Triple Crown tournament series, typically three legs in January, February, and March: is the marquee event. It’s been running since 2004 and has grown into one of the most competitive billfish tournaments in the Pacific. There’s also a Ladies Only tournament. During tournament weeks, the Marina Village fills up with teams, sponsors, and spectators. If your trip happens to overlap, you’ll get a front-row seat to competitive sportfishing at its highest level.

What a Charter Day Looks Like

Most offshore charters leave the dock between 6:30 and 7:00 AM. A full-day trip runs about 9 hours; half-days run 4 to 5 hours. Some boats offer three-quarter day options around 6 hours.

Here’s what a typical full-day offshore trip includes:

Gear and tackle: All provided. Rods, reels, lures, live bait, the boat handles everything. Most boats run Penn or Shimano reels with 30- to 80-pound setups. You don’t need to bring any fishing equipment.

Food and drinks: Full-day charters include lunch (usually fresh ceviche or sandwiches prepared onboard), plus water, sodas, and beer. Some of the larger boats have a full galley.

Crew: A captain and one or two mates. The mate handles bait rigging, hook sets, gaff work, and will coach you through the fight if you’re new to it.

Group size: Most boats take 4 to 8 anglers depending on the vessel. A 35-foot Cabo comfortably fishes 6; a 50-foot Maverick handles 8.

Pricing

Charter pricing in Los Sueños depends heavily on boat size. As of 2025/2026, expect these rough ranges (plus 13% tax):

• 27–31 foot center consoles: $825–$1,100 half-day / $1,250–$1,550 full-day
• 35–43 foot sportfishers: $1,900 half-day / $2,400–$2,920 full-day
• 47–52 foot sportfishing yachts: $2,300 half-day / $3,100–$4,000 full-day

These are boat rates, not per-person, so splitting a $2,400 full-day charter among 6 people works out to $400 each before tax and tip. Tips for the crew typically run 15–20% of the charter cost.

Release vs. Keep

Billfish (marlin, sailfish) are strictly catch-and-release. This is both regulation and culture, the fleet takes conservation seriously, and the tag-and-release programs here have contributed real data to Pacific billfish research. Dorado, tuna, wahoo, and snapper are fair game to keep. Your mate will fillet your catch at the dock, and some boats will even vacuum-seal it. Several marina restaurants will also cook your catch for you.

What to Bring

• Sunscreen (reef-safe preferred)
• Polarized sunglasses
• A hat
• Light, moisture-wicking clothing
• A long-sleeve sun shirt: you will burn
• Dramamine if you’re at all prone to motion sickness (take it the night before and morning of)
• Cash for tips
• A camera or phone with a waterproof case

Leave the jeans, the cotton t-shirts, and the heavy shoes at home. Deck shoes or sandals with grip are fine.

Booking Tips

Peak season charters (December–April) book up. The best captains and boats fill their calendars 2 to 3 months ahead, especially around tournament weeks and holidays. If you’re coming during Christmas, New Year’s, or any Triple Crown leg, book your charter before you book your flights.

A few things that make a difference:

Go with a recommended captain. The gap between an average charter and a great one is enormous. A good captain knows where the fish have been staging, reads water temperature and current breaks, and puts you on fish instead of just trolling patterns. Ask for recommendations, or let our concierge team match you. They’ve been working with these captains for years and know who’s fishing well right now.

Midweek is better. Weekends see more boats on the water, especially during peak season when local anglers from San José head to the coast. Tuesday through Thursday generally means less pressure on the fishing grounds and more flexibility with charter availability.

Book the right boat for your group. Four people don’t need a 50-footer. A 35-foot express is faster, more affordable, and fishes just as well for a smaller group. On the other hand, if you’ve got 7 or 8 people, don’t cram onto a boat rated for 6: spend up for the bigger vessel.

When you book a stay with Nest Stays, our concierge handles charter arrangements as part of your trip planning. We’ll match you with the right boat and captain based on your dates, group size, experience level, and what you want to target. No commissions, no markups: just good local knowledge put to work.

Beyond the Boat

You’ll be back at the dock by mid-afternoon. Here’s how the rest of the day usually goes.

The cleaning station. If you kept fish, your mate fillets it dockside. Grab a beer and watch, or take the fillets up to one of the marina restaurants and have them prepare it. Fresh dorado, blackened or in tacos, caught three hours ago. Hard to beat.

Marina Village. A handful of restaurants and shops sit just above the docks. It’s a good spot for a post-fishing lunch or sunset drinks. The Hook Up is a longtime marina staple for casual food and cold beer with a view of the boats.

The beach club. Los Sueños has a private beach club at Playa Herradura: pool, food, drinks, loungers. After 9 hours on the water, it’s the right speed for the rest of the afternoon.

Jacó. Ten minutes down the road. More restaurants, surf shops, and nightlife if you want it. Not as polished as the resort, but it’s got character and good food; Graffiti Restro and El Hicaco are worth the drive.

Coming back to a well-stocked kitchen, a private pool, and air conditioning after a day on the water is exactly why people stay in Los Sueños vacation rentals rather than commuting from a hotel in Jacó. The marina is your backyard. Walk to the docks in the morning, walk home in the afternoon.

Inshore vs Offshore: Which Trip Is Right for You?

Most first-timers ask this within hours of arriving: should I go offshore for billfish, or stay inshore? The answer depends on who’s in your group and what kind of day you actually want.

Offshore is for the bucket-list anglers. If you came to Costa Rica specifically to catch a sailfish: to watch a lit-up billfish go airborne and strip line off a reel: book an offshore trip. It’s a full-day commitment (8 to 10 hours), heavier tackle, open ocean swells that can run 3 to 6 feet, and a 30–60 minute run to the fishing grounds. December through April is peak season for sailfish and marlin, though dorado and yellowfin tuna make June through September just as worthwhile in a different way. Full-day offshore charters run $2,400–$4,000+ per boat depending on size.

Inshore is for families, first-timers, and anyone not sure about spending 9 hours on open water. Half-day trips (4 to 5 hours) keep you within a few miles of the coast, in calm water, targeting roosterfish, snapper, snook, and jack crevalle. Roosterfish in particular are underrated: they’re technical to catch and absolute bulldogs when they decide to eat. A 30-pound roosterfish on 20-pound spinning gear will change what you thought “hard-fighting” meant. Inshore half-days run $825–$1,100 per boat.

	Inshore	Offshore
Trip length	Half-day (4–5 hrs)	Full day (8–10 hrs)
Cost (per boat)	$825–$1,100	$2,400–$4,000+
Target species	Roosterfish, snapper, snook, jacks	Sailfish, marlin, dorado, tuna
Seas	Calm, coastal	Open ocean: swells possible
Best for	Families, beginners, shorter trips	Billfish chasers, experienced anglers
Best season	Year-round; May–Nov peak for roosterfish	Dec–Apr for billfish; Jun–Sep for dorado/tuna

Want the full breakdown? Our complete comparison guide covers captain recommendations, what to pack, and how the experience actually differs between the two: worth reading before you book.

Fishing Licenses in Costa Rica

Everyone fishing needs a sport fishing license from INCOPESCA (Costa Rica’s fisheries institute). This applies to tourists and locals alike, and the coast guard does check. An 8-day license runs about $15–$17 USD; a 30-day license is around $28–$30.

The practical part: most charter operators handle this for you. At Los Sueños Marina, INCOPESCA representatives are typically at the dock on fishing mornings. Bring your passport. You’ll need it. Confirm with your captain whether licenses are arranged in advance or handled at the marina on departure day. You can also purchase one online ahead of time at incopesca.go.cr and print a copy to bring with you. Useful backup regardless.

One more reason to book through a reputable operator: they know the process, have the contacts, and make sure you’re legal before the lines go in the water.

On billfish specifically (sailfish and marlin) catch-and-release is both regulation and culture here. The fleet takes it seriously. These fish are tagged and released, contributing to Pacific billfish research programs that have run for decades. You’re not keeping a marlin at Los Sueños, and no serious captain would expect you to ask.

How to Book a Fishing Charter from Los Sueños

Step 1: Decide inshore vs offshore. Work through the framework above. It’s the decision with the biggest impact on your day. Wrong boat type for your group and the whole experience shifts.

Step 2: Book early if you’re coming December through April. The best captains fill up months in advance, especially around Triple Crown tournament weeks and holidays. If your trip overlaps Christmas, New Year’s, or any tournament leg, lock in your charter before you finalize flights. The good boats go first.

Step 3: Book through someone who knows the fleet. Most charters can be booked directly through the Los Sueños Marina, through the resort’s booking desk, or through your accommodation’s concierge. The gap between an average captain and a great one is enormous: word of mouth matters here more than almost anywhere.

If you’re staying with Nest Stays, our concierge team handles charter arrangements as part of your trip. We know which captains are fishing well right now, which crews work best with families versus experienced anglers, and which boats suit a group of four versus eight. No commissions, no markups. Tell us what you want and it’s handled.

What’s typically included: All fishing gear and tackle, live and artificial bait, captain and mate, and (on full-day offshore trips) lunch, water, sodas, and beer. You don’t need to bring a rod.

What to bring: Sunscreen (reef-safe preferred), hat, polarized sunglasses, a light long-sleeve shirt, camera, and cash for tips. If you’re going offshore and have any history with motion sickness, bring Dramamine: take it the night before and morning of, not on the boat when it’s already too late.

Tipping: 15–20% of the charter cost, handed to the captain at the end. He splits it with the mate. The crew’s income depends heavily on gratuities: on a $2,400 full-day charter, that’s $360–$480 for a team that spent eight hours rigging baits, reading the water, and putting you on fish. Budget for it.