Quest of the Jungle Tarpon - Costa Rica

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Many fascinating species of fish inhabit the world’s tropical freshwaters, and Costa Rica is no exception. For a fly fisherman seeking diverse new species or angling situations nothing is more exciting then floating down a new piece of water surrounded in unfamiliar vegetation and scenery, serenaded by eerie sounds drifting out of the forest, and casting unusual flies to exotic fish one has never seen before. Northern Costa Rica is a land of lost waters and unique fly angling opportunities, and we are excited to offer you the chance to have an encounter with the exotic. While huge tarpon can be caught in many places around the world, the fish inhabiting the inland rivers of this northern region are quite extraordinary. Growing to epic proportions, it’s not unusual to see schools of hunting fish well into the triple digits. This is without a doubt one of the world’s finest fly-fishing trophy tarpon destinations, and one that has managed to stay just below the radar resulting in large and aggressive tarpon who are not afraid to charge and inhale a fly.

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Quest of the Jungle Tarpon - Costa Rica

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Guests fish from simple but efficient river pangas (motorized river boats), with two anglers per boat taking turns on the bow. The Reserve’s dynamic environment requires that you employ various fishing techniques including sight casting at hunting tarpon in the river or in the shallow lagoons and creeks, waiting to cast at tarpon as they roll or break bait on the surface. There are even times when tarpon congregate at the mouth of one of the jungle’s many creeks and line up in feeding lanes like giant trout in an explosive feeding display that one must see to believe. As in most tarpon fishing worldwide, knowledge of distance casting and accurate presentation is a major asset, however, this intimate jungle environment provides anglers an opportunity to get much closer to their quarry than in other fisheries, making this a unique place to hone one’s skills. Overall, anglers can expect shots at fish ranging from 50 lbs. to well over 100 lbs. each day.

Many of the tarpon you will encounter are very large (within the 100-200 lb. range) and therefore require that you use a 12-wt. rod. Floating lines work best in most scenarios as you’ll hunt the tarpon across the flooded delta, though interchangeable sink tips or fast sinking lines can also be very useful when targeting tarpon in deeper pools. Having one of each rod/line setup rigged onboard is recommended. On windless hot days, tarpon can be observed basking on the surface of the glassy lagoons, during which we stalk the fish by push poling the boats within casting range and upon which we delicately present a fly and avoid spooking the fish.

Given the fact tarpon feed mostly on various types of minnows and other small-medium baitfish, large 3-6-inch deceivers and variants of deceivers are highly recommended. We also recommend bringing flies that either complement (orange, red, yellow) or contrast (black, white) with the reddish tannin-stained waters, preferably in combination (orange/black/white, red/black/white, yellow/chartreuse, etc.). We recommend using weighted flies that break the water’s surface quickly, and flies with spun deer hair heads which push the maximum amount of water.