IGFA Certified Capt.
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Costa Rica Freshwater Fishing
For the dedicated fresh water fisherman, Costa Rica also offers literally hundreds of miles of rivers and some lakes that always provide plenty of sport; Lake Arenal is the most popular inland water, located about a four-hour drive from San Jose. It's loaded with rainbow bass, a member of the cichlid family as is the peacock bass found in some parts of South America and more recently introduced to Florida waters. The mature male develops a bizarre hump at the back of its head that can be as large as a softball, displays the shadings of rainbow trout and has the fishing characteristics of a largemouth bass, but is related to neither. During a 1 1/2-day tournament at Lake Arenal not long ago, the winning two-man team weighed in a record 17 fish at 91 lbs. 5 oz. IGFA record for the species, found only in Costa Rica and parts of Nicaragua, is It lb. 8 oz., and was caught in Lago Hule (shown as Lago Echandi on some maps), a beautiful postage stamp sized lake near San Miguel, but very difficult to access. Lago Coto, just above Arenal, Caņo Negro Lagoon in northern Guanacaste, and Lake Nicaragua, located across the border but most easily accessed from Costa Rica are other inland hot spots.
One of my favorites is the Tortuguero or Barra Colorado areas up in the rivers
for Tarpon and snook.
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