The Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) is a dark blue scombrid fish found worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas. Some say that the name "Wahoo" is a derivation of the name of the Hawaiian Island Oahu, which was sometimes spelled Wahoo, while others say the name derives from the exclamation of some fishermen, "Wahoo!" who have hooked into the extremely fast-running fish. The fish is also known as Ono, after the Hawaiian word for "delicious" - ono.

The body is elongate and covered with small, scarcely visible, scales; the back is an iridescent blue green, while the sides are silvery, with a pattern of vertical blue bars. These colors fade rapidly at death. The mouth is large, and both the upper and lower jaws have a somewhat sharper appearance than those of King or Spanish Mackerel. Specimens have been recorded at up to 2.5 meters (8 ft) in length, and weighing up to 83 kilograms (180 lb). Growth can be rapid. One specimen tagged at 11 pounds grew to 33 pounds in one year. Wahoo can swim up to 75 kilometers (47 miles) per hour.

Wahoo tend to be solitary or occur in loose-knit groups of two or three fish, rather than in schools. Its diet consists essentially of other fish and squid. The flesh of the Wahoo is delicate and white and regarded as very good in quality. This has created some demand for the wahoo as a premium-priced commercial food fish. However, because of its solitary lifestyle, it is taken commercially only as a bycatch in the long-line fishery for Tuna and Dolphin. Steel leaders are a must with their razor sharp teeth. The Wahoo is considered, pound for pound one of the best fighting fish around and a prize sportfishing catch.

The Goliath Grouper or itajara (Epinephelus itajara) is a large saltwater fish of the grouper family. It was commonly known as the "Jewfish" but that name was considered objectionable and was officially dropped in favor of "Goliath Grouper" by the American Fisheries Society in 2001.The Goliath Grouper is found primarily in shallow tropical waters among coral and artificial reefs at depths of up to 165 feet (50 m). Their range includes the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and most of the Caribbean. In the eastern Atlantic, they can be found from the Congo to Senegal. It also occurs in the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California to Peru.

Although they may reach extremely large size - record 680 lb (309 kg) - they usually are around 88 lb (40 kg) when mature. Considered a fine food fish, the Goliath Grouper were a highly sought quarry. Its inquisitive and generally fearless nature make it a relatively easy prey for spear fishermen. They also tend to spawn in large aggregations returning like clockwork to the same locations, making them particularly vulnerable to mass harvesting. Until a harvest ban was placed on the species, the species was in rapid decline. The Goliath Grouper is totally protected from commercial harvest, and was a while ago recognized as a critically endangered species by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) It can can only be caught by sportsfishing, making it a prize catch.

The Barracuda is ray-finned fish notable for its large size (up to 1.8 m or 6 ft) and fearsome appearance, and have been confused with the Wahoo. The body is long, fairly compressed, and covered with small, smooth scales. They are found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. Their genus Sphyraena is the only genus in the family Sphyraenidae.

For the best Roosterfish, Wahoo, Goliath Grouper and Barracuda seasons, see Costa Rica's Fishing Seasons.

More Costa Rica fishing photos:

Tarpon and Snook | Salifish | Fish Costa Rica/Americana World Records | Dorado