SHARK FISHING
This endangered species, especially Hammerhead, Silky and Thresher sharks, are regularly fished in Costa Rican waters by for Costa Rica’s commercial fisherman and foreign fishing vessels, and are listed as “threatened” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Shark, the fins in the first place, is exported, often illegally, mainly to China and Japan. The fillets and steaks of very small sharks, locally called ‘Bolillo’, are a popular and relatively inexpensive table fish in Costa Rican homes, and are also used for ceviche.
See Which Charters Target Shark in Costa Rica
Shark fishing is catch-and-release
Recreational shark fishing is not a big attraction. Most anglers who fish Costa Rica usually don’t come with the idea of catching a shark, so it is a bonus when they do hook one. All recreational shark fishing in Costa Rica is catch-and-release.
The most common shark that anglers on inshore sportfishing charters off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast will encounter is the Whitetip Reef Shark. Anglers on Costa Rica fishing trips will find them everywhere, from the Bat Islands near the Nicaraguan border to the north all the way to the Osa Peninsula in the south and Cocos Island.
Whitetip Reef shark are a migratory fish which thrive in extremely warm and shallow waters, and are best known for their round eyes, broad heads and the tell-tale blotches of white on their dorsal and caudal fins.
Thresher Shark use their tail to stun and kill
Another shark that anglers might encounter on a Costa Rica sportfishing off the Pacific coast is the Thresher Shark. Named for their exceptionally long, thresher-like tail or caudal fin, which can be as long as the total body length, Thresher Shark are active predators.
They are very athletic; their huge tail is used as a weapon to stun and slay their prey. While hunting, they launch themselves with their whole body out of the water and perform wild turns. They love to hunt schools of fish in the open ocean waters and prefer Tuna, Mackerel, and sometimes go after seabirds.
Shark fishing at the FADs
Anglers who fish Costa Rica at the offshore FADs or near ocean humps that rise near the surface will often encounter and hook shark when enjoying night fishing for squid.
On the Caribbean coast, although some shark species are endangered and strict limits apply, adventure-seeking anglers on Costa Rica fishing trips can land several shark species around river mouths and deltas.
Beware the Bull Shark
Most common is the Blacktip Reef Shark. Quite timid compared to other species of shark. They are easily recognizable by the black tip or edge on their pelvic, dorsal, pectoral or caudal fins. Blacktip can be found in more shallow waters where they patrol around reef ledges and sandy bottoms.
The shark that is most notorious is the Bull Shark. Infamous for its attacks on humans. The Bull Shark likes to hang out in coastal areas and even in fresh water rivers and deltas. Anglers who fish Costa Rica on the Caribbean should not swim in the ocean! Bull Shark can grow up to 12ft and can weigh 500 lbs. It got its name from it flat snout and its unpredictable behavior.
Costa Rica Charters for Shark
- 26ft Custom McKee Craft for Puerto Jiménez Golfo Dulce fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing
- Price: 26ff Custom McKee Craft
- 32FT CUSTOM SPORTFISHER FOR PLAYAS COCO AND GUANACASTE FISHING
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 26FT ROBALO FOR PLAYAS DEL COCO AND PLAYA HERMOSA FISHING
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- Price: 26ft Robalo
- 31ft DENNIS GARRETT GAMEFISHER FOR QUEPOS AND PEZ VELA FISHING
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- Display Address: Quepos, Provincia de Puntarenas
- 30ft Shamrock Walkaround for Flamingo Costa Rica fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 30ft Island Hopper Express for South Pacific coast fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 23ft Panga Center Console for Puerto Jiménez fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 36ft Hatteras for Quepos Central Pacific fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- Display Address: Quepos
- 48ft Ocean Yacht for Guanacaste Fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 35ft Cabo Express for Quepos Pez Vela Pacific fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 41ft Ronin Sportfisher for Quepos Pez Vela Marina fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 32ft Rampage for Jaco Herradura Bay fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 29ft Hydra Sport Fisher for Puerto Jimenez South Pacific Fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 37ft Hatteras for Los Sueños and Jacó Fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 21ft Bay Boat for Puerto Jimenez Fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing, Saltwater Fishing
- 27ft Contender for Nicoya Peninsula Fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 25ft Open Fisherman for Gulf of Nicoya Fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- New 26ft Center Console for Quepos fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- Display Address: Quepos
- 28ft Carolina Classic for Quepos fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 60ft Loa Luxury Custom for Golfito overnighters
- Phone Number: Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 36ft Sunny Briggs Sportfisher for Los Sueños fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 30ft Panga for Gulf of Nicoya fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 38ft Topaz Express for Tamarindo fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- Rio Indio Lodge for Nicaragua fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Freshwater Fishing, Caribbean Fishing
- 43ft Stapleton Day Boat for Herradura Fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 43ft Flybridge Yacht for Los Sueños fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 52ft Hatteras for Los Sueños fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 27ft Escapade for Tamarindo fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 26ft Center Console for Drake Bay fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 35ft Cabo Sport Fishing Yacht for Drake Bay fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 22ft Boston Whaler for Tamarindo fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 27ft Center Console for Puerto Jiménez fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 31ft Gamefisher for Flamingo fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 27ft Dusky for Tamarindo fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 31ft Carolina Custom Express for Los Sueños fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 36ft Luhrs Express for Puerto Jiménez fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 28ft Carolina Classic for Tamarindo fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 36ft Topaz Express for Los Sueños fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 27ft Ocean Runner for Puerto Jiménez fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 36ft Hatteras for Los Sueños fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 31ft Custom Sportfisher for Quepos fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 31ft Palm Beach for Flamingo fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 43ft Custom Sport Fisherman for Quepos fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 35ft Cabo Convertible for Papagayo Marina fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 43ft Maverick for Los Sueños fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- Crocodile Bay Resort for Puerto Jiménez fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- The 37ft Cazador for Golfito fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 36-foot Topaz Sportfisher for Tamarindo fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 26ft Apex Center Console for Playa Herradura fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 42ft Bertram for Flamingo fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 29ft Center Console for Herradura Bay Fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Deep Sea Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Pacific Ocean Fishing
- 22ft Bull Shark for Caribbean fishing
- Phone Number: Inshore Fishing, Offshore Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Freshwater Fishing, Caribbean Fishing
