| Want to get hooked up on a BIG Costa Rica Marlin?I | | | | leader with a 16-o or 20-o circle hook depending on the |
| am Captain Mark Corn of Southern Costa Rica Sport | | | | size of the bait used. The rods we use for Costa Rica |
| Fishing, located in Puerto Jiminez Costa Rica and Blue | | | | marlin fishing are 80lb class, with 50 wide reels spooled |
| and Black Marlin fishing is our specialty and is also the | | | | with 80lb test clear line. This gives you plenty of back |
| species we target most of the time. There are a | | | | bone in hauling in your prize catch. We fish 2 to 3 rods |
| variety of reasons why most of our Costa Rica fishing | | | | at a time for multiple hook ups on marlin. There is |
| trips are for marlin. Yes they can grow to tremendous | | | | nothing better than a double hook up on marlin....This |
| sizes which is a major attraction by itself but sharks | | | | makes my job a challenge which one do we go after |
| are big too and we usually won't target them. Our | | | | first??? The answer the closest one first.When we |
| customers that fly down for exotic fishing vacations in | | | | are Costa Rica marlin fishing using live tuna we adjust |
| Costa Rica seem to prefer marlin fishing too so that is | | | | the boat speed so the tuna swims along effortlessly |
| one of the reasons so many of our trips target marlin. | | | | and looks good. When we get over the structure we |
| But for the crew and myself marlin fishing is our | | | | put the boat into neutral and this allows the baits to |
| specialty because the marlin species, either Black or | | | | swim down deeper.This method seems to produce |
| Blue is Costa Rica's ultimate fish and it's the world's | | | | more bites from marlin. If we have no luck the boat is |
| ultimate sportfish too for that matter.Marlin are at the | | | | put into gear to move on down the structure. Next |
| top of the food chain and it is us that venture into their | | | | time you go fishing in Costa Rica and have a chance |
| world, on their "turf". Because they are the oceans top | | | | to go after a marlin you should give this method when |
| billfish they provide anglers that are good enough to | | | | fishing in Costa Rica for marlin it produces....Marlin |
| get hooked up to a large specimen a chance to test | | | | Fishing in Costa Rica, Tactic Number Two (open water |
| his own fishing skills and knowledge. They offer | | | | trolling)When on the hunt for marlin in open water we |
| anglers a chance to go one on one with the oceans | | | | always keep our eyes open for birds working ( |
| top fish, it's man against nature's best and you better | | | | feeding, diving ,circling). Flocks of birds usually means |
| be ready to give it your all because this beautiful | | | | bait, where schools of skipjack tuna and yellowfin tuna |
| creature of the deep is going to do anything and | | | | are feeding. We use the same method as mentioned |
| everything for his chance at freedom. Now you know | | | | before for catching the tuna, trolling jigs. Don't be afraid |
| why and what the attraction is, what drives some | | | | of using a big tuna for bait. A marlin can eat a bait that |
| very enthusiastic anglers to spend half their lives | | | | is 10% of there body weight. Yes 10% a 1000lb marlin |
| hunting these fish. With that in mind you now need to | | | | can eat a 100lb tuna. We use tunas from 10lb to 20lb |
| know the how we catch these giant Costa Rica | | | | for bait. The method used in open water fishing for |
| Marlin.The best time of the year for fishing for marlin in | | | | marlin when using live tunas for bait is to troll the tunas |
| Costa Rica is from Sept through march. We use two | | | | on the outer edge of the schooling tunas.The marlin |
| different tactics for catching marlin in Costa Rica.Tactic | | | | usually stay on the outer edge of the tuna and dart |
| Number One for Costa Rica Marlin Fishing (Fishing | | | | into the school for there prey.Marlin can also be taken |
| Structures)We fish mainly over penicals, sea mounts | | | | in open water when blind trolling which is a tactic of |
| and ridges for both species. These structures are like | | | | trolling with lures at 9 knots in order to cover as much |
| an ocean cafeteria to marlin. Why do you ask? Bait, | | | | ground as possible. Using this method you have a cinch |
| Bait Bait. The favorite bait for marlin are skipjack tuna. | | | | of catching other species of game fish (sailfish, dolphin, |
| These tuna usually hang around these structures, | | | | wahoo). Our favorite marlin lure is usually located on |
| because of the upsweep of the currents below. The | | | | what we call the short corner. The lure is set on the |
| currents bring up food that the skipjack feed on. We | | | | 2nd wave behind the boat (only 15ft from the |
| spot the tuna either on the depth sounder or see them | | | | transom). What a spectular bite and sight it is to see a |
| feeding on top of the water.Our method for catching | | | | 650lb marlin come up just 15ft behind the boat and |
| the tunas is to troll white jigs through the feeding tuna. | | | | inhale your lure and take off into the sunset.On your |
| Most of the time we get multiple hook ups.The bait is | | | | next Costa Rica marlin fishing trip I hope you will give |
| then reeled up and we have a wet towel to put the | | | | my methods a try because I think you will hook the |
| tuna in while he is rigged up to troll live.We use rigging | | | | lady in the blue dress or the one in the black dress - |
| floss and insert a bait needle through the top of the | | | | AKA Costa Rica Marlin.This great Costa Rica Fishing |
| eye socket. This is called brideling the bait. Then twist | | | | knowledge is courtesy of Captain Mark Corn of |
| the hook a few times to take up the slack in the | | | | Southern Costa Rica Sport Fishing |
| floss.When completed your hook should be tight above | | | | and Fintalk Sport Fishing. |
| the eyes of the bait.We use 300lb test fluorocarbon | | | | |