Costa Rica is known for some of the best billfishing in the world, and we are in the peak of the season for most of the Pacific coast. Trolling for billfish can nave an hypnotic effect, and staring at six or more brightly colored teasers skipping across an indigo ocean for any period of time almost puts you in a trance.
But that trance is quickly interrupted when a swordsman lit up in a purple hue snaps you back to reality, charges up from the deep, slashing at the teasers. Knowing what to expect before this happens can mean the difference between a missed fish and a date with a ballerina on a cobalt blue dance floor, so be prepared for your fishing trip.
If you booked through a travel agent, 'ask for the phone number of the lodge, operator or even the captain and talk to them. Ask what kind of boat you will be on, what type of equipment they use, which methods they use and, if it is important to you, what level of English they speak.
Almost all captains here use a "bait and switch" method of trolling for billfish. The fish pops up in the teasers and the mate reels in the teaser with the fish in hot pursuit. As the fish mover in closer to the boat, the angler pitcher a bait in the water and drops it back to the fish. The teaser is than jerked from the water, leaving the bait as the only option for the fish if it wants to grab a quick meal. The same method applies to fly fisherman.
We are required by law to use circle hooks in Costa Rica when fishing with live or dead bait. The design allows the hook to set itself without jerking the rod and is a very effective method of hooking fish while causing the least amount of damage to the fish, allowing for a rafe release.
Circle hooks are not new. They have been found made from sea-shells in the burial grounds of pre-Columbian Indians as well as in Pacific coast Native American burial grounds. The Japanese made them long ago out of reindeer horns.
They are really quite easy to use if you plant this in your brain: "Crank, don't yank!" If you are not familiar with circle hooks, ask your crew to explain them before fishing.
Communication, both before and during your trip, is the key to having a great Costa Rican fishing adventure. So talk throughout, and then get out there and dance!
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