Welcome to Costa Rica

Location, Type of Fishing:

Well protected on the southern shores of Golfo Dulce on Costa Rica’s South Pacific Coast, Crocodile Bay Resort sits in a beautiful setting just outside of the small town of Puerto Jiménez, located just minutes from the airport. With its own private pier and the largest private fleet of boats in Central-South region, Crocodile Bay is poised to take you both inshore and offshore for some of the world’s best sport fishing. Head out of the bay and take a 30 minute run to the blue water, targeting sailfish, dorado, tuna and three different species of marlin in a day. The next, cruise the inshore drop-offs of the inlet that gets deeper the further you go inland, following the shoreline of this unique, tropical fjord for roosterfish, barracuda, jacks and needlefish. An area of great biodiversity, the waters off the South Pacific Coast are home to some resident whales as well as a temporary stop-over for several others along their annual migration routes. You’ll have the opportunity to see all of this wonderful water from your own private charter, doing it all with a fly rod in your hand! The high season runs from December through April, when sailfish arrive in the greatest concentrations, but the fishery can be terrific the rest of the year,  too. With some excellent opportunities for both inshore and offshore fishing from early spring through the late fall, Crocodile Bay Resort is an exceptional destination for big gamefish year-round.

 

• Season: Year-round
• Species: Sailfish, Blue Marlin, Dorado, Roosterfish
• Rods: 12-14 wt. Saltwater, Fast-action, Fighting-butt
• Rates: 6 night/ 5 days for $3,295.00

 

 

 

 

 

What Makes It Special:

Incredible service is one of the things you can expect when you visit Crocodile Bay. The generous and helpful staff get very high marks for the outstanding service they provide, and the captains and mates truly work their tails off to put you on fish. The boats and equipment are top-notch, as a whole team of professionals works tirelessly to maintain its equipment and keep its fleet running at peak performance. Fishing Director, Todd Staley is practically an icon in the fishing community, although too humble to say it. Recognized the world over for the work he has done to promote sustainable fishing practices and policies that improve fish populations along Costa Rica’s Central and Southern Pacific Coast, Todd sits down at dinner each night to personally plan with you the next day’s fishing program. Be assured that the experienced staff of this remarkable resort have your back when you come for a relaxing stay at Crocodile Bay. Guests come to the resort mainly for the sport fishing, but Crocodile bay also offers a huge variety of non-angling activities and excursions that the whole family can enjoy. Visit a jungle farm where you will be invited to make chocolate and sit down for a delicious lunch of fresh-caught tilapia and other delicacies harvested right from the very jungle you’ll have the opportunity to learn about and tour. Go zip-lining through the jungle canopy for a unique perspective of the rainforest, or take a sunset whale watching tour and feed the crocodiles, to name just a few of the incredible activities the resort offers. The incredible amount of biodiversity of the Osa Peninsula combined with the laid-back feel of Puerto Jiménez, a place seemingly forgotten-in-time, will have you believing that ‘Pura Vida’ is not just a saying, it’s a lifestyle.

 

 

Fishing:

Fly fishing for billfish and other offshore species can be a bit challenging, but if you’re up it, it is still very doable. Casting heavy sink tips with large popping flies takes great skill to do it effortlessly, but whether you’ve been doing it for years or for the very first time, you nevertheless only have to cast a short distance. Sailfish and dorado can be some of the most cooperative offshore species to catch on the fly, as they tend to stick around the longest and are generally eager to take a well-presented fly. Marlin, on the other hand, can be quite frustrating, as you might only have one shot before the fish disappears out of sight. Rooster also requires some discipline and determination, as the limited exchange of water between the bay and the ocean can make the water off-color. The method of offshore fly fishing is very simple in theory. As a billfish comes up on a spread of hookless teasers being trolled behind the boat, the crew takes control of the gear in the water and begins to lure the fish to within casting range, about 25 feet from the stern. With the fish now in range and very excited from being teased, the angler presents the fly to the fish as the teaser is then quickly removed. If everything goes as planned, the fish is fooled into eating the fly and line begins to scream off of the reel… Sounds easy, right? In reality, it can happen so fast that more often than not, it resembles a Chinese fire drill more than a well-rehearsed routine. Several dry runs ahead of time can help alleviate the buck fever that occurs when a fish pops up, and can mean the difference between a pleasant day spent landing several nice sails and one where you managed to hook everything around you except the fish.

 

 

Lodge:

Crocodile Bay Resort lies on a beautiful property of perfectly-manicured gardens that frequently entertain troupes of howler monkeys, scarlet macaws and toucans from the jungle that surrounds it. The abundance of birds alone will amaze you, as the local almond trees provide a bounty of food for a variety of wildlife. There are also a lot of iguanas around the grounds of the property, either appearing very enduring while on the look-out or lazily eating leaves that have fallen upon the ground. For accommodations, the resort offers 28 modest, yet very comfortable rooms equipped with air-conditioning. At maximum capacity, the resort can accommodate up to 120 anglers during peak times of the year and for fishing tournaments. A short walk down one of the many paths to the pier offers splendid views of the scenic coastline and an amazing bay. At the pier, an armada of Boston Whalers and Strike Tower Yachts wait to head out on these stunning waters, providing unique perspective at day’s end with extraordinary opportunities for photography. The resort is just outside of the range of being easily-accessible by car,  so it is recommended that guests access Crocodile Bay by the daily flights from San Jose on Nature Air.

 

 

Dining:

An important part of a great overall experience at an all-inclusive resort is the dining, and the meals at Crocodile Bay are obviously first-rate, reminiscent more of a four-star establishment in a major city than a small kitchen in a jungle resort. At both breakfast and dinner, guests order off of a menu with many excellent choices that include locally-sourced, quality ingredients wherever possible. Entrees are skillfully prepared by a talented group of cooks, serving a variety of exquisite dishes including steak tenderloin, pork loin, grilled chicken and seafood as well as a couple of delicious vegetarian options. There is a fresh-catch special that changes daily, and a variety of finger foods, sandwiches and burgers round-out the diverse menu for a more traditional selection of tastes. Dinner is served during a window of a few hours starting at 5:30 pm, so you can choose what time to take your meal and eat at your leisure. During dinner, you will be visited by the staff regarding the next day’s activities whether it be fishing, a massage, an excursion or other activity. It’s also a time for great conservation in a casual and pleasant environment among friends.

 

How to Get There:

Your trip to Crocodile Bay,  begins with your arrival at the Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO). Collect your bags and clear customs. If your package includes a night stay in San Jose, a representative of the lodge will be there to greet you as you depart the customs area near the exit.  You will be transferred to your hotel in San Jose, as the transfers to/from the hotel are included in your package. The next morning the resort representative will greet you in the hotel lobby to take you to the domestic ticket counter at the airport. If you are transferring to the lodge the same day, leave the customs area and go back upstairs to the domestic ticket counter at Nature Air to check in. You will go through TSA screening and then transfer in buses to the gates at the domestic terminal. The fight to Puerto Jimenez takes about 55 minutes once in the air. Collect your bags, and a resort representative will take you to the resort about 5 minutes away. Enjoy a cold, refreshing complimentary cocktail while checking in. Transfer days to the lodge do not typically involve fishing the same day. If you would like, you can catch the 6 am flight out of San Jose, and then you’re only an hour behind the fleet, giving you about 8.5-9 hours of fishing time the first day.

 

Typical Day:

On fishing days, pack the stuff that you’ll need in the boat for the day, and head to the restaurant beginning as early as 5:30 am. Fresh-brewed coffee is ready and waiting for you in the restaurant. Order anything off of the breakfast menu, including hot meals made especially for you. Traditional breakfasts like eggs and bacon are served with hash-browned potatoes. There are also some delicious breakfast specials, like the Tico breakfast which includes eggs, beans, rice. Coffee, tea and fresh-squeezed juice is included. Specialty coffee drinks, such as lattes or cappuccinos, are an additional cost. After a filling meal, anglers will walk down one of the many trails to the pier, about 5 minutes on foot to where the boats are docked. Be sure that you’re on-time or early, as the crew will be anxious to head out to the fishing grounds promptly at 6:30 am. Runs to the blue water can be anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. The cooler on the boat has tons of waters, juices, iced tea. On-board the boat, there’s no shortage of food with snacks, cookies, crackers and fresh fruit available for you to grub-on while you’re fishing. Fishing generally lasts 9.5- 10 hours, returning to the dock between 3 and 3:30 pm. Snacks are offered at the bar, including chips and salsa, hot wings, and nachos. People usually meet up at the bar for drinks after fishing, and this is where the boat numbers are posted and stories from the day are told. Feel free to cool-off in the pool, or schedule a massage before dinner. Plan on seating for dinner between 5:30 and 7:30 pm.

 

What’s Included:

Accommodations, meals, guided offshore fishing, fishing licenses, lunch, drinks (beer and soft drinks), high-end trolling gear, live bait, and fly fishing gear.

Not included: International flight to Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose, the domestic flight to/from Puerto Jimenez, and gratuities for the staff and crew.