Tarpon - Costa Rica Silver King - Your ultimate fishing adventure!
Tarpon fishing in Costa Rica!
The tarpon enjoys a legendary reputation worldwide as one of the most spectacular sport fish. It is no surprise that it is also called the “Silver King.” For fishing enthusiasts who love tarpon fishing, we have found an absolute highlight: the best tarpon fishing grounds in the world, right here in Costa Rica. On this Costa Rica fishing trip, you will experience the pure power of tarpon up close.
Your fishing holiday takes you to one of the world’s best rivers for tarpon, where you will spend eight full days fishing—whether with a spinning rod, fly rod, or natural bait. We have deliberately scheduled the trip during the high season, when the density of tarpon in the river and delta is at its peak.
The group is limited to a maximum of six anglers to ensure a personalized experience, allowing our professional guides to provide optimal attention and support for each participant.
Sample Itinerary
Your group fishing trip starts with a flight from your home airport to San Jose, usually arriving the same day. After landing, you will check into an airport hotel and enjoy a relaxing evening.
The next morning, after a hearty breakfast, you will travel by land transfer to the lodge—a journey of about five hours. Along the way, enjoy Costa Rica’s stunning landscape and prepare for the exciting days of tarpon fishing ahead. After arriving at the lodge, you will have plenty of time to prepare your fishing gear for spinnfishing for tarpon. A delicious dinner and a few drinks at the lodge bar will round off the day.
The following eight days are dedicated to fishing for tarpon using spinning, fly, and natural bait techniques. Fishing days typically start at 6 a.m. at the boat dock and continue until 11:30 a.m., after which you return to the lodge for lunch. The drive from the lodge to the fishing spots takes 10–20 minutes. After a short break, afternoon fishing begins at 1 p.m. and continues until 5 p.m., when all boats must return to the dock by law—giving you roughly nine hours of fishing per day.
After the last day of fishing, you will enjoy one more night at the lodge before transferring back to San Jose the next day. Depending on your flight connection, you may fly back the same day or the following day.
Spinfishing for Tarpon
The highlight for every angler is definitely spinnfishing for tarpon. Nothing is more thrilling than seeing a tarpon roll on the surface while casting with precision. It’s pure adrenaline and the ultimate test of skill and patience!
Spin fishing for tarpon requires perseverance. During feeding frenzies, you may get numerous bites in a short time. However, tarpon have extremely strong jaws, and many fish are lost during the fight. This challenge is part of what makes tarpon fishing so exciting.
Tarpon can be caught using a variety of spin baits—from wobblers to rubber fish and tarpon jigs. Your guide will help you choose the right bait depending on water turbidity and tides. Rubber fish and shallow-running wobblers are generally reliable, and Hoggy Lures have been one of the top tarpon baits in Florida for decades. Bringing a diverse selection ensures you are ready for any situation.
Fly Fishing for Tarpon
Tarpon fly fishing is extremely popular, especially for anglers targeting the larger Silver Kings. Compared to other destinations, the average tarpon size in Costa Rica is significantly larger. Fly anglers should bring at least a #14 rod to handle the biggest fish.
Effective tarpon flies include red, black, and yellow-white streamers, with hook sizes between 3/0 and 6/0. A 100 lb leader and 40 lb intermediate line are recommended to safely land large tarpon.
Bait Fishing for Tarpon
Using natural bait is one of the most effective methods for tarpon fishing. This technique involves using tarpon prey as bait. From an anchored or drifting boat, you either cast specifically for tarpon or wait in sand channels for the fish to pass. A float rig is often used, allowing the bait to drift away from the anchored boat. If a tarpon takes the bait, the circle hook is set after a short free run.
Fishing with natural bait provides a welcome change from spin or fly fishing and can result in bonus catches between feeding frenzies. Often, natural bait fishing is more successful than other methods, making it easier to land a tarpon.
Spin Fishing in Costa Rica Rivers
Costa Rica rivers also offer excellent opportunities for spin fishing with lighter rods. You can catch jacks, snooks, and various bass species using PE 2-3 rods, small wobblers, rubber fish, and spinners. With eight days available, light spin fishing provides a nice variation from spinnfishing for tarpon with heavier gear.
Your accommodation in Costa Rica
Accommodation
San Jose
Hampton by Hilton
Your first night is at the Hampton by Hilton, a four-star hotel conveniently located at the airport. The hotel offers spacious rooms, a pool, several restaurants, and a bar. Breakfast is included.
Catering
Meals: B&B
Beverages: Drinks can be paid on site according to consumption
Costa Rica
Tarpon Lodge
During your Costa Rica fishing holiday, you will stay at Tarpon Lodge, located directly on the river. The lodge has six bungalows, each with a private bathroom and air conditioning.
The main house features a dining area, bar, and small pool. Run by a local couple, the lodge works closely with the surrounding community and is adjacent to a national park—making it the perfect base for your tarpon fishing trip.
Catering
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Beverages: Drinks during fishing are provided (normal consumption) additional drinks can be paid on site according to consumption
Your fishing boats in Costa Rica
The Boats
Your boats are 25 feet long with 150 HP motors. Two anglers share a boat, and experienced captains plan the daily fishing program in consultation with you.
Angeln auf Tarpon vom Boot
2 Angler pro Boot
Your fishing boats in Costa Rica are 25 feet long and adequately motorized with 150HP. During your fishing trip in Costa Rica, two anglers share one boat. The boats have experienced captains and will determine the fishing program for the day in consultation with you.
This tarpon tackle you will need in Costa Rica!
Tackle Talk
For tarpon fishing in Costa Rica, you will need high-quality rods and reels. Since large tarpon are always a possibility, it’s best to bring rods in the PE6–8 class. We recommend having both a PE6 and a PE8 setup. For reels, sizes between 14,000 and 18,000 are ideal, such as the Shimano Stella 14,000 or Daiwa Saltiga 14,000. Bringing an 18,000-size reel is also a good idea, as tarpon often make long, powerful runs.
If you plan to fish for tarpon using natural bait, we recommend a strong boat rod—such as a Zeck Boat rod or a similar model—paired with a Penn Spinfisher VI 8500 LL free spool reel. The free spool reel allows you to adjust the drag and properly set the circle hook.
For spin fishing in rivers, use rods with a casting weight of up to 120 g. A medium-heavy spinning rod is ideal for casting medium-heavy artificial lures. A 5000–6000-size reel with 30 lb braided line is usually sufficient.
- Tarpon Spinning Rod: PE6-8; 2,4m - 2,7m
- Tarpon Spinning Reel: 14-18k size, 80lbs braided line, min. 200m
- Bait Fishing: PE 6-8
- Bait Fishing: Baitrunner, 80lbs braided line, min. 300m
- Light Spinning Rods: PE2-3; 30lbs Braided Line
- Light Spinning Reels: 5000-6000 size, saltwater proof
- Tarpon Fly Rods: #14-#16
- Tarpon Fly Reels: #14-#16, 40lbs intermediate line, 100lbs leader
You will need this lures for Tarpon!
Spinning for Tarpon
Tarpon can be caught using a wide variety of artificial baits. The most common and easiest options are wobblers with a diving depth of 1.5–5 m. Rapala Shad Raps are particularly effective, though slimmer wobblers can also produce excellent results.
Rubber fish between 12–20 cm are another top choice for tarpon lures. Depending on the tarpon’s biting behavior, these rubber fish can be paired with different jig heads, making them very versatile. In the USA, rubber worms like Hogy Lures have proven highly effective as well.
Floating and sinking stickbaits are also successful, though lures should generally not exceed 15 cm—tarpon often prefer smaller baits. Orion plugs are well-known in Gabon for their effectiveness and are expected to perform equally well in Costa Rica. The same goes for Tacklehouse Britt and Flitz lures.
Another excellent option is tarpon jigs, specifically tied by the fishing community. These can be purchased locally for around $20 per bait. Poppers and GT Icecream lures can also work but are primarily useful when targeting jack crevalles. Don’t forget jerkbaits like the Hybrida J1, which should always be part of your tarpon fishing tackle.
Fly Fishing for Tarpon!
Tarpon on fly
For tarpon fly fishing in Costa Rica, you’ll need at least a #14 rod. Since tarpon can grow very large, your rod must have sufficient backbone to handle these powerful Silver Kings. A 40 lb intermediate line is standard for Costa Rica fishing trips.
Common tarpon flies include the Tarpon Toad, EP’s Peanut Butter/Everglades Special, McKnight’s Homeslice, and popper flies like the Everglades Gurgler. Popular color combinations range from black, purple/black, orange/black, white/yellow, to red.
Whether you are on a dedicated tarpon fly fishing trip or combining it with other Costa Rica fishing adventures, these flies are essential for a successful catch.
The best lines and leaders for Tarpon!
Leader & Main Line
For heavy tarpon spin fishing, leaders between 100–200 lbs are recommended. Choose high-quality brands such as Fisherman, Varivas, Nomad, or Climax.
Main lines should be high-performance PE lines: PE8 (80 lbs) for heavy setups and PE6 (65 lbs) for medium rods. For river fishing, a 30 lbs braided line is sufficient. Recommended lines include Gosen Diver x8, Daiwa J-Braid x8, and JB Line One.
Terminal Tackle
Haken, Split- und Sprengringe
Treble hooks are prohibited in your fishing area, so single hooks must be used for all artificial lures. Recommended brands include BKK (Lone Diablo, Lonesniper), VMC, and Owner. Hook size should match the lure type.
For natural bait, only circle hooks are allowed. Reliable options include Gamakatsu Octopus Circle Hooks 8/0 4x, BKK Monster Circle, and Owner Reef and Rig Circle Hooks.
Catfish floats from Zeck are recommended, with running lead adjusted to match the load. You will also need high-quality snap rings with a load capacity of 180–220 lbs and heavy-duty carabiner swivels rated for at least 250 lbs.
Helpful tools for your fishing trip!
Other Fishing Equipment
Snap ring pliers are essential—hPa Game Plier snap ring pliers are ideal for opening even the strongest rings. A good waterproof boat bag, like Zeck’s Tackle Container Pro or Tackle Container Pro Catfish, is highly recommended.
Since tarpon fishing trips can last several hours, bring quality gloves for protection. Costa Rica can get very hot, so UV protection shirts, a sun hat, and SPF 50 sunscreen are essential. Our expedition UV shirts are available for purchase directly.
Good polarized sunglasses are essential for fishing. We recommend glasses from gloryfy unbreakable. The best polarized sunglasses for anglers currently available are also indestructible!
You can take a closer look at the gloryfy unbreakable polarized sunglasses for anglers here: Polarized Sunglasses for Anglers!
How much does a fishing trip to Costa Rica cost?
Price
Included
- english speaking tour leader**
- 1 night in a Hotel, DBL, B&B
- 9 nights in the Tarpon Lodge, DBL, FB
- 8 days fishing with guide
- Airport Transfers
- Fishing Licenses
- Photo- & Videodocumentary**
Not included
- Tips (appx. 250€)
- international flights & Visa
- Travel Insurance*
- extra luggage fees*
- additonal meals & drinks*
- * optional/exempt **only if the minimum number of participants is reached
- Minimum number of participants: 6
Price per person
3999,-€
Extras
On request
Booking statuses
Costa Rica - Tarpon Fishing
2027
Tarpon Fishing in Costa Rica!
The best catches!
