Costa Rica fly fishing — go Costa Rica flyfishing with Costa Rica Sportfishing, and you go on a deep sea adventure to catch marlin and sailfish — and to do it the hard way. Offshore boat captains and anglers agree that this is the toughest way to land a billfish, requiring special tackle, know-how, and experience. Our boat captains have all of the above and can assist newbies with learning these special techniques and skills.
The new Holy Grail of sportfishing is bringing in a marlin or sailfish “on the fly.” The art and skill of fly fishing — called “the height of hook-ups” by some fans of this unusual type of angling — are less easily mastered than simple trolling with flat lines. The boat captain’s capabilities and experience play an even more important part, because a great deal more finesse is called for by him in maneuvering the boat in relation to the fish.
Bait and Switch Technique
Bait and switch is a technique used by sportfishermen here. It consists of a spread of lures and teasers that simulates a school of fish. Fresh bait (mullet or ballyhoo), is rigged separately and kept on ice. When someone sees billfish moving in on the spread, the crew cranks in the teaser as the angler grabs a rod that is rigged with the baitfish.
The skill part comes in when he then “drops back” the fish with the baited line as the boat advances. The fish, pursuing the teaser, which is kept just out of his reach, now attacks the baitfish when the teaser is pulled away.
Once the fish strikes the bait, the angler must free spool the line just long enough for the fish to turn the bait in his mouth and prepare to swallow it. Too much time will injure the fish, so timing is everything — and this is the challenge of which fishermen dream.
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Flyfishing Technique
The major difference between conventional bait and switch and how the “Fly-Guys” do it is that when the prey is attracted, the fly must be cast right in front of the ensuing game fish. Now it’s just you and the fish, not even a boat with billion-horsepower engines can pull that monster marlin or sailfish in for you. Only your fishing finesse and a damn good working crew can make this dream come true.