Great news for sport fishermen: Dorado populations, also known as mahi-mahi in Hawaiian, are booming in Costa Rica. There is a strong vibrant healthy pool of dorado weighing in at about 25 pounds. Fishing is on the increase on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. These funny looking fish look like a cuddly monster, or a sea version of a bulldog with their aggressive faces and vibrant green and yellow color. They are fast too, and a real challenge to catch. They look and behave like a sea maverick, making them a lot of fun to hook and reel in.
Dorado are a fast growing fish that only live 4 to 5 years. The larger ones are known as monsters. They feed on smaller fish such as slimy mackerel, yellow tail scad, pilchards and flying fish, which indicates that overall the waters in Costa Rica must be healthy if there is an upswing in population this time of year. Traditional bait fish work best when fishing for dorado since it is what they normally eat.
Crocodile Bay has experienced Captains who can take you out fishing for dorado if you can make it down here now. We are also several weeks away from marlin season, which begins in November. It looks like this fall is going to turn out to be a very strong season for big game fishing all around. The big game fishing is catch and release in Costa Rica. One of the best things about fishing for dorado in Costa Rica is that you can keep your catch and enjoy it for dinner.
Down south, the offshore action is all about the dorado. With so many dorado in these waters, it is expected that marlin will boom later this season. (Marlin eat dorado.) Expect the billfish populations to pick up in the Southern Pacific over the next few months too. From August through December is the peak season for Marlin and then December through March are the best months for Sailfish. And of course, just about any month our of the year you can catch roosterfish. Book your next trip and head on down to Costa Rica for plenty of fish and sun.
