Rhino Charger Sport Fishing

What's changed since 2013

When we first wrote about Rhino Charger in 2013, the captain named on the boat was Tony Lautieri and the contact number was a different US line. Both have changed. The boat's own site now names Capt. Rick Bergstresser as owner, with Capt. Maikel Rodríguez as the working captain and Victor Suazo as first mate and relief captain. The boat is still the same kind of Island Hopper, and it's still fishing out of Tamarindo: the charter's Instagram was posting catches in July 2026.

The boat

The Rhino Charger is a custom Island Hopper, built in the US to a 2005 design. It measures 31 feet at the waterline and 34 feet overall, so you'll see both numbers quoted. A single 450 hp Cummins turbo diesel gives it a top speed of about 30 knots, and the crew says it reaches the edge of the continental shelf in around half an hour.

A few details matter on the water:

• Flybridge. It's one of the few boats in the Tamarindo fleet with one, and the covered cockpit gives plenty of shade.
• Width. The 12.5-foot beam makes for a steadier, drier ride than most boats this length.
• Below deck. There's a V-berth cabin and a head (marine toilet), which helps on a full day.
• Gear. Shimano tackle from 30 to 50 lb class, a fighting chair, two tuna tubes for live bait, and twin Furuno GPS units and fish finders.

The crew

Capt. Rick has fished commercially and for sport for more than 40 years and has spent over 12 of them in Costa Rican waters. He now splits his time between Tamarindo and Florida. On most trips you'll fish with Capt. Maikel and Victor, who has worked Tamarindo boats for about 20 years. The FAQ says the boat usually carries three crew, with at least two who speak English.

What you'll fish for

Tamarindo is mainly an offshore port, and that's where this crew puts most of its effort: sailfish, blue, black and striped marlin, yellowfin tuna, mahi-mahi and wahoo. If billfish are the goal, they recommend a 3/4 or full day. Inshore trips for roosterfish, snapper and grouper are possible, but they suggest talking it through first, ideally as part of a full day or a multi-day booking.

Costa Rican law requires billfish to be released, and the crew follows that on every trip. You can keep eating fish such as tuna, mahi-mahi, wahoo and snapper, and the crew will clean and fillet them on board.

Good to know before you book

• Wind season. From mid-December to mid-April the morning wind can be strong, and the boat often runs about 40 minutes south to get out of it. That's why there are no half-day trips in those months.
• Fishing license. You buy your own from INCOPESCA online before the trip. Keep a screenshot on your phone.
• Meeting point. Search for El Chiringuito in Playa Tamarindo on Google Maps or Waze. You meet the captain on the beach in front of the next-door parking lot, usually at 7:15 a.m. There's no hotel pickup.
• Private trips. They don't split charters, so you won't share the boat with strangers.

For more on the town and its fishing seasons, see our Tamarindo fishing guide.