Costa Rica Weather for Anglers

Two seasons, three coasts

Costa Rica doesn't have summer and winter in the usual sense. It has a dry season and a rainy (green) season, and they don't fall at the same time on every coast. For anglers, the weather matters less for comfort than for the sea: rain rarely stops the fishing, but wind and swell decide whether boats go out, how far, and how comfortable the ride is.

According to Costa Rica's national weather service (IMN), the typical Pacific pattern is rainy from May to October and dry from November to April, with a transition in between. The dry season usually starts first in Guanacaste and last on the South Pacific.

Guanacaste and the northern Pacific

The northwest is Costa Rica's driest region. From about December to April, rain is rare and the hills turn brown. The catch is wind: from about December to March, strong offshore winds known as the Papagayos blow across northern Guanacaste, often hardest in the afternoon. They can make offshore fishing rough around Papagayo, Coco and Flamingo, so trips leave early and inshore spots in the lee of headlands get more attention.

The rainy months bring calmer seas, green hills and, according to FECOP, the region's best offshore billfish season, roughly May to December. Rain usually comes in the afternoon, so morning trips often stay dry.

Central Pacific

Jacó, Quepos and Dominical have a classic dry season from about December to April, which lines up neatly with the peak of the sailfish season. From May the afternoon showers start, and September and October are usually the wettest months, when some days bring heavy, persistent rain. Mornings are still often fishable, and the rainy season is when dorado fishing tends to be at its best, as runoff carries logs and weed lines out to sea.

Many years also bring a short dry spell around July, which Costa Ricans call the veranillo (little summer).

Southern Pacific

Golfito, Zancudo and the Osa Peninsula are the wettest part of the Pacific coast, with a shorter dry season, usually from about December to April. The Golfo Dulce is sheltered, so inshore fishing often carries on in weather that would keep boats in port elsewhere. September to November can be very wet, and some lodges in the area close for part of that period, so check before you book.

Caribbean coast

The Caribbean plays by its own rules. The IMN describes it as having no defined dry season, and it can rain in any month. Cold fronts from the north can bring days of rain and rough seas, mainly in the northern winter. Many visitors and fishing lodges find September and October, and often February and March, the calmest and driest stretches, but there's no guarantee. For tarpon and snook, what matters is a calm enough sea to cross the river-mouth bars and rivers that aren't swollen with muddy water.

Tips for planning around the weather

• Book early starts. On both coasts, the sea is usually calmest in the morning.
• Build in a spare day. If wind or swell cancels a trip, you'll have time to reschedule.
• Pack for rain, even in the dry season. A light rain jacket and a dry bag are worth their space.
• Check the forecast and listen to your captain. If they say it's too rough, believe them.

For the fish that go with each season, see our guide to where and when to fish in Costa Rica and the species pages.