Ryan Collins
This week a group of members from My Fishing Cape Cod have flown down to Costa Rica, to join my wife Lauren and I for a week of fishing, exploring and enjoying the sun!
However, before we get started, I'd like to thank all the viewers who tuned-in to the first episode of season #2 of My Fishing Cape Cod TV. You guys rock and thanks for watching!
Fishing in Costa Rica is in many ways similar to fishing on Cape Cod. Yet there are also many, many differences. One BIG difference is that here in Costa Rica, it is very possible to encounter good surfcasting action during the middle of a bright sunny day. On Cape Cod, the best surfcasting action is almost always at night.
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A few days ago on Friday January 11th, I casually strolled down to the beach at the leisurely hour of 11:30am. As you can see from the photo below I had the entire black sand beach all to myself - with the exception of the local dog, Rocky!
Big puffy white clouds hung over the bay in front of our cabina along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. If you'd like to learn more about exactly where I am along the Pacific coast, then please click here for more details.
Each time I step into the water here in CR, it is a completely different fishing experience. The action might be nonexistent one hour, and then just an hour or so later it changes dramatically with bait and fish right in the waves.
Lauren was reading her book on the beach behind me when I felt a sharp and strong strike on the line. I went to set the hook but I missed the fish. Luckily the fish stuck around long enough for me to make another cast. About midway through the retrieve I felt another strong strike, and this time I was on!
The fish instantly began taking line from my reel. I was using 30 pound moss green Power Pro which is pretty tough stuff, so I knew it was a decent fish. The lure was this 3/8 ounce Pink epoxy jig from themightyfish.com.
Rocky the dog looked on the entire time, very interested in what was happening!
Just then one of the kids who lives in the small rural community in this section of Costa Rica made his way over to see what was going on. Having grown up on this beach, Arthur is no stranger to seeing big fish.
At this point I still was not sure what species of fish I had on the line. After all here in Costa Rica, you never know what might bite next.
Just when we thought we had the fish beat it made another surge and shot off to the left down the beach, pulling more line from my reel. I backed up while keeping tension on the line while Rocky and Arthur made a move towards the fish!
I could see a forked tail and a long slender body in the waves, but I still could not quite make out what species it was.
That was until Arthur courageously ran through the whitewater, reached down towards the fish's tail, and pulled the fish straight clear out of the water!
I was pretty impressed by Arthur to say the least!
The fish was a big sierra mackerel, which you can catch year-round here in Costa Rica. They are a hard fighting fish which make for wonderful table fare.
Check out those teeth!
I was super pumped to have this sierra mackerel be the first fish of my 2019 fishing season. This was only the fourth sierra mackerel I have ever caught, and let me tell you, they are a blast!
I captured the entire experience on video and I will make sure to publish that video to MFCC later this week.
As part of the video I have included a little segment about filleting the mackerel, as well as a "cooking the catch" segment hosted by Lauren at the super simple kitchen in our cabina! I think you will enjoy this video so please stay tuned.
In the meantime, members of MFCC can learn about the exact location where we stay and fish in Costa Rica, by clicking here.
Tight lines 
Great pics. Where in Costa were you fishing?
Thanks Mike!
Here is a link to a map of where we are in Costa Rica https://myfishingcapecod.com/where-we-stay-in-costa-rica/
Very cool Ryan.Can’t wait to get down there in a few short weeks.Rick.
I’m sure you’ll have a great time Rick. Keep me posted on how things go!
What a fun experience! Great job Ryan! The Arthur/Rocky involvement is just so cute! Looking forward to the video! We’ve been enjoying no snow and bright sunny days in New England. It’s been nice to try a few casts in the local ponds. But, just this week the ponds have started to freeze over :(. Precipitation is coming to us this weekend! Enjoy the rest of your time in CR!
Thanks Leslie! Yeah Rocky and Arthur are great. Thanks for reading as always ?? Stay warm up there! Maybe you’ll try some ice fishing this winter?
Dogs and kids. Lauren is right. They can’t stay away from “Snow White”!
Don’t let Rosie see this post!
LOL! ?
Hire that Arthur kid. What an assist!
He’s the man!
Nice catch Ryan ! If they taste like Spanish Mackerel, (looks like a close cousin, ha) enjoy it. I think Spanish Mackerel are a delicious tasting fish.
Very, very close cousin from what I’m gathering. Some sources I’ve read online even say they are the same fish! Not sure what to believe. LOL
Lauren has made a few meals from the mackerel and they were great. She actually made a quick “catch and cook” video which I’ll share within the next week or so. Tight lines Mark!