Costa Rica Tarpon Trip March 2016 - Putah Creek Fly Fishing Forum

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TOPIC: Costa Rica Tarpon Trip March 2016

Berryessie

Senior Member

Status: Offline

Posts: 205

Date: Jun 4, 2015

Costa Rica Tarpon Trip March 2016	Permalink

Tarponville Tarpon, undoubtedly the baddest fish you mess with on the fly. The shear violence and strength of these fish is hair raising. For those of you who have had the opportunity to connect to one of these fish you know what I am talking about. For those of you still thinking it over, get your priorities straight and get this trip on your “fishing bucket list”. They run, they jump, they flip, they tail walk, they head shake like no other, and so so much more. This is why they earn the nickname “Silver King”! A few months ago I had the opportunity to shoot down to Costa Rica to check out http://tarponville.com/. The fishery flat out amazed me, the caribbean scenery is stunning, and the cultural experience is not to be missed. I had heard very little about Costa Rica tarpon before this trip so my expectations were an open slate. What I found was a little gem with a ton of fish to pursuit. The main attraction is the tarpon and that is what you should focus on if you get a chance to go. 12wt minimum for these fish, they are big and will kick your ass. Back up rods and reels are a must as these fish do break rods! All of the fishing is had out of 24’ super pangas with English speaking guides. These boats are big enough to have two anglers fishing at a time. A quick 20 min. boat ride south to the border of Panama will have you at the Sixoala river where the tarpon grounds massive river mouth is where the tarpon lurk to feed on bait fish. The guides will have you set up with wind and current drifts, blind casting until the fish start to push fish to the surface. Once the fish are up and feeding, be ready, this is where the mayhem starts!. Not even the strongest coffee in the world can get your blood going more than these moments. The alternative fishery to look forward to consists of bonefish, permit, trigger fish, snook, parrot fish and jacks. You can literally chase trigger fish right in front of the lodge. I even had a shot at a permit there too. We spent a day chasing permit with very good success. One fish landed and 5 others hooked with failed dreams. If you know permit fishing, this is insane fishing for a day. We constantly found schools of jacks pushing fish to the surface. I think Jacks are one of the most underrated sal**er fish that swims. Just remember the goal of this destination is for the tarpon the other fish are a bonus. The accommodations are just what an angler needs. Comfortable bed with a clean room and private bathroom. The nights cool off quite a bit and you will be so exhausted from fishing that anyplace you can lay your head will assure you get a good nights sleep. The lodge is a single rustic building with the kitchen and eating quarters adjoined. The dining area is an open aired space on the ground level floor with the guest rooms above the kitchen. The lodge in located in a wildlife refuge tucked into the canopy of the thick Costa Rican jungle. Nighttime sounds of the wildlife coming alive and the breaking waves on the reef will rock you to sleep. Getting to tarponville is a journey. The flights to San Jose are very easy with several flights in and out everyday. The shuttle ride to Tarponville will take 4-5 hours ending just past the small village of Manzanillo. Mileage wise it is not very far in US standards but the roads are slow. The drive is very scenic and the end destination is worth the treck. You will be staying overnight in San Jose the night of your arrival, departing for tarponville the following morning at 6:00am. Upon arrival and after a quick orientation, it will be time to get your battle gear ready as you will be off to the fishing grounds for a ½ day of fishing. The food is great. All meals at the lodge are prepared by local cooks, and the menu will include such items as snapper, local fruits and vegetables, and other local delicacies. The Lodge bar and kitchen area stocked with complimentary beer, rum, sodas, and mixers for any alcohol that you would like to bring. I hope you like fish, because they know how to prepare it. packages include breakfast, lunch and dinner, and trust me, you will be well fed! Next year I will be returning to Tarponville, but this time I will be hosting a group of anglers. I have saler fished in several areas of the world and am so impressed with this place that I want to get more people out there with me to share the experience and give you a chance to catch a fish of your life time.. I have a week booked for Spring of 2016 and will be looking to fill up to 12 spots. Get you spot reserved today and for more information on Tarponville you can visit there website at: http://www.tarponville.com/index Gear That Made The Difference: Sage Salt 12wt- This was my first time breaking in the new Sage Salt. This stick is powerful, yet very responsive. We did a ton of blind casting which normally would through a shoulder out of socket. The Salt made things effortless and kept my concentration in the game. When fighting a massive fish this rod was able to put the cork to them, literally. Check out the tarponville video for the bend in the rod. Thalken’s Cruiser- Morgan Thalken’s Cruiser fly has become my all around go to bait fish pattern. Designed for fishing in baja this baitfish can mimic a variety of patterns depending on the color scheme you choose. I have landed an array of fish including stripers, barracudas, snook, giant travalley and now tarpon. I was fortunate enough to get to try out the rattle cruiser that has a glass rattle tied into it. Let’s just say that the tarpon hated the sound and had to kill it! Costa Hamlin 580G Blue Mirror- I have been on a life long hunt for the perfect sunglasses for fly fishing. The actuality of finding the one pair for all situations is like like trout setting a saler fish. When it comes to blue sal**er and bright conditions I prefer a blue mirror lense. For frames I like a big frame where I cannot see any edges. This helps to open my field of vision and not stress out my eyes with any blocked views. These glass lenses provide the best clarity that I have found and they really are bulletproof when it comes to scratches. Trip Details: Package: (7 nights/ 5 days fishing) 3/12- Airport arrival/ shuttle to Costa Verde/ night stay in San Jose 3/13- shuttle to Tarponville/ ½ day fishing 3/14-3/17- Full days fishing 3/18- ½ day fishing/ shuttle to San Jose 3/19- Shuttle to airport/ departure flight Total Cost: $3,265.00 per person (double occupancy) Included in packages: The number of nights lodging and days fishing as specified in your package, all meals, snack, and beverages, open beer and rum bar, private round-trip transfer from San Jose to Manzanillo, Airport pick up and drop offs, all taxes, nights in San Jose hotel when necessary. Not included in packages: Airfare from original destination to San Jose, Costa, gratuities for guides, shuttle driver and lodge staff, phone use, fishing equipment, travel insurance. https://vimeo.com/124240921 __________________

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