Full Day Playa Flamingo Tuna and Mahi Mahi Trip
Private Trip
Offshore Fishing
Nine-hour private charter targets tuna, mahi mahi, and wahoo offshoreProfessional crew with 50 years combined maritime experience includedAll tackle, safety gear, meals and beverages provided onboard
When you're serious about offshore fishing in Costa Rica, this nine-hour private charter from Marina Flamingo puts you right where the big fish live. We're talking about heading out to the deep blue where yellowfin tuna cruise the currents and mahi mahi light up the spread. With Hook'd Sport Fishing, you get a captain and mate with nearly fifty years of combined time on these waters – guys who know exactly where to find the bite when conditions line up right. This isn't some cookie-cutter half-day trip where you're rushed back to the dock just as things get good. Nine hours gives us the time to really work the offshore grounds and put you on multiple species throughout the day.
Your day starts early at Marina Flamingo, where we'll have the boat fueled, rigged, and ready to run. The first hour is all about covering water – getting out to those productive zones where the current breaks and baitfish stack up. Once we're in the zone, it's all hands on deck. We run a mix of live bait and lures, adjusting our spread based on what we're seeing on the fish finder and how the conditions are setting up. The boat handles up to four anglers comfortably, so everyone gets plenty of rod time without feeling crowded. Whether you've been chasing pelagics for decades or this is your first time targeting offshore species, we tailor the experience to match your crew's skill level. The professional-grade tackle we provide can handle anything from aggressive roosters to bulldogging yellowfin, and our mate stays busy keeping baits fresh and lines in the water. Between the action, we keep you fueled with fresh burritos – your choice of fish, chicken, or beef – plus seasonal fruit and cold drinks throughout the day.
Offshore fishing here is all about reading the water and adapting your approach. We start most days trolling a mixed spread – ballyhoo on the riggers, cedar plugs on the flat lines, and maybe a big lure way back in the wash if we're hunting wahoo. When we mark schools or find floating structure, we switch gears to live bait fishing with spinning gear. The key is staying flexible because these pelagic species move with the current and bait, so what worked yesterday might not be the play today. Our tackle setup includes heavy conventional reels loaded with 50-80 pound test for the big tuna, plus lighter spinning outfits when the mahi are being finicky about presentation. We carry a full selection of lures from small feathers for skipjack bait up to big marlin lures if we run into something special. The mate handles all the rigging and bait prep, but if you want to learn how to rig a ballyhoo or tie a loop knot, just ask – most of our guests love picking up new techniques they can use on their home waters.
The yellowfin tuna fishing off Playa Flamingo has been world-class, with fish ranging from footballs in the 20-30 pound range up to genuine monsters pushing triple digits. These fish are pure muscle and will test your endurance – even a 40-pound yellowfin feels like you're tied to a freight train. Peak season runs from December through April when the water temperature and bait concentrations create perfect conditions. What makes yellowfin so special is their speed and power combined with incredible table fare. Nothing beats fresh tuna sashimi made from a fish that was swimming an hour ago. Mahi mahi are the other star of the show here, with their electric colors and acrobatic fights making them a favorite for anglers of all experience levels. These fish travel in schools, so when you find one, there are usually more nearby. Bulls can reach 30-50 pounds and put on an aerial display that'll have everyone on the boat grabbing cameras. Roosters are the wild card – these iconic Pacific gamefish with their distinctive dorsal fins are pure aggression when hooked, making long screaming runs toward structure. Red snapper provide excellent action when we work the deeper drop-offs and seamounts, while gag grouper lurk around rocky structure and fight with the stubborn determination that makes grouper species so challenging to land.
This full-day charter delivers exactly what serious offshore anglers are looking for – maximum time on the prime fishing grounds with experienced crew who know these waters inside and out. The nine-hour window lets us adapt to conditions, move between spots, and really maximize your chances at multiple species. With professional tackle, quality food service, and the flexibility to upgrade your dining experience through our catering partners, you're set up for success from the moment you step aboard. Marina Flamingo puts you within striking distance of some of Costa Rica's most productive offshore fishing, and our captain's local knowledge means you're not wasting time searching random water. Whether you're after a personal best yellowfin, want to experience the colors and fight of Pacific mahi, or hope to check a rooster off your bucket list, this trip positions you for the kind of day that becomes a story you'll tell for years. Don't wait until peak season books up – reserve your dates now and get ready to see why Playa Flamingo has earned its reputation as one of Central America's top offshore fishing destinations.
This comfortable motorboat gets you to the prime fishing waters off Playa Flamingo where the big fish roam. Built for serious angling, she handles the offshore swells with ease while you chase tuna and mahi mahi in the deep blue. The onboard kitchen keeps your catch fresh and lets the crew prepare those included burritos between fishing spots. When nature calls, there's a proper head aboard so you don't miss any action. The refrigerator keeps drinks cold during those long runs to productive waters where the current lines hold fish. Perfect for up to four anglers who want to fish the outer grounds without sacrificing comfort. Your captain knows these waters and where the fish stack up along the drop-offs and seamounts. Whether you're working jigs for tuna or trolling for mahi, this boat gives you the stability and space to fight fish properly in Costa Rica's rich Pacific waters.
Mycteroperca MicrolepisGag grouper are ambush predators that spend their lives around structure - reefs, rocks, and drop-offs where they can hide and pounce. They average 20 inches but the mature fish can reach 50-plus inches and 80 pounds. You'll find them from shallow inshore areas as juveniles to deep offshore reefs as adults, always near cover. Spring and fall are prime time when they're most active and feeding heavy before spawning. Anglers love them for that bulldogging fight - once hooked, they'll try everything to get back to their hole in the rocks. The meat is excellent eating, firm white fillets that grill beautifully. Use live mullet or pinfish on a stout rod with 40-pound line. My advice: keep that drag tight and your rod tip low when you hook one. Don't give them an inch or they'll dive straight into the rocks and game over.
Coryphaena HippurusMahi are pure eye candy with those electric blues and golds that shift colors when they come out of the water. Most run 15-30 pounds, though we see some real bulls pushing 50-plus. They hang around floating debris, weed lines, and current breaks in the blue water - anywhere from 100 feet out to miles offshore. The bite stays consistent year-round here, but picks up when water temps climb. People love targeting them because they fight hard, jump like crazy, and make some of the best table fare you'll find. The meat's firm, mild, and perfect for the grill. Here's a local trick: when you hook one, don't bring it straight to the boat. Let it tire itself out with those jumps first, because mahi often travel in schools and a hot fish will spook the rest away from your spread.
Lutjanus CampechanusRed snapper are true bottom warriors that'll give you a proper fight every time. Most run 5-15 pounds, though the big females can push 35 pounds on deep structure. They live around rocky bottoms, reefs, and wrecks in 80-400 feet of water, always tight to cover. Best fishing happens during their spawning months from May through October when they're most active. People target them because they fight dirty - diving straight for the rocks to cut your line - and the meat is sweet, flaky perfection. It's restaurant-quality stuff that's worth the effort. The key is using circle hooks with fresh squid or live pinfish, and here's the important part: soon as you feel that bite, crank hard and don't stop. Give them any slack and they'll wrap you around the structure every time.
Nematistius PectoralisThese are some of the most unique fish you'll encounter out here. Roosterfish average around 110 pounds and can stretch over 5 feet, with that famous "rooster comb" of spines on their back that pops up when they get excited or hunt. You'll find them in the inshore waters around rocky areas and sandy bottoms - they love chasing sardines and mullet near the surface. Year-round fishing is solid here, but they really turn on when baitfish are thick. What makes them special is that powerful fight - they'll make long, screaming runs that'll test your arms. Most folks catch and release since the meat's pretty tough. My tip: when you hook one, keep that drag locked tight and don't give them an inch, or they'll head straight for the rocks and cut you off.
Thunnus AlbacaresYellowfin are the ultimate offshore prize - built like torpedoes and fast as lightning. Most of what we catch runs 60-80 pounds, but these fish can hit 200-plus when conditions are right. They cruise the deep blue water, usually in that top 100 feet, following bait schools and temperature breaks. The fishing stays good year-round, though they really stack up during certain moon phases and when the water's clean. Anglers love them for that blistering initial run and because the meat is premium sashimi grade - you can't buy better tuna in any restaurant. They're smart fish that spook easy, so we often have to back off the throttle and drift to them. My go-to trick is to chunk cut bait behind the boat when they're finicky. Gets them fired up and willing to hit your hooks.
Guanacaste, Guanacaste