Overview

The Roosterfish is a fascinating and popular sport fish that many anglers target while fishing in Costa Rica. They are known for their distinctive dorsal fin which has seven long spines protruding from it that, when out of the water, stand nearly straight up and resemble a “rooster’s comb”.

Interestingly, their “rooster comb” often lays completely flat when in the water, no doubt allowing them to achieve greater hydrodynamics and maneuverability while swimming. It’s not that they can’t use their conspicuous dorsal fin underwater – they are in fact entirely capable of fully extending their dorsal fin underwater – but it is typically only when they are out of the water that their rooster comb and spectacular coloring can be fully seen and appreciated.

Even without their characteristic rooster comb, the Roosterfish has an impressive appearance. The body is a brilliant, shiny silver with a light aqua blue accent on its back and stark, striking dark stripes accenting both sides. You’ll definitely want to bring your camera because catching a Roosterfish makes for a great Photo op.

Crocodile Bay was voted the #1 Roosterfish Destination in the world.

Saltwater Sportsman Magazine

The Fishing

There is only one type of Roosterfish, and it is abundant in Costa Rican waters.

They are strong fighting fish and a fun catch that both the novice and experienced angler can enjoy. While the average Roosterfish we catch is moderate in size (usually 20-50 lbs), we have landed Roosters close to 5 ft long and topping 100lbs!.

Roosterfish Fishing Season:

There isn’t an official Rooster Fishing season in Costa Rica as it can routinely be caught year round. However, they seem to be more prolific from Dec-April with a slight dip in prevalence in September & October.

Other Inshore Fishing Species

African pompano, bluefin trevally, a variety of jacks, grouper, mackerel, barracuda, bonitos, and an endless list of surprises including snook, wahoo and sharks make up the list of other fish caught while targeting roosters and snapper.

Crocodile Bay Sports Fishing Fleet

Our fleet is comprised of 33 and 35 foot Strike Tower boats as well as several 27 foot Rambo inboard diesels. We also have 24 and 25 foot Boston Whaler Outrages. All of boats have the ability to fish either offshore or inshore because of our generally calm sea conditions. In 17 years of operation we have only had two days when the ocean was too rough to go fishing. You will be pleasantly surprised to find an English speaking crew member on your boat as that is not always the case in other fishing operations. Do to an increased demand, we haven also added a fleet of fully outfitted Old Town fishing kayaks to increase the variety of fishing options offered at Crocodile Bay Resort.

Fishing Tackle

Our boats are outfitted with Penn International 50’s and 30’s as well as both Penn spinning and conventional gear in 20 and 30 pound outfits. We always try to have live bait on-board before you leave the dock. We use Temple Fork Fly Fishing gear on-site but we welcome anglers to bring their own gear if they prefer.