Today seems like the perfect day to do a little ocean fishing, doesn’t it? True, every day is the perfect day for ocean fishing…..or any kind of fishing for that matter. We are going to take a trip to Costa Rica to see if we can catch one of the more popular gamefish in the area, the Roosterfish. This distinctive fish can also be found in Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Nicaragua and pretty much anywhere in the easter Pacific Ocean from southern California to Peru. As you can see we have quite a few options for our fishing excursion but it seems like the wonderful people in Costa Rica really promote the Roosterfish.
Cock-A-Doodle-Doo
The nice thing about the Roosterfish is the fact they are very easy to identify. Their large “rooster comb” created by their seven long dorsal fin spines give this fish away quite quickly. Naturally, their common name arises from this very same physical characteristic. Do you think it looks like a rooster? Typically, our “bird-like” fish has an average weight of 9 kg (20 lbs) but has been known to get as large as 45 kg (100 lbs).Their unique appearance and their desire to put up a fight makes the Roosterfish a popular sport fish, even though their taste is nothing to write home about. I guess having a bad taste is a pretty smart defence mechanism for this featured fish.
Shhhhhh…..
Besides their odd looking dorsal fin, the Roosterfish is also known for their unique arrangement of their ears. Yes, I just said “ears”…did you know the Roosterfish has ears? Even more surprising is the fact that their swim bladder, which helps control their buoyancy, penetrates their brain and touches their inner ear. What is the point of this? Great question! It is all about amplifying the sounds. This physical adaptation provides the Roosterfish with a much better sense of hearing.
A Few Fishing Tips
This added sense of hearing means you should take the volume down a few decibels while fishing for this infamous sport fish. As well, I would recommend using live baitfish to catch this beautiful creature. You will often see the Roosterfish thrashing around on the surface of the ocean as they try to catch a nice meal comprised of small fish. For more fishing hints and tricks, check out http://www.howtocatchanyfish.com/roosterfish.html. Good luck out on the water!
You hear a lot about the marlin and sailfish when it comes to ocean fishing in Costa Rica, but the roosterfish not so much. Thanks for sharing all this great info.
Thought you might be interested in another little known fish in Costa Rica: the guapote, also known as the rainbow bass or peacock bass because of its intense color. It’s not an ocean fish. The best place to catch them is actually inland, in Lake Arenal. They are strong fish, fighters. So makes for a great day on the water.
And Arenal is an ideal place to fish. Hardly any other boats on the water and very little development on shore. Beautiful scenery and very quiet.