Crocodile Bay Lodge

Costa Rica Fishing Resort

Crocodile Bay Lodge

It is the dance of the sailfish and the lightning speed of the marlin that that attract most anglers to the Osa Peninsula. It is not uncommon to raise more than 20 billfish in a days fishing with Crocodile Bay. Most dorado coming to the dock have been over 30 lbs with Tuna always plentiful. You can likely catch a billfish any day of the year, with January through April the top months for marlin and sailfish along this region of the southern coast. there is also a good showing of marlin in August and November, while months during and just after the rains produce more dorado, as the debris washed out of the rivers forms the inshore trash lines they feed under. Football-size tuna are almost always present and sometimes those that top out at 300 pounds. Anglers trolling in the bluewater are often treated to pleasant surprises. Humpback and pilot whales blow geysers high in the air. Sea turtles sun on the surface. Manta rays free-jump and belly-flop with a loud slap on the water. The most awesome sight, though, is the sighed sight of a pod of killer whales migrating along the coast.

 

Crocodile Bay Lodge

 

The Crocodile Bay Lodge project began with the purchase of a 44-acre farm adjacent to the airport in Puerto Jimenez, including 600 feet of frontage on the Gulf. Construction of the 6 quadplexes and main lodge began in June of 1999. Crocodile Bay Lodge opened it's doors in September of that year, and the 750 foot private pier was completed in April of 2000. Other facilities include a conference and meeting center that seats up to 80 people, two butterfly farms, a crocodile lagoon, pool with raised Jacuzzi, game and television room, restaurant and bar with outdoor grill and buffet, and countless walking and hiking trails.

 

Built of concrete and local native hardwoods, the 34 rooms are spacious with queen sized beds and private Jacuzzis (available in deluxe rooms) and air conditioning. Williams had a vision of the project more than a decade ago. He began assembling his team by bringing Hardy Corea aboard as company president and manager of the lodge. Todd Staley joined the team as director of Fishing and is in charge of the fleet. Corea and Staley both trained under the wing of the late Archie Fields, founder of the Rio Colorado tarpon and snook lodge on the Caribbean coast and pioneer of early Costa Rica tourism. In all, Crocodile Bay Lodge created more than 80 new jobs in Puerto Jimenez.

 

Inshore fishing is consistent all year. Roosterfish and cubera snapper are the main attraction, but the waters along the beaches and the Golfo Dulce add to the menu. Snook roam the beaches as well as the rivers. A dozen other types of snapper, grouper, amberjack, bluefin trevally, sharks and barracuda cruise the reefs. Rio Coto at Zancudo is also famous for its snook. Large schools of herring congregate on the flats in front of the river and with it schools of sierra mackerel, jacks and other game fish.

 

 

Costa Rica Inshore Fishing

 

The Zancudo beach has an inshore corbina population and gets rocky again as it turns the corner to Pavones, where roosterfish and surfers share the famous left break. Two volcanic reefs lay in the shallows offshore. One is nearly a mile long. Small cubera snappers in the 5 to 10 pound range jump all over a topwater plug worked over the rocks. Roosterfish to fifty pounds patrol these same mirrored waters, though they prefer a frisky live bait. The world class fishing Costa Rica has to offer combined with a vision that began 10 years ago, has made Robin Williams and many a traveling angler's dreams come true.

 

Giant schools of bonito bust bait in the gulf, great game for a fly rodder. What makes the fishing unique in this area is the Golfo Dulce itself. On the mainland side of the gulf, the mountains seem to melt into the emerald water. The volcanic structure continues underwater creating habitat and feeding grounds for the finned residents. Giant schools of bonito bust bait in the gulf, great game for a fly rodder. What makes the fishing unique in this area is the Golfo Dulce itself. On the mainland side of the gulf, the mountains seem to melt into the emerald water. The volcanic structure continues underwater creating habitat and feeding grounds for the finned residents.

 

Crocodile Bay Lodge Pricing

 

Costa Rica