Flyfishing in jungle rivers of Costa Rica

[hurdisct]

Larry,
I have a trip planned on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica next May. Our primary target for the trip will be tarpon & snook at the mouth of the Parismina River. We also plan to fish for some exotic freshwater species in the jungle rivers for species such as Guapote, Machaca, and Mojara. Have you ever fished for theses species? Is flyfishing realistic or should I also bring bait/spincasting gear. What type of gear or techniques are need to be successful with these species. Thanks in advance and I am very looking forward to your 2009 shows!
Chris
Anchorage, Alaska

[Bill Crain]

If you care you can e-mail me @ willycrain@aol.com and I will share my info on Rio Parismina Lodge and the fishing. I have been there 20 plus times and Larry has been there many times also.. Great Lodge and great fishing..

[hurdisct]

Bill, thanks for the great feedback and info regarding your significant experience from the lodge.

Larry, I would love your perspective specifically related to flyfishing at Rio Parismina. It sounds like the tarpon are often caught in water as deep as 60 ft. Also, was curious about techniques for specifically tackling machaca and rainbow bass (guapote) on the fly.

[dahlberg]

Hi H
Rio Parismina Lodge is a a super place with great food, great service, etc. and also a great place for a first timer to encounter a tarpon using either live bait or jigging lures, but anyone who would suggest it as a viable fly fishing destination for tarpon would be really stretching it.
The Guapote are pretty pressured by the locals, who love to eat them, and in my experience would be close to impossible on flies because you need to hack your way so far back into the jungle to get at them. We're talking total overhead cover and doing bow and arrow casts with light spinning gear.
THe machaca are available in the dirtier water and can be caught on flies.
A panfish type critter called a mojara is in abundance in the lagoons and will readily bite on small poppers.
Honestly my advice to you would be to choose another location, either the far southern border where costa rica meets panama, and the beaches are not so steep and the tribs have somewhat undisturbed tarpon, or the southern part of Nicaragua at Rio Indio where there are usually lots of Guapotes in the lagoon/river systems.
best,
L

[hurdisct]

Thanks Larry for the advice. I have already put down my deposit so I am committed to going in May. I have never caught a tarpon and would be more than willing to catch them on conventional gear so I'm not too worried about completely missing out on the flyfishing. I will still bring my fly gear with heavy sinking line to see if I can get one to bite on a fly as well. Thanks for the info on the other fish. Looks like a wonderful place.
Chris
Anchorage, Ak

[dahlberg]

Hi H
Glad to hear you're not locked in to flyfishing. RIo Parismina Lodge is in my opinion, from top to bottom, one of the best run fishing operations on the planet and I'm sure you will have a great time. Say hi to Judy, Fernando, Sydney, Melvin, and the rest of the crew for me!
best,
L