How many fish does an exceptional saltwater charter captain catch?

Captain Daniel Espinoza is one of the most recognized captains currently fishing in Costa Rica. He’s been at the helm of the 42ft Spanish Fly – owned and built originally at Maverick Yachts just outside Jaco by Richard and Nancy Lebo, and now owned by Glen and Cindy Mumford – for just over 10 years, since the day it was put in the water. During that time, Daniel has deservedly carved out a stellar reputation for both himself and the boat. References to either will bring nothing less than unanimous choruses of accolades.

Daniel Espinoza’s first charter as captain of the Spanish Fly out of Los Sueños Marina on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific coast was on December 23, 2003. Exactly 2,321 fishing charter days later and almost 25,000 hours on the water with clients – many of them booked by Americana Sportfishing – here are the figures he had put up as of December 23, 2013:

Sailfish: 9,180 released
Marlin (Blue, Black, Striped): 570 released
Dorado (Mahi-Mahi): 3,850
Yellowfin Tuna: 2,996

That’s almost 16,600 big fish in ten years! And imagine the many others that got away. If this isn’t something to crow about, nothing is. Congratulations Daniel.

Captain Johnny Cerpas (photo above), who fishes on the 38ft Macushla owned by John and Jamie Casey out of Los Sueños Marina, is another of the fine captains who have made saltwater sportfishing one of Costa Rica’s top tourist attractions, known to all the world.

Among the many fortunate anglers now in Costa Rica to enjoy world-class sportfishing is the Kucherenko family from the industrial city of Donetsk in the Ukraine. Volodymyr, Olena, Illya and Darya just spent three days fishing with Johnny on the Macushla, and their numbers are hard to beat: Day One – a Grand Slam: 3-4 on Marlin (one Striped and two Blue), 10-17 on Sailfish, and a Grouper; Day Two: 3-4 again on Marlin (a 450lb Blue and two smaller Blues), 10-12 on Sailfish, and a Dorado (Mahi-Mahi); Day Three: 2-3 on Blue Marlin, 5-7 on Sailfish, and three Dorado.

Numbers like this, plus captains like Daniel Espinoza and Johnny Cerpas, draw anglers to Costa Rica’s Central Pacific and South Pacific coast from December through April like iron filings to magnets. During this period, the exceptional billfish bite in Costa Rica serves as home to several prestigious international billfish tournaments, including events of the Presidential Challenge of Central America; the Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown Series (a melding of the popular decade-long Signature Series and the Marlin Invitational) with a $100,000 guaranteed cash prize to the winner; and the Offshore World Championship.

If sportfishing is on your mind, Costa Rica is the place to be.

This exclusive article comes courtesy of Americana Sportfishing which has been arranging sportfishing charters and complete sportfishing vacations in Costa Rica for the past 20 years.