Marina Pez Vela sits twenty minutes from Manuel Antonio and is the reason serious anglers come to this coast. Sailfish run all year with a peak from December through April, blue and black marlin show up offshore, and the inshore reefs hold roosterfish, cubera snapper, and amberjack within twenty minutes of the dock.
We track 17 operations working out of this marina, from centre-console inshore boats to full sportfishers with towers, tuna tubes, and a crew that has fished these seamounts for decades.
Sportfishing charter run by Captain Butch aboard the Gypsy Girl, a 1986 Palmbeach/Gamefisher 30-foot express with a marlin tower, one of the original sportfishing boats built in Costa Rica. The boat fishes offshore for blue, black, and striped marlin and sailfish, plus tuna, dorado, wahoo, grouper, amberjack, and snapper.
Half day and full day fishing charters out of Quepos aboard the 32 foot Big Eye II, run by Captain Franklin Araya, who has roughly 20 years working these waters. Offshore targets include sailfish, marlin, yellowfin tuna, and mahi mahi, with inshore trips for roosterfish, snapper, and jacks.
Daily sportfishing charters out of Marina Pez Vela on a 31-foot boat, with its own website alongside a strong TripAdvisor and FishingBooker review base. Offers offshore trips for billfish, tuna, and mahi mahi as well as inshore options.
Inshore and offshore fishing charter operating a 43-foot Luhrs named Vamonos out of Quepos, run by Captain Dooper Dold. Also lists a private 90-minute sunset cruise from Marina Pez Vela as an add-on trip.
Private fishing charters from Marina Pez Vela aboard the Double Nickel, a 42 foot boat taking up to 12 anglers with a professional Costa Rican crew. The operation specializes in light tackle bait and switch fishing for sailfish, marlin, mahi mahi, and yellowfin tuna, with online booking through FareHarbor.
Inshore and offshore fishing charter run by Captain Fabian Ramirez aboard a 23-foot Coral center console based at Marina Pez Vela. The boat targets roosterfish, snapper, mahi mahi, yellowfin tuna, and grouper, with fly fishing available on request alongside standard trolling and bottom fishing.
Family-owned operation based at Marina Pez Vela since 1999, with a four-boat fleet ranging from a 28-foot center console to a 40-foot Luhrs with an air-conditioned cabin. Founder Carlos Rojas leads the team and offers half-day and full-day charters targeting sailfish, marlin, dorado, tuna, and roosterfish.
Inshore sportfishing specialist based at Marina Pez Vela, run by owner and captain Riccardo Puliti aboard the 26-foot Idra II center console. The operation targets roosterfish, snapper, snook, triple tail, seabass, and mahi mahi with live bait, and has placed in Marina Pez Vela's roosterfish tournament for two consecutive years.
Owner-operated sportfishing charter running the 31 ft Good Day and the 23 ft Regulator Knot Easy out of Marina Pez Vela, founded in 2016 by Benn Gilmour after he and his wife Cathy relocated from Singapore. The boats target sailfish, marlin, tuna, and roosterfish, and the crew practices catch and release with circle hooks on billfish. Captain Manuel Gabuardi has run Good Day for more than two decades and was aboard for a 1,245 lb black marlin catch in 2008.
Multi-boat sportfishing operation with a fleet based in Quepos: the Mono Grande, a 52-foot Viking offering day and overnight trips with hot meals and full crew; the Monkeyshine, a custom 35-foot express built specifically for offshore fishing; and the Monkey Sea, a 31-foot Bertram once owned by King Hussein of Jordan, suited to both billfish and inshore roosterfish. The company is affiliated with a resort in Manuel Antonio.
The largest sportfishing vessel based at Marina Pez Vela, a 60-foot Viking accommodating up to 11 anglers. Full-day trips run 7 am to roughly 4 pm and include a full breakfast, hot lunch, snacks, and drinks prepared onboard. Half-day and nearshore options are available through partner boats. Slip E-15.
Owner-operated fleet out of Marina Pez Vela run by Andy Couch and Connie Balusek since 2019. The company owns all vessels, including the 40-foot air-conditioned Blue Daze and the 32-foot Ocean Master Stress Reeliever. Captains Junior Smith, Mike Meza, Jessy Smith, and Kenny Alvarez cover offshore sailfish and inshore roosterfish charters.
Offshore sportfishing charter operating out of Marina Pez Vela with full-day, three-quarter day, and multi-day FAD trips targeting marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, and dorado 20 to 130 miles offshore. Boats include an air-conditioned salon and onboard Starlink wifi, and multi-day FAD trips include overnight bunks for two nights at sea. The company also runs a Tortuga Island snorkeling excursion as an add-on option.
Luxury-focused charter operation at Marina Pez Vela running a fleet of vessels from 26 to 60 feet, with air-conditioned cabin options. Offers half-day inshore, 3/4-day, and full-day offshore charters plus mangrove fishing and yacht rentals for groups up to 12. Shared-boat options are available for smaller parties.
Year-round sportfishing charter out of Quepos owned by local captain Elier Duran, running a 27-foot center console boat. One of the most heavily reviewed operators in the marina, with 250-plus FishingBooker reviews for both offshore and inshore trips.
Captain Carlos Picado runs a 2004 Cabo 35 Express powered by twin Cummins 430 hp engines out of Marina Pez Vela. The boat holds up to 6 guests and offers half-day inshore (5 hours), 3/4-day, and full-day offshore (9 hours) charters targeting sailfish, marlin, dorado, tuna, and roosterfish.
Owner-operated 45-foot Viking custom sportfisher out of Marina Pez Vela, run by Captain Rolando Gonzales Cruz with 35-plus years on the local grounds. Full-day offshore charters include all tackle (Penn and Shimano), bait, hot lunch, and drinks. Current ownership has operated under this name since 2022.
One 45-foot Viking yacht, six ways to use it: full-day offshore fishing, half-day inshore for roosterfish, a sunset coastal cruise past Punta Quepos and Punta Catedral, whale watching in season, a snorkeling and coastal cruise combo, and fully bespoke charters. Every trip is private to the group, run by Captain Minor Hidalgo out of Marina Pez Vela.
Before you book, one honest note. Prices, departure times, and what is included move with the season here. Boats come out of the water for maintenance and operators adjust rates without telling anyone first. The details on this page are what we last confirmed with the operator, and we go back and check them, but your booking is with them and their confirmation is the final word. If a detail matters to your trip, ask us before you book and we will confirm it directly rather than guess.
Sailfish are caught year round out of Marina Pez Vela, with the strongest numbers from December through April. Green season, May to November, often produces fewer boats on the water and very good fishing, particularly for marlin.
Inshore roosterfish and snapper are twenty minutes out. The offshore seamounts where the marlin hold are a run of one to three hours depending on conditions and where the fish are that week.
Half days work for inshore species and for families. Billfish almost always need a full day, because the run offshore eats the morning.
We know these captains. Send your dates, group size, and what you want to catch, and we will come back with the right boat and a confirmed rate.
Plan a fishing dayWhere to fish in Costa Rica, month by month · Quepos fishing seasons
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