Jungle Tarpon Reserve, Costa Rica 2023 Season Report

The trials of El Niño at the Jungle Tarpon Reserve

Our season started with normal water levels and a pattern of active fish spiking around the waxing moon. This is something to note if you are booking in 2024. Tarpon were caught in various size ranges and in both river and lagoon. The final week of August raised some particularly nice fish. The looming El Niño reared its head in September, and several weeks of dry conditions focused our efforts on the river only. Even though the lagoons were off limits, we had some incredible fishing, and a few true monsters were brought to hand. October continued the trend of low water, but increased activity on the waxing moon. Finally in November, the rains came, and brought water and fresh tarpon back from lower in the system. Truly a welcome way to end our season in the jungle.

Amazing Jaguar Sightings & More

The amazing flooded forest and the immense biodiversity that surrounds the Jungle Tarpon Reserve is a constant reminder that this place is so much more than just a fishing experience, and we continue to be blessed with many awe-inspiring wildlife encounters. Of special note are the 6 groups (40% of clients) that had jaguar encounters in 2023, some of which lasted up to 15 minutes or more. Seems like our jaguar study is slowly starting to crack the code on these elusive animals. We are excited for the many great opportunities in conservation on the horizon – more on that soon! We also had two groups focused on bird watching alongside fly fishing (part of our burgeoning Fins & Feathers program). Without getting off the boats and into the forest we were able to see 142 and 173 species of rainforest birds during these weeks.

A Big Thank You

We would like to thank our clients, both those who come every season and the new ones who experienced our fishery for the first time. Our entire staff really appreciate you coming to fish with us and we hope to see you again in the future. From our families to yours, thank you, happy holidays, and may 2024 bring you health, prosperity, and many more memorable fishing experiences.