For deep sea fishing enthusiasts the sight of a marlin leaping several feet above the water to fight the hook is as good as life gets. Striped, Black and Blue Marlin can be found mainly in the Pacific waters but occasionally in the Atlantic depending on the temperature and the season. Both coasts of Central America are rife with blue, black and striped marlin and have some of the best spots in the world for catching these big game prizes. Mexico is a prime attraction to deep sea fishermen, especially during the marlin migration in the spring. Baja is a great place to catch marlin and Cabo San Lucas has an annual marlin tournament, the Bisbee, with the richest purse in the world.

Costa Rica, with its prominent English speaking population, is a very good offshore spot to catch marlin. It is popular with tourists so you’ll find comfortable, modern accommodations and an active night life as well as beautiful beaches, water sports and indulgent spas.

Eastern Yucatan from late March through July is another fantastic opportunity. Smaller marlins are the usual catch at around 250-350 pounds but 500 pounders are also fairly common. It is also a fascinating area, rich in cultural heritage and customs should you decide to bring a friend or spouse who isn’t an enthusiastic fishing companion.

The Gulf of Panama provides exceptional marlin fishing. The Bay of Panama in the uppermost part of the Gulf is also very popular. In 1949 a Panamanian named Louis Schmidt caught a black marlin that weighed in at 1,006 pounds with just a rod and reel. Panama has many reefs and islands that attract marlin; they come to hunt schools of black skipjack, rainbow runners and other prey. Trolling with skipjack is a very successful technique here and you’re bound to go home with an impressive trophy.

Guatemala is another prime territory for marlin but has become one of the big game fishing capitals of the world. Up to ten marlin per day have been caught by boats in these areas. If you don’t mind sacrificing isolation and privacy for the camaraderie of fellow anglers this is an ideal location to spend your deep sea fishing vacation.

Belize is another beautiful destination where nearly everyone speaks English. It has some outstanding offshore fishing in the Caribbean ocean; there are lots of marinas and fishing guides catering to deep sea fishing for blue and white marlin.

Latin America has many advantages when it comes to deep sea fishing. Because people tend to go to more popular venues, Latin America has remained mostly unscathed by overfishing. It has isolated stretches of water both tropical and cold water, providing a huge variety of healthy fish that you can catch for trophies or to eat.

Acapulco is an excellent destination if you like to catch tuna, marlin, sailfish, dorado and a host of other fish abundant to the Pacific. As a resort town, Acapulco has abundant attractions and a fantastic night life when you’re not fishing. The beaches are some of the best in Mexico and at the end of the day you can relax in your hotel, soak in a hot tub or take a refreshing swim in the pool. All in all, Acapulco is a great destination that is relatively close to anywhere in North America.

Costa Rica is another wonderful place to fish. Tourists are treated as valued guests, English is spoken by most of the population and it is as secure as it is lovely. You can reel in a tarpon as large as 200 pounds on a good fishing day! Further south there is Panama, another tourist friendly destination that provides some very fine fishing and several charters that border on luxurious.

Whether you go to Central Latin America or further south to Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru or Uruguay you’ll have to decide if you want to rent everything yourself or book a charter.

If you decide to make your own arrangements before flying or driving to your destination there are several items to take care of. You’ll have to find a reputable business from which to rent a boat and find accommodations if you don’t want to live on that boat. A guide is almost imperative, someone who knows where the fishing is best and how to contact help if the need should arise. If you don’t take your own rod and tackle you’ll also need to arrange for that type of rental. Hotel or motel rooms will have to be reserved, too, as will bait and other considerations such as coolers, lunches and drinks onboard.

Booking a charter means that everything is provided but you can bring your own rod and tackle. You can get packages that include hotel room, meals and drinks on board during the fishing day and a guide to steer you into waters that are abundant with the fish you want to catch. Some charters will pick you up from the airport and drive you to your hotel for an extra fee, taking all the stress from your fishing vacation. Then you can spend the next few days happily fishing for Snapper, Grouper, Yellowfin and Bigeye tuna, Sailfish, Roosterfish and many others. You can spend down time snorkeling, swimming, seeing the sights and enjoying the excellent cuisine.

Deep sea fly fishing is somewhat like regular fly fishing but with heavier tackle than in freshwater fishing. Flies resemble baitfish, shrimp, crabs and other natural prey. You can also use “poppers” and other surface lures. This type of fishing can be used to catch redfish, snook, spotted sea trout, tuna, bonefish, mahi-mahi (Dorado or dolphin), tarpon, sailfish, marlin and salmon. All of these fish are easily spooked, especially marlins, so a favorite method is to tease them with a large hookless lure to entice them to lose their caution and eventually chase the hooked lure.

If you’re thinking of deep sea fly fishing you’ll need special salt water reels with a powerful drag system. They are larger and heavier than freshwater tackle and resistant to corrosion.

Freshwater fly fishing skills are quite different than what you’ll need for deep water. The fish are, of course, much larger and they are more wary due to all the natural predators in their habitat. You’ll want to practice with at least an 8 weight fly rod learn to cast at least 30-90 feet. Fly rods can be up to 15’ long compared to about 9’ for freshwater. Bonefish, barracuda, jacks, marlins and others deep sea denizens require a lot of endurance and strength to hook, fight and land.

It will make your trip more enjoyable if you book a crew or charter package that specializes in deep sea fly fishing. You’ll find a lot of these in Mexico due to its English speaking tourism industry but Panama, Belize and other more southern destinations also have a thriving deep sea fly fishing industry. As you go deeper into Latin America you’ll find that Argentina, Chili, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay also have deep water fly fishing excursions but you may find it more difficult to find charters that specialize in that type of sport. Doing your homework ahead of time will insure an exciting and rewarding trip.

When you’re planning your trip you should look up references for every provider you’re thinking of using. Make sure that any boat you’ll be using is equipped with VHF radio, GPS, secure fighting chairs and safety equipment. Fish finders are a plus although a good guide can be even better as he or she knows from experience when a certain area is likely to be productive.

Like any other type of hunting, deep sea fly fishing requires patience and a high level of alertness. If you want the most from your trip, leave the alcohol for evening relaxation and socializing instead of partaking during the expedition. With the sun, breezes and exertion you’ll want to be sure that you have plenty of water and hydration supplements aboard. Don’t forget to take the sunscreen!

Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is a wonderful place to fish, particularly in the autumn months when people in the States are beginning to feel the chill. Extend your summer by going in October when the mahi mahi shows up with all the sailfish, tuna and marlin. You’ll also find Yellowtail tuna, roosterfish and Bonita. Most of these fish are caught when trolling mullet or pitch baits. You’ll enjoy lots of sun and water temperatures average around 85°. Plentiful sardines can be used as bait and also attract fish as they look for food.

You may want to go to nearby Banderas Bay, the largest natural bay in Mexico, where you can watch the Humpback Whales as they migrate there to give birth to their calves. November is the month for sailfish and marlin championships with continued perfect weather and great sailing. Take a sunset cruise after a day of fishing for the perfect evening. There are condo and beach house rentals as well as hotels for lodgings. Your family—or even you, after a day of fishing—will enjoy activities such as horseback riding, snorkeling, whale watching and tours of the city and the surrounding jungle. In the evening you can watch a game at a sports bar, go dancing or partake of casual and fine dining in all types of cuisines.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is another fishing paradise with the best of both inland and ocean sports. It has two coasts to fish and you can also fish the rivers of the jungle and mountains. This area has some of the best sport fishing in the world. You can take out your own boat with your group or hire a charter that will take care of all the necessities so you can settle down to some serious fun.

You can fish in-shore above the reefs for barracuda, snapper, jacks and grouper or go to the river and land a huge snook for your dinner. Or go to sea for marlins and other billfish, Dorado, wahoo, Yellowfin tuna and other sports fish. For something different try kayak fishing in a pedal kayak that keeps your hands free for the hard work of your chosen playtime. You’ll be right there on the water where the fish hang out and your guide will make sure that you catch all the fish you want. Or you can fish inshore along the coast for a more relaxing time; enjoy the beautiful surroundings as you reel in African Pompano, grouper, cubera snapper, dog tooth snapper and barracuda.

Costa Rica is another family friendly destination with tennis, golf, casinos, white sand beaches and night life. There are rain forest canopy zip-line tours, white water rafting or you can paddle down a jungle river. Hike the national parks and see volcanoes, hot springs and incredible wildlife. You can also enjoy waterfall rappelling, horseback riding and so much more!

Panama

Panama, meaning “abundance of fish”, is a fishing paradise. You may want to get an all-inclusive package that includes boat, fishing, gear, meals and hotel. One great destination is the Bocas del Toro Islands where you’ll fish among the 68 tropical islands in deep water as well as lagoons and reefs. Stop in Panama City to see the Panama Canal and the ruins of the old city, enjoy art galleries and fine dining. Or choose the Pearl Islands that used to shelter famous pirates from all over the world. The islands have plentiful fishing in the coves and you can enjoy white, black and gold sand beaches. San Jose, the second largest of the Pearl Islands, is known for having broken 16 black marlin world records. There are giant oysters, lobsters and shrimp as well as sailfish, tuna, cobera, red snapper and more to make Panama a paradise for fishermen both inland and deep water.

Beginning in Mexico, there are dozens of lakes, sparkling mountain streams and wide tropical rivers and all are the perfect spot for bass! Knowing they have a good thing, the people of Mexico strive to make bass fishermen welcome and comfortable with any type of accommodation you prefer. You can stay in a simple cabin or enjoy the luxury of top notch hotels with all amenities. Lake Huites in the Sierra Madre Mountains affords you incredible scenery and plenty of fishing. Lake El Salto in the state of Sinaloa has been called the best trophy lake in the world; it has superb hotels, great food and exceptional service. You can find largemouth bass in Lake Duerrero and Lake Baccarac but in most lakes you’ll find peacock bass.

Lake Mateos is popular because it’s not at all unusual to catch up to 100 fish per day per boat. Many of those bass weigh over 10 pounds! Lake Comedero, 100 miles northeast of Mazatlan, has a cool, clear lake with thousands of Mexico black bass that will strike at nearly anything.

Costa Rica is another indescribably pretty place to fish for bass. Rainbow bass here are mean and feisty, capable of destroying lures and flies in seconds. The best fishing is in the northern region in places like Fortuna, Lake Hule and Cano Negro. You’ll also find dozens of rivers and streams housing ponds that are prime bass fishing areas. La Fortuna, near the Arenal Volcano, has rainbow bass, tilapias, Machacas and black bass. Cano Negro lagoon and its river system is also a great place for rainbow and jaguar bass, surrounded by unspoiled wilderness. You can spend the day fishing and the night in the lap of luxury at one of the many top-notch hotels.

For a trip you can truly brag about, how about fishing the Panama Canal? The 8th wonder of the world is teeming with peacock bass and other sport fish. Imagine doing what you love best, surrounded by lush rainforest and unbelievable wildlife!

Peacock bass is one of the most common types of bass in Latin America. This lovely (and tasty) fish has 3 wide vertical stripes on its body and a spot on the tail just like a peacock’s feather. These 15-20 pound beauties are fierce fighters, a real challenge for those tired of easy fish. They are great game for fly fishing and respond well to poppers and large streamers. The adults feed on mature dragonflies while the young eat dragonfly larvae.

If you want to travel further south and get really exotic, Argentina’s Rio Negro has peacock bass to spare and a few other varieties. The water is actually closer to green than black; the river is also known as Rio de los Sauces (river of willows) because of the willow trees bending low over the lower course that empties into the Atlantic.

There’s nothing quite like the peace of fishing interspersed with unexpected lively battles with the noble, tasty bass! Latin America is the ideal place to indulge in this challenging sport.

For freshwater fishing you should consider Agua Milpa in Mexico or Rio Grande, Rio Gallegos and Rio Irigoyen in South America. The latter 2 are located in Argentina. Nicaragua also has plenty of freshwater to make a great choice for freshwater fishing.

If you want to fish for marlin then your best options probably are Cancun or Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, in the Caribbean your best bets are Puerto Rico, Cuba, or Dominican Republic. Costa Rica and Panama also are renowned for great marlin fishing. Marlin is found in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. For your info, Cancun is on the Atlantic side and Puerto Vallarta is on the Pacific side of Mexico. The Caribbean is on the Atlantic side. This part of the Atlantic is also referred to as the Caribbean Sea. Costa Rica and Panama both have access to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans as well.