Pacific Coast, Costa Rica

Mahi Mahi

Coryphaena hippurus

The fastest-growing fish in the ocean and one of the most colourful. Mahi gather under weed lines and floating debris, travel in schools, and strike trolled baits and cast lures with almost no hesitation.

Bigeye Tuna

Thunnus obesus

A deep-bodied, big-eyed tuna prized for rich sashimi flesh. In Hawaii 'ahi' is shared with yellowfin tuna, so the name alone does not prove the species. At the dock, check pectoral-fin length and body depth to split it from yellowfin. If a fish could be an Atlantic bluefin, remember its rules change yearly — check current regulations and never rely on fixed numbers.

Roosterfish

Nematistius pectoralis

The eastern Pacific's iconic inshore gamefish, reserved for sport fishing in Mexico and almost always released. Roosters hunt mullet and sardines in the surf and around rocky points, raising their comb-like dorsal fin when excited.

Pacific Sierra

Scomberomorus sierra

The most abundant gamefish on the Pacific coast of Mexico and Central America — a schooling Spanish mackerel that slashes bait in the surf and around nearshore reefs, and makes first-class ceviche.

Bigeye Trevally

Caranx sexfasciatus

A wide-ranging Indo-Pacific trevally that also spans Pacific Mexico and Central America (noted here for its full range). Famous for dense daytime schools over reefs and aggressive feeding at dusk and at night.

Pacific Cubera Snapper

Lutjanus novemfasciatus

The largest snapper in the eastern Pacific — a bullish, fang-toothed reef predator also called the Pacific dog snapper. Adults are solitary night hunters over rock and reef; the biggest fish come from Panama and Costa Rica.

Spotted Rose Snapper

Lutjanus guttatus

The 'pargo lunarejo' — a pinkish, spotted inshore snapper with one bold black spot, abundant from the Sea of Cortez to Panama and one of the best-eating small snappers on the coast.

Yellow Snapper

Lutjanus argentiventris

A rosy-to-golden Pacific snapper of reefs and mangroves — despite the shared name, it is a completely different species and ocean from the Atlantic yellowtail snapper.

Armed Snook

Centropomus armatus

A southern Pacific snook called 'Pacific white snook' in parts of Central America — a name that elsewhere means Centropomus viridis, so use the Latin name. Its very long, stout second anal spine is the surest identification.

Pacific Crevalle Jack

Caranx caninus

The eastern Pacific sister species of the Atlantic crevalle jack — a schooling, hard-running predator of surf beaches, estuary mouths and nearshore bait schools from Baja to Panama. Revered for its fight rather than its flesh.

White Corvina

Cynoscion albus

The largest Pacific corvina of Central America — a silvery croaker of estuary mouths and surf from southern Mexico to Panama, prized on the table and taken on shrimp, sardines and soft plastics around river mouths in Costa Rica and Panama.

Golden Snapper

Lutjanus inermis

A small, schooling eastern Pacific snapper of rocky and coral reefs, recognised by its plain golden-yellow colour. It hovers in daytime groups over reef and is a minor local food fish, not a trophy target.

Blue-striped Snapper

Lutjanus viridis

The smallest Pacific snapper, unmistakable in bright yellow with five blue-white stripes. It schools over rocky and coral reefs and matters mainly to local subsistence fisheries — and as a reef sight, not a sport target.

Black Skipjack

Euthynnus lineatus

The eastern Pacific's small tuna, forming mixed schools with yellowfin and skipjack over warm coastal and offshore surface water. It is a fast, opportunistic predator and a lively light-tackle and bait-boat fish.

Scalyfin Corvina

Cynoscion squamipinnis

A small eastern Pacific corvina called corvina aguada in Costa Rica, common in shallow coastal water and estuaries from the Gulf of California to Peru and a staple of the Gulf of Nicoya artisanal fishery.

Pacific Tripletail

Lobotes pacifica

The eastern Pacific tripletail, hunting crabs and small fish beneath floating debris, buoys and pilings from southern California and the Gulf of California to Peru, and increasingly prized by recreational anglers for its excellent meat.