Sailfish?
- Thread starter Matt B
- Start date
I've caught two in Mexico. How can I help you?
Weeelllllll... I'm going on a 2-week family trip to Costa Rica in June where the first week is all scheduled out with fun adventurey activities and the second week, or last 5 nights anyway are at a sleepy surfy beach area (place we are staying is right between Samara and Nosara) and there are captains in the area with offshore boats that can take people out to catch big ocean fish. This is a family trip, so I'm not going offshore more than a day, but I will be depressed if I don't go fishing, and damn what an opportunity to possibly get into some badass fish--maybe even a sailfish. I messaged the most promising looking charters down there and none of them are real fly fishers but they all say they have some experience with fly fishers, just no gear, and they can get sports onto fish.
Now I understand and am totally fine with going where the opportunity is, making the best of conditions, etc. But it seems like I might want to prepare for the possibility of a sailfish. I can tie a couple big ass pink and white flies and get a big popper head on there. I am familiar with the whole "bait and switch" technique and did it with success off Cabo for roosters (when none came to less intense methods). (If I go out, hopefully the captain and mate are familiar with this, too!)
It seems like my albacore rig will work--12 weight rods and a 10/12 Nautilus. Do I really need a special line set up for sails? Some online sources say the ideal set up is a floating line with a short sinktip to really make the popper really "bloop." Is this true? Will a straight floating line work okay? Or one of our standard heavy sinking lines we use for albacore?
I have two rods, but only the one good reel that I would match against something like a sailfish, so if I want to have two setups, like one for dorado (which I've never caught and would be plenty happy to play with) or whatever else, and then a sailfish-specific setup ready to go in case a bill pops up in the spread, then I am going to need to find another reel. Do you think I'm right, though, that if I'm going to make the effort to get out, that it would be good to have two complete set-ups? Or is that not needed? Because it's a pretty big investment for a one day thing on a family trip (even just hauling it all around for one day.) But if it's needed, I'm open to it. I am an obsessed flyfisher after all. I'm just a family man first, or I try to be anyway.
Now I understand and am totally fine with going where the opportunity is, making the best of conditions, etc. But it seems like I might want to prepare for the possibility of a sailfish. I can tie a couple big ass pink and white flies and get a big popper head on there. I am familiar with the whole "bait and switch" technique and did it with success off Cabo for roosters (when none came to less intense methods). (If I go out, hopefully the captain and mate are familiar with this, too!)
It seems like my albacore rig will work--12 weight rods and a 10/12 Nautilus. Do I really need a special line set up for sails? Some online sources say the ideal set up is a floating line with a short sinktip to really make the popper really "bloop." Is this true? Will a straight floating line work okay? Or one of our standard heavy sinking lines we use for albacore?
I have two rods, but only the one good reel that I would match against something like a sailfish, so if I want to have two setups, like one for dorado (which I've never caught and would be plenty happy to play with) or whatever else, and then a sailfish-specific setup ready to go in case a bill pops up in the spread, then I am going to need to find another reel. Do you think I'm right, though, that if I'm going to make the effort to get out, that it would be good to have two complete set-ups? Or is that not needed? Because it's a pretty big investment for a one day thing on a family trip (even just hauling it all around for one day.) But if it's needed, I'm open to it. I am an obsessed flyfisher after all. I'm just a family man first, or I try to be anyway.
12wt should be plenty. Honestly, sailfish aren't super hard fighters. I'd put them about on par with a dorado of about half their size.
Plan to troll - it's how you're going to find both dorado and sailfish. Typically the sailfish will charge right up to the boat. We got one to swipe at 3 different flies put in front of him until one finally stuck. They seem to be pretty tough to spook off honestly. Especially if you get in to a group of them.
Otherwise, there honestly isn't much to really know. It's a crapshoot, but if you do find them, they are very aggressive.
Plan to troll - it's how you're going to find both dorado and sailfish. Typically the sailfish will charge right up to the boat. We got one to swipe at 3 different flies put in front of him until one finally stuck. They seem to be pretty tough to spook off honestly. Especially if you get in to a group of them.
Otherwise, there honestly isn't much to really know. It's a crapshoot, but if you do find them, they are very aggressive.
So, a whole bunch of gear specific to sailfish, i.e. lines and flies, maybe are NOT needed?
Based on my experiences probably not. Dorado gear will get it done for the most part.
Blackdogfishing
Smolt
A big deceiver with dark blue back should work.
If you are going to troll i would recommend a double hook rig with the regular hook and a dropper. Gammy Sl12s is a good hook.
If you are going to troll i would recommend a double hook rig with the regular hook and a dropper. Gammy Sl12s is a good hook.
Crease flys and poppers seem to be a top choice in some places.
Watched folks use huge poppers as teasers while trolling, and when the fish moved in, everyone tossed smaller crease flys and a few big streamers for the hookups.
Cool fish...they just flat wear themselves out pretty fast with all that jumping and running it seems.
I have some stuff from a Panama trip, if you want to see what was used over on the Pacific side, Hannibal Banks area. Dorado liked the same stuff.
I actually did not fish for them the day it was hot, I was fishing Marlin that day, so can't do anything to help besides show pics of gear.
Watched folks use huge poppers as teasers while trolling, and when the fish moved in, everyone tossed smaller crease flys and a few big streamers for the hookups.
Cool fish...they just flat wear themselves out pretty fast with all that jumping and running it seems.
I have some stuff from a Panama trip, if you want to see what was used over on the Pacific side, Hannibal Banks area. Dorado liked the same stuff.
I actually did not fish for them the day it was hot, I was fishing Marlin that day, so can't do anything to help besides show pics of gear.
I went to Guatemala in March 2023 and fished for Sailfish. I echo what Evan stated above......not overly complicated it is just a matter of trolling and finding them...when you do find them they are usually pretty hot for the popper and all lit up.
Blackdogfishing
Smolt
A big deceiver with dark blue back should work.
If you are going to troll i would recommend a double hook rig with the regular hook and a dropper. Gammy Sl12s is a good hook.
If you are going to troll i would recommend a double hook rig with the regular hook and a dropper. Gammy Sl12s is a good hook.
Haha, I just hope I actually get out. It’s a family trip where I’m hoping to get one good full day fishing. Then of course we need to do a half or 3/4 day family trip if the weather is nice, might as well do a little trolling if we are looking for dolphins…
I just think sailfish are so cool looking and I know they got them in Costa Rica.
Dorado/mahi are cool too and I’ve never caught one of those either.
As Evan said above. No need to overthink it. Caught them on 10 weights in Golfito and elsewhere and a friend just came back from Guatemala where they were attacked for three solid days…by Sailfish not local bad guys.
10-12 weight rods
Solid reel that will hold 200 yards of backing. I use hollow 65# braid. Mine are .8 and 1.2 Charltons but any solid will do.
Leaders 8-10’ 50/30/20 with 80 bite tippet. Hard nylon works fine. The reason for the 20 or even a 12 is Mr Marlin may show up and game over.
Any color fly as long as it’s Pink & xxxxx but especially pink. I may have some kicking around if I can find them I’ll let you know and send some your way. Sent some to someone in the PNW area a while back. He may still have some. It’s basically troll with teasers, fish comes to the set, bill comes out thrashing teasers, mate pulls the teasers you cast past/behind the fish as far back as possible and they turn and..bang..you hold on until they calm down. My bud below is way over armed with the Mako and can’t remember the rod he’s toting but one thing sticks out that I see right off is the fish is bronzed which means he didn’t put the wood to it and bring it to the boat in a fairly fast manner. They can be fun, especially when they light up and go berserk between teasers unless they get foul hooked then just point the rod at the fish and ratchet down the drag until POP! goes the tippet. I’ll let you know via DM if I can find them by visiting my room of scattered memories and go from there. Have fun and let us know how you do. Especially enjoy with the family. Traveling outside the country with your kids should be a must do for them.
PS: my bud’s getting a talking to when he gets home.
10-12 weight rods
Solid reel that will hold 200 yards of backing. I use hollow 65# braid. Mine are .8 and 1.2 Charltons but any solid will do.
Leaders 8-10’ 50/30/20 with 80 bite tippet. Hard nylon works fine. The reason for the 20 or even a 12 is Mr Marlin may show up and game over.
Any color fly as long as it’s Pink & xxxxx but especially pink. I may have some kicking around if I can find them I’ll let you know and send some your way. Sent some to someone in the PNW area a while back. He may still have some. It’s basically troll with teasers, fish comes to the set, bill comes out thrashing teasers, mate pulls the teasers you cast past/behind the fish as far back as possible and they turn and..bang..you hold on until they calm down. My bud below is way over armed with the Mako and can’t remember the rod he’s toting but one thing sticks out that I see right off is the fish is bronzed which means he didn’t put the wood to it and bring it to the boat in a fairly fast manner. They can be fun, especially when they light up and go berserk between teasers unless they get foul hooked then just point the rod at the fish and ratchet down the drag until POP! goes the tippet. I’ll let you know via DM if I can find them by visiting my room of scattered memories and go from there. Have fun and let us know how you do. Especially enjoy with the family. Traveling outside the country with your kids should be a must do for them.
PS: my bud’s getting a talking to when he gets home.
Last edited:
![20220803_153758[1].jpg](/forum/data/xfmg/thumbnail/5/5378-2510850534cc9e41bd1c7b8fb0318caa.jpg?1659566730)
