lake arenal
Costa Rica's largest lake, at the foot of Arenal volcano, with native guapote (rainbow bass) and machaca.
Lake Arenal is the reservoir of the Arenal hydroelectric plant, in northern Costa Rica, between Guanacaste and Alajuela, with the volcano in the background. The target is guapote (Parachromis dovii), a native Central American cichlid, aggressive and colorful, known in English as rainbow bass. It holds around submerged logs, rocky points and vegetated shorelines. Mid-water plugs, spinners and surface lures work well; live bait also does. The machaca, a Brycon that jumps a lot, completes the fishing. Boat fishing with a local guide, usually in half-day trips.
best season
Fishing year-round. From December to March, strong wind (the lake is famous for windsurfing) hampers the afternoon: prefer the mornings.
Local rules: INCOPESCA sport fishing card required; the annual card for shore or kayak fishing is for nationals and residents; visitors get the boat fishing card. The Arenal Volcano National Park, run by SINAC, lies east of the lake, with its own rules. Confirm the local rules.
- getting there
- Juan Santamaría International Airport (San José) or Daniel Oduber (Liberia). By car, Nuevo Arenal and Tilarán are three or four hours from San José and about two hours from Liberia.
- facilities
- Inns and hotels in Nuevo Arenal, Tilarán and La Fortuna, fishing guides with boats and half-day or full-day trips.
- country
- Guanacaste e Alajuela, Costa Rica
tip
Big guapote stay in the deepest branches. Use a plug that sinks to the wood and work it slowly, accepting that you'll lose some lures.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
what you can catch here
before you fish in Costa Rica
Every sport angler must carry the INCOPESCA sport fishing card (license), for nationals and foreigners alike. It can be obtained online on the INCOPESCA website or at regional offices. For boat fishing, the INCOPESCA table lists US$16.95 for 8 days, US$28.25 per month and US$56.50 per year (fees set in 2018, kept for 2025 by agreement AJDIP/296-2024, including tax). The annual card for shore or kayak fishing is for nationals and residents. Inside refuges and parks, inland-water fishing may also require a SINAC license.
- Marlins and sailfish: in sport fishing, catch and release in the water, according to INCOPESCA.
- In SINAC protected areas, the rules of each area's management plan apply (for example, at Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge fishing is only allowed with hook, rod or handline, and nets are prohibited).
- Anglers must observe minimum sizes, catch limits and closed seasons set by INCOPESCA.
The rules and closed seasons in the rest of the app are Brazilian. Outside Brazil, the regulations of the country and province apply: confirm with the official agency.
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official INCOPESCA — Carnés (licença de pesca deportiva)Card types and fees
- official INCOPESCA — Pesca deportivaLicense required; marlin and sailfish catch and release in the water