lake cocibolca — san carlos and solentiname
Outflow of the San Juan River at the southeast of Lake Cocibolca, with the Solentiname archipelago alongside: tarpon, guapote and snook in fresh water.
San Carlos is where the San Juan River leaves Lake Cocibolca (Lake Nicaragua), at the lake's southeast end. To the west lies the Solentiname archipelago, 36 volcanic islands and islets protected as a National Monument by MARENA. Tarpon swim up from the Caribbean through the river into the lake; fishing is done from a boat with heavy lures, jigs and natural bait, at river mouths and in the channels between the islands. Guapote lagunero hits plugs and spinners near rocks, stone corrals and submerged logs, and the tiger guapote and the mojarra (Amphilophus citrinellus) complete the catch. Snook and machaca show up at river mouths. In September, San Carlos hosts the international tarpon tournament, with a fishing area from Solentiname to the El Castillo rapids.
best season
Tarpon and guapote all year. The dry season, February to May, leaves the water clearer; in September San Carlos hosts the international tarpon tournament.
Local rules: INPESCA minimum sizes in inland waters: tarpon 120 cm, white snook 50 cm, guapote lagunero 25 cm, guapote tigre 20 cm, mojarra 15 cm and gaspar 80 cm. The Fisheries Law (Law 489) requires sport fishing to follow the catch-and-release principle and requires a sport fishing permit valid for 1 year (arts. 83 and 84). Art. 75 lists the freshwater shark of Lake Cocibolca among protected sharks: if you hook one, release it. Solentiname is a MARENA National Monument: follow the area's rules. Release the tarpon. Confirm local rules.
- getting there
- From Managua to San Carlos, a domestic flight or about 5 hours by road. From San Carlos, a scheduled boat goes to Solentiname twice a week, or you can charter a launch.
- facilities
- Hotels, shops and boat guides in San Carlos; small inns and local fishers on the Solentiname islands.
- country
- Río San Juan, Nicaragua
tip
On the open lake, wind builds waves quickly in the afternoon: leave early, fish in the shade of the islands, and wear a life vest. For guapote, work the lure close to the rocks.
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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 Nicaragua
INPESCA is the fisheries authority and MARENA manages protected areas. We have not confirmed from an official source how a tourist obtains a sport fishing license: lodges and guides on the Río San Juan provide guidance. Confirm with INPESCA before the trip.
- Minimum catch sizes in inland waters (INPESCA, 2019): tarpon (sábalo real) 120 cm; common snook (robalo flecha, Centropomus undecimalis) 50 cm; Centropomus pectinatus snook 50 cm; fat snook (robalo peva, C. parallelus) 30 cm; guapote lagunero (Parachromis dovii) 25 cm; gaspar 80 cm.
- The Indio Maíz Biological Reserve and the Río San Juan Wildlife Refuge, in the department of Río San Juan, are MARENA protected areas: follow the visiting rules and enter only with a local guide or operator.
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 INPESCA — Tallas mínimas de captura permitidas: aguas continentales (2019)Tarpon 120 cm; snook 30 to 50 cm; guapote lagunero 25 cm; guapote tigre 20 cm; mojarra 15 cm; gaspar 80 cm
- official Ley 489 — Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura (La Gaceta 251, 27/12/2004), texto no site do INPESCAArt. 75 (sharks and the Cocibolca freshwater shark), art. 83 (catch and release), art. 84 (sport fishing permit valid for 1 year) and art. 85 (billfish)
- official MARENA — Monumento Nacional Archipiélago de Solentiname (12 de abril de 2024)36 islands and islets, 190 km², southeast of Lake Cocibolca, Río San Juan department; National Monument since 1991
- official INPESCA — 62ª Edición del Torneo Internacional de Pesca Deportiva en Río San JuanTarpon tournament on September 15 and 16, with a fishing area from Solentiname to the El Castillo rapids and categories for snook and guapote lagunero; the page does not give the year