The Billfish Report is counting down its Top 10 Billfisheries of the Year, and our #1 Billfishery goes to Jaco & Quepos, Costa Rica. Criteria for our Top 10 include fish numbers, variety of billfish species, average size of fish, length of season and number of boats fishing. With over 11,000 Billfish Reports submitted to us in 2014 from around the World, to even be considered for our Top 10 makes a fishery one of the best!

Every year we have one fishery that stands out from the rest and this year that distinction goes to boats fishing out Jaco (Los Suenos Marina) and Quepos (Pez Vela Marina) Costa Rica. The stumpers were simply staggering. It was the one place in the world where catching double digit Blue Marlin and Sailfish was an absolute reality.

It was a record setting season out of both Quepos and Jaco. The Signature Billfish Series set a single tournament World Record with 2,170 Billfish released of which 2,159 were Sailfish. Just a short time later, the Offshore World Championship eclipsed that record with 2,735 Billfish released, of which 2,726 of those were Sailfish. Records are meant to be broken, but rarely in the same season.

This fishery is year round with a large fleet of boats focusing on the bite starting in November and going through April. Blue Marlin, Sailfish, Striped Marlin and Black Marlin can all be found in these waters but the Sailfish and Blue Marlin are caught in great abundance. There was at least 49-Days that a boat returned with at least thirty (30) Sailfish released, with Sea Fix and Tarheel both doing that five (5) times. Tarheel & Tijereta had the finest days in world on Sailfish, releasing a mind blowing 85. The second best day in the world was also turned in from this fishery with Sea Angel recording a 76 Sailfish day.

On the Blue Marlin side, there are really two fisheries with those doing day trips versus overnight trips. There was good Blue Marlin fishing for those willing to stay closer to home with plenty of boats releasing 2-3 Blue Marlin, with Epic releasing a seasons best five (5) Blue Marlin. For those looking to do an overnight trip however, they were greeted with world class Blue Marlin fishing, with a 10+ Blue Marlin very much in play. While following the bite, Team Carol Libby released 105 Blue Marlin over 5-Days, a twenty-one (21) a day average and one of the best trips of the season. Team Sea Spud was right on their heels, releasing 103 Blue Marlin over 5-Days. Team Parranda was also in on the action, releasing a season best with twenty-six (26) Blue Marlin in a day. Following right behind them was Wire We Here who released an extremely respectable twenty (20) Blue Marlin. We had over twenty-six  (26) days where at least one boat released ten (10) Blue Marlin.

Congratulations to Jaco & Quepos our #1 Billfishery of 2014!

 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Dragin Fly released a Grand Slam with 14 Sailfish, Blue Marlin and Striped Marlin

Double Grand Slam on Spanish Fly with 2 Blue Marlin, 2 Striped Marlin and 4 Sailfish

Billfish released 64 Sailfish

Tijereta released 57 Sailfish

Southpaw went 32-45 on Blue Marlin over 3-Days

Sea Spud released 31 Blue Marlin, 7 Striped Marlin and 9 Sailfish over 3-Days

Tuna Bite released 40 on Sailfish

Tarheel released 69 Sailfish

Strike Zone released 29 Blue Marlin, 4 Striped Marlin and 7 Sailfish over 3-Days

Super Fly released 40 Sailfish

Hoos Your Daddy 41 Sailfish

En Joy released 38 Sailfish