Costa Rica’s dry season — December through April — is when the resorts fill up, the rates peak, and the tourists arrive. The fishing during this period is excellent, particularly for sailfish, which are at peak numbers through the first quarter of the year.
But the green season (May through November) is when the serious fishing often gets better — and quieter, and cheaper, and less crowded on the water.
What Green Season Actually Means in Papagayo
“Rainy season” is accurate but misleading as a phrase. In Guanacaste specifically, rain almost always falls in the afternoon and evening, not in the morning. Fishing charters in Papagayo depart at 6:00 or 7:00 AM and return well before the typical afternoon rain window begins. The morning hours — which is when fishing is most productive anyway — are frequently clear, calm, and perfect.
You may get rained on toward the end of a long afternoon charter. You will almost certainly not fish in rain during the productive morning hours. The reputation green season has for ruining outdoor plans comes mostly from visitors planning day trips that depend on afternoon weather — not from anglers who are back at the dock by 2:00 PM.
Why the Fishing Gets Better
Several things happen to Papagayo’s fishery between May and November that make this window genuinely exceptional:
Yellowfin tuna peak. June through September is the premier tuna season in the Gulf of Papagayo. Schools of 40–120 lb yellowfin appear in force offshore, and the conditions for targeting them are ideal: calmer water than dry season, warmer temperatures that keep fish active, and bait-rich water that holds fish in concentrated areas.
Dorado (mahi-mahi) run in force. July and August in particular produce massive dorado schools offshore. The weed lines and debris that accumulate with the current changes during green season are magnets for mahi-mahi. Pods of 20–50 fish under a single floating log 30 miles offshore are not unusual.
Blue marlin reach peak concentration. May is regarded by most experienced Papagayo captains as one of the best marlin months of the year. Large fish are feeding aggressively on the abundant baitfish, and the offshore conditions are productive.
Wahoo appear more consistently. Warm-water wahoo activity picks up from October onward, bridging green season into dry season and adding another quality target to the mix.
Roosterfish feed hard inshore. Inshore species don’t disappear in green season — roosterfish and snapper are active year-round, and the reduced boat pressure during off-peak months means less-pressured fish on inshore structure.
What the Water Looks Like
Green-season water in Papagayo is warmer than dry-season water — surface temperatures in the 82–87°F range versus the cooler 74–80°F of dry season. The Papagayo wind jet, which pushes cooler upwelled water into the Gulf during dry season, diminishes in green season. For some species (tuna, dorado, wahoo), this warmer water is exactly what they seek. For sailfish, it means fewer fish than peak dry season — but sailfish are still caught every month of the year in these waters.
Visibility can be lower in green season due to increased plankton in the water column, but this actually concentrates baitfish and the species that feed on them. The fishing and the dive conditions can work in inverse proportion in Papagayo, and green-season anglers consistently benefit from that dynamic.
The Practical Advantages
Beyond the fishing, green season in Guanacaste has practical advantages worth acknowledging:
Lower rates. Resort rates drop significantly from May onward. Charter rates may also have more flexibility. Getting on the water costs less during green season.
Fewer boats. The offshore grounds in peak dry season, particularly January and February, can see significant charter traffic. In green season, you’re often the only boat working a stretch of productive water.
Lush landscape. The dry season in Guanacaste is genuinely dry — brown hillsides, sparse vegetation. By June, the rains have turned everything green. The coast looks different, and for guests interested in the full Costa Rica experience, the green-season landscape is legitimately more beautiful.
What Green Season Is Not Right For
Dry-season sailfish numbers — December through April for peak action — are simply better than green season. If a billfish slam or catching double-digit sailfish in a morning is the specific goal, plan for dry season. For everything else, green season competes directly with or beats the dry-season experience.
Thinking about a green-season fishing trip in Papagayo? Talk to us about what’s running during your dates and which charter gives you the best shot at the target species.