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Jungle Tarpon Reserve – Costa Rica

Location: Northern inland jungle system of Costa Rica.

Fishery: At Jungle Tarpon Reserve you’re in for guerrilla style fishing for grown tarpon (50-130+ pounds). This involves dredging for fish as they roll and wake. The fish are plentiful and they’re in the system to eat so they’re bitey. The rainy season flushes baitfish into the inland river and creek-fed lagoons you’ll be fishing. That’s why the tarpon are there, and the tarpon are why you’re there.

Accomodations: Just about as comfortable as you can get considering the primal environment you’re in. You’ll stay in private family owned cabanas less than 100 yds from your launch point on the river. The cabanas have two single beds, ceiling fans and private baths with semi-warm water showers. Lunch and dinner are served at local restaurants, they consist of fried fish, chicken or pork and rice and beans.

Fishing Program:

  • 5:15 AM Breakfast served in the boat en route to the fishing grounds
  • 10:30 – 11:00 AM Break for lunch at a local restaurant and a siesta
  • 1:30 PM Resume fishing
  • 5:30 PM Depart fishing grounds for the lodge
  • 7:30 PM Dinner at a local restaurant

Sample Itinerary:

  • Day 1 Arrive Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) and overnight at your elected accommodations.
  • Day 2 Meet lodge representative at your hotel and transfer to Jungle Tarpon Lodge (Approximately 4-5 hours).
  • Day 3-7 Five full days of guided fishing.
  • Day 8 Depart lodge for San Jose and your elected accommodations.
  • Day 9 Depart Juan Santamaria International Airport

Rates:
Per person based on double occupancy:
At time of writing, subject to change

6 night/6 day package: $4,490

Included: Accommodations and meals at the lodge, round-trip transfer between San Jose and the lodge, guided fishing (two anglers per boat), park entrance fee, fishing license.

Not Included: International airfare to/from San Jose, transfers, hotel accommodations and meals in San Jose, meals and snacks during transfers to/from the lodge, alcohol, fishing tackle, flies and equipment, staff and guide gratuities, phone use, travel insurance and airport departure tax.

Season: August – December

Capacity: 4 anglers

All arrangements are handled by our trusty friends at Fly Water Travel.

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Gear Guide

Tarpon Flies

  •   Features

    • From oceanside migrators to ditch-bound juveniles, tarpon everywhere will eat this fly
    • Collar and bunny strip pulsate when stripped
    • Wide head allows the fly to constantly track straight
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  •   Features

    • Large, realistic baitfish profile
    • Designed specifically for South American predators such as golden dorado and peacock bass, also effective on pike, musky, tigerfish, GTs and various offshore species
    • Approx. 5″ long
    • Tied on sturdy Gamakatsu SL12S
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  •   Features

    • Great for big predators snacking on Mullet
    • Tough, durable & realistic looking fly
    • Tied on a super sharp Gamakatsu SC15
    • #2/0 3″ long with weedguard; #3/0 5″ long
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  •   Features

    • Great for offshore and inshore species
    • Tough, durable & realistic looking fly
    • Tied on a super sharp Gamakatsu SC15
    • #1/0 is 2″ long; #2/0 is 3″ long; #3/0 is 5″ long (no weedguard on #3/0)
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  •   Features

    • Buoyancy from head keeps fly right above eyes of moving tarpon
    • Prey-like movements from bunny collar and tail bring fly to life
    • Polar fiber tail (Chartreuse/Yellow & Purple/Black)
    • Craft fur tail (Dirty Olive & Tan/Orange)
    • Two-prong style weedguard
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  •   Features

    • Polar fiber breathes and pulsate through water
    • Epoxy head prevents fouling
    • #4 Length: 2 1/2″, #2 Length: 3 1/2″, 2/0 Length: 5″
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  •   Features

    • Fulling Mill version of Andino’s Deceiver
    • Must have pattern for golden dorado
    • Gets down quick, stays down in heavy current
    • Rides hook down and pushes a lot of water
    • 5″ long, irresistible hackle movement
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  •   Features

    • Great low profile Tarpon fly
    • Natural material pulse and give great micro-movement
    • Tied on a Tiemco 600SP
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  •   Features

    • Capt. Bob LeMay's iconic tarpon dredging fly
    • Lots of natural movement, no unwanted buoyancy
    • 6″ long, large profile for tarpon in deep and murky water to lock on to
    • Bead chain eyes help sink rate and provide a slight rattle
    • In addition to tarpon, very effective on large predators including pike, sharks, golden dorado and cobia
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  •   Features

    • Great backcountry fly that works on tarpon, snook, redfish, seatrout
    • Largemouth bass will also take this fly
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  •   Features

    • From oceanside migrators to ditch-bound juveniles, tarpon everywhere will eat this fly
    • Collar and bunny strip pulsate when stripped
    • Packed foam head keeps it riding high
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  • Predator Pounder – 2/0 Orange/Black, 2/0 Chartreuse/Black, 2/0 Red/Black
  • Tarpon/Pike Snake – 3/0 Black
  • Polar Fiber Minnow – 2/0 White
  • EP Mullet – 3/0 Black/Purple
  • EP Peanut Butter – 2/0 Black/Purple, 3/0 Black/Purple
  • EP Dorado – 4/0 Black/Yellow
  • Tom’s Tantrum – 1/0 Black, 1/0 White
  • Tuscan Bunny – 3/0 Black/Purple, 3/0 Brown/Orange
  • Megalopsicle – 1/0 Chartreuse/Yellow, 1/0 Dirty/Olive, 1/0 Purple/Black
  • Bunny Tarpon Toad – 1/0 Chartreuse, 1/0 Purple/Black
  • Slater’s Poon Bug – 1/0 Rustic

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Fly Rods

  •   Features

    • Matte Midnight blank
    • Reel seat is type III anodized aluminum Midnight black w/Matte Midnight carbon insert
    • Blue accent wrap, black/black main wraps
    • REC recoil snake guides, SiC/titanium stripping guides
    • Reinforced blank increases loop strength and dampens vibration for straighter tracking and a truer cast
    • American made
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  • Scott Sector Fly Rod Video & Review

    Features

    • Guides are PVD coated in a low reflective coating for even greater durability and stealth.
    • Scott’s all new Carbon Web technology improves torsional stability.
    • Reel seat milled from aircraft grade aluminum.
    • CeRecoil stripping guides with nickel titanium frames and super slick Zirconia inserts.
    • Unmatched reliability for easily duplicated performance on the water.
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  • Fast-action 9′ 11 weight for lagoons
  • Fast-action 9′ 12 weight for the river

Shop All 11-12 Weight Rods

Reels

  •   Features

    • Reel frame, spool, drag knob and foot made of 6061-T651 cold finished aerospace grade aluminum
    • Alternating stacked carbon composite and stainless steel disc drag system
    • Quick change spool, user convertible retrieval direction
    • Completely sealed drag system
    • Made in USA
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  • Why we love Tibors

      Features

    • Made from solid aluminum bar stock
    • Lightweight to balance with modern fly rods and reduce casting fatigue
    • Triple outgoing line signals, easily removable for silent operation
    • World famous Tibor drag system
    • Made and assembled in the USA
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  • Durable, quality 11 weight size reel with smooth powerful drag system and at least 200 yds of #30 backing
  • Durable, quality 12 weight size reel with smooth powerful drag system and at least 200 yds of #30 backing

Shop All 11-12 Weight Reels

Fly Lines

  •   Features

    • 16 strand braided monofilament core stays stiff in tropical heat
    • Clear color for added stealth
    • Intermediate sink 1.5-2 ips
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  •   Features

    • Loads quickly and delivers the biggest flies to the furthest targets
    • Excellent turnover due to short, powerful head and short front taper
    • Mastery Texturing reduces friction, providing longer casts, easier pick-up, and increased durability
    • Built on a 100-lb. monofilament core
    • Tropi-Core technology for tropical climates
    • Sink Rate: Sink 6 = 6.0+ ips
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  • Royal Wulff Bermuda Triangle Taper Intermediate – TT11I (on 11 weight for fishing the lagoons).
  • Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan Big Water Taper Max Sink – WF500S (on 12 weight for dredging the river).

Tarpon Leaders & Tippet

  •   Features

    • 100% fluorocarbon
    • Excellent abrasion resistance
    • Medium stiff
    • 8 lb – 12 lb 30 yd spool, 16 lb – 20 lb 25 yd spool, 25 lb – 50 lb 20 yd spool, 60 lb – 100 lb 15 yd spool
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  • Features

    • Hand tied for precision every time.
    • 100% strength advanced knots.
    • Heavy butt section for wind penetration and turnover.
    • Fluorocarbon bite tippet for abrasion resistance
    • 2 per pack, ready to fish out of the package.
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  • RIO Tarpon Pro Leaders – 30 lb class/80 lb shock
  • RIO Fluoroflex Saltwater Tippet – 80 lb, 100 lb

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Fishing Apparel

  •   Features

    • Ultralight nylon/polyester blend dries in a flash and has 30-UPF sun protection
    • Mechanical stretch in the fabric allows for greater comfort when casting
    • 2.25-oz 52% nylon/48% polyester with mechanical stretch and 30-UPF sun protection
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  •   Features

    • Hood is designed to be worn over a baseball cap
    • Vertical zip closure on front pocket
    • Sculpted cuff with thumb holes for sun protection
    • 100% polyester double knit with 50+ UPF sun protection
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  •   Features

    • Superior bug protection
    • Lightweight, quick-dry & breathable with laser cut breathing holes
    • Longer cape for better sun coverage at neckline
    • Tall enough to fit over back of fishing cap
    • One size fits most
    • Weight: 45.4 g
    • SolarFlex® stretch fabric; 92% polyester/8% spandex
    Sale!
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  •   Features

    • Lightweight, quick-dry & breathable
    • Half-finger style glove with extended coverage on index/middle fingers for stripping durability
    • Long length to cover wrists with pairing snaps for storage
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  •   Features

    • UPF 30
    • Durable and lightweight with COR3™ and Cool Control™ technology – perfect for warm weather fishing
    • Zip-secure back pocket and slash hand pockets with an internal cell phone pocket
    • Partial elastic, brushed tricot lined waistband for adjustability, comfort and moisture management
    • Crotch gusset for comfort and ease of movement
    • Inseam 30”
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  • Lightweight, quick-drying technical fishing apparel with built-in UPF protection is best. Bugstopper gear is a good idea as you will be in the jungle, and make sure to have a rain jacket.

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