Central America
Costa Rica
Province of Guanacaste
Gulf of Papagayo
Things to Do in Gulf of Papagayo
El Jefe Sport Fishing
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El Jefe Sport Fishing

See all things to do
See all things to do
El Jefe Sport Fishing
5
189 reviews
#12 of 35 Boat Tours & Water Sports in Gulf of Papagayo
Scuba & Snorkelling • Boat Tours • Fishing Charters & Tours • Private Tours • Kayaking & Canoeing
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6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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About
El Jefe Sport Fishing and Adventure Tours is the premier marine activities company for Costa Rican adventure! Located in the North Pacific Coast in the Guanacaste Region of the island, our boats – El Jefe and El Jefe Too – sail in the heart of the exclusive Peninsula Papagayo development. The world-class fishing waters and beautiful landscape of Guanacaste and the surrounding national parks make this area a global vacation destination. If you are looking for an exceptional, one-of-a-kind fishing adventure in Costa Rica, our expert staff will make your excursion epic. We provide all of the essentials for a great day of fishing, and for those moments to treasure for a lifetime, we offer high definition video and photos using the latest GoPro® technology. In addition to epic fishing trips, we also offer other adventures at sea including: > Snorkelling > Surfing > Sunset Cruises > Private Beach Retreats We would love to customize a Costa Rican adventure for you!
Gulf of Papagayo, Costa Rica
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Travelers' Choice
2022
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El Jefe Sport Fishing
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(35 reviews)
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
189 reviews
Excellent
178
Very good
3
Average
3
Poor
0
Terrible
5
Ignacio G
1 contribution
Outstanding Fishing Trip on board of SEACARIO
Mar 2020
After recapping my Costa Rica trip with my girlfriend I have to say that our fishing trip on board of SEACARIO was the highlight of our trip. The crew was very friendly and knowledgeable on where to go considering factors such as the wind, weather, water temperatures, time of the day, to ensure the best possible outcome. Even though I try not to eat on boats because I have a sensitive stomach, the crew had so much variety that I couldn’t resist eating the delicious fruits they offered (pineapple, watermelon and mango). The boat and equipment are top of the line and I was informed that it is used to compete in top fishing tournaments. Definitely this was one of our top 3 best fishing experience as we catch tuna, mahi, sailfish and a marlin! I highly recommend El Jefe Sport Fishing for deep sea fishing in Costa Rica and can’t wait to do it again in the near future!
Written March 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rob K
Panama City Beach, FL4 contributions
Private snorkeling/ beach trip
Jun 2021 • Family
We rented a boat for a snorkeling trip while visiting Papagayo Peninsula. The Marina was extremely close to our hotel. Stephanie was our tour guide and Jeffery was our captain. They were excellent, the tour was the highlight of our trip! We visited a private beach, toured caves, and snorkeled in a beautiful area. El Jefe came as a recommendation from a friend- and I will definitely recommend to everyone I know visiting the area. It was a first class experience!
Written June 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rebekah E
8 contributions
Incredible!
Sep 2022
We had such an incredible day on the Seacario we booked a second trip. In total, we caught two mahi mahi, four marlin, and six sailfish. We saw humpback whales, sea turtles and dolphins on the drive. The crew is phenomenal - I had never sport fished before and they made it incredibly easy and fun. The boat is amazing and very comfortable. The crew provided food and drinks throughout the day and made sure we had a great time. Would highly recommend!
Written September 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
abswiltex
Midland, TX16 contributions
Disappointing day
Mar 2022
We booked a day trip with El Jefe for two families. Ahead of time, we emailed them that we did not want to go far offshore and that we wanted the kids to catch a few fish and to snorkel. The captain never spoke with us. One of our party when we arrived explained to the two crew members that, again, we just wanted the kids to catch a few fish and to have a relaxing day. Instead, the captain put the boat into full throttle and drove 1.5 hours offshore. By the time we got there, everyone was completely soaking wet. We waited for four hours to catch 5 fish. My daughter was seasick the entire time and vomiting. They provided a few warm wraps and one bag of chips for lunch for two families. I finally told them that we needed to go to shallow water to snorkel and to help with seasickness, and they told me we were too far out and needed at least 1.5 hours to get back, so we said please take us back. We then endured 1.5 hours back at full speed, and once again, we were all soaking wet. It was $2200 and the worst day of our trip.
Written April 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
christal508
Huntington Beach, CA11 contributions
El Jefe is a must ! Best experience!
Nov 2020
We were in Costa Rica for a month. My husband had surfed Witches Rock a few times on other trips and our 16 year old son really wanted to check that out. I reached out to Clay @WalkonWaterAdventures who is amazing if your looking to really maximize your costa rica experience and see the things you would probably miss out on if you just went on trip advisor. He suggested we book our boat trip with El Jefe so we did. Personally I figured I would be relaxing and did not expect to much. Boy was I wrong.
From the second we pulled into the parking lot the amazing crew on El Jefe was there assisting us and already making it feel like the day was going to be amazing. Once we left the doc the adventure began. From seeing sting rays and sea turtles to catching fish and waves the day just never stopped. Olger and Issac truly worked hard to make sure we did not miss a thing. My 13 year old who does not surf wanted to paddle out and Issac was awesome taking him out there and keeping an eye on him so he had fun but did not get into an unsafe situation. I even jumped in to reel in some fish. We were fortunate to catch some dinner that evening which Clay took us back to town and to his friends restaurant where he made us bomb fish tacos. I will never go back without making sure I have a day planned with the El Jefe Crew.

Muchos Gracias!
Written December 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert L
2 contributions
Great fishing trip with the boys!
Jun 2021 • Family
Had an amazing day out on the water on El Jefe Too. Started off slow but action picked up in the afternoon after we landed a 50+ plus bull dolphin and we then followed it up with 2 landed sailfish. The crew was both professional and friendly. Food was very good, my son claims it was the best chicken taco he had ever had! Would highly recommend this charter to others and look forward to coming back to Costa Rica and going out with El Jefe!
Written June 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vannessa G
5 contributions
Great full day fishing
Jul 2021 • Family
We went out for a full day off shore fishing trip, 2 families with 8 total, on the El Jefe with Captain (sorry I can't remember his name), Isaac and Jeffrey. The boat had plenty of space for everyone to sit comfortably while we traveled out. Isaac and Jeffrey answered our questions and shared their knowledge.

Once at the fishing spot, the captain put us on the fish! 11 Sailfish and 2 Mahi with a triple hook up on the sailfish! Most of our group had never been off shore fishing and Isaac was great at telling them what to do while keeping gear organized.

Highly recommend the El Jefe group for fishing in Costa Rica! We will see you next time! Pura Vida!
Written July 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jair Perez
Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica8 contributions
Awesome Surf Experience
Jun 2021 • Friends
I was super happy with the surf experience to Witch’s Rock this past week. Olger and his team were very professional and the boat trip was a quick and scenic 30 minutes to one of Costa Rica’s most famous surf breaks. I would highly recommend this excursion; you won’t be dissappointed!
Written June 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert B
1 contribution
El Jefe 4 adventure days
Aug 2021
We have used El Jefe boats four times with memorable results.

Two very successful fishing days catching 6 Sailfish, 3 Mahi, and 1 Bonito.
The captain and the crew are very professional and hard working.
Trying very seriously to make the day a success. And they do.

One day of family adventure with snorkeling, waver running, paddle board and a great lunch in a beautiful peaceful beach.

Special day snorkeling in the solitude of the Murciélago Islands at the end of the Santa Rosa National Park.

All with a Pura Vida attitude.

Highly recommend El Jefe for all sea adventures.
Written August 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John F
5 contributions
Best charter experience in my 56 years!
Feb 2021
The day began with a bang! Within a half mile of the marina we were treated to the sight of Humpback whales breaching in the bay. We stopped to take advantage of the same bait the whales were chasing then headed North and spent the morning trolling and drift fishing near shore which produced some great keepers and a variety of species. Had a shot at a Big Rooster that tried to eat a small tuna we hit on a Rapala. Just missed!
We were pleasantly surprised to be treated to fresh made (On-board) salsa, guacamole and chips as we changed tactics and headed offshore. The El Jefe crew was a pleasure to watch. They worked seamlessly as a team and thanks to the use of wireless headsets, they were able to communicate almost silently without the typical shouting and general mayhem on a fishing boat, especially when a big fish strikes! Baits were swapped and back in the spread in seconds. Really amazing and super smooth to watch the crew as things just seem to get done without anyone appearing to saying anything thanks to the use of the wireless radios.
After a hot lunch served by a dedicated crew member, we made the short run offshore and put the baits back out. The Captain managed to put us in the right place in short order and produced a personal best Bull Mahi Mahi! Estimates ranged from 35-40.... I'm going with 40. What a great trip! Unparalleled service and attention to detail made for an unforgettable experience. Thank you El Jefe, We will be back!
Written February 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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El Jefe Sport Fishing (Gulf of Papagayo) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go