Capitan Mendez Fishing Charters

Part of our complete guide: Fishing in Guanacaste: the complete guide

Who runs it

Capitan Mendez Fishing Charters is Juan Carlos Méndez Gutiérrez and his boat. He was born and raised in Playas del Coco, and his story is a familiar one on this stretch of coast: years as a commercial fishing captain, then a spell running yachts, and finally his own charter. He's been taking bookings through FishingBooker since 2019, and in that time the listing has collected more reviews than almost any other small boat in the Guanacaste region, with trips logged through June 2026. He also posts his own short fishing reports there, many in Spanish, which give a fair picture of what's been biting.

The business has no website of its own that we could find, so the listing is where you book and where you message the captain.

The boat

The boat is the Cabo Luis, a 30-foot panga center console built in 2016 and pushed by a single 200 hp Suzuki outboard. Pangas are the traditional Costa Rican fishing boat: long, narrow and low to the water, which makes them easy to fish from and quick to get around the rocks and islands. The trade-off is a livelier ride on a choppy morning, and some reviewers suggest seasickness tablets before an early start.

On board you'll find a GPS, a fish finder, a live bait well, an ice box and the usual safety gear. Tackle is Penn reels on Ugly Stik rods, and the crew prepares live bait before you board. The spec sheet lists room for 5, though the description says 6 can fit; ask the captain what works best for your group.

What you'll fish for

The listing puts it plainly: inshore, nearshore and offshore, with bottom fishing, trolling and spinning. Close in, the rocky shore and islands of the Gulf of Papagayo hold roosterfish, Pacific dog snapper, cubera snapper, grouper and crevalle jacks. Further out, the captain goes for sailfish, mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna and wahoo.

Timing matters here. In Guanacaste, sailfish are at their best from about May to August and are around in smaller numbers for the rest of the year, while roosterfish fishing peaks from January to April. Mahi-mahi run strongest from July to December. The dry months also bring the Papagayo winds, roughly December to March, which can make a small boat's morning bumpy or push it to sheltered water. A half day close to shore is often the smart call in the windiest weeks.

Release practice

The listing says billfish and roosterfish are strictly catch and release, which matches Costa Rican law on billfish and good practice on roosterfish. Other fish, such as snapper, tuna and mahi-mahi, can be kept, and the crew cleans and fillets them for you. If you want to see how a billfish should be handled, our guide to releasing a billfish covers it.

Trips and booking

There are 3 trip types: a 5-hour morning half day, a 5-hour afternoon half day and an 8-hour full day. Rods and tackle, live bait, lures, cleaning and filleting, fruit and chips, water and a first mate are included. Hotel pickup depends on where you're staying and isn't part of the standard trip, so ask when you book.

Every angler needs an INCOPESCA sport fishing licence. The listing says the captain can help arrange one at the start of the trip, but buying it online beforehand saves time on the beach.

Book and message the captain through the FishingBooker listing. For the beaches and boats around Hermosa and Coco, see our Playas del Coco guide.