Sea Star CR
A Robalo and a sportfisher out of Playas del Coco
Sea Star CR is a family charter in Playas del Coco with 2 boats: the Sea Star I, a 26-foot Robalo center console, and The Big Eye, a restored 32-foot express sportfisher. Capt. Ronald runs the boats and the owner, Michael, handles bookings in English and Spanish. It suits groups who want a choice between a quick inshore boat and a bigger one for a full day offshore.
At a glance
- Location
- Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
- Boats
- Sea Star I (26-foot Robalo center console) and The Big Eye (32-foot Jersey Custom express sportfisher)
- Engines
- a 200 hp Yamaha four-stroke on Sea Star I; a 350 hp Caterpillar diesel on The Big Eye
- Group size
- up to 5 on Sea Star I, up to 6 on The Big Eye
- Crew
- Capt. Ronald and mate Gerald; owner Michael takes bookings
- Trips
- half days (4 hours), 3/4 days (6 hours) and full days (8 hours)
- Release
- roosterfish and billfish are released
- Leaves from
- Playas del Coco
- Booking
- through its FishingBooker listings
Part of our complete guide: Fishing in Guanacaste: the complete guide
Who runs it
Sea Star CR is a local fishing family in Playas del Coco. Capt. Ronald, who has fished these waters for about 25 years, runs the boats with first mate Gerald, and the owner, Michael, takes the bookings and answers questions in English or Spanish. Reviews also name other captains and mates who work the 2 boats, so you may meet a few faces from the same crew.
The charter has been on FishingBooker since 2015. Between its 2 listings it has more than 200 reviews, with trips logged into August 2026. It has no website of its own that we could find, so its listings are the way to book.
The boats
Sea Star I is a 26-foot Robalo center console built in 2012 and restored in 2014, with a 200 hp Yamaha four-stroke and a cruising speed of about 30 knots. It's well kitted out for its size: a small head (toilet), a fighting chair, outriggers, tuna tubes, a live bait well, GPS and a fish finder, and a roof that pulls across for shade or a passing shower. It takes up to 5. Reels are Penn Internationals. One reviewer found it lively in a sea with seasick friends aboard, which is true of any boat this size.
The Big Eye is a 32-foot Jersey Custom express sportfisher (the listing title calls it 31 feet), built in 1979 and restored in 2016. A 350 hp Caterpillar diesel gives it about 25 knots. It has a flybridge tower, a fighting chair, outriggers, a bunk in the bow and a toilet, and takes up to 6. It's the boat to pick for a full day after marlin or tuna.
What you'll fish for
Inshore, the crew works the rocky shore and islands around Coco for roosterfish, snapper, amberjack, barracuda, jacks and grouper, with popping and jigging on the menu as well as live bait. Offshore, it's sailfish, marlin, mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna and wahoo.
In Guanacaste, sailfish are best from about May to August, marlin through much of the second half of the year, and mahi-mahi from July to December. Roosterfish peak from January to April. From December to March the Papagayo winds can make mornings rough, and the bigger boat earns its keep in those weeks.
Release practice
The Big Eye's listing says catch and release is mandatory for roosterfish and billfish, and the Sea Star I's listing says the same of sailfish and roosterfish. Other fish can be kept and the crew cleans and fillets them. For how a billfish should be handled, see our guide to releasing a billfish.
Trips and booking
Both boats offer a 4-hour morning or afternoon half day, a 6-hour 3/4 day and an 8-hour full day. On Sea Star I, tackle, bait, lures, snacks, drinks, lunch, filleting and the fishing licence are listed as included. Pickup is agreed when you book, and transfers may be possible depending on where you're staying.
Book through the Sea Star I listing or The Big Eye listing. Licence rules are in our Costa Rica fishing rules guide, and the whole coast is covered in our complete guide to fishing in Guanacaste.
Frequently asked questions
Which Sea Star boat should I book?
Sea Star I for inshore roosterfish and half days with up to 5 people; The Big Eye for offshore billfish and full days with up to 6.
Where does Sea Star CR leave from?
From Playas del Coco. The exact pickup spot is agreed when you book.
Is the fishing licence included?
The Sea Star I listing says it is. Check for The Big Eye when you book.
Do they release roosterfish?
Yes. Roosterfish and billfish go back; eating fish can be kept.
