Top Notch Fishing
A 45-foot Viking out of Quepos
Top Notch Fishing Costa Rica is a one-boat charter at Marina Pez Vela in Quepos, built around a custom 45-foot Viking with twin Caterpillar diesels and an air-conditioned salon. Its owners bought the boat and slip in 2022, and Capt. Rolando Gonzales Cruz, a Quepos local, runs it with a bilingual crew. It suits groups who want one well-kept big boat for a full or 3/4 day offshore, or for a Marina Pez Vela tournament.
At a glance
- Location
- Quepos, Central Pacific, Costa Rica
- Boat
- Top Notch, a custom 45-foot Viking with a flybridge
- Engines
- twin Caterpillar C-9 diesels
- Captain
- Rolando Gonzales Cruz, with a bilingual crew from Quepos
- Owners
- two family friends who bought the boat and its slip in 2022
- Trips
- full and 3/4 day offshore, half-day bottom fishing, half-day inshore (May 15 to November 1 only)
- Leaves from
- Marina Pez Vela, Quepos
- Tournaments
- chartered for Marina Pez Vela events by arrangement
Contact
- Website
- topnotchfishingcr.com
- Phone
- +506 7103 0530
- +1 919 669 5873
- [email protected]
Contact details checked 15 November 2026
Part of our complete guide: Fishing the Central Pacific: the complete guide
Who runs it
Top Notch is a single sportfisher with its own slip at Marina Pez Vela. In 2022 a pair of longtime family friends bought the boat and slip, then upgraded it for offshore work. Day to day, it's run by Capt. Rolando Gonzales Cruz, a Quepos native whom the company credits with more than 35 years on these waters, and a bilingual crew from town.
The company is clearly active: in October 2026 it added new photos of the boat's interior to its site and posted its list of Marina Pez Vela tournaments through mid-2027. It's one of the outfits we recommend in our complete guide to fishing the Central Pacific.
The boat
Top Notch is a custom 45-foot Viking with twin Caterpillar C-9 diesels. It's a proper big-game boat with comfort to match:
- Inside. An air-conditioned salon with a sectional sofa and TV, a galley with a sink, microwave and bar, a main stateroom with its own bathroom, a second stateroom with bunks and a second full bathroom.
- Outside. A flybridge plus mezzanine seating by the cockpit, so the rest of the group can watch the action in the shade.
- Fishing gear. A fighting chair, teasers and dredges, 2-speed LP electric dredge reels, custom rods, and Shimano and Penn reels, both conventional and spinning.
- Electronics. Current navigation gear and Icom VHF radios.
Trips and what you'll catch
Top Notch offers 4 kinds of trip:
- Full day offshore. The best choice for billfish: black, blue and striped marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, dorado and wahoo.
- 3/4 day offshore (6 hours). The same targets on a slightly shorter day.
- Half-day bottom fishing (4 hours). Over rocky reefs and ledges a little way offshore for snapper and grouper.
- Half-day inshore (4 hours). Only in the green season, May 15 to November 1, for roosterfish, snapper, grouper, Spanish mackerel and jack crevalle, with the odd dorado.
Timing matters on the Central Pacific. Sailfish peak from December to April, marlin, tuna and wahoo are strongest from about May to August, and dorado run from July to December. Our Central Pacific sailfish season guide covers the winter bite in detail.
Tournaments
Marina Pez Vela runs events from November to June, from the Dorado Derby to the Offshore World Championship. Top Notch can be chartered for them, but you book the boat directly with the company and register for the event separately. Our explainer on Los Sueños and Pez Vela tournaments covers how that works.
Release practice
Costa Rican law requires sailfish and marlin to be released, and Top Notch's crew lets them go at the boat. Tuna, dorado, wahoo, snapper and grouper are good to eat, and you can take your share back to the marina, where several restaurants will cook it. See our guide to releasing a billfish for what good handling looks like.
How to book
Use the booking form on topnotchfishingcr.com, email [email protected], or send a WhatsApp to +1 919 669 5873 or +506 7103 0530. Full-day trips include bait, tackle, snacks, a hot lunch and drinks. Bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and a long-sleeved shirt, plus light rain gear in the green season. Every angler needs a fishing licence, sold at the marina before you leave or online. For the rest of your stay, see our Quepos fishing guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Top Notch docked?
At Marina Pez Vela on the Quepos waterfront, about 15 minutes from the Manuel Antonio hotels.
Who is the captain?
Capt. Rolando Gonzales Cruz, a Quepos local, with a bilingual crew.
Can I go inshore for roosterfish?
Yes, but the inshore half day is only offered from May 15 to November 1. The rest of the year the boat fishes offshore or does bottom fishing.
Can I charter Top Notch for a tournament?
Yes. Contact the company directly for dates, then register with the tournament.
Do I need a fishing licence?
Yes, every angler does. You can buy it at the marina on the morning of your trip.
