<h2>What to Expect from Sportfishing on Lake Arenal</h2>Enjoy a spectacular freshwater sportfishing day on Lake Arenal. You will connect with a professional bilingual fishing guide, who will take you out on a custom 20-foot bass boat complete with Yamaha four-stroke motor, trolling motor, and all bait and tackle (spinning rods, bait casters, and fly rods).&nbsp;Fishing here will be targeting delicious rainbow bass, the hard fighting machaca, tilapia, and mojarra. Lake Arenal is an artificial dammed lake created to generate electricity in the early 1970s and has since become an excellent source for the fishery. Anglers worldwide come to this location to fish on this incredible lake with views of the Arenal Volcano surrounded by nature and the tropical jungle. &nbsp;<h2>FAQ about Sportfishing on Lake Arenal:</h2><ul><li>What are a Machaca and a Guapote fish?</li></ul>Machaca is one of the most aggressive and hardest-fighting freshwater fish in Costa Rica, so much so they have earned the nickname “mini tarpon.” Once hooked, they will leap out of the water several times. They are related to piranha, although the machaca in Costa Rica is vegetarian for the most part. They typically aren’t considered table fare, but they are often used in soups.&nbsp;Rainbow bass is part of the cichlid family, which includes oscars, wrasse, angelfish, and the closely related peacock bass. Better known as ‘guapote’ here in Costa Rica, they are the main target of freshwater anglers. As the top predator in nearly all freshwater habitats, the rainbow bass is prized for its combination of intelligence, aggression, and great-tasting meat.<ul><li>What are the best months to catch Machacas and Guapotes?</li></ul>Machaca can be caught all year round in Costa Rica. They primarily feed at the surface as they are accustomed to falling fruit &amp; seeds, so even if the water is murky, shallow, or deeper than usual, they will still hit your lure or fly if it makes a big enough splat.Guapote can and are caught all year round, but the fishing is typically better when the lake water levels are lower as they have less space to hide in. Those months would coincide with our dry season or summer, so typically, Jan-May is spectacular. &nbsp;

Sportfishing on Lake Arenal

Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna

Arenal Volcano

Relaxing

Culture

Adrenaline

Nature & Wildlife

National Parks

Beach Fun

Waterfalls

Rainforest

Volcano

Countryside

Our 35th anniversary and bucket list completed and met all of our expectations. Jake and his team help set up the perfect trip with a seamless transition from location to location. Highly recommend these guys!

John Childers - Jake

I reached out to Costa Rican Vacations because they have an amazing reputation online and exceptional reviews. It was the best trip we've ever had! Anastasia was amazing and coordinated everything perfectly. I'd definitely book another trip &amp; she'll be my first call!

Amanda Farris Shook - Anastasia

Perfectly executed 10 days of fun! Emilie helped us coordinate the trip and the execution was flawless. The activities were perfect for our family. Our experience in Costa Rica was made amazing because of Costa Rican Vacations and Emilie!

Eloise Moodie - Emilie Witham

I would like to thank Costa Rican Vacations and Felipe Martinez, my consultant. For advising, assisting and planning my dream vacation to Costa Rica. He was patient, experienced, pleasant, warm, friendly, professional and always responded to my messages.

Savi Persad - Felipe Martinez

We had such an incredible honeymoon! Thanks for customizing our package to cater to our requests and for always being so available whenever we had questions. We truly came back with memories to last a lifetime.

Moira & Dan - Marjeri Smith

My family and I spent 7 glorious days in Costa Rica. Rachel Peck put together a perfect itinerary. She was absolutely amazing! Very attentive to details and arranged unforgettable experiences for us. Many wonderful memories were made!

Marleen Chiaravalloti - Rachel Peck

Anastasia made our honeymoon so special in so many ways! I can’t appreciate enough how stress-free she has made this process and fun along the way. She was always available even during our trip when I was feeling unwell the first few days and had multiple recommendations which had me feeling better in no time.&nbsp;

Cheyenne P - Anastasia

Wow!!! All I can say is that this trip was amazing. It was an incredible experience from beginning to end. The scenery in this country is beautiful and breathtaking. So much to learn about the continental divide and diversity of the plant and tree life in this beautiful lush rainforest. The volcano in Arenal was amazing. The scenery changed every minute literally. Emma Lasiuk was the reason we decided to take this vacation. I told her what I was looking for and she gave me and my wife everything I wanted and more.

Indiana Jones returns to Paradise

I worked with Caitlin Summer to plan and book our Costa Rican vacation. She asked what we liked, wanted to see &amp; do and then sent us a proposal. We made a few changes and then booked our trip. Caitlin did a fantastic job meeting our expectations-booking a great hotel with a beautiful view in La Fortuna and an awesome bungalow in Puerto Viejo that made us feel like we were in the jungle.

Sharon Sagastume - Caitlin Summer

We visited Arenal and Guanacaste with my family. Emma Lasiuk created the best itinerary based on what we were interested in. Everything she recommended was exactly what we wanted and went so smoothly. All transfers from airport to different hotels were on time and very professional. The travel experience team answered our questions right away during our stay. I highly recommend Costa Rican Vacations.

May A - Emma Lasiuk

Jungle Journey: Arenal Volcano and La Paz Cloud Forest

Jungle Journey

Cloud Forest

Arenal Volcano and Monteverde

Arenal Volcano and Waterfall Valley in Bajos del Toro

Volcanoes and Waterfalls

Costa Rica Heartlands: Arenal Volcano and San Ramón Cloud Forest

Costa Rica Heartlands

Arenal Volcano and Conchal Beach

Beach

Classic Green Getaway: Arenal Volcano and Punta Islita

Classic Green Getaway

Rags to Riches Fishing: Best of Arenal Volcano and Papagayo

Rags to Riches Fishing

Arenal Volcano and Playas del Coco

Arenal Volcano and Coco Beach

Costa Rica Family Classic: Arenal Volcano & Las Catalinas

Costa Rica Family Classic

Classic Rainforest and Beach Combo: Arenal Volcano and Playa Panamá

Classic Rainforest and Beach Combo 

Arenal Volcano and Nosara

Hot Springs & Cool Waves: Arenal Volcano and Santa Teresa

Hot Springs & Cool Waves

Adventure and Beachside Fun: Arenal Volcano & Tamarindo

Adventure and Beachside Fun

Dawn in the Rainforest: Arenal Volcano and Drake Bay, Osa Peninsula

Dawn in the Rainforest

Volcano & Deep Sea Fishing: Arenal Volcano & Los Sueños

Volcano & Deep Sea Fishing

Marina

Bucket List Costa Rica: Arenal Volcano and Puerto Jiménez

Bucket List Costa Rica

Fly Fishing in Costa Rica: Arenal Volcano and Quepos

Fly Fishing Costa Rica

Arenal Volcano and Jaco Beach

Arenal Volcano and Jaco

Surfing and Volcano Adventure: Arenal Volcano and Playa Dominical 

Surfing and Volcano Adventure

Arenal Volcano and Manuel Antonio

National Park

Essential Costa Rica: Arenal Volcano and Uvita

Essential Costa Rica

Soothing Escape: Arenal Volcano and Isla Chiquita

Soothing Escape

Island

Slow Down! Turtles and Sloths of Costa Rica: Arenal Volcano and Tortuguero

Slow Down! Turtles and Sloths of Costa Rica

Adventure in the Caribbean: Arenal Volcano and Puerto Viejo

Adventure in the Caribbean

Costa Rica Eco Adventure: Arenal Volcano and Pacuare River

Costa Rica Eco Adventure

Inland Costa Rica: Highlights | Arenal Volcano and San Isidro

Inland Costa Rica: Highlights

Monkeys and Waterfalls: Arenal Volcano and Rio Celeste

Monkeys and Waterfalls

Fishing on Lake Arenal: Visit Arenal Volcano and San José

Fishing on Lake Arenal

Arenal Volcano and  "Middle of Nowhere" Upala

Arenal Volcano and "Middle of Nowhere"

Adrenaline Rush: Arenal Volcano and Savegre Valley

Adrenaline Rush

Costa Rica Hot Springs: Arenal Volcano and Rio Perdido

Costa Rica Hot Springs

Birdwatching for Beginners: Arenal Volcano and San Gerardo de Dota

Birdwatching for Beginners

Arenal Volcano and Flamingo Beach

Arenal Volcano, Monteverde and Drake Bay, Osa Peninsula

Arenal Volcano, Monteverde and Drake Bay

Volcano, Beach & Fishing Escape: Arenal, Monteverde and Los Sueños

Volcano, Beach & Fishing Escape

Jungle and Beach Expedition: Arenal Volcano, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio

Jungle and Beach Expedition

Arenal Volcano, Monteverde and Uvita

Best of Costa Rica Fishing: Visit Arenal Volcano, Jaco, and Quepos

Best of Costa Rica Fishing

The Mother of All Trips: Arenal Volcano, Monteverde & Puerto Jiménez

The Mother of All Trips

Two Weeks in Costa Rica: Arenal Volcano, Monteverde and Dominical

Two Weeks in Costa Rica

white_wave_success_screen

frog_404_page

contact_page_bg

list_square

whitecard_waves

topo_background

youtube_icon

loader_image

login_prompt

login_step_1

login_step_2

rectangle_rotated

warning

about_us_frog_desktop

arrow_down

arrow_left

arrow_left_m

arrow_right

arrow_right_m

arrow_up

frog_request_quote

frog_success_screen

menu_arrow

no_image_found

no_suggestions_frog

profile_icon

profile_icon_hover

question_mark

sign_up_frog_mobile

success_screen_background

gray_background

namu_logo

raq_step_2

raq_step_3

frog_desktop_request_quote

checkbox_checked

aboutus_background

apple_icon

Find Your Trip

Travel Type

Activities

Unique Occasions

Vacation Ideas

Most Popular

Osa Peninsula

Guanacaste

Caribbean

Places

Hotels and Resorts

By Popular Location

Rentals

Stays

Thrill & Adventure

Wellness

Sports

To Do

Costa Rica Essentials

Renting a Car

Travel Tips

Helpful Answers

About Us

Our Identity

About

Contact

Top menu

Resort

Boutique

Unique

Eco-Lodge

Luxury Villa

Where to stay?

Stay

Add things to do.

When is your trip?

When

Design the trip of a lifetime to Costa Rica!

What

Add places you want to visit.

Visit