If you’re looking for some friendly competition or to show off your skills behind the rod, the Tamarindo/Flamingo area is the place to be, with several fishing tournaments taking place throughout the year. These events have even managed to adapt to global events with the use of modern technology. Grab your favorite fishing partners gang, its rodeo time again!
The Presidential Flamingo Fishing Rodeo is taking place August 6 to 8, 2021 in Flamingo Beach, Costa Rica. The tournament is held by the Presidential Challenge Charitable Foundation Inc. This year, money raised at the tournament will benefit Abriendo Mentes.
Abriendo Mentes is Spanish for “Opening Minds”. They work with underprivileged people in the Flamingo area, by providing opportunities to further their education and employment opportunities. The organization offers things like free computer and English courses to children and adults.
Back to the fishin’…
The Fishing Rodeo also aims to draw tourism to the area and works to promote marine conservation, with a strict catch and release policy for many species. So, you won’t be pulling in that 1,500 Black Marlin but the catch will still count…and what a rush it will be fighting that mighty monster of the deep! Tournament or not, this rule has applied to billfish for over a decade to ensure no damage is done to the large fish and assure their survival so all sport fishing enthusiasts get a chance at hooking these feisty fish!
The tournament has an Offshore Division and an Inshore Division. Eligible species for the Offshore Division include all billfish (marlins, sailfish), dorado (mahi-mahi), tuna, and wahoo. Inshore species eligible for prizes include dorado, tuna wahoo, snapper, and roosterfish.
This is a fun tournament that draws many families each year. There is even a Fun Fish Division with prizes for junior anglers and Top Family. Last year an eight-year-old girl got honoured for her prize-winning tuna!
This is the sixth year for the Fishing Rodeo. In 2019, the tournament drew 20 boats and 81 anglers. The 2020 Rodeo had to go virtual due to the pandemic, but they still had 18 boats enter.
Another virtual tournament is taking place this year by the Presidential Challenge Charitable Foundation Inc. The first leg of the new all-virtual Presidential Challenge of Central America took place June 4 and 5. The event had 10 teams fishing from four different nations in the region – Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. Scoring took place using the CaptApp mobile application, which allows teams to shoot video that is automatically time and date-stamped as well as geo-located. The second leg of the virtual tournament takes place December 5 and 6, 2021.
Go Fish Costa Rica will be entering two teams in the Presidential Flamingo Fishing Rodeo this year and is also one of the sponsors of the event. Registration will be held on August 6, 2021. Gather your teams of four to six and head on down to the rodeo!
Ye haw!
Blog by: Jennifer LaCharite – Costa Consultants, International
