A hosted Marlin Expeditions tournament experience in Costa Rica’s remote and wild Osa Peninsula. Spend two days pre-fishing with Crocodile Bay’s experienced captains and crews, then put your preparation to work during the two-day Battle of the Bay tournament. Between fishing days, unwind at Botánika Osa Peninsula and explore one of the world’s most biologically rich coastlines.
Battle of the Bay brings together premium offshore fishing, tournament competition, rainforest adventure, and the ease of a fully hosted Marlin Expeditions program. Guests fly privately from San José to Puerto Jiménez, settle into Botánika Osa Peninsula, and fish directly from Crocodile Bay’s marina with a dedicated captain and crew.
Marlin Expeditions is designed around the balance of learning, competing, specializing, and exploring—bringing anglers together with proven crews in exceptional fisheries while creating a complete destination experience beyond the dock.
Arrive at Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José no later than 1:30 p.m. and connect with the group’s private air transfer to Puerto Jiménez on the Osa Peninsula. Upon arrival, meet the Botánika concierge team for resort transfer and check-in.
That evening, meet your Crocodile Bay captain and crew to review the float plan, boat procedures, fishing preferences, and the week’s preliminary game plan.
Breakfast opens at 5:30 a.m., with to-go orders available for early departures. Meet at Crocodile Bay Pier at 6:30 a.m. and head offshore for two full pre-fishing days.
These days are designed to help your team dial in the local fishery before tournament competition begins. Work with your captain and crew on the spread, bait and lure selection, communication, angler rotation, and release procedures while developing a plan based on the current conditions. Boats return at approximately 3:00 p.m., leaving afternoons open to relax, review the day, and prepare for tomorrow.
Enjoy an open day in the Osa Peninsula. Choose a full- or half-day eco-tour, explore Puerto Jiménez, visit the beach, relax at the resort pool, or simply reset before competition begins.
At 5:00 p.m., join the Battle of the Bay captains meeting and kickoff party. Meet fellow competitors, review official tournament procedures, finalize the team plan, and get ready for two days of tournament fishing.
Start each tournament morning with breakfast opening at 5:30 a.m., followed by the official shotgun start. Fish hard alongside your captain and crew as the team applies the game plan developed during pre-fishing.
Lines out at 3:00 p.m. each day, followed by return to the resort and marina. After the final day of competition, join the awards dinner and celebration to recognize the week’s top teams, memorable releases, and great stories from the water.
Enjoy a full free day to relax and experience Costa Rica at your own pace. Spend time by the pool, visit the beach, book a spa treatment, explore the town, return to the water for an optional eco-adventure, or enjoy Botánika’s dining and resort amenities.
For guests who want a beach escape, Botánika’s Cahui Beach Club is set on Playa Preciosa and accessed by a short boat ride from the pier.
Check out of Botánika and transfer to Puerto Jiménez for the private air transfer back to San José. Connect with your international departure from SJO.
Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula is one of the Pacific’s most compelling big-game destinations. Crocodile Bay is positioned near Puerto Jiménez, where anglers have access to both the rich inshore waters of the Golfo Dulce and the blue-water grounds of Costa Rica’s South Pacific. The result is a fishery capable of producing serious offshore action while remaining close to one of the world’s most dramatic rainforest coastlines.
The offshore program is built around billfish, with opportunities for blue marlin, black marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, mahi-mahi, wahoo, and other pelagic species. Daily strategy will be driven by the conditions, including water temperature, currents, bait concentrations, bird activity, and the captain’s read on where fish are moving. Crews may employ trolling, live-baiting, pitch-bait techniques, teasers, and lure spreads to create the best possible opportunities throughout the day.
The two pre-fishing days are a key part of this expedition. They give each team time to establish its on-water rhythm before tournament points are at stake. Guests will become comfortable with the boat and crew, practice their angler rotation, refine cockpit communication, and learn the details that can matter most in a tournament setting—from teaser and bait management to fast, clean release execution.
Tournament fishing puts that preparation to work. The Battle of the Bay format adds urgency and camaraderie to each decision: where to start, when to move, how to respond to a bite window, and how to keep the cockpit organized when opportunities develop quickly. Whether you are an experienced tournament team or joining your first competitive billfish event, this is a chance to fish with purpose alongside knowledgeable local crews.
Crocodile Bay also offers exceptional inshore potential for those looking to extend the experience beyond the tournament week. Roosterfish, Cubera snapper, amberjack, snook, and other coastal species can be part of the broader Osa Peninsula fishing story, underscoring the versatility of this unique Costa Rican destination.
Fishing will be aboard Crocodile Bay’s professional charter fleet, with options including the proven Strike boats, a 35-foot Cabo Express, and the high-performance 36-foot Front Runner.
All fishing days include the captain, Costa Rica fishing license, fishing gear, bait, fuel, and an onboard cooler stocked with snacks, a picnic-style lunch, beer, water, and non-alcoholic beverages for its standard charter offerings.
Your expedition home is Botánika Osa Peninsula, Curio Collection by Hilton—a refined rainforest retreat located near Crocodile Bay’s marina in Puerto Jiménez. Surrounded by the Osa Peninsula’s lush tropical landscape, with the Pacific Ocean, Golfo Dulce, and Corcovado National Park nearby, Botánika provides a comfortable and elevated base between tournament days.
Accommodations range from guest rooms to one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites and garden villas, making it easy to accommodate couples, families, groups of friends, or tournament teams. Guest rooms feature king or two-queen layouts, while larger suites offer separate living spaces, full kitchens, private terraces, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, and rainforest, garden, or lagoon-style pool views.
Between fishing days, guests can relax at the lagoon-style pool and hot tubs, enjoy on-property dining and cocktails, book a wellness treatment, use the fitness center, or let the concierge arrange eco-tours, beach outings, and local experiences. It is the ideal setting to recharge after a day offshore—or to enjoy the Osa Peninsula while the anglers are on the water.
Each expedition package includes hotel accommodations in Costa Rica during the trip, all ground and water transportation, charter fees, crew gratuities, onboard meals, and four full days of fishing in Costa Rica. From airport arrival to final departure, Marlin Expeditions manages the logistics so guests can focus on fishing, learning, and enjoying the experience.
To secure and confirm your reservation with Marlin Expeditions, the following payment schedule is required:
Reservations are only considered confirmed once the deposit and all payment terms are satisfied within the specified deadlines.
Repeat clients, active-duty military, and veterans qualify for special discounts, please contact the director for more information.
All cancellations must be submitted in writing to Marlin Expeditions at [email protected].
a. Administrative Cancellation Fee
b. Standard Cancellation Deadlines
The cancellation terms depend on trip length:
c. Forfeiture & Floater Credit
If you cancel within the non-refundable period but your vacant spot is resold and the trip runs at full capacity, your deposited funds (less the administrative fee) may be placed into a Floater Credit for future expedition use.
d. Failure to Appear / No-Show
Travel insurance and emergency evacuation coverage are not included in your expedition fare and are strongly recommended to protect your financial investment, trip fare, and personal safety.
Policy Notes & Definitions
Terms such as “days prior to departure” are calculated based on calendar days from the scheduled departure date.
Every participant must accept the Expedition Participant Release before fishing. It confirms that offshore tournament fishing carries a real risk of serious injury or death, that you accept those risks, and that you give up the right to sue the operators, its sponsors, The Marlin Group Network LLC, other participants, and vessel captains and crew — including for their own negligence. It also covers indemnification, authorization for emergency medical treatment, insurance you are expected to carry yourself, and use of photographs and video taken at the event.
You will be asked to accept it when you register. Please read it in full first — this summary is not a substitute for the release itself.
Read the Expedition Participant Release →
Registered anglers, crew and guests under 18 also require a completed Parent or Guardian Authorization →
Marlin Expeditions isn’t simply booking a charter. Every trip is hosted by experienced staff who coordinate logistics, provide on-the-water instruction, help anglers maximize opportunities, and create a shared experience among like-minded offshore fishermen. Our goal is simple: bring anglers to the world’s best fisheries at the right time and ensure they get the most from every day on the water.
Contact the Director
Myles Blatt
[email protected]
(562) 563-8862
