Meet Gary Salazar: Costa Rica Legendary Angler and Bonafide's Newest Ambassador
Meet Bonafide’s latest team member Gary Salazar, the king of the rooster fish. Gary is a passionate kayak fishing guide based in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. With 11 years of experience, he shares his insights on what makes kayak fishing special, the unique opportunities Costa Rica offers, and his personal journey in the sport.
Q: Who are you and what do you do?
A: My name is Gary Salazar. I have been a fishing guide for 11 years and I live in the area of Guanacaste.
Q: What brought you to fishing? Why do you like it?
A: I've always liked fishing since I was a kid. I lived in the city where there wasn't any fishing, but at some point, I had the opportunity to move here and work as a bartender. In my mind, I always wanted to learn how to fish.
Little by little, I got into fishing - starting with friends in a boat, doing spearfishing, and I began to really enjoy it. Then I started shore fishing at Cabuya beach nearby. People saw that I liked it and that I did things properly, so they started calling me to work on boats as a sailor. That's where it all started - a fishing journey that I still enjoy to this day.
Q: How did you get started in kayak fishing?
A: I started kayak fishing about ten, eleven years ago when I moved to Florida, USA. I initially fished from the rocks on the beach and started watching many kayak fishermen. I got the idea to buy a kayak and try fishing in the mangroves. The fishing was easier for me that way. While I was there, I had the idea to move back to Costa Rica and start a small business as a fishing guide, especially because we have good fishing here close to the coast.
Q: Why did you choose to stay with kayak fishing instead of switching to boat fishing?
A: Before moving to the United States, I used to fish from boats in Costa Rica. But when I tried kayak fishing, I liked it more because there's more adrenaline, more contact with nature and the water. I feel that fishing is more effective, especially because of the reduced noise. In a kayak, you're your own captain, your own sailor, and you make your own decisions on how to catch fish.
Q: What are the challenges of kayak fishing?
A: There are some small difficulties with kayak fishing. You have to be aware of the weather, especially big waves and wind. You need to pay attention to currents. But if you know how to check all these factors, you'll have a magnificent fishing experience.
Q: What do you see in your future with kayak fishing over the next ten years?
A: I'll be older, but with good physical condition, proper diet, and exercise, you can fish from a kayak for many years. I've had clients who are seventy or eighty years old. They might not go far from shore, but fishing near the coast is accessible to anyone with decent physical condition even at sixty-five years old.
Q: What makes Costa Rica so special for kayak fishing?
A: Fishing in Costa Rica is special because you can fish in different environments - rivers, the sea, mangroves - and observe many species of wildlife like whales, dolphins, and turtles.
Costa Rica is also special for kayak fishing because it has places with different depths where you can find pelagic fish very close to shore. The depth changes relatively fast from one hundred to two hundred feet. When it rains, the sea currents bring bait fish, and behind them come pelagic fish like mahi-mahi, wahoo, and tuna.
Another advantage is that in Costa Rica, you don't need to go many miles offshore to catch a big fish. You can catch a sailfish just a mile from the coast.
Q: When is the best fishing season in Costa Rica?
A: In my area, the best conditions are during the rainy season from May to November. It rains in the afternoons, but the mornings have calm seas. That's when the currents bring in the fish. What's also special is that we have different species each month - for example, May through July brings sailfish, wahoo, and tuna; August brings mahi-mahi. We have fish all year round.
Q: Have you ever lost a big fish that you still think about?
A: Yes, the marlin, three times. I've had the opportunity to hook three marlin in my life, but I haven't been prepared with the right equipment, so I've lost them. This year, my goal with Bonafide and Newport is to go out more in search of marlin.
Q: How did you feel when you lost those fish?
A: At the beginning, I felt angry because I didn't fully understand what fishing was all about. But now I know that you can lose a fish no matter what. You can be the best fisherman, but when a fish is meant to be yours, it's yours, and when you're going to lose it, you'll lose it. I feel that fishing is 50% luck and 50% knowledge.
Q: How do you feel when you catch a big fish from your kayak?
A: I'm honest - at the beginning, I felt very happy. I still feel happy now, but I feel twice as happy when one of my clients catches a big fish compared to when I catch one myself.
Q: Do you get tired of chasing roosterfish from the kayak?
A: No, I don't get tired. Sometimes I feel a bit sorry for them and don't want to bother them too much. When a client comes, catching one or two roosterfish is fine, but taking more than three or four doesn't make sense. I always try to talk to clients about this, and most understand that there's no need to catch so many. Sometimes, we remove the treble hooks from our poppers so we can play with the fish without hooking them.
Q: What's your favorite part of fishing - the bite or the fight?
A: It depends on the species. For example, with a goliath grouper, I prefer the strong bite. With a roosterfish, the fight is better. With a sailfish or a cubera snapper, I enjoy both the fight and the bite.
Q: Do you like challenging yourself with difficult catches?
A: Yes, I do. My current challenge is to fish more with light tackle - for instance, catching an 80-pound cubera snapper with 20-pound line and a 30-gram jig. I've set personal goals like this. A month ago, I almost caught a marlin with 20-pound line, but it jumped and got away.
Q: Do you like fishing to be difficult? Do you enjoy setting challenges for yourself?
A: Yes, I don't really like it when fishing is too easy. I prefer catching big fish - I'd rather catch one cubera snapper than twenty red snappers, or one 80-pound roosterfish than four 30-pounders. I always prefer to catch bigger fish.
Q: When did you decide that you would stick with kayak fishing instead of boat fishing?
A: What really got me hooked on kayak fishing was my first roosterfish. It was about seventy pounds and took me all around the bay. That's when I knew kayak fishing was my thing.
Q: Who is in control during a fight - you or the fish?
A: The fish has control during the first 10-15 minutes, depending on its size. After that, I take control as it starts to get tired. I feel that the fight isn't about who can bring in the fish fastest, but about who has patience. With a slower, more controlled fight, you don't need to make long pulls - just have patience. A good fisherman isn't the one who brings in the fish fastest, but the one who knows how to bring in the fish properly
Q: Is there anything besides fishing that you're passionate about?
A: There's nothing I'm more passionate about than fishing. Sometimes I feel very tired and think I don't want to see the sea for a week. I might rest for a day or two, but then my body starts craving the sea and the water. A few years ago, I would get in a bad mood if I didn't catch anything, but over the years, I've understood that fish don't bite every day. They're not always there. So now, even if I come back without a fish, I'm still happy.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to start kayak fishing for the first time?
A: My advice for someone who wants to try kayak fishing is to first get a proper kayak and always wear a life jacket. Always check the weather forecast and wind conditions - wind is probably the biggest enemy of kayak fishermen. Basically, have patience, enjoy it, and the fish will come little by little. Also, let someone know where you're going and when you should be back. Try to have a radio and contacts of captains or friends who can help if needed.
Q: Do you think people overestimate how dangerous kayak fishing can be?
A: Yes, especially when I see people using cheap kayaks. To fish in an area, you need to know it well. For example, you wouldn't go to Matapalo beach when there's a forecast for strong winds. It's not the same being in a protected bay versus being in the open sea where big waves can capsize you. Even with a life jacket, that can be tragic.
I know the sea here very well, but that doesn't mean nothing can happen to me. If I go alone, I might take more risks, but when I take other people, I'm more cautious. Sometimes I warn clients about potential wind, and they might say "I fish with wind," but when I warn about wind here, it can arrive within minutes, and then there's nothing you can do except survive. Only someone who has fished in the area and knows it well understands what I'm talking about.
Bonafide is thrilled to have Gary join our pro staff and excited to get back on the waters with the legend himself.Learn more about the PWR129, Gary’s number one choice of our line-up here! »
