“Out of all the fish that I have ever landed, the Mojarra is easily one of my favorites.” – Capt. Jesse Males
I am so stoked to have been able to land my first of many Mojarras during a weekend jungle kayaking trip here in Costa Rica. My friend Mark invited me to head out on the overnight trip and boy am I glad I didn’t turn this one down.

Before I knew it, I found myself surround by a jungle canopy full of exotic birds, butterflies, and monkeys catching not only these beautiful mojarra, but also rainbow bass and machaca.

The mojarra is certainly no push over. The ones in these photos were decent sized, but the really big ones can get significantly bigger. I was using the 4/5 wt C-9 by Walton Rods and these fish were putting it to the test. Honestly, a 7 or 8wt would be ideal for targeting this species if around heavy cover like logs or fallen tree limbs. When the really big one hits, there will be little or nothing you can do with a 5 wt in hand.

Keep your hearts right and your lines tight!