Fly fishing
Puerto Rico fishing: tarpon in San Juan and hotels by the lagoons
In San Juan you can cast for tarpon with tower blocks behind you. The city's lagoons hold fish all year, and the hotels are only minutes away.
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The Condado Lagoon lies between the hotels and the sea, and from the Dos Hermanos bridge you can watch tarpon rolling in the still water. Few places put tarpon this close to a city street. Guides fish the lagoons around San Juan, often at dusk, when the fish chase baitfish along the mangroves.
For an angler from Europe, Puerto Rico is easy to plan. The island belongs to the United States, with dollars and US entry rules, but sits in the Caribbean with sunshine all year. You do not need to plan around a tarpon season, only around where you want to stay.
In short
Puerto Rico has tarpon all year in the lagoons around San Juan. Stay in Condado for a short trip to the lagoon and the beach, or in Old San Juan for history and restaurants. A guided trip usually lasts half a day, so the fishing fits into an ordinary holiday.
Our first choice: Condado Vanderbilt Hotel. It is on the ocean in Condado, a short distance from the lagoon.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Condado Vanderbilt Hotel
Where the guides fish
Condado Lagoon: In the middle of the city, a few minutes from the Condado hotels. You can see fish from the shore.
San José and Torrecilla lagoons: Larger lagoons east of the centre, near the airport, with mangroves and channels.
The north coast: Guides also head to river mouths outside the city, where snook share the water with tarpon.
Licences and rules
The rules on recreational fishing licences in Puerto Rico have been changing. If you fish with a guide, ask about the licence when you book. If you plan to fish on your own, check with the DRNA, the island's natural resources department, before you travel.
Tarpon are almost always released. Guides use heavy tackle so the fish are not exhausted before they go back.
La Concha
The shell-shaped roof at La Concha has been a Condado landmark since the late 1950s. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Hotels in Condado
Condado Vanderbilt Hotel
The hotel opened in 1919, built by Frederick Vanderbilt, with a Spanish-style facade and lobby. Today it has four pools and three restaurants, with the ocean just below the terrace.
Best for a classic stay with the lagoon close at hand.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Condado Vanderbilt Hotel
La Concha Resort
La Concha is known for its restaurant under a concrete roof shaped like a seashell, right above the beach. The 1958 building is regarded as one of the finest examples of Caribbean modernism. The resort has three pools and seven restaurants.
Best if you want beach life and a casino under one roof.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at La Concha Resort
OLV Fifty Five
An adults-only hotel in Condado, with a rooftop pool and two restaurants. It is smaller than its neighbours, with a modern feel and city views from the roof terrace.
Best for couples who want a central base without resort scale.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at OLV Fifty Five
Hotels in Old San Juan
Hotel El Convento
The building was a Carmelite convent in the seventeenth century, and its arcaded courtyard still stands. The hotel is next to the cathedral in Old San Juan, with a pool and a restaurant.
Best for a historic stay, with a short taxi ride to the lagoon.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel El Convento
Hotels outside San Juan
Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
The resort is in Dorado, about half an hour west of San Juan, where Laurance Rockefeller built a hotel in the 1950s. It has two pools, four restaurants and a balcony or terrace in every room.
Best for a luxury holiday with a day or two on the lagoons.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Dorado Beach
Tips before you go
Entry: Puerto Rico follows US rules. British, Norwegian and other visa waiver travellers need an ESTA, as for the rest of the United States.
Car: In Condado and Old San Juan you can manage without one. For Dorado and the north coast a hire car is easiest.
Timing: Many guides fish early in the morning or at dusk, when the fish are most active.
Hurricane season: It runs from June to November. Choose a refundable rate.
Frequently asked questions
Can you fish for tarpon in Puerto Rico all year?
Yes. The lagoons around San Juan hold tarpon all year, so you can plan the trip around weather and prices rather than a season. Winter is drier, while summer is hotter and brings hurricane season from June.
Do you need a fishing licence in Puerto Rico?
The rules on recreational fishing licences in Puerto Rico have been changing. If you fish with a guide, ask about the licence when you book. If you fish on your own, check with the DRNA, the island's natural resources department, before you travel.
Where should you stay in San Juan for fishing?
Condado is closest to the Condado Lagoon, with a beach and hotels at several price levels. Old San Juan has more history and is ten to fifteen minutes away. Dorado suits anglers who want a resort and are happy to drive in to fish.
Do UK visitors need an ESTA for Puerto Rico?
Yes. Puerto Rico is part of the United States and follows the same entry rules. British and other visa waiver travellers need an approved ESTA before departure, even when flying in from Europe.