Community Spotlight: 4Corners Costa Rica
The story of 4Corners Costa Rica | Written by Chuck Hill
Driven by a dream and health concerns, my business ventures led me from Charleston, SC to Costa Rica. For 10 years, I specialized in purchasing surplus equipment out of hospitals across the United States for export all over the world. We would deal with anything and everything equipment related out of hospitals like beds, stretchers, monitors, X-rays, MRI’s, operating room tables, instruments, electrosurgical units- everything! When the newly purchased equipment arrived, I would pack the used equipment into shipping containers and sell it to just about every country across the globe. In 2013/14, we opened a retail location in Costa Rica and over the course the next decade my business partner, Marvin Rodriguez, and I would travel all over the entire country meeting doctors, hospitals, and clinics to supply them with American made products that they previously didn't have access to.
During that span I got to know the backroads of the country, the ins and outs of business in Costa Rica, as well as falling in love with the pulse of the people and what their country has to offer. Any chance Marvin and I had, we tried to break away and go fishing. We created strong relationships with many lodges and captains, and I knew deep down that this was the place that I wanted to live my life.
And then COVID hit. We had thought the Ebola outbreak was going to be like COVID originally, so we had amassed the largest stockpile of used hospital beds in the world. In a time that the medical world was melting down, we were able to position ourselves to be very successful. After dealing with all the stress and numerous hospitalizations and major health scares, I decided to take a step back from the medical equipment industry and focus on my health, goals, and what the rest of my life looked like.
I knew I wanted to chase a dream that I was passionate about that makes me wake up every single day excited. I spent every second of every day thinking about Costa Rica and comparing my life in the Southeast to what was out in the wild waiting for me. I ultimately made the decision to go all-in on 4Corners Costa Rica in 2021 and we haven’t looked back.
Knowing that I wanted to be the only American involved in the operation in order to give these business opportunities to locals to offer a truly authentic Costa Rican experience, I spent the better part of the next 3 years in Costa Rica with Marvin and his son, Arturo, (our 3rd founder) solidifying relationships and deals, dialing in fisheries, and teaching many local captains about fly fishing, catch and release/conservation practices, and how to satisfy clientele.
In that time, we had befriended the pioneer of fly fishing in Costa Rica, Peter Gorinsky, through the Costa Rica Association of Fly Fishermen (CRAFF). Peter was the fly exploratory pioneer of Central America when it came to seeking fish on a fly. He had countless world records and even caught the first Arapaima ever landed on fly with Stu Apte in his home country of Guyana in the late 1960’s (I have a copy of the original photo in my fly-tying office). Peter’s wealth of experience as well as his desire to pass on knowledge helped us strategize the organization of locals and Costa Rican-owned locations that we offer to our clients.
After many lessons in fly tying, knot tying, late night stories and barbecues, we were able to pinpoint the 7 fisheries that we offer today! Each one incredibly different from the last, offering extremely exotic experiences and the ability to target between 50-100 species!
We were able to design a business that Peter once tried to build in the 1970’s by offering sportsmen the ability to fish in multiple locations for numerous species during one trip, bringing our business dreams full circle! We have spent many years nailing down the routes and experiences for our clients to enjoy and to embrace Costa Rica from a local’s perspective. We are experts when it comes to expeditionary fishing in Costa Rica, and we look forward to hosting you on your next adventure!
If you’d like to experience 4Corners Costa Rica check them out below and and let them know we sent you!
4Corners Costa Rica
Phone: 843.709.0686
Website: 4cornerscostarica.com
Email: info@4CornersCostaRica.com
Our Mission
To inspire stewards of our fisheries so they thrive for future generations.
The Fishing Club Journal (FCJ) is our vehicle for advancing this mission. We’re a reader-supported publication curating stories that illuminate the passion, and positivity inherent in the world of fly fishing. To unlock full member benefits, consider becoming a paid member.
