Bait, Bait, everywhere there is bait. May not seem like a bad thing, but when there is too much bait in the water, why would a fish pay any attention to what you are presenting to them? Such is the case this week with plenty of nice sized game fish at our world famous fishing grounds. Jack Crevalls, Snappers and the reappearance of Rooster fish, but don´t get excited, it´s not a piece of cake out there right now.
One thing we always want to know as fisherman is what it the bait fish situation. There are times when there is too much bait in the water. At those times it is impossible to get fish to pay attention to your bait, no matter how you are presenting it.. Other times there is not enough bait and the fish move on… Right now we are a little heavy on bait, but other areas around the area are also heavy on bait. And when the ¨getting is good¨ why move on, it won´t be any ¨greener¨ down the road! In the bay there is plenty of bait to attract fish, so that is not our problem right now. Our problem is getting them to come in our direction. Of course we will be waiting for them, but for now it´s best to focus on what is at hand and available. So nobody should be expecting to catch Moby Dick inside 75 miles. If anyone tells you otherwise, walk away….
Two weeks ago I turned away more people than I care to think about with the truth about what the actual conditions were in the bay. Four hour trips, unless you like checking out sea life and whales, was pretty much a waste of your time and money. Same for Six hour trips and even the eight hour days were coming in at times with empty fish boxes. But as the warmer water is working its way back into the area we have seen the normal players like Jack Crevalls return in a big way. Tons of smaller Red Snappers, Pompano and several larger Rooster Fish and the list goes on. One thing for sure, there is no reason now to hold back. Even the four hour trips are averaging 10 to 15 fish or all types.
Ok, so you want Yellowfin Tuna in late January and you want them to be large and plentiful, well amigo, be careful for what you ask for. Because you just go it, but no complaining when you have to head out an extra hour north of El Banco to get them! To be seeing 200lb or larger YF Tuna at this time of the year is a fantasy come true. But the game remains the same and you’ll be heading out between El Banco and the Tres Maria Islands amigo.
Puerto Vallarta Fishing, You Want Monster Yellowfin Tuna in Late January, We Got Em! January 27, 2011 Ok, so you want Yellowfin Tuna in late January and you want them to be large and plentiful, well amigo, be careful for what you ask for. Because you just go it, but no complaining when you have […]
Warmer Water Moves into PV Fishing Grounds, Striped Marlin / Yellowfin Tuna Move Closer In! January 14, 2011 Just a few days ago I was telling my faithful readers, all 30 of them that if they were heading out to El Banco they were basically throwing their money away. But like all things fishing, nothing […]
To tell you all the straight up truth right now, I have no clue what will happen when you head out on our boats in the morning. We know what they caught yesterday and what they caught them on, but we don´t know where they will be today and they will probably be in the mood for something new on the fish food menu! Winter fishing is always a challenge, this is why an experienced captain with some tricks up his sleeve can be worth more than the price you paid for the boat! It´s not like fishing in a barrel right now like in the summer when any idiot with a shinny lure can boat a Monster Yellowfin Tuna. Right now you will need a salty captain who knows his stuff along with a well equipped boat. This is where the price of the boat is directly relative to the salary paid to the captain and crew, not to mention having the tools required to do the job at hand! No day Captains coming with his own bag of lures please!
Normally at this time of the year we see the Puerto Vallarta Fishing grounds full of Yellowfin Tuna, Black Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado and more. We still have Yellowfin Tuna at the Tres Maria Islands, commonly known as the Prison Islands. We also still have Striped Marlin and Sailfish north of San Pancho, which is about the same distance as heading to El Banco. But for those looking for close, trophy Game Fishing action things have changed. Water Temperatures continue to drop and hover in the winter ranges of the low 70’s. So what does that mean for the Holiday Angler looking for big fish? Well it means for the most part you can still find what you are looking for, but you´ll have to be flexible of wallet and time. As we move officially into winter, the fishing is fine, but you´ll need to hunt them down amigos!
As news of the frigid weather in the states filters its way down to Mexico we are reminded that we are not immune to cooling temperatures as well. As I have mentioned a thousand times, weather patterns follow water temperatures. If you check Florida land temperatures they are in line with what is happening off the cost in the water. Places like Fort Lauderdale are seeing day time highs in the 20’s. Now we are beginning to see the same conditions here in Puerto Vallarta. Water temperatures are as cool as I can remember, barely in the 70’s as this article is written. This is of course the reason most of the larger game fish have left the area, but that doesn´t mean they all left! Those with the desire still can find Striped Marlin at El Banco or at San Pancho. That’s the good news, the bad news is you´ll be putting in the time and the distance with no guarantees you´ll catch anything. Winter fishing has come to Puerto Vallarta!
Every now and again I like to re-post this article, especially when the economy is down, those looking for a cheap boat will always find one. Like the old saying goes, ¨The is always a cheaper whore on the next corner¨. Which of course describes the fishing industry. The only question is at what point […]
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