For the locals in Puerto Vallarta we all know that no matter how good things were yesterday, it’s no promise for tomorrow. Don’t take that as a suggesting that fishing has taken a turn for the worse, quite the opposite. We’re finally heading into the time of the year when the fishing is about as good as it’s going to get. From this point forward Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado, Tuna, you name it will be on the increase. But like always there is a “monkey wrench” that will soon be affecting our fishing both here and up the coast into the states!
This past week was full of rain and wind, but the fishing is still improving. As far as unexpected weather surprises go, we’re doing pretty well. Just the normal seasonal rains. You’d think rain would be bad for fishing but in reality it’s best in the rain! Fish get excited and come to the surface, which makes your chances of boating an “excited” fish much better. Naturally with rain, areas near the river mouths will be coffee colored, not a preferred condition at all. But in the areas away from the mud in the bay, things have improved as well. When it comes to the deep water fishing grounds, Dorado are both picking up in numbers and size! Sailfish are also picking up in numbers as you’d expect. Haven’t seen any Black Marlin this year, that’s not normal at all. But on the other hand, we’re happy to still having Yellowfin Tuna at Corbetena! At this time of the year the deep water locations is where your best fishing will be for the near term. Inside the bay, there is still great fishing, but you won’t find Marlin, Sailfish and Tuna for the most part.
Almost two weeks after Hurricane Nora we finally have fish moving back into the area. We’re still having the seasonal rains so the bay will mostly have river fed dirty water. We also have mature trash lines which is a fisherman’s friend. After the Hurricane we still have a massive amount of floating debris in the form of tree stumps, logs, furniture, you name it, it’s out there floating. Needless to say it’s a navigation hazard. But for Dorado, debris like this is heaven. The deep water fishing grounds have great, if not perfect fishing conditions as they “reload” with Sailfish, Dorado and more. We always have fishing challenges, the “payoff” is when you find the “solution”!
People always ask me what it’s like to live in Mexico? Mexico is a pretty diverse place and I’ve only really lived in Puerto Vallarta, for better or worse it’s been fun. Being in the Sportfishing business I work with many visiting tourist looking to go fishing. Now we have a couple of boats, but I also work with many boats in Marina Vallarta. Many of the Captains and Crews become friends and with time are almost family. Once you get away from the “tourism leaches” the people in PV are incredible. Famous for being nice people, the “Pata Saladas” or original locals will do anything they can for you with a smile.
I think the title says it all. If you’ve been watching the news lately there have been Hurricanes all over the evening news. Puerto Vallarta had a Hurricane skirt past us but that didn’t stop the massive amount of rain. Normally Hurricanes either push fish into the area, a great thing. Or push fish out of the area, a bad thing. You never know which it’s going to be until you get out to the fishing grounds. At that point it’s all about rolling the dice. With massive amounts of debris and trees and trash in the bay and out of the bay, it’s best you wait a few days before heading out. The fishing was great before the Hurricane so it’s going to be great again in the next few days. So let’s focus on the positive and there is plenty positive about fishing in Puerto Vallarta!
When we enter this time of the year Hurricanes are a part of our daily life. Now we don’t get hit with Hurricanes, but they do pass the Bay of Banderas frequently. More frequently than you might think. We’ve see some interesting situations. Clashing Currents from two different Hurricanes hundreds of miles apart came together perfectly outside of the bay and we had some large swells with short intervals. It put the idea of fishing out of the picture. That doesn’t mean we didn’t have any fishing. It just means you couldn’t get out of the bay!
After more than twenty years in the business of fishing in Puerto Vallarta I’ve come to understand that what happened yesterday is not exactly what’s going to happen today or tomorrow. Such is the nature of world class Deep Sea Fishing. You see fish move, conditions change and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. When the seasonal rains begin, there’s a whole new batch of factors that also come into play. Fishing is always a challenge, but this is nothing new, how you handle this challenge ends in catching fish or going in empty handed. The good news is we have fish. Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado, Rooster fish, you name it. It’s best if you have an experienced captain but non-professionals will catch fish as well. That’s why I’m here, doing my best to send you in the right direction. Right now that’s going to be Corbetena where you’ll catch fish. Now which “fish” is the question?
As we move into August, we get deeper into our prime fishing season. Fishing in PV or Puerto Vallarta is on the rise. Black Marlin move in, Blue Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado, Rooster Fish, and the list goes on. Blue water, Trash lines and “Bucket List” fish fantasies are happening now.
Not long ago I had this couple walk into my shop. They were just amazed that there was actually a private marina in Puerto Vallarta. They continued that they had come to Puerto Vallarta for the last ten years and stayed in the Marriott Hotel. For some reason this couple never knew that within walking distance was one of the top ten private marinas in the world. It just amazed me. But, after a few seconds of thought I could understand. You see as you enter Marina Vallarta, driving down Paseo de la Marina avenue, you will never see a boat, water, anything that suggest you’re in Marina Vallarta, nothing. You’ll pass the Marina Vallarta Golf Course and you’ll pass many condominium complexes just before you arrive at your hotel. In fact most people don’t even know that Marina Vallarta’s entrance is signified by our world famous whale statue!
After years, if you’ve been reading my articles, then you know what happened last week or even yesterday is no guarantee of what will happen tomorrow! But if this week is any indication of what is to come, then we’re going to have a great fishing season! With Black Marlin finally making an appearance, Yellowfin Tuna are right there with them. Now fishing this early in the season is always hard to call, but we have fish! If you’re thinking about coming to go fishing in Puerto Vallarta, world class fishing awaits you now.
