Ok, this is it, the highest part of High Season for fishing in PV. As tourism literally comes to a halt, strangely enough this is the best part of the year to be in Puerto Vallarta’s world famous fishing grounds if you’re an angler with an eye on boating a world class gamefish worth mounting! Water temperatures are a little warm, but nothing is ever perfect. We saw some more rain this week so the trash line is working. Yellowfin Tuna are still abundant in the bay ranging from small to ridiculous for the bay, unusual to say the least. Black Marlin are increasing in size and abundance, Sailfish are picking up and freakishly strong in the bay, not normal.
September is here, arguably the best season for world class fishing here in Puerto Vallarta. For those who are here in our little corner of paradise, they have had to deal with some strange, but not unusual conditions. First the currents are moving to the west from the east, this has stirred up the waters and now we have dirty water in almost all the fishing grounds. Now this may sound like bad news, but it is fairly normal and it is part of fishing in this part of the world. The good news is this will only last a couple of days and there are plenty of fish to keep you interested and involved amigos.
If you are anything like me, after being in several ¨Rodeos¨ you become indifferent to things like Hurricanes, especially when they´re so far out there they can´t affect you. But this is not exactly true since you for the most part still get the rain, sea conditions, humidity and how it affects the fish. That´s right amigos Hurricanes affect fish in all sorts of ways. They feel pressure from the storms and they have been doing this for millions of years so they stay out of hurricanes way. What that meant to us this past week in a word is Ilena. Hurricane Ilena and while it was six hundred miles or more out to sea, we all felt the effects of it here in Puerto Vallarta. Weather wise and fishing wise it was a rough week but there are signs again things are coming back to normal. Welcome to fishing in Mexico, if you´re not flexible, you´ll break!
As we enter the most productive time of the year for monster trophy gamefish we see the clientel is just not coming out to our world famous fishing grounds of Puerto Vallarta. The fish are out there, the conditions are just about perfect, the fishermen are not here. You can point fingers, you can make excuses, you can speculate, but you will find empty fishing grounds and boats putting people out fishing at desperate ¨going out of business¨ pricing. What does this mean to the general consumer looking to go fishing, well it means you can find a boat for just about any price you can imagine. For those who are in Marina Vallarta the fishing has improved from the last couple of weeks. For those with the disposable income, world record sized fish are out there waiting for you. So, the question being put to you is this: ¨Can You Come Out and Play? ¨
After what has been a hit and miss fishing season Hurricane Hector popped it´s ugly head out and caused a week of less than spectacular fishing, rough seas and believe it or not, not too much rain. After the Eighth hurricane to pass Puerto Vallarta this year we are now deep into hurricane season. The problem with this hurricane is it formed about 200 miles off shore just south of Puerto Vallarta and it moved slowly directly west making the local conditions less than favorable. Now we all know this means the fishing was not good this past week. But we all know fish move and these hurricane things are short lived things so the fishing will be bouncing back by the time you read this article.
After years of fishing and writing articles one thing you learn for sure is when you expect things, it can only breed disappointment. Right now the opposite exist here in Puerto Vallarta when we´re speaking of world class fishing at El Banco and Corbeteña to name a few. Yellowfin Tuna are still not Monsters, but they are abundant. Black Marlin are taking baits, but you have to be there to experience the thrill. Blue Marlin as well with Snappers, Sailfish and the other usual players. Blue water, perfect water temperatures, plenty of bait in the water, what more could you want, an invitation. High Season for fishing is now coming into its own and if you are not here, then reading about it is a distant second.
After six hurricanes passing us by so far this year, dirty water, no bait and a mixed bag of other night mare conditions that hit us at El Banco and Corbeteña have moved out and what replaced it is what dream fishing conditions are made of. Perfect water temperatures between 82 and 90 degrees set the stage for 500 lb Blue and Black Marlin increasing in abundance daily. Flying fish for bait are moving in as well, every species out there love flying fish! Yellowfin are also abundant in the football sized ranges for the moment everywhere past the Marietta islands. It´s all coming together now. The long winter wait for world record sized possibilities in our world class fishing grounds is over. If you are looking to boat a ¨Bucket List¨ fish, now is the time to start making preparations. From this point forward the fishing will be more intense for those with the inclination and the time. But be prepared, this is no game for pansies and I don´t mean flowers!
One thing about fishing, I don’t care where you are, that never changes is the fact that everything changes. The only real question is how long will it take for things to change. Change can be good or it can be bad. For us the “change” has been positive. Yellowfin Tuna have moved back into the area, Sailfish are in and out, but mostly in. Blue and Black Marlin are increasing in Numbers and size. Bait is plentiful, Chorras mostly. Those lucky enough to be in Puerto Vallarta are seeing why Puerto Vallarta’s Fishing Grounds are the talk of the world. If you are into Deep Sea Fishing or Big Game Fishing, or Sportfishing, I don´t care what you choose to call it….. The time has come to get your game in gear and enjoy deserted fishing grounds with world class fish. If you want to pretend you’re Hemingway, it wouldn’t be hard to do!
The fishing is great, plain and simple, but the conditions are changing by the day. Large Yellowfin Tuna have moved out for the moment, but they’re out there, you just have to find them. Sailfish and Marlin are picking up, but nothing automatic. Summer in Puerto Vallarta, World Class Fishing in a World Class Location.
So larger fish come into the bay and that is what we are seeing now. Larger fish moving in closer in. Yelapa is seeing 20lb Skippies and bonito. Cabo Corrientes is seeing 70lb Yellowfin Tuna (YF Tuna). Corbeteña and El Banco the YF Tuna even larger. Marlin are picking up in numbers, Dorado are small, Bottom fishing is good at the Marietta Islands and Sailfish are taking over as they usually do come this time of the year. If you are not here fishing, you are missing out on world class conditions, World Class Fish, And a World Class Once in a Lifetime Experience.
