2nd La Nina Year shows up, Dorado Leaving the Bay, Sailfish Take Over!
Written by Stan Gabruk of Master Baiter ´s Sportfishing and Tackle
Well I have been hoping it wasn´t going to happen this quickly, but as I have been telling you all along, we are going to see a second dose of La Nina and the symptoms of cold water and early winter fishing are turning into a reality. What does this mean to you the average person coming down to Puerto Vallarta, not much if you are a non—fishing traveler. But if you are one of my hard core guys who only want Monster Yellowfin Tuna or Huge Black Marlin, then you better get your butt in gear amigo, they are short timers for the moment. But like every year this does not mean the end of fishing in Puerto Vallarta, but it does mean changes are coming soon…. Stay tuned!
It is no secret that La Nina, the cold version of El Nino is back to cause more issues with weather patterns across the USA and the entire world. For us in Mexico, Puerto Vallarta to be exact this will mean the early arrival of Hump Back Whales. Not a bad thing, but cold water fish and warm water fish will only occupy the same space for so long. We are presently seeing the abundant Dorado in the bay thinning out as the days go by. Football Yellowfin Tuna are still thick, but will also be moving out of the bay as the days march on. What we are already seeing is Jack Crevalls moving in. We see them normally about the second week of January. Sierra Mackerals are picking up in numbers also. But of these fish are the early indications of water temperature changes. One positive though is that Rooster fish are moving into the area in big numbers and fair sized too. Just remember, for every down side, there is always an upside. So don´t stress amigo, we have you covered. For those looking for more technical information available, then hit these two sites, they will answer most of your questions! http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20110908_lanina.html and http://www.elnino.noaa.gov/lanina_new_faq.html
Right now there is nothing to say about El Banco, the season has passed it by and the few reports coming in are less than exciting. Yes there are some Yellowfin Tuna and Black marlin out there, but the word ¨some¨ means just that, some. Better spending your fuel dollar heading to Corbeteña.
Now Corbeteña is seeing a slowdown in action as well as the whole area is experiencing the drop in the water temperatures due to the winter currents moving in quickly. But there are still Yellowfin being boated in the warm spots, which is key right now. Black Marlin are still in the 500 lb range or a little larger. Sailfish have taken over for sure and are getting thick as you would expect in November. Dorado are still large, the water is blue, but bait has been thinning so make sure you load up in the morning before heading out . Lures may work, but make sure you have squid colors handy, we`ll be seeing them move in shortly. Whale food and all that!
The Marietta Islands, Punta Mita and around El Morro is in the process of being taken over by Rooster Fish, Sailfish, Jack Crevalls, Sierra Mackerals, and smaller Snappers. For a place that was kinda slow all summer, it is finally coming to life and will be a focal point for many anglers for the next several months to come.
Punta Mita is still offering up large Dorado and may just be your best bet if you are looking for your owns personal blue plate special. They taste great, they are about 25 to 40lbs here with the Rooster fish near the reef just north of the point before Sayulita. So Keep this to yourself and we´ll have the place to ourselves!
All and all the fishing is still great. If you are coming to Puerto Vallarta with family these fish will be on the smaller side, which means under a hundred pounds, if you call those small fish. For younger fisherman catching a batch of Bonito in the 30lb range will surprise even the most jaded ocean fisherman. Using light tackle puts a real challenge into the fight. Rooster fish are a fly fishermans dream and if you are thinking of fly fishing, I will tell you now, bring the 10wt pole. It will be tested!
In November we of course have our world famous 56 th Annual Pez Vela Fishing tournament (www.fishvallarta.com) with registration on the 9th and the tournament being the 10th thru the 12th. This is a major ¨happening¨ for PV and it is always fun to participate in. If you don´t get the chance to be a Player this year, then you can come down to the Marina and watch as the daily catch comes in off the boats and weighed in before your very eyes. The best thing about this is, it´s free! So there is no reason to be left out of the action. Be at the weigh station at the end of Nima Bay Condos around 3:30 pm to catch all the action!
Back to La Nina once again, this weather condition is the primary cause for the jet stream to move north, which will cause more cold weather like last year. Places like Chicago, and the northern States along with all of Canada to turn into ice boxes early in the year. You are not getting away from this, so get your house in order amigos, cold weather is coming to you shortly. The Pacific northwest can expect even more rain than normal and should be in line with last year, scary thought. Souther states will see drought conditions continue, sorry Texas. So get ready, trim the trees and bushes, get the gutters cleaned out and air out those blankets that have been sitting in the closet since last March.
Thanks for reading. If you want to sign up for my weekly and biweekly post on my web site sign up for a subscription at: www.masterbaiters.wordpress.com and you will receive a notice of when I post articles, pictures or other stuff you will want to know about…..
For those of you looking for local news, I suggest two different online places, One is: BanderasNews (www.banderasnews.com ) and the other is the PV Mirro (published in town and online here: (www.PVmirror.com ) … Both are outstanding publications that you can access online to receive the latest and greatest in Puerto Vallarta´s daily activities and news on Mexico.
Until next time, don´t forget to kiss your fish!
As the oldest fishing company in Puerto Vallarta and the only company with any World Recognized Fishing Championships like the WBS Billfishing Series Grand Champions (2000 and 2001) under our belt. Nobody, but nobody in Puerto Vallarta can come close to us in quality or price when it comes to world class fishing boats. Remember, at Master Baiter´s Sportfishing and Tackle, We Won´t Jerk You Around! If you have any questions on any subject regarding fishing or Puerto Vallarta, feel free to ask!
For questions or suggestions you can reach me at: CatchFish@MasterBaiters.com.mx
The trade name Master Baiter’s ® Sportfishing and Tackle is protected under trade mark law and is the sole property of Stan Gabruk.