Rollercoaster Fishing in Puerto Vallarta

Every year about this time, we see the beginning of the spring rollercoaster when it comes to fishing in Puerto Vallarta. This year we’re seeing fluctuating water temperatures and clashing currents. Oddly enough the El Nino conditions just complicate things with summer species in the middle of winter. Now we’re not complaining and we know what to expect, but the simple fact is that winter fishing, never really turned into winter fishing this year! Going on four weeks now El Banco, which has been all but dead previously, suddenly came back to life. Yellowfin Tuna at 60 to 80 pounds are running with Spinner Dolphin and with the massive amounts of bait in the area, these conditions are likely to continue. With water temperatures at their lowest for the season, to have Yellowfin Tuna in the numbers we’re seeing them in, is a gift from the fish gods. But few things in fishing are perfect and the downside of this is that on some days, you can’t turn a Tuna’s head to take advantage of what you’re offering. Welcome to the Rollercoaster!

Tourism has slowed down a little at the Easter Holiday as we all expect, so very few boats this past week have gone out. Those lucky enough to be here fishing in Puerto Vallarta have been targeting Yellowfin Tuna in the 60 to 80 lb. range. This has continued now for many weeks with no end in sight. So this is great news, but you’ll need to plan on a twelve-hour trip to get into this action. Ten hours will get you close and you’ll catch fish, but if you’re going to be in this area, give it the extra two hours, it can make all the difference. Striped Marlin are thinning in numbers, finally, but you still have a shot. Dorado are super rare now, but again, they’re in the mix for the lucky. For now, this is the best option for fuel dollar. The big draw here is the massive amount of varied bait types. If heading this way, take a heading of 285 to 310 from the point of Punta Nayarit and let me how your day went.

The area from Punta Nayarit to the south of El Morro has been weak when it comes to surface fishing or trolling. For those who don’t mind bottom fishing, you have Pompano to 35 lbs, Snapper to 30 lbs, and possibly Grouper as well. Again, there are massive amounts of varied bait in the water, but for some reason, the surface fishing consists of Jack Crevalles, Bonito, and that’s about it. If you’re about seven miles off the point, you have a shot at Striped Marlin. They’re thin in numbers and if you do find them, many are ignoring your bait or presentation. Having said that, we have had some luck this week and maybe you will too. For now, it’s probably not your best bang for your fishing dollar, but if you’re in the area, give it a shot.

Inside the bay is the same story, it’s pretty much a ‘cookie cutter’ report inside the bay. You’ve got your basic Jack Crevalles anywhere from 25 to 50 lbs of arm-burning action. Their numbers are in the stratosphere now and they can’t be avoided. For family fishing, this is great action in a shorter duration, which makes the bay affordable for the budget challenged. Bonito are part of the Tuna family and are thinning in numbers for some reason. Having said that they’re still around the Los Arcos area and sprinkled around the bay. Snook, or Robalo in Spanish, is a white meat fish and they’re in season. You normally catch them closer to shore and if you’re lucky enough to hook into one, you’ll be eating well that evening. Needlefish have been rare, but they seem to be picking up a bit in numbers. Weird looking, like long baby Marlin, they’re great tasting and fun to catch. If we get a drop in water temps, we’ll start seeing Sea Bass, Grouper, and Snapper near the river mouths. But the water has been a little warm for these cold water species so far this year, stay tuned.

Once again the bite is still around 08:30 in the morning. But remember we have two bites every day and many times the late or afternoon bite is better than the morning bite. This has been the case for the last week. The downside to this is there is a good breeze that can turn into wind which creates choppy, rough water. Sea-sick types would not appreciate these conditions, but it’s something to consider when making a reservation. The whales are all but gone now, but their favorite food, Krill is still out in the bay to the point it may look like red tide. So the local species are feeding on this ‘leftover’ Whale food. This will continue for a while. Water temperatures are back down to 73 degrees giving us some hope for possible Sea Bass moving in. Cross your fingers. For now, live bait has been working well, but again lures that mimic Dorado are also working well, so don’t be afraid to change up your baits. As we head into the breeding season, things can get a little crazy, but the good news is we always have great fishing which we’re calling ‘Action Fishing’.

Until next week, don’t forget to kiss your fish!

Written by Stan Gabruk

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