Since the year 2000, Master Baiter’s has been in the Sportfishing Charter business. Some call it Deep Sea Fishing, others call it Sportfishing, what ever you choose to call it, it’s expensive and there’s no way around that simple fact of life. I always have potential clients enter my shop on the boardwalk in Marina Vallarta and they naturally ask for prices. When I collect all the information I need from them to make a recommendation, they are seldom happy about the price and that in itself is a deal breaker. Especially for many vacationing Anglers with a “whim” to go fishing for “Moby Dick”. When I do finally figure out the correct or best option for the client, he’s usually grabbing his chest from the heart palpitations he’s experiencing
For the last eight years I have seen every guy with a line of credit and a thirty foot Gradey White center console put out a shingle and declare his superior quality and performance. They will have nice, shinny newer boats, of course they want to be the star, so you’ve got yourself a ¨hot-shot¨ owner / operator running his own little circus. After all, if this guy can catch fish in (fill in the blank), then he can fish anywhere. They have the new shinny Black Barts.. and can talk a good game. They may or may not catch fish. Lets face it, in PV there are times that if you just show up, you will look good and come in with lots of fish! Me, give me the guy with experience, not the prettiest boat, and not running one single Black Bart Lure. These are the guys who grew up in the area, know the bay like the back of their hands and well, to be frank, for a price will teach that new guy with the new boat where to find fish and what they need to do! But they don’t teach the instincts a good, local captain will have. You can build a reputation on those guys, and around those types. Now managing them can be another thing… Hahahaha…..
Fish Porn, that’s right folks, if you get hot for fishing and PUERTO VALLARTA, this is better than …..
The states are feeling the effects of what El Nino Can do. Freezing Temperatures in Florida killing Tarpin is just one example of the weather extremes the world is seeing right now. Puerto Vallarta Sportfishing is no stranger to these global abnormalities. Right now we are seeing water temperatures bordering on spring time equivalents. Seventy Eight to eighty one degree water temperatures are creating a vortex of sorts.
The days continue to be warm and the nights are pleasant with light breezes and tropical surroundings. People are coming back slowly as cold weather patterns in the States nudge people into escaping for a short while. With the values at the hotels and around the city, Marina Vallarta has never been a better value. Those interested in Puerto Vallarta Sportfishing still have a chance to hook into a finned fantasy like a Marlin or Yellowfin Tuna. Sailfish, Dorado and even Wahoo are available to those with a full day to spend on the sapphire blue waters in our world famous fishing grounds. Remember ¨tomorrows have a habit of turning into ¨I should have yesterday when I could have(s) ¨
I want to be able to look at my daughter and know her life will be a little better for her than mine, but I can´t do that…. I want to think I will be able to go to a doctor in the states when I get old….. well older if I need some serious medical attention without having to go to India to be able to afford an operation. I want a new car every four years, a two-week vacation every year, an affordable house where the wife can stay home and nurture the children of the family so they aren´t strangers with Uzis when they turn 13!
Here in my office on the Malicon or Board Walk in Marina Vallarta, I see and hear pretty much about everything under the sun. This past week the Docks have been alive with action with Sailfish and Dorado plentiful in local fishing grounds like the Marietta Islands. But the story this week, once more is Corbeteña. You name it, it is there waiting for you!
It’s getting hard to keep up with what the currents are doing these days. As it has happened for eons, the currents change from a summer flow to the north, to a winter flow to the south. This can turn into an interesting time of the year for fishing. You have cold water fish like Whales, Bottle Nose Dolphin, and Jack Crevalls moving into the area. Yet the water is still warm enough at the deep water locations like Corbeteña and El Banco to still have Yellowfin Tuna and Marlin hanging out.
It seems, again, that he moment I finished my last report, everything changed, again. If you´re looking for Yellowfin Tuna this week, well you may be bald headed by now from the pure frustration of changing conditions, water temperatures and sea conditions in general. The frustrating thing is you know the fish are out there, you see them jumping and they’re in fish heaven. It all comes down to luck, skill and a well equipped boat.
Last week my article was telling you that finally everything had changed, the Yellowfin Tuna were in and waiting for you to show up. But the moment the article was published, everything changed! Currents shifted, Water Temperatures temporarily dropped and the bait left the building. The Yellowfin Tuna dropped in size from 150 lbs to average around 50 lbs. You had to jig, chum and pray to get a Yellowfin Tuna this week. Black Marlin has all but disappeared and it’s getting harder by the day to make a recommendation to potential clients when the conditions are constantly flipping.
