Dirty Water Moves in, Fish Move Out, Wait Three Days!

Dirty Water Moves in, Fish Move Out, Wait Three Days!

Written by: Stan Gabruk owner of Master Baiter´s Sportfishing & Tackle

 

I´ve been talking about how we haven’t seen the seasonal rains that are so normal for this time of the year. About a month late they´ve finally arrived. We´ve seen rain inland, Guadalajara has been seeing regular rains for weeks now. For the last few days we´ve seen some heavy rains and this of course translates to muddy, dirty water washing down the hills and into the rivers. This of course means the rivers dump into the ocean at some point. Here in Marina Vallarta we have at least three rivers that spill into the Bay of Banderas creating a Trash Line. But it also brings dirty, coffee colored adobe mud water to the whole area. This is a good thing until it becomes too much. Too much means there are heavy rains locally and the amount of water filling the bay is magnified to the point of undesirable conditions. In a nutshell, the bay has dirty water, so the fishing isn´t exactly easy at the moment.

Ok, so we know the bay is full of dirty water, but how far does this dirty water go you may ask?? The dirty water has found its way to Corbeteña, but not El Banco. The Marietta Islands / El Morro area is the same. In front of the ¨trash line¨ the water is almost always clean and clear. The smaller Dorado, Skip jack Tuna, Bonita, Snappers and a host of other fish will chow down on the organic roots, berries, leaves, seeds, you name it. It´s a organic trail mix fish love and it´s a good thing. Again, smaller fish feed on this ´fast food¨ and of course this draws other fish in looking for a quick ¨bite¨.  So if you´re fishing in the bay, for now this is your best chance for catching fish. If you´re in front of the river mouths the fresh water mixes with the salt water that energizes the fish, frenzied they’ll hit anything shinny. Robalo to 30 lbs, Snappers from small to larger at 30 lbs. Jack Crevalls can still be had around the Nuevo Vallarta area, the dirty water doesn´t seem to affect this species like others. If Jacks can see your bait, they´ll take it. As far as Skip jack tuna, it´s hard to get their attention and they´re small in the 6 to 10 lb range. Even getting Skip Jacks (Skippies) to pay attention to your bait has been challenging at best. For the next few days, the bay may not be your best fishing option so check to see if there is any clean water in the bay before heading out. Now fishing from shore around the river mouth(s) is a different thing amigo…. Targeting smaller fish from shore is probably better than getting on the water for the moment. But as always, this can change before you get this message, so check with me or a local before heading out.

The Marietta islands and El Morro are also dealing with this muddy coffee colored water. So Sailfish and Marlin are moving out towards the deep water locations for the moment. Still there are Needle fish in the 35 lb range. Baby, I mean baby Dorado in the 10 lb range, so throw them back. Bonito to 30 lbs, some very small Rooster fish 20 lbs and a host of other reef and assorted small fish. All and all this is going to be the first area to clean up, so keep an eye open.

Normally around Punta Mita, just north of the point the water is normally cleaner than other areas when conditions like this exist. Anclote Reef is clean for the moment so fishing north of Punta Mita in Clean water, if you can find it, will produce Sailfish of nice size. Maybe some Dorado, but they´re babies in this area as well. If fishing out of Sayulita or Punta Mita I have a couple of boats now in La Cruz Marina so we can accommodate North Bay fishing trip clients staying in Sayulita, Punta Mita, and areas near La Cruz Marina, so now you know.

Corbetena has been affected by this dirty water as well. For now there are few strong currents moving this water out so even the Rock is slow and all the entails. Sailfish are hard to find, but they´re in the area because you can see them on the surface, but they´re not taking Bait. I can say the same for Black and Blue Marlin to 650 lbs. Some big-boys for sure, but they´re only chasing baits, not taking baits. Some of these Marlin are trophy sized. So this will make you pull your hair out, have a beautiful Marlin chase and give your bait a hard look just to be snubbed. For the moment, I´d wait to hear about clean water before running off to boat Moby Dick amigo. Even the Cubera Snappers that take jigged baits aren´t! When that happens it´s just best to be patient for a few days. We know these conditions are normal and at times they can work against us. This will all change in a few days so stay tuned.

El Banco has some clean water, one place, but you´ll be heading out fifty miles to find a Marlin or Sailfish. I expect this dirty water to find its way to El Banco as well, if not there already. If you find yourself at the high spots and the water is clear then you´ve got a shot at Sailfish to 90 lbs, Marlin to 650 lbs and who knows what else. Yellowfin Tuna are nowhere to be found right now, they have moved out and are avoiding the dirty water, who could blame them?

Water temperatures are still perfect. Bait is still abundant, but moving out as well. Flying Fish are still around Punta Mita and the Marietta Island area. Goggle Eyes, Skippies that are perfect bait size, Bullet Bonito and the list goes on. The bite is in the mid-morning from around 9:00 a.m to 11:00 a.m. and then in the afternoon after 2:00 p.m. time frame. Another issue we´ve been dealing with is a full moon. We´re seeing cloudy evenings which make the clouds in the area like giant light bulbs reflecting the moon rays. Then with cloudy and overcast days, these fish are a little mixed up and this could possibly account for Marlin chasing baits but not taking. It looks that for now it´s best to be patient, save that fuel dollar, in a few days we´ll see the bay clean up, the Rock turn back to blue water and who knows, maybe even some Yellowfin Tuna. Cross your fingers for larger Dorado to show up as well.

Last word: Normally I try to put a positive spin on the conditions, but this week it´s best you understand that fishing is fishing and not every day is a good day in fish city. The up side to this is things can change in a heartbeat and by the time you get around to reading this article things could already have improved. It can happen just that fast. So if you´re in Puerto Vallarta and read this article, call me before making a decision and get the updated report. At Master Baiter´s We Won’t Jerk You around! One way we don’t jerk you around is by telling you the straight up truth. We´ll turn your business away if the fishing is bad because reputations like ours don´t get built on lies and unhappy customers.

Until next time, don´t forget to ¨Kiss Your Fish¨

Master Baiter´s has changed locations in Marina Vallarta between docks A and B on the boardwalk. Email your Questions to me at: CatchFish@MasterBaiters.com.mx  Web page:  www.MasterBaiters.com.mx , Local Phone at: (044) 322 779 75 71 or if roaming: 011 52 1 322 779 75 71 cell phone direct Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Master-Baiters-Sportfishing-Tackle/88817121325 The trade name Master Baiter’s ® Sportfishing and Tackle is protected under trade mark law and is the sole property of Stan Gabruk.