Fish for Everyone, Black Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna!

                                  Fish for Everyone, Black Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna!

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

Normally in March we´re talking about disappointing winter fishing, not so this year. With El Nino being it´s unpredictable self raising water temperature to late spring equivalents we´re seeing unusual fishing with Black Marlin, tuna, Wahoo, Rooster fish and the list goes on. Yes folks, the fishing is incredible and there´s ¨Fish for Everyone¨!

It seems for the longest time there wasn´t any action at El Banco, a complete waste of your fuel dollar but things have changed drastically. In a month were we´d normally be ignoring this area we´re now pleasantly surprised with huge Black Marlin to 800 lbs, Blue Marlin to 500 lbs, Yellowfin Tuna at 150 to 200+ lb cows! Cubera Snapper for the lucky troller or jigger to 65 lbs. Amber Jacks to 65 lbs, Jack Crevalls of course to 50 lbs, Bonito, flying fish everywhere and favorable ¨spring¨ water temperatures between 78 and 80 degrees. Throw in the teeny tiny red crabs less than an inch long and the shelled squids of about the same size and this is a recipe for a fishing frenzy! I haven´t seen El Banco this alive and active for a long while. Thinking of hitting this area, then stop thinking and do it already. Time to make a move amigos. When ¨they´re¨ there, they´re always bigger at the bank! Corbetena has taken up where El Banco left off, slow and kinda lifeless. About 10 to 15 miles west of the rock there have been 150 lb Yellowfin tuna to be had. They haven´t been around the rock with fields of these crabs and shelled squids they´re happy where they are. If you´re around the area Cubera Snappers are in the 60 lb range. Wahoo are being boated for the lucky here as well. The regular players of Bonito, Jack Crevalls, monster Skip Jack Tuna over 6 lbs are thick. So with the abundance of favorite bait we could see this area explode before you finish reading this article. Hit the Bank first!

El Morro and the area have been on the slow side. In fact if you´re not targeting Wahoo with wire leaders and a faster trolling speed there really isn´t much reason to be here. Rooster fish have diminished in numbers which is surprising with the increase in Sardines in the area. If you’re around Anclote Reef at Sayulita you could have some luck with Rooster fish in the 40 lb range, but you´ll be rolling the dice. Fishing is always a gamble, we do what we can to improve the odds. Punta Mita is the same. The Marietta Islands are a little different with other species in the area I expect Roosters to show up any minute now. All and all the eight hour trip is not your best fishing dollar bang.

Inside the bay we´re seeing absolutely wonderful fishing as long as you´re not looking for Dorado! Around the river mouths there are Jack Crevalls 40 lbs, Roballo 30 lbs, Smaller Snappers to 20 lbs making a four hour family fishing trip affordable and fun with everyone getting all the action they could want. Also in the bay are Skip Jack Tuna, Bonito to 35 lbs, Needle fish to 45 lbs, Sierra Mackerals to 15 lbs and the list goes on. Sailfish are gone, but somehow they seem to find a bait in the bay, especially around La Cruz and Los Arcos areas, Buenos Suerte Amigos.

Basically the fishing is wide open and spread out. With abundant bait sprinkled though the area the fish don´t seem to be schooling, instead they´re free swimming with the scattered bait around the bay. So this is keeping the production fishing ships out of the area, they target schools for their nets. So it´s funny to me they´re just waiting for YF Tuna to school so they can clean house. For now the challenges are obvious, but the rewards make it all worth it. If you consider yourself a serious fisherman then get serious. Those in PV now are in the right place at the right time. Crowds are down, the days and seas are perfect. It´s a fishermans paradise in more than one way and I haven´t been able to say this for many moons. With all the Wahoo in the area you might want to target this species, I know I´m heading out after as many as I can get and don´t ask me to share, you´ll have to get your own.

With Water temps still between 78 and 80 degrees it looks like ¨winter¨ is passing us by. The early bite is 8:00 a.m, late bite is at 4:00 p.m. so plan accordingly. Bait / Lures: With all the flying fish the best lure to start with is the Blue and silver specs or dots, Petrelaros with purple and brown colors. Skippies are great as bait, but if you can get the bullet bonito they´re like heroin to a fish, they can´t stop themselves.

. Shared boats for 8 hrs targeting Dorado has been very popular (½ Super Panga, 2 person max. per half the boat)! Just fire me an email so I know when you´ll be here and we´ll do the rest. The Downtown Store on Basidillo Badillo and Insurgentes is open for High Season. Call Chris (El Centro Mgr) at (044) 322 112 9558 for fishing, tours or T-shrts amigo.  I am still in Marina Vallarta so take your pick. YeHa! We are also Smoking your fish, we keep half, but man is this stuff good. Call Chris for Details in my El Centro store. Contact us about a week before coming to PV so we can get you set up early on a shared boat!

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

Master Baiter´s is located 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. Come like me on 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.