Fishing in Puerto Vallarta, Marlin, Tuna and Sailfish Waiting For You Now!
Written by Stan Gabruk, owner Master Baiter´s Sportfishing and Tackle
We have arrived at that time of the year where those looking for world class game fish like Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado and of course Yellowfin Tuna can find what they`re looking for! It doesn`t matter what you have in mind, they are out there right now. With perfect conditions, perfect water temperatures and perfect bait conditions the lucky ones heading out are coming in tired, happy and all smiles! High Season for fishing is here, are you ready to have the time of your life, then hang in there, I´ll tell you what you need to know amigos!
Lets start with El Banco, there is every fish you could hope to find here. Like all things there is always an upside and a down side. The down side this week, just like last week is if you can get them to take your bait! Normally we see one or maybe two specific types of bait that are prevalent at any given time as the different types of baits move into the area and out of the area. But right now there are all kinds of bait type fish in and around the bay. This means that running just live bait is not your best option and I don`t know what is! At El Banco or The Bank in English, you need to be running four combinations at least! Yellowfin Tuna and Black Marlin are both being choosy, not finicky or fickle. Surface Poppers, Cedar Plugs, Lures, Live bait, Rapallas, you name it, run it, it may get a strike. That is the hard part or the down side. The up side is of course there are some big fish, even for early summer season fishing. Yellowfin Tuna have been ranging anywhere from 20 lbs to 200 lbs. Black Marlin are in the 400 to 500 lb range, which sounds like a huge fish, but for Marlin are not huge by any means. Sailfish are a little scarce, but they are here and will take baits as well. Dorado have been exceptionally large the last few days running anywhere from 25 to 45lbs. Again, it all comes down to what baits you are running and what they are in the mood to hit. So the secret is not to leave any one thing that is not working on for too long. One last thing on The Bank, don´t be afraid to venture out from the high spots, many times miles off the high spots are very productive! Hey, it´s fishing, anything is possible and most likely probable.
Corbeteña is about the same as El Banco. Marlin, Sailfish, Yellowfin Tuna and Dorado all about the same size and situation. The best action has been happening in the area five to ten miles around the rock. You may find fish on top of the rock itself, but you will be there with others, which is not always a good thing. But the water is blue, and the conditions are great here as well. Normally El Banco and Corbeteña have the same fish, but some days El Banco is better than Corbeteña. So keep your ears on and listen for the action while on the water. If you don`t speak Spanish, ask your captain, he will fill you in!
The Marietta Islands have been all but neglected and frankly there are better spots to head to in 8 hrs. Cabo Corrientes, the southernmost point of the Banderas Bay is still alive and kicking and has been for several weeks now. Sailfish have been around the area, but with very few heading out these days the report information is sparse at best. Yellowfin Tuna in the 15 to 40lb range are here as well. Not much in the way of Dorado here for some reason, but there you are.
The Bay this week is the place once again to be. In front of Yelapa there have been Dorado feeding off the organic materials in the water and of f the trash line. They are mostly in the 20 lb range which is a nice size for them. There is also Football Yellowfin Tuna anywhere from the point to Yelapa. Again, remember fish move so be flexible in the area you are trolling and you`ll find the bay in my opinion your best option as far as fish for your fuel dollar goes. There are even small Sailfish in the area, but please throw the babies back….
On the other side of the bay, Nuevo Vallarta has had all kinds of action when it comes to 20 to 45 lb Yellowfin Tuna amigos. But again, just about anywhere in the bay can be explosive. The point is doing well, but why head out to Punta Mita if you can find the same sorts of fish closer and many times larger than farther out. Remember my goal is not to get you on an expensive boat, but in the know when looking for a fishing boat for sure. So be informed, be armed!
It´s no secret what the press is writing about in the States when it comes to Mexico. You hear how this cruise line stopped coming to Puerto Vallarta because of the dangerous conditions. Yet the Cruise line has not stopped it´s operation even after it´s false comments, yet that doesn´t make the news! You hear how dangerous it is in Mexico, yet there are no danger or caution warnings from the American Consulate in Jalisco, the largest state in Mexico. The H1N1 flue scare where America and the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) announced a flu epidemic you would most likely die from was all a fabrication by the W.H.O. and the American Press who went and flew off the handle and screamed the Sky Was Falling in Mexico. In fact the flu ¨Pandemic¨ started in Los Angeles, funny how nobody was warned to stay out of the states. But in a nut shell, the propaganda is killing the fishing business in Puerto Vallarta. As I read this horrible and over run articles by people with an agenda, I can´t believe how the press gets away with printing editorialized fiction. So for the record, Puerto Vallarta and 90% of the country is safe for anyone who isn`t looking to get into the drug trade. You wouldn´t walk at midnight in the worst part or your city, why would you look for trouble. In Puerto Vallarta, Cabo, Cancun and other areas you are perfectly safe. Just ask those who were afraid to come, came and they couldn´t understand the commotion in the press…. Ok, if you have a question relative to your safety, call or email me. I live in a place where the press would tell you I am going to die. I live in a city that the cruise ship lines would have you believe is dangerous, but in fact the tourism trade is so bad here now that they can`t operate to locations like PV. Yet the Mexican Nationals are not detoured in the least. Trust me, the love their families as much as you or any other parent! So take this information, process it and then do some of your own research on what is happening in Mexico. To be honest, I feel safer in Mexico than I do in Los Angeles when I head back home to visit. OK, I will get off my soapbox now…..
For those of you thinking of entering our local tournaments from Barra to Manzanillo, Master Baiter’s Captains are the best in Puerto Vallarta with many being multi-tournament winners. We keep our prices down as much as possible for tournaments because we like to be in the action too! So if saving some money and not paying double the regular price of a charter per day appeals to you, then contact me about the tournament you are interested in and we will fix you up with tried and true captains, boats and crews with fresh line, top notch equipment and tackle and of course English speaking, professional crews of course! So come be part of Team Master Baiter’s and find out for yourself that “We Won’t Jerk You Around!”
That’s about it for now, until next week, 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 to Stan Gabruk.