Hit and Run Action, Spawning Begins

As we enter the Spring Fishing Season here in Puerto Vallarta, the Bay of Banderas is alive with action. Presently, we’re seeing the seasonal transitions we experience yearly. Cold water species will be moving out, as they’re beginning to do now, as warm water species begin moving in the area. And in the middle of all this, we see the spring spawning season has begun. Yes folks, the fish are in breeding mode. This is nothing new and it happens every year at exactly this time. So, the fish can be a little fickle, but in reality, if you are a little flexible with your departure time in the morning, the fishing can be great. Right now, it’s a mixture of timing, luck and the local knowledge expertise. It’s all about action fishing, if you can get their interest from the call of mother nature.

Ok, so its May, tourism is down, all the winter residents are leaving before they melt in our summer heat and sweltering humidity. Summer species aren’t quite here as yet and the winter species for the most part are still in the area. But it’s Spring and they’ve all got ‘whoopie’ (wink wink) on their mind. What does that mean? Well sometimes the call of the wild is more important than the hunger factor. For this reason, all the fishing grounds have the same issues. These Jacks are taking bait in the morning one day and off the next. The mid-morning now is your best option, with the early bite being pretty much a disaster. Clients who wanted to try the early bite found that they had no action until about 11:30 or later. This is where the local knowledge comes in handy. The conditions are mixed up and confusing. We’ve seen days when Roosterfish were abundant at Punta Nayarit. It was so crazy last week, these 45 lb. Roosterfish were taking dead bait! With an abundance of Sardines, they were in a frenzy mentality and would hit anything at the shore break. Then as quickly as these Roosterfish moved in, they disappeared just as quickly.

Obviously, we’re talking about eight-hour duration trips. With the lack of fishing clients, it’s hard to get a feel for the pulse of the action right now. At this time of the year, we start to see the results of current changes, as water temperatures increase from the winter lows. We’ll see Jelly fish for example all over the bay. The area down near Yelapa are Jellyfish breeding grounds and they will leave you with a nasty sting. Many times, when the local species won’t bite, it’s because they’re feasting on these jellyfish delicacies. With massive amounts of Sardines in the area, El Morro, located about six miles south of the Marietta Islands, we’re having ‘flash’ fishing conditions. Roosterfish have shown up taking advantage of the upwellings there. You pretty much have to be here in PV to take advantage of this action. They’ll be in for a few days then disappear like a ghost in the night.  

In this same area, we’ve seen some Wahoo move in. This is great, they like water temperatures at the 80-ish degree mark. Where there is one, there are more and this is the big secret. Most people won’t target Wahoo because it pretty much eliminates the possibility of hooking into any other species because of the speed you need to troll at. When conditions are as they are now, it’s a perfect time to target one of the best eating species in the ocean! Wahoo in Hawaii is called Ono! They can be between El Morro and Corbetena. I’ll be running out to see what happens with the Wahoo this weekend. With conditions as they are, why not give it a shot?

We’re still looking at the ‘clean green’ water conditions. There are also blue water spots that have a warmer water temperature. So blue water is your best option, but the clean green water will still produce action, just not as much as blue water. Additionally, in this area there could most likely be Sailfish as well. Just because nobody has boated one, doesn’t mean they’re not out there. And I expect they are in the neighborhood. Feeling lucky?

Inside the bay it’s the same story and thank the fish gods for that. Sierra Mackerels are abundant all over the bay area and are great tasting. Not huge or great fighters, they’re delicious. Jack Crevalle’s are still everywhere, but they’re in a breeding state of mind, so you have to catch them ‘in the mood’. Of course, Bonito are a constant, but this will change soon as the water temperatures increase. The fact is we haven’t seen the number of Bonito like we should. The water is getting bluer by the day and it won’t be long before we’re in full summer species mode. So be patient, we have no choice amigos.

Details: Starting with water temperatures, the water right now is anywhere from 76 to 82 degrees. Naturally the warmer, blue water is your best option of course. The bite has changed to a mid-morning bite about 11:30. The early bite has been a disaster. If you head out early, focus on Mackerels then head to your chose fishing grounds and be ‘on time’. And remember live bait is king!

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

Thank you very much for visiting my site. We do all of this to earn your confidence and your business. If you come in the shop or mention that you’ve been reading my reports, I’ll give you a nice little discount. And as a customer we will freeze and store your catch. This is an exclusive service for Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle’s clients exclusively!

Tours and Services: if you’re coming to Puerto Vallarta and plan on taking any tours, we can provide that service. Many of the tour companies like Vallarta Adventures have shifted from paying commissions and you are better off purchasing these online. We can provide the entire service of reserving your tours. For those that don’t pay a commission, we’ll charge a handling fee so my employees can see a bit of compensation for their troubles. Ask about our Unknown Paradise Tours you’ve never heard of. Let Carlos guide you and work with you. Carlos speaks 8 languages!

Written by Stan Gabruk

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