It’s “Fish City”, Puerto Vallarta Fishing, Dorado Dominate With a Side of Tuna    

Right now we’re a week deeper into “fishing high season” and what a difference a week can make! Suddenly Dorado are pretty much at all our world famous fishing grounds! Sailfish numbers are picking up nicely like they always do come mid-September. Marlin and Tuna are more active and larger at Corbetena and El Banco. It’s all about mostly blue water, but there are days where we’re seeing the clean green water, but it isn’t effecting the fishing any. Just about any species you want to target right now is in the mix. For now, the first time I can remember in many moons, a shorter day trip can be your best bang for your fishing dollar! Those looking for larger gamefish, El Morro is alive and kicking with Sailfish. Punta Mita is another option for the longer duration guys. All and all, fishing is hard to beat right now. And let’s face it, we wait all year long and now the fishing is incredible. So check the Calendar, you’ve only got so many months of this level of action before you’ll be back in the “waiting” game. The fishing in Puerto Vallarta right now is as good as it’s going to get all year long! So get off your butt and let’s go fishing amigos!

It’s been a wonderful week out there, the deep water fishing grounds are doing very well! El Banco has Yellowfin tuna, some are 20 lbs, some are 100 lbs or more. It all comes down to your captain, his skill, the bait you’re using and of course there is always the element of luck. We do our best to take the “luck” part out of the equation for sure. That’s the primary reason read my articles! If you head to Corbetena right now, you’ll find Blue Marlin from 300 lbs up, Sailfish, and of course possible Dorado. Yellowfin tuna are north of the rock, so drop baits and head north, you’ll be glad you did. El Banco is also sporting Yellowfin Tuna, slightly larger but it’s an on and off sort of thing. No worries, you’ll have action, but it may be Marlin or Tuna! Dorado are also running the area anywhere from 20 to 35 lbs! Be advised, fish move and there are more areas to fish than Corbetena and El Banco. They are locations we use to discuss conditions. But the entire area between Corbetena to El Banco, this is 25 miles or so, is alive with action. The “new school” thinking is to offer a trip to a specific location. You don’t stray much from these “specifics” and many times this is what is limiting what your catch, species wise and amount wise. More to come on this.

Right now we’ve seen what can be called a Sailfish Invasion at El Morro. In fact anywhere from El Morro to Punta Mita / Punta Nayarit is Sailfish heaven. If you’re close to the point of Punta Mita, be sure you’re at least three miles off shore to a max of 10 miles, this is the Sailfish zone. Find any debris or floating logs and you’ve found yourself a Dorado Goldmine. But that doesn’t mean you won’t Catch Dorado, in fact Dorado in this area seems to be feeding on Ballyhoo’s! That’s right, Ballyhoo’s, the famous bait is what the Dorado are full of. But the entire bait situation is perfect. Goggle eyes are working well, lures of purple and Dorado colors are working as well. But if you can find Ballyhoos, this bait increases your chances of both more fish and possible larger fish. Naturally you’ll find Jack Crevalles, Flying fish, Bonito and Skip Jack Tuna and more. But Ballyhoos are the bait of choice right now. An eight hour trip will get you plenty of action and pictures for a lifetime of memories.

It seems I always have the “short duration” guys looking for Dorado, Sailfish and Marlin! The Marlin fantasy in the bay is most likely never going to happen, but it could as a disclaimer. Normally a shorter day trip will be smaller gamefish. Dorado are normal at this time of the year around Los Arcos, but things are different for the moment. Those looking for a six hour day, heading out to the middle of the bay, you’ll find a Trash Line! I should say a “mature” Trash Line. What does that mean? Well, this trash line has been hanging around for about a week now and it’s as “strong” as any Trash Line I’ve ever seen! The amazing part of this story is Sailfish are also in the bay and you can actually set your sights on targeting them! They’re out there! TG, one of our sponsored boats in a six hour trip caught several Dorado and a couple of Sailfish in one six hour fishing trip. For those on a short vacation budget, you can have your Dream Dorado or Sailfish as close as 12 miles to the middle of the bay, just that easy.  The middle of the bay is the hot spot right now, you will have great fishing at Los Arcos as well, but the middle of the bay is close, easy and full of arm burning action! Don’t forget your sun screen!

Lots of interesting things happening right now and those looking for their target species right now will most likely experience their dream fish encounter! But we need to pay attention to the basics! The bite right now is between 09:00 to 11:00. Sailfish and Marlin are taking baits all day long. Water temperatures haven’t changed, they’re still 88 degrees and with mostly blue water, conditions are good. There is some of the Clean Green water that is considerably cooler, but this isn’t effecting the fishing, so if you see green water, don’t panic. I’ve been talking about how Ballyhoos are the perfect bait, I normally don’t mention this bait because there is not one person smart enough to see this market and sell this beautiful bait in the morning. I don’t know if it’s lazy or plane ignorance, but the only way you’ll get Ballyhoo’s is to get them yourself or purchase frozen Ballyhoo’s from me at the shop. I’m the only place to purchase Ballyhoo’s and frankly I have to go way out of my way for these. They’re not cheap, but when you’re looking for that bucket list fish, this could give you the edge! Purple lures, Petroleros of green, brown and purple may be ugly, but they work! Dorado color mimics are working as well. Even Dead bait will get hit. So rely on your captain’s judgment and be at the ready, those reels could start screaming at any moment!

I’ll be writing a special article on fishing in 2023. It’s a new world of fishing when fuel prices affect the fishing trip you’re on. I know fishing is expensive! I also know we have larger Yellowfin Tuna running between Corbetena and El Banco. To local captains with ever increasing cost have the Mexican Solution! The solution for this expensive fishing proposal, in their eyes, is to offer a “lesser” product, use less fuel, increase their profit margin and then do the best they can in the area or duration that best suits your needs as a fishing client. But those with a bit more disposable income realize you have to do what it takes, if you want to catch fish. To be honest, I’m “Old School”, when I head out, it’s not about saving fuel at the expense of catching fish. When looking at cost, remember this fact, the entire area between Corbetena and El Banco is fertile with world record possibilities. If one area isn’t working, another most likely is! But if you have a “target location” for fishing and there is no fuel allowance to move to where the fish are, then in my opinion you’ve diminished your chances to save a few dollars. For those that don’t go fishing like this every day, and who does, you need to understand the product you just purchased. The problem there is, most people that go fishing with me don’t understand all the details I have in my head and what I know based on experience. I’ve learned from some of the best Captains in the world! When you have a third generation family captain, he grew up on the docks and in this situation, their young age is deceiving. They know what needs to be done, but they can’t sell it when it gets expensive. The cost of fishing to the middle class has always been expensive and that will never change. Puerto Vallarta is a spectacular place to visit, but it’s world class for fishing is world renound. To head out knowing you’re limiting your opportunities due to lack of funds is a potential disaster.

Yes, these captains know how to catch fish and they can and do make the fishing day enjoyable. So in general, no matter what fishing trip you decide on, you’ll have fun and catch fish, the goal right? But, if you’re an “old school OG” like me, birds off in the distance is “hopeful”. If birds are dive bombing bait balls, you know the action is “over there”. You may not know what a sight like that means, but your captain does. When heading out on a charter boat, be sure to ask the captain or sales person if you can get the “Elite Fishing Experience”. They won’t know what you’re asking, so tell them, “I want to head out and have all the fuel to move rapidly using however much fuel there is in the tank! You want the best opportunity to boat that bucket list fish! Fair warning, they won’t know how to answer that question. That is if the seller isn’t lying about these things. So ask the question, get the elite product and have the fantasy come to life! After all, how many times are you going to do Deep Sea or Big Game fishing of this level? We’re putting together trips like this because as a fisherman, I’d rather have the whole experience and catch nothing, than have half an experience. You’ll catch fish, but it’s not the full experience where it puts you in a position where you may need to go to the doctor to get that smile off your face. Take it from me, your wife will think you’re an idiot, but boating a fish bigger than your car will do that to a guy. She already knows you’re an idiot, just like my ex-wife. So take that extra little step and catch that “fish fantasy”, there’s one out there with your name on it!  Stay tuned, I’ll be writing more about this and posting it on my web page…

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

Web page:  www.MasterBaiters.com.mx , Local Phone at: Our international number is: +52 322 209 1128. #MasterBaitersSportfishing on Instagram, Facebook: Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle. The trade mark Master Baiter’s ® Sportfishing and Tackle is protected under trade mark law and is the sole property of Stan Gabruk.