Marlin and Sailfish Spread Out, Blue Water!

Marlin and Sailfish Spread Out, Blue Water!

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

 

For a guy like me, I can´t understand why fishing enthusiast and fanatics alike aren´t rushing us here in Puerto Vallarta. With Marlin and Sailfish ¨On Tap¨ combined with perfect blue water stuffed full of bait, it´s time to get serious. All around the west coast of Mexico from Cabo to points south of Manzanillo tournaments are springing up everywhere. Puerto Vallarta´s World Famous Fishing Grounds are turning a corner now as we enter the High Season for Fishing. It´s wide open at Corbeteña and El Banco to Punta Mita with the fishing grounds completely empty.  No people or in other words ¨Deserted¨. You normally couldn´t pay for this luxury, and now you can have it all for the price of a decent boat and experienced Captain.

Things this week are once again much the same as last week fishing wise. Corbeteña is still seeing larger Black marlin in the 600 lb range to the lucky ones fishing around the Rock. Sailfish in the 90lb range and larger are chasing baits as well. The always reliable Cubera Snappers are 50lbs plus and still taking trolled baits and ¨wounded¨ baits being jigged. Dorado are still in the area as well running 30 lbs plus, but not all that abundant so be patient. Yellowfin Tuna Footballs are all around the area, still in the 60lb range, some have been boated in excess of 100 lbs so things are starting to inch their way up weight wise. Hopefully soon we´ll see some more sizeable YF Tuna… stay tuned.

El Banco, I could almost copy / paste the paragraph above. Sailfish, Marlin, Cubera Snappers and tons of bait are all around the high spots. If searching for Black or Blue Marlin look to the north of El Banco about five to ten miles and look for the birds. We´re still seeing small baby bullet Bonito and that´s favorite of the locals, it will keep them in the area for sure. The water is clean and High Visibility Blue and deserted. Imagine being one of the only boats at the rock with Marlin patrolling the area, mind-blowing.

The Marietta islands are still alive with the reef fish, Needle Fish to 35 lbs, Bonito to 35 lbs, Small Dorado to 25 lbs, Skip Jacks and Sailfish towards El Morro. Not exactly bad fishing, but not exactly what you´d leave the bay for. Now if you´re around Punta Mita, close to shore you can still have a finned fantasy for a rock bottom price as eight hour trips are producing nice sized gamefish like Sailfish and yes Marlin anywhere from five miles off the point (Sailfish) to ten miles where you´ll find Marlin on the prowl for bait. There has been a trash line around the area, so if you can find some floating trash you´d have a nice shot at some Dorado. Still some Snappers in the 30 lb range but they´re not exactly abundant for the moment. Snappers will be hanging around the river mouths with all the rain in the mountains and inland. All and all the area around Punta Mita is performing well and has been for weeks now.

Inside the bay we´re seeing a bit of a trash line that helps the fishing in the bay. We´re not seeing the seasonal rains performing as we would hope for, as is normal, but we do have days with a trash line. Dorado in the 15 to 25 lb range have been feeding. Football Tuna around the Yelapa area to 40 lbs. Sailfish are around the bay as well in places that are surprising, chasing baits in the bay is easy picking for these bill faced fish. La Cruz area, Los Arcos area, in the middle of the bay, Sailfish are not afraid to come looking for easy bait and perfect conditions. Snappers and Robalo around the rive mouths anywhere from 15 to 40 lbs and great tasting. Skip jack Tuna in the 12lb range everywhere, including the trash lines. Still some Jack Crevalls around Nuevo Vallarta which is surprising as they´re primarily a winter species for this area. For the kids a short day is producing nice sized smaller species that will not scare them and they´ll have plenty of fun. And the parents will have a ton of pictures…

So fishing is good, not fantastic. Lucky is the person who boats a Marlin with these prefect conditions. With no clear set concentrations of Sailfish and Marlin the possibility of boating one or both of these species all over the bay and deep water fishing grounds makes it an interesting call in the morning. With High Visibility Blue, Blue, Blue water, your chances of having your presentation aka Bait noticed go way up amigo.

Bait: We´re seeing some three inch Squids at and around Corbeteña. This is another favorite food of Tuna and we may just see some increases in size and numbers by next week, my Crystal ball is a little fuzzy on that one… ha ha. Bait Balls the size of WalMart of Bullet Bonito, Skip jack Tuna, Bullet Skippies, Goggle Eyes, Flying fish and the list goes on. Lots of Flying fish!

With overcast days the bite is a little strange. Not exactly too early I´d be where you want to be before 8:00 a.m. Water Temperatures: still running in the 85 degree range, we have no complaints. Bay water temps could be a little cooler with the rain dumping into the bay, but this is not a deterrent for the bay species. Seasonal Rains: We haven´t seen the expected evening seasonal rains that we normally rely on to cool the evenings and provide the bay with fish food. This should change in the near future, so Fly Fishing guys, hang in there. Having said this, Rain is a normal part of fishing in Puerto Vallarta. It could be raining in the morning as you head out. Normally if this happens the rain is only heavy for an hour or so and is actually great for fishing conditions as fish get excited. Rain is no reason for backing out of a fishing trip or getting a, especially when it´s the best time to be on the water, sin Lightening of course. Lures: Same as last week, Green combinations, Petraleros and Blue color prints. Maybe try some pink with Squid in the area…

If you´d like to receive this report weekly in my news letter directly as soon as I finish it, then fire me an email at: MasterBaitersPV@gmail.com and we´ll put you on the list. Many People ask me where I go as a local. Well I started putting my favorite places to visit in PV at the bottom of the letter for the fun of it. So have a ¨Vacation Adventure¨ in My Hangouts!  So just ask and it´s a done deal!

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.