Peak Fishing Season Continues, Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado Everywhere!

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

First, let me say the fishing is fantastic! It’s the time of year to turn your “finned fantasy” into a reality! Welcome to Puerto Vallarta. Officially we’re in Peak Fishing Season. Just about any species of fish you’ve heard of or would like to catch “someday” is available right out our front door now. Of course that means it’s also tournament season.

Most days are clear skies and smooth seas, High visibility blue water, but always in a state of change. This week we’ve seen some seasonal indicators. First we’re seeing 3 inch shelled Squids and small Krill shrimp moving into the deep water fishing grounds. The Fav-foods of Tuna and Dorado, they gorge themselves and that’s the challenge. We’re also seeing the beginning of a downward trend for water temperatures. We’re in the “overlap”, the time when the air temps calm down, and the fishing is perfect. You only have 16 weeks of this level of fishing remaining. It’s time to jump on it amigos, it won’t get much better than this.

Corbetena, lots of bucket list type fish swimming around the area right now. Black Marlin in the 300 to 600 lb range are running wild. Blue Marlin are in the same size ranges. Remember the females are the larger of the species, they can and do get much larger, keep that in mind. Dorado at 30 lbs with Yellowfin Tuna 60 to 200 lbs. As mentioned earlier, there has been an invasion of Krill shrimp the size of a five peso piece, about the size of a quarter running the area. 3 inch squids with shells as well. So turning their heads could be the challenge of the day. Sailfish to the northwest are large, in the 90 to 120 lb range.  

With the season as it is there haven’t been many trips to El Banco to report much. The weekends are tournament city now at this time of the year and you can’t use tournaments to measure what’s happening. Fish sound, run, leave when too many boats are running the area. Having said that there have been some good sized Black Marlin and Blue Marlin in the 500 lb range. The reality is that the whole area between El Banco, Corbetena and El Morro “are” the fishing grounds. Spread out and wide open, just focusing on two locations is cutting your options short amigos. Be ready to move some water, and look for birds.

The point off Punta Mita is seeing an increase in Sailfish, Dorado to 30 lbs around any debris or “trash”. Blue Marlin in the 300 lb range are still 8 to 10 miles off the point. Jack Crevalls maybe with Skip Jack Tuna all over the area. Not much to say but well worth an eight hour trip.

Inside the bay we’re seeing occasional dirty water, just depends on which tropical rain system comes in. But this is not a bad thing, it creates the Trash Line and that brings Dorado. We’re seeing some decent Dorado in the 20 to 25 lb range off Los Arcos with an occasional Sailfish. Off the La Cruz Marina towards the point there are almost predictable Sailfish! Jack Crevalls are around for some reason, but you have to catch them on the surface or they don’t bite. Skip jack are also roaming the area and there is always action around structure! Right now you’ve got a 30% shot at a Sailfish inside the bay… I thought I’d never say that, but it’s accurate.

Tres Maria Islands: The fishing this last week has been best around the Island of Cleofas and the Second Island or Madre Island. Both areas are producing producing 320 lb Yellowfin Tuna on an average size. But they range from 200 to 350 lbs.  Plenty of Jumping Yellowfin Tuna chasing surface baits so Trolling is working well. Balloons or Kites with double trouble rigs are working exceptionally well. Squids on Double troubles are even better if rigged correctly…  On the larger, high density type boats they’ve been boating about 15 on a 2.5 day trip, about one good YF Tuna per person. Of course private boats have the edge naturally. Private boats naturally have the edge with more fish per person. We’ve been trolling and using kites, but jigging in the grey light hours. There are possible World Record Yellowfin Tuna in this area. Every time now in Peak Fishing Season could wind up in the fishing trip of a lifetime. We have some private and great options at better per person pricing than these long range operations! Contact me for details.

The bite is still around 09:00 so be where you want to be by then. Water temperatures are starting to drop, they’re now 86 degrees and perfect. Blue water conditions are prevalent sin rain. One strange thing is dead bait has been working when nothing else does, so keep that in your mind amigos!

Until next week, Don´t forget to kiss Your Fish!

Web page:  www.MasterBaiters.com.mx , Local Phone at: (044) 322 779 7571 or our international number is: 011 52 322 209 1128 10 to 9 local time. #MasterBaitersSportfishing on Instagram, Facebook: Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle. Master Baiter’s Sportfishing and Tackle is protected under international trade mark law and is the sole property of Stan Gabruk.