Scarce Blue Water, Challenging Fishing!

Scarce Blue Water, Challenging Fishing!

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

 

My Editor is pulling her hair out lately with my late article submissions, but with the conditions such as they are I´d like to put out an article as accurate and up to the moment as possible. If you´ve been following my articles you already know the main fishing grounds have been taken over by muddy, dirty water from the seasonal rains. Not that this is abnormal, it´s just lasting longer than expected. The good news is the dirty water is finally clearing out of Corbeteña and loosening up around the Marietta Islands. Areas north of Punta Mita are cleaner, with local bay waters presenting challenges. Now if you find clean water which is just north of Corbeteña by about five miles you´ll find Sailfish and Marlin. So it´s not all doom and gloom for fishing, but you´ll need a little luck and an experienced captain.

First off, if you know it or not we´re heading head first into an El Nino year that some are saying could be the worst one in a long time, record breaking in fact, whatever that means. Check out these articles: ttp://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/07/20/el-nino-intensifying-could-rival-strongest-in-history/ here`s another: http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/el-nino-to-be-one-of-strongest/50081969  or NOAA the Authority site with list of articles at: http://www.elnino.noaa.gov/forecast.html ). Because of this we´re seeing warmer than normal, I should say warmer than we like water temperatures hovering around 88 to 89 degrees all around the area. The bay is a little cooler with the rivers dumping fresh water into the bay. In fact lately instead of having the south to north currents we expect, we´re seeing North to South currents and that´s a problem for us in PV relative to fishing. As water temps up north are warmer Pelagic species will hang where things are most comfortable. And if things are more comfortable in Ensenada or San Diego or even Seattle (it´s happened), then why move when things are great where you are. So ¨Our¨ fish can be anywhere or everywhere.

We are still seeing that ugly, dirty, coffee colored water at the deep water locations of Corbeteña and El Banco, but before you brush these areas off, the water is gradually clearing out and fresh blue water is coming in behind it. Last week it was more than twelve miles off the point of Punta Mita, almost at El Banco before you found clean blue water. Today we´re seeing the water clearing out closer to the Marietta Islands / El Morro as Sailfish are moving back in the area chasing abundant bait. You will also find Skip Jack Tuna at about 8 lbs, perfect for bait, they´re tasty and great for younger Anglers. Bonito to 30 lbs, you´ve always got Snappers around this area if willing to Jig. Other Reef fish in the area as well. Dorado are still small, very small, but they should be increasing in size as the dirty water things out and disappears. It´s an option that will get better as the week moves forward.

As mentioned a moment ago, El Banco is clearing out of Dirty water and you can Expect to find Blue and Black Marlin in the Clean High Visibility blue water. The Marlin are between 350 and 700 lbs, quite a swing I know, but we´ll take it. Sailfish are here as well close to 100 lbs. Cubera Snappers may take a trolled bait, but Jiggers will come back with Cubera Snapper! Lots of spinner Dolphin in the area, but the Yellowfin tuna they normally hang with are absent for the most part. Even the Football Tuna have bugged out for parts unknown. Be patient, they´ll be back shortly. . .

Moving south to Corbeteña, there is a large spot of Blue Water stuffed full of Marlin and Sailfish in the same size ranges as El Banco. You´ll have to go off the rock about four miles or so, but once there you´ll find the two primary species we have for now of Marlin and you guessed it, Sailfish at 100 lbs. Corbeteña is Cubera Heaven and Jigging a lure or wounded bait almost always results in a Hook-Up. Cubera Snappers will almost never be smaller than 45 lbs here, so if you´re not locked into boating a fish that´s difficult to attract then this is a great option you can eat. Give Corbeteña a few days and call me, you´ll find a more inviting fishing are hopefully!

Inside the bay we´re seeing guess what, dirty water of course. But the dirty water has a silver lining. It´s called the Trash line which is producing Jack Crevalls, Skip Jack Tuna, various types of bay fish that I don´t even know their names. Sailfish have been boated this week near La Cruz Marina which is surprising but not shocking as this is more and more a common occurrence. With Guadalajara getting rain like a machine, which is inland of Puerto Vallarta by about four hours by car. So this water is rushing into the bay along with the local rain water that is dirty from the local mountains. Now we´re not seeing the rain we normally expect, El Nino´s first indicator. The River Mouth is an area you can enjoy with the fresh ¨Agua Dulce¨ or sweet water emptying into the bay. Where the Salt water meets with the Sweet Water from you will find many species looking for a free meal. Cast anything silver colored with a hook and get ready. This is the secret for now, four hours in the bay, hit the close in areas, do what the locals do and come in with fish for the dinner table.

Now you may ask how long this will last? Well folks your Crystal Ball is better than that cracked thing I use. Dirty water can come and go, but it´s not normally hanging around the area like it has been. With a little time and patience we´ll see the fishing improving continually. So have some patience, be flexible and you´ll catch fish.

To put it all in a ¨Nut-Shell¨ you´ll have to deal with the dirty water, welcome to fishing. Look for blue water and you´ll find gamefish. Marlin and Sailfish are the main players, but some Dorado will raise their heads, still only find ten pounders, maybe a little larger if lucky. Remember to release the babies and females of any size. Corbeteña and El Banco will also improve and we´re looking to see some Sizeable Yellowfin Tuna in the very near future, it is the season amigo! With Bay fishing you have the rivers, the Trash line and with a little luck you´ll have fresh blue water at Corbeteña and El Banco in a few short Days.

It´s been tough turning business away from anxious anglers looking to boat Moby Dick. Sometime it´s tough to put a positive light on conditions that are out of control, but this week we´re seeing things return gradually to normal conditions. It´s going to be all important for the Yellowfin Tuna Angler this year to make sure he has a boat with a professional sounder to see where and how deep the Yellowfin Tuna are. You´ll also have to have a Captain that knows how to use those electronics. Many boats have the electronics, but the captains only know how to mark points on a map and little else. Equipment is important also, Down riggers are essential, many boats have the rigger, but not the weight ball so the equipment is essentially useless. But when you asked if they had Down riggers they answered ¨Yes¨ . . . . You need to remember to ask them if they have the ¨weight¨ for it? Another thing to remember, when heading out for smaller gamefish, you don´t want to bring the same poles and tackle you´d use for a Marlin or Tuna. Many boats are setup to target larger fish but will take your short day trip for smaller fish using this same equipment. So if you´re going short days, be sure to ask for light tackle for smaller fish. They should already know this, but in slow season for tourism ¨vendors or so called Promoters¨ will be too happy to take your money and let you figure things out when you get back and can´t find the guy who lied to you!!  It all comes down to the process, integrity and customer service in the end. This information is useful where ever you decide to go fishing, especially so in the Puerto Vallarta Area.

Remember you can always contact me with specific questions before heading out and  you´ll get it straight because at Master Baiter´s We Won’t Jerk You around! We´ll turn your business away if the fishing is bad because reputations like ours don´t get built on lies and unhappy customers.

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.