Sharks, Dolphin Bait Robbers, Perfect Conditions, Picky Marlin

Sharks, Dolphin Bait Robbers, Perfect Conditions, Picky Marlin

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

Here we go again, another week of the same, but that´s not a bad thing. We still have sharks and Dolphin out there taking your bait like a free sample at Costco! Making bait is not impossible at the deep water locations, but it´s not exactly easy. The water is still a High Visibility Blue, still plenty of bait (Closer in again), water temperatures are on the rise and frankly things could be better I guess, but not much.

It´s hurricane season again, happens every year about this time and we´re seeing some light activity, nothing like last year which is a blessing. We see them in the area, they mostly move north or to the west, and this year is no different so we don´t see issues, but we will see rain. With the storms we always have a chance the port will be closed and we had one day this week where we were basically locking ¨in the house¨. Many people want to ditch the fishing charters because they think we´re putting them into a massive hurricane and they´ll die because it´s Mexico, nothing could be farther from the truth, in fact the Port Authority is overly cautious to protect tourism in PV. Last week we were talking how these ¨Finned Challenges¨ were stealing your bait. This week they´re even looking at lures, so keep an eye open, the sharks are taking only the most expensive lures! It seems that way anyway… hahaha…

I could basically copy and paste last week’s report and everything would be on the money. But some things change like this week the Yellowfin tuna have taken a powder unless you´re at least ten miles off the Corbeteñas Rock. Around the island or rock as we call it you can still catch or ¨make¨ bait. It´s funny, there is bait in the water, but they´re not schooling or in Bait Balls, they´re just free swimming and I don´t know if that helps or hurts. For me it´s a neutral since we can´t do anything about it. Like last week there were Lemon Shark all over the area below our view. Dolphin are mostly on the surface, many below the surface and it seems like they´re both waiting for some poor fisherman’s bait to come by as they take the free offering. If you can get a bait in between these ¨challenges¨ buy pulling bait in, letting them out again, repeat until you catch a fish or lose a bait. But if you can get a bait in between, there are still large Black Marlin averaging this week just under 600 lbs, Blue Marlin are a bit thinner in numbers. Sailfish are moving around and some days will be better than others. For now you could come in empty handed or you will come in with Moby Dick. Seems like there is very little in between around the rock. So roll the dice, the bite is still happening later in the morning. So don´t be anxious or frustrated, Keep patient and anything is possible. Cubera Snapper is there for the jiggers. So for now, it´s big fish or Nada! You can figure on between one and three Marlin Strikes per day, so be ready or you may lose your shot. El Banco, it could be good but there seems to be little interest in this area since Corbeteña is alive and happening.

Closer in near the Marietta Islands and El Morro to the point of Punta Mita once again are much the same. The first thing I need to mention is there is plenty of bait in this area, no worries there so make sure if you´re heading to the deep water locations that you load up the Tuna Tubes before you head farther out! Striped Marlin have thinned out and not seeing many at all, it must be the warmer water temps. The second thing about this area is there are still Sailfish to about the half way distance mark between this area and Corbeteña. Once you´re out past this area you´ll find the Dolphin and Sharks. You´ll still find Jack Crevalls, Bonito, Sierra Mackerals, Possible Rooster fish with all the small Sardines of two inches all over the place, especially closer in to shore. Dorado are still AWOL, but some smaller ones are hanging around the trash line and at the Punta Mita area. We should be seeing Dorado but we´re not, I´ll let you draw your own conclusions.

Inside the bay it´s still small fish heaven. Bonito are all around the south end of the bay in the 30 lb range. Jack Crevalls are thinning but still around the Nuevo Vallarta Area with Sierra Mackerals, Needle fish. It´s still early for Snook, but they´ll be in the area shortly and we´ve seen people catching them around the river mouths in the drop off area. It pays to have nice electronics here so you know where the ridge is and follow it. We´re still seeing some Sailfish being caught around Los Arcos and La Cruz areas, why, I don´t know but it is happening so much it´s almost normal. You will always catch fish in the bay, but they´ll be ¨fun sized¨ and great for the family on a short day trip. Remember we can always throw some snorkeling equipment on the boats and make it a multi-tasking trip that can stretch your vacation dollar! We have had the trash line a few days this week and people see the dirty water and think it messes with the fishing. Well they´re right, it can mess with the fishing, but when it´s rain runoff it´s normally just a surface layer. A good way to see if the surface rain off is thick or this is to look at the motor trail, if it looks like darker water is in the ¨trail¨ then it´s very shallow.. Something to know and tell your friends.

All and all we´re in summer and we´re all about the larger fish. You´ll have a great day in the four to eight hour durations. Once you start looking at ten or twelve hours you have the shot at very large Marlin, or you can be frustrated, it can drive you crazy or it can be a ¨bucket list¨ day. Just roll the dice and you´ll mostly come up a ¨winner¨.

Ok, so you know the fishing is ¨great but not perfect. You understand that there are big fish to be

Until next time, don´t forget to ¨Kiss Your Fish¨. . .

The Bite is still happening after 9:00 a.m. so it gives you time to find the perfect location to boat you’re fantasy fish. Water temperatures have spiked a bit to 88 degrees in the bay, 87 or so at the deep water locations. I noticed in the bay the other day when I jumped in the water that the surface temps were warm, but a meter below the surface it was refreshing, so we´re seeing swirling currents in the bay with varied water temperatures just below the surface.  Lures: this week live bait is still king, but when you have to be creative lures are usually a great option. But when the ¨players¨ are Dolphin or Shark, they´re smarter than the average fish but when frustrated they´ll take a lure also, so don´t be running Black Barts!  Petroleros, Rapallas of yellow and black are a good place to start.

I also have a new, smaller panga with a super superior captain and for the next two weeks I am offering this 26 ft Panga for four hours at $250 usd which is at a loss for me, but we´re introducing this panga so we can earn your business in the future! But you have to mention you read it here in this article to get this deal or mention you read this in the PV Mirror (www.pvmcitypaper.com ) !!

Some New Services Offered: As another exclusive service of Master Baiter´s we´re offering a Fish Smoking Service! First, we´ll smoke your fish, bag it and prepare it for shipping, we take half the fish for payment. People are loving this service and frankly I love the taste of smoked Marlin etc. I can´t tell you how good this is with a beer!!

Master Baiter´s Freeze Your Fish! Master Baiter´s clients get this service for free, non clients will pay $150 pesos ($7.00 usd each bag) and can rest assured it won´t be stolen by anyone with sticky fingers. And of course we´re the only ones offering this service in Marina Vallarta that I know of. If you get ten bags of fish it makes us the cheapest fishing company in Puerto Vallarta.

Master Baiter´s is located 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. Come like me on 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.