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!
I’m afraid this week’s report is much like last weeks, but that’s not a bad thing. As we continue to see Corbetena on and off again when it comes to Marlin, we’ve seen Dorado move into most of our world famous fishing grounds. Now that we’re in the solid beginnings of world class fishing in Puerto Vallarta’s fishing grounds, things will only improve with the coming days. But it’s a “menu” item fishing report. It seems that each area has its particular species of choice. Water temperatures are warmer yet perfect, but don’t expect any changes there with an El Nino year. The water is blue, plenty of bait and the only thing missing is you!
Once we finally enter September, you automatically know the fishing will be great. The only questions is which fishing ground(s) to choose. For now you pretty much can’t go wrong and for the most part you can get your target species if you’re willing to go the distance, literally. For those lucky enough to be in Puerto Vallarta, the fishing is great and getting better by the day. Does that mean there aren’t any fishing challenges? Of course not, but it does mean is the challenges are minimal and we have all the summer species people want. We also have Ballyhoo’s swimming all around the area and this is a favorite bait of the “locals”. Now you can’t, for some reason, purchase Ballyhoo’s at the bait boats in the morning on the way out. This means you need to have the correct equipment if you want to be “in the game”. Now that we’re into the summer species pattern, Puerto Vallarta fishing is wonderful. Not perfect, but good enough to have life long memories and plenty of burning arm action. Not to mention a few less pesos in your pocket.
You know for years now I’ve been writing this article and I’ve learned that when the fishing finally gets to the “World Class Level”, there are very few charter boats heading out with low tourism. So if you were here now, you would have our famous fishing locations all to yourself. It’s been just in the last few days that everything changed, Dorado, all of a sudden are very large. Sailfish are finally picking up in numbers. Yellowfin Tuna are still hanging out at the high spots. Blue and Black Marlin are fair sized and there’s plenty of bait. Puerto Vallarta fishing conditions have finally gotten to the point where the fishing is incredible. The abundance of species guarantee you’ll have the time of your life, but your arms might fall off before the end of your fishing day. Yes folks, these are the type of days that made Puerto Vallarta Fishing the envy of the free world. The only thing missing is you!
Now that we’re moving, finally, out of the winter seasonal transition period, things are picking up. As normal the “first” of the summer species start moving in and those are always Striped Marlin and Sailfish. And right now, that’s where we’re moving into now. Is it perfect for the jaded? Of course not. Is it a positive sign of things to come, of course it is. Last week we were feeling positive as Sailfish started to pick up in numbers. All that dirty water and red tide has faded away for the most part. The water is warmer every day, more bait for the moment doesn’t seem to be an issue. And the fish are close in for the most part. For now I couldn’t be more positive, but things change quickly and this could all be “less” exciting in a few days. What does this all mean, well if you’re in the mood to have crowd free fishing, then now is the perfect time to boat that Bucket list Sailfish or Striped Marlin. You may even run into some Dorado out there, anything is possible. Feeling lucky?
People always ask me what it’s like to live in Mexico? Mexico is a pretty diverse place and I’ve only really lived in Puerto Vallarta, for better or worse it’s been fun. Being in the Sportfishing business I work with many visiting tourist looking to go fishing. Now we have a couple of boats, but I also work with many boats in Marina Vallarta. Many of the Captains and Crews become friends and with time are almost family. Once you get away from the “tourism leaches” the people in PV are incredible. Famous for being nice people, the “Pata Saladas” or original locals will do anything they can for you with a smile.
Not long ago I had this couple walk into my shop. They were just amazed that there was actually a private marina in Puerto Vallarta. They continued that they had come to Puerto Vallarta for the last ten years and stayed in the Marriott Hotel. For some reason this couple never knew that within walking distance was one of the top ten private marinas in the world. It just amazed me. But, after a few seconds of thought I could understand. You see as you enter Marina Vallarta, driving down Paseo de la Marina avenue, you will never see a boat, water, anything that suggest you’re in Marina Vallarta, nothing. You’ll pass the Marina Vallarta Golf Course and you’ll pass many condominium complexes just before you arrive at your hotel. In fact most people don’t even know that Marina Vallarta’s entrance is signified by our world famous whale statue!
Things have gotten even a little strange for a transition period. It’s a yearly thing, cold water currents changing to warm water currents from the opposite direction can at times be “confusing”. Right now the mix-up is with the species and the water temperatures. Honestly it’s like they don’t know if they’re “coming or going” literally. The good news is normally when we see the “clashing currents” we get dirty water stirred up from the bottom of the bay. For now it’s mostly blue water, but there is that “clean green” that is cold, not blue, it’s somewhere in between. There has been some of that, but for the majority of the area the water is blue and waiting for you to arrive.
Written by Stan Gabruk, owner Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle A week ago when we had the larger sized porpoises moving following a massive amount of bait that in turn was following the currents. I knew then, that it looked like we could be seeing a change. Less than a week later conditions and […]
Written by Stan Gabruk, owner Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle It’s been a weird “off season” for fishing, but it looks like things are returning to what we would think of as “normal conditions” for winter fishing. We’ve seen massive amounts of bait move into the area. In reality that is an understatement, Squids, Flying […]
