Well folks, the cold snap continues and frankly we’re in the middle of a transition period. The warm water species have left, except for Yellowfin tuna. The water at Corbetena is dirty as is most of the fishing grounds around the area. Whale food aka plankton is so massive in the area, it’s turned into a fish smorgasbord! Yes folks for the moment, remembering that things can change in a heartbeat, fishing outside of the bay is “challenging” at best.
Hello everybody, well it finally happened, water temperatures have dropped like a rock and we’re seeing the larger Game Fish species bugging out! We’ve seen water temperatures drop for near 80 degrees to now 64 degrees, unheard of ! To our “local” species thats like a snow ball hitting you in the face! Frankly I’ve never seen a drop in water temperatures like this in the last twenty years I’ve been writing articles. Now don’t stress, fishing did not come to an end. It just means that we’re moving into the transition and frankly it’s right on time. The Jet stream north of the boarder has been snaking all around and we’re seeing cold weather in much of Mexico due to this snake like jet stream.
Fishing has taken off as we’re right now smack in the middle of Fishing High Season. Yep, right now is the best time of the year to be in Puerto Vallart if looking for Blue or BLack Marlin, Sailfish, 40 lb Dorado, Yellowfin Tuna to 250 lbs and the list goes on.
And it finally happened, “BOOM” Puerto Vallarta Fishing Explodes. Yellowfin Tuna, Blue Marlin, Striped Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado, Rooster fish and the list goes on. As predicted, actually after all these years in the fishing business it’s expected. This is some of the best fishing of the season. Plenty of bait everywhere, beautiful high visibility blue water with “any fish you wish” conditions you’d be hard pressed to find a better time to go fishing.
Fishing is never an exact science and it’s never what you think it’s going to be. It’s always challenging and right now is no exception. After weeks of rains, Hurricanes passing, Strong currents and dirty water, conditions have improved greatly. Does that mean the fishing is perfect, of course not. But it does mean we have fish. Marlin, Tuna, Sailfish, Rooster fish, we’ve got them. Their jumping and having a great time. Now if you can convince them to take a bait you’ll have the time of your life.
One thing about living and fishing in Puerto Vallarta is you’re a slave to the weather. Hurricanes passing, high pressure zones, dirty water and strong currents. We have to deal with these situations and more. Sometimes things come up short for fishing. But we’re past that now and after two weeks we have fish at our world famous fishing grounds!
You know it never fails, we start seeing some great fishing which only promises to improve then “WHAM” something happens and machine stops. By that I mean we’ve seen strong currents and heavy rain. When this happens it’s hard to keep up with conditions let alone what’s out there roaming the neighborhood. For now we’re still in the post Hurricane hangover with spotty blue water and slim pickings fishing wise. This normally disappears after about four days, but with follow on storms and strong currents the fish are either deep or in the process of coming back. This is normal, but it doesn’t mean we have to like it.
One reason why catching a big fish is so exciting is because it’s not as easy as you think. You don’t just drop a line in the water and Bam, you have a trophy gamefish! Especially now as we deal with Tropical storms, the occasional Hurricane, and weird currents to name a few challenges. You can also throw in there wild currents, dirty water, water temperatures and bait availability. Experienced captains know how to handle it all. Big Talking captains follow the ones out who know what they’re doing. At times it can come down to having the right colored feather or the right lure. Yes folks welcome to my world. But when you mix it all up in a bowl and bake it in the Tropical sun, it all adds up to some of the best fishing in the world. Right now it all comes down to skill, luck and your captains’ intuition. Throw in the quality and many times the amount of equipment you have then check your pulse. Of course there’s the other side of the equation, the “pay off” of big Black Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, Sailfish, Dorado and more.
The days are longer now, the sun is more intense, and naturally the days are very warm with plenty of humidity. Perfect conditions for our summer species which are finally moving in. Bait is more than plentiful and we’ve seen the Seasonal Rains once again. We’re finally coming into the Season when we can expect larger fish, maybe not in large numbers, but things are picking up by the day. With the rains returning we’ve got several trash lines not to mention Sea Weed coming down from California. Get ready amigos, Puerto Vallarta is in the summer grove now and things will gradually improve from this point forward.
Every year like clockwork we see the changing of the seasons just about the second or third week of January. This means the water temperatures drop, currents change, and abundant “Whale Food” in the form of hard shell Squids, Red Crabs and massive amounts of Krill Shrimp and Squids. And this is just the tip of the iceberg amigos. At times “too much” bait can be a problem for the vacationing Angler looking for a bucket list Fish to be checked off. But never fear, we have fish if you can get them to take your bait.
