. El Banco right now has some serious action. Now this is a twelve hour day, so you have to be “into it” or it just sounds like “too much”. But for those that understand fishing happens where it happens, you literally go the distance. And right now you can find up to 100 lb Yellowfin Tuna. Now the Marlin are picking up in numbers as well, blue or black, they’re both running the area, but wait, that’s not all, Dorado, Sailfish have moved in and are hanging out. Right now it looks like the “high season” for fishing has finally begun!
Before I move on, you legally can’t fish within twelve miles of Madre Island. Now in the winter time this doesn’t work for the Southern California boats because they’re trying to make their year, avoid the slow season of winter in California. But here’s the deal nobody is telling these California anglers, it’s not easy catching Yellowfin Tuna when the navy is busy chasing the boat you rented out. You see, these boats are fishing well within six miles of the island and frankly if you want to catch Yellowfin Tuna in February, you have to be on the reefs, the most sensitive part of the ecosystem. What the Navy does, they come and board your boat, have a nice, sometimes heated conversation with the Mexican navy protecting this area. The results these days are the Navy grabs the boat, the crew and everyone onboard and force them to go to the Island. There they’ll be held for the day if you’re lucky. The navy knows the Anglers on the boat are innocent and know nothing about them patrolling the area. But the captain, the crew and the owners are not telling you about this. You aren’t hitting these islands at the optimal time of the year!
When we come to this time of the year, everything is in a state of flux. With changing currents, then one day there is blue water, the next is the clean green water comes back. This is not unusual, in fact it’s more or less normal. It’s just very early in the summer fishing season to have more stable conditions as we continue the seasonal transition, nothing complicated. But we are seeing subtle and constant improvements by the day. The strong currents of a few weeks back that brought with it the larger Black and Blue Marlin have relaxed. For now we have most of the favorite species people are looking for. Sailfish, Dorado, Tuna, Marlin and more are already here. Sounds great, I know, but the whole thing needs some time to jell. Right now with all those famous species, massive amounts of warm water bait has come with them. Now this is a double edged sword, too much bait means it’s hard to get these fish to check out your “presentation”. Not enough bait, and they all leave. The good news is these species are filling in the entire area in all the different fishing grounds right now there are serious possibilities. With so few boats heading out in this slow part of the year for tourism, what I’m seeing could be just the tip of the iceberg. People are catching fish, but first you have to be on the water for the “action to begin”.
Welcome back to another incredible week of improving fishing. We aren’t quite up to the level that’s considered world class, but we’re right on time. Coming out of the winter fishing season, everything is in a state of flux as should be expected this early into the fishing season. Water temps have dropped a little, the clean green water is moving in and out. Blue Marlin made an appearance at Corbetena. Corbetena is stuffed full of bait and even a Wahoo or two have shown up. We’re moving forward into what feels like another world class season, but like always, it’s a day at a time.
We’ve been waiting now for warm blue water for months. We’ve had this “clean green” water, but frankly it’s a sad substitute for warm, blue water. It’s cold, green, not a fish’s first choice. We’re coming out of a three year “La Nina” running head first into what’s being quoted as a “Super El Nino”. We’ll find out what that means soon enough, but the initial “symptoms” are the return of blue water, massive amounts of warm water bait, followed by Black Marlin and now sizeable Yellowfin Tuna. Puerto Vallarta’s world class fishing is returning now and soon fishing conditions will be back to the level people have come to expect. This won’t happen overnight, but Puerto Vallarta is back in the game and until the end of December, you can expect arm burning action, big fish and even bigger smiles!
You know it’s funny, every week I’m tasked with the happy responsibility to inform, be a bit entertaining with a bit of a positive spin, but always honest. When we come to this time of the year it can be a real mixed bag. Things can change from day to day. Spring means many species are full of eggs, currents change, water temperatures are in “’neutral” and the fish are moving all over the place. Where they were yesterday, most likely isn’t where they will be today. For that reason you need to be open minded when figuring out your daily fishing plan of attack. Depending on your targeted species, this will determine where you need to go. It also means you may get some bad news, which means you have the necessary information, good or bad. Using this information will help to make sure you don’t waste your day, your money and lose your hair. Spring fishing is a challenge, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, arm burning action. Just don’t expect to find Moby Dick on the end of your line.
Fishing is never stable or predictable, there is no way around that amigo. But there are yearly patterns and those patterns can be predictable within reason. For now we’re moving into the predictable seasonal changes. Once we move into spring, we see the days get longer, the water get warmer and many species move into breeding season. As this is all happening there are the changing currents, changing species and increasing water temperatures. Puerto Vallarta’s world famous fishing grounds are entering this phase now. We try and keep a finger on the “pulse” with the daily changes and this works well for us. What happened yesterday, can be an indication for tomorrow expectations, but not always, you see fish move. For now we’re dealing with the fact many species are breeding and ignoring baits, while other species are moving out. For now with the conditions changing daily and the fickle nature of breeding species it’s important to remember “fish are where you find them”. That means start where you they were yesterday, then develop a plan. Finding fish isn’t a problem, getting them to take bait is another thing.
You know I’ve been writing these articles now for something like twenty years. In that time, writing and paying attention to conditions, you begin to learn and see what happens with the seasonal changes. That means how currents work, water temperatures change, the results of these types of natural ocean movements and the things that just don’t “fit” in the scenario. So it’s not surprising to me when the seasonal changes comes and frankly we’ve been waiting for it. But it’s a La Nina year, which throws a wrench into everything you’d expect, especially water temperatures. Then we come into March.
This past week was a real Rollercoaster. The good news is Striped Marlin are north of Sayulita. Grouper are in their “holes” in the bay. And of course we still have our fill of Krill. Here we are in late February and we’re still seeing our late summer species hanging around. With water temperatures at what looks like a seasonal low, Grouper and Sea Bass are gracing the bay. Those with families and short budgets can find plenty of “Action Fishing” in the bay.
Well, here we go again, Krill, Krill and more Krill! They’re getting under my skin. Maybe not the best way to start this article, but for four weeks now we’ve had these stagnant conditions. We all know, that is if you’ve been reading my articles, that we’re ending a La Nina year. You know, when the water stays cooler for the year, then at some point it “snaps” back.
