Normally I don’t like “cookie cutter” fishing reports that is unless they’re like this one. When things get rolling it can be a bit of an up and down type thing with changing bites, currents and weather conditions. At this point we’ve finally reached the kind of fishing reports that are going to be similar from week to week now. At this time of the year experienced fisherman understand that the “big fish” action is happening at the deep water locations. Corbetena and El Banco is where the summer fishing action is. This week we’ve seen a welcome explosion of fishing in the bay as well.Yes folks, fishing high season is here!
We’ve had a roller coaster week when it comes to fishing in our world famous Bay of Banderas. We’ve been pretty lucky with relatively warm water temperatures lingering later than usual into late January. This week we’ve seen dramatic changes in water temperatures which means we’re square in the middle of winter fishing with cold water species picking up in numbers as the warm water species bug out. While not surprising or devastating it doesn’t stop people from coming into the shop looking for Moby Dick! Human High Season and Fishing High Season are at opposite ends of the calendar amigos!
Summer fishing is shaping up nicely as we see Striped, Blue and Black Marlin numbers increase. Sailfish are more abundant in a big way. Bullet Bonito and Skip Jacks are all over the place being chased by these World Class Gamefish. Water temperatures are perfect for summer species. Dorado are trickling in slowly. We´re not seeing larger Yellowfin Tuna yet, it´s still early for them around Corbeteña or El Banco. The season is coming together, time to start making those summer fishing trip reservations and keep up with these Fishing Reports, Fishing High Season is starting now!
Interesting title if I do say so myself, but one thing I haven´t been talking about is how we´re on the back end of an El Nino Year. If you remember last March we were seeing 300 lb Yellowfin Tuna at Corbeteña. That was about when the ¨strangeness¨ began. Now we survived a less than spectacular summer fishing wise and now we´re seeing Dorado in February, the midpoint of winter fishing! The same can be said for Sailfish, Striped and Blue Marlin that that have been hanging out off Punta Mita about 15 miles or so for weeks now, strange stuff indeed. For the person looking to boat a Dorado when they shouldn´t be there, well now´s the time amigo because this ¨Strangeness¨ can´t last forever.
To be straight up with my loyal readers, all 54 of you, February is not the best month of the year to be fishing here in Puerto Vallarta, Banderas Bay to be exact. Not that the fishing is lacking, but because most people are looking for Monster fish like Marlin, Sailfish, Yellowfin Tuna and Wahoo to name a few. Now we still have Dorado, Rooster fish and Sailfish if you are in the right location, which is not in the bay amigo. Yes we´re moving into winter fishing which means Jack Crevalls coming out of our ears, billions of Sierra Mackerals that are great tasting, but not large.
All year long we wait for High Season. We know the tourist are back and we know we´ll see more people coming to Puerto Vallarta by the day. This time of the year we see the days grow shorter and cooler. Yet the water temperatures will take weeks and weeks before they begin to drop. For now, conditions could not be better and when fish are abundant, you have a recipe for success. But first you have to be on the water to take advantage of our world class fishing in the Bay of Banderas!
Just like a rubber band, fishing has snapped back after yet another unsuspected Hurricane a thousand miles out to sea! Yes this is a long way, but it still puts high pressure on the water, which of course chases the fish in the area out. For now We´re also seeing Wahoo at Corbeteña, Rooster Fish at the Marietta Islands, Dorado and Sails at Punta Mita. Yes folks, fishing has turned the corner as the days get shorter and the temperatures come back into more normal ranges. Puerto Vallarta is beginning to rock amigos, time to get your butt in gear.
Wow, if you think you have a clue about what the fishing is going to be like today, tomorrow or next week you´re a crystal ball is better than mine! Last week I though the fishing had finally turned into winter conditions, yet here we are with Sailfish off El Morro and the Marietta Islands, Sailfish! They never left! Water temperatures are still running in the mid 70´s, with plenty of bait the mixed summer and winter species living and eating in the same area are likely to hang for a while. Strange, yes.. But if you´re out there fishing in this mixed up season, you`re catching fish you shouldn´t be seeing!
For months now I have been writing what I call ¨fluffy¨ fishing articles making what I would consider a disappointing summer sound as positive as possible. The fishing scene this summer was not about Mexico, but rather southern California. Warm water, plenty of bait and currents that swept our world class gamefish to points north of the Mexican border were very welcome indeed to the Southern Cal boys for sure. Yes we had fair sized Yellowfin Tuna, Sailfish, small Marlin, but no Dorado to speak of. With plenty of bait in the water, perfect water temperatures, Sapphire blue water at all the fishing grounds and disappointing fish counts. This week things have changed for the positive, Animal House with Captain Luis and First Mate David Chorra came in with a 300 lb Yellowfin Monster! Even The Bank or El Banco finally started firing on all eight cylinders. For those who have been saving their precious fuel dollars now is the time to raid the piggy bank amigos. We are now in the best time of the year to boat that ¨bucket list¨ fish you´ve always dreamed of as fishing explodes in Puerto Vallarta!
One more time, just when you think you know what the deal is, you don´t. To me it looked like we were going to have a warm water winter this year as we all enjoyed some of the warmer water species that have been hanging around. But the green water returned to the bay and if you are looking at anything under eight hours your chances of boating anything larger than Nimo is dismal at best amigo. Straight up the bay is dead, dead, dead. But not so elsewhere in our world famous fishing grounds.
