Trash Lines, Hurricanes and Too Much Bait

What a way to start an article, Trash Lines, Hurricanes and Too Much Bait. The picture that paints is negative and not very inspiring, but in fact it’s perfect and exactly what we expect at this time of the year. A few years back we had 26 different and active Hurricanes pass Puerto Vallarta fishing areas with no impact. Keeping that in perspective, the important thing to know about Hurricanes is: Which direction is it heading, How far out is it and how does it affect the conditions regarding swell size and frequency. Or you can rely on a person like myself to get you the correct information, in a non-panic way. And yes, we had another Hurricane pass us as this article is being written. But if Hurricanes don’t get landed, they have a tendency to head north with few sea lane interruptions. Hurricanes bring rain and that produces trash lines, thank the fish gods. More importantly, depending on the direction and distance of a Hurricane, it can and does push fish away from the Hurricane. Lately we’ve been lucky with plenty of fish, but you need the correct information if you want to catch fish. Right now the amount of bait in the bay and surrounding Puerto Vallarta fishing grounds is massive. There lies the biggest challenge!

Too Much Bait!

Corbetena this week is much the same as last week, but better. Football Yellowfin Tuna at 40 to 60 pounds have found their way back to the rock. North of Corbetena there are Blue Marlin in the 500 lb range if they’re “there” that day. Striped Marlin and Sailfish are also running the area. But that doesn’t mean there are massive amounts of fish to feed on all that bait. There was a trash line this week close to Corbetena with a log, a Dorado Gold mine for sure. And that’s what you’re looking for. Black Marlin are noticeably missing, but they normally come later in the season, stay tuned. El Banco or The Bank is the place to be if targeting Marlin because it’s the only real place in the area where Marlin are predictable. Feeling lucky?

The area around Punta Mita is still pretty much dirty, dirty water that is. So we’re still dealing with that, the good news is about eight miles off the point there is another beautiful trash line where the water is blue on the seaward side. Find clean water and you’ll find hungry Sailfish or Striped Marlin with any luck. If you head farther north, a ten hour trip will get you into clean water if you want to roll the dice. But things are improving in the area condition wise so who knows, things can change quickly, stay tuned.

Trash Lines and Bait in the bay!

And now we come to the beautiful bay of Banderas, with massive amounts of rain, the water is still dirty in the bay. Remembering the thickness of this dirty water is always questionable, a planer many times in dirty water will be the cure to dirty water as you get small species strike after strike. You could do that, but finding clean water is the better choice and that means the south end of the bay. Now this area is always ignored by the less experienced captains or the dim witted to be honest. I’m talking about the area from Yelapa south to the area around El Faro or The Lighthouse in English. Magnifico went there for two days straight and both days boated over six Dorado, Rooster fish are in this area now and plentiful on the sandy beaches with structure. Sailfish and even possible striped Marlin are all in the picture. Now you may ask why you don’t know much about this area and the answer would be: because there are fewer and fewer old time captains. Families have learned the fishing business is a good income when there isn’t some tourist issue like Covid. But the “Old Timers” or “O.G.’s” would tell you when the bay is dirty, head south. To be fair nobody gets much information about these wonderful fishing grounds, that is except people and captains living in the Yelapa area. Elsewhere in the bay, it’s mostly Sierra Mackerels, Bonito, Jack Crevalles and Needle fish. Not that exciting I know, but the middle of the bay is cleaning up water wise. But when the bay looks disappointing, Cabo Corrientes is your best option. You see the water almost never gets dirty over there due to currents. Keep that in mind and for now a six hour trip gets you to Yelapa. A ten hour trip in the bay is preferable. I say this because the bay is much larger than you think it is.

The bite is still just before 09:00, but if you’re heading out in dirty water in the dark, leave earlier so you can go slow enough to avoid the hazards in the bay. Water temperatures at a perfect 84 degrees. With Blue, green, rainbow runners, Sardines, Goggle Eyes, flying fish, etc., you have to see what the local bait is and grab some with your casting net. That’s all we have room for today, but you can always contact me with your questions!

Thanks reading and like always, until next week, don’t forget to kiss your fish!

Web page:  www.MasterBaiters.com.mx , Local Phone at: Our international number is: +52 322 209 1128. #MasterBaitersSportfishing on Instagram, Facebook: Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle. The trade mark Master Baiter’s ® Sportfishing and Tackle is protected under trade mark law and is the sole property of Stan Gabruk.

Written by Stan Gabruk, owner of Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle