Warm Weather, Warm Water, It´s Fish Soup!
Warm Weather, Warm Water, It´s Fish Soup!
Written by: Stan Gabruk owner of Master Baiter´s Sportfishing & Tackle
Strange title I know, but it´s appropriate and to the point. More tropical storms, warm water and challenging fishing conditions for sure. A more appropriate title would be ¨fishing in soup¨. Even though the water is still warm, we have all the fish you could hope to find right now, but they are on the smaller side. For the visitor looking for something for the dinner table, we can still fix you up amigo. Deep water locations are tapering off, but still producing. Punta Mita, once again is the place to be and those in the area are boating Sailfish, Dorado and small Blue Marlin. Yes folks, we have fish! 
I´ll tell you, after yet another tropical depression passing us, we are still suffering from the effects of these systems pushing out larger species from the area. This of course is normal, but it´s not normal to have as many systems pass us like this. So we do the best we can and that means shooting the gaps and hitting the spots we know have fish. Now your crystal ball is probably better than mine, one thing for sure, if fishing was easy, we´d all be world champions!
The rains have been tapering off and soon the trash line will be a thing of the past as we move into fall. But for the moment you can still find plenty of players in the trash lines around the bay. The best area for a trash line for the last couple of weeks is the point off Punta Mita at the north end of the bay of Banderas. Fair sized Sailfish in the 80 lb range are all over the place. Dorado, running on the smaller side of 20 to 35 lbs are still abundant around any floating log or group of debris. Heading out about ten miles there are smaller Blue Marlin in the 150 to 225 lb range, but remember these are babies, no matter how big they are, so don´t let them die or bring them in for photos, you´ll look like an idiot. For now this is the best bet for your fishing dollar amigos.
El Banco and Corbeteña are still a little on the disappointing side with very small Yellowfin Tuna in the 35 lb range. If you want these small at best YF Tuna, you´ll be chunking (chumming). Now you can use ground up Bonito, Skip Jacks, any bait fish really. Normally I am not a fan of chunking unless you´re chunking squid for really large Yellowfin Tuna. Sailfish are everywhere, Dorado are the same size as Punta Mita in the 35 lb range. Yes Cubera Snappers are there, but they´re not a great draw for the visiting fisherman looking for Monster Yellowfin Tuna. For the moment, you can find better fishing closer in. 
The Marietta Islands, always producing, are weak at best this week. Sailfish in the smaller sizes or 50 to 70 lbs, Bonito, Skip Jacks, no Rooster fish. Dorado, sure in the smaller sizes as well. Not much of a story this week at the Marietta Islands, but this will change with a break in the storm paths!
Many people forget about the bay. Now most will go troll for Bonito, Dorado or whatever strikes. But for these days when you´re looking for something tasty for the dinner table, I suggest the river mouths. Now this is not going to get you a trophy but Snook, my favorite tasting fish, Robalo in Spanish are all over the bay. I even watched a guy with a hand line on the tourist boardwalk down town bring one in. At the openings of the river mouths they´ll sit waiting for that tasty little morsel flow down the river. Right where the fresh water mixes with the salt water is the place you want to be. This is called Sweet water or agua dulce in spanish and they love this. You can also find other fish in the area that are smaller, tasty as well. So remember, it may not be a monster Marlin, but it´s better to eat and best of all, easy to get to and easy on the wallet.
The problem once more this week is the unusually warm water temperatures. We´re seeing the results of smaller fish and fewer fish. The storms are not helping, but the water temps are the real issue. These conditions exist all the way to Cabo where the local tournaments leading up to the Bisbee’s have been lack luster. Yellowfin Tuna a missing in action, but there are Sailfish and plenty of them. Bait in the area is abundant, no worries for there being plenty to attract them back, but for now, bait is everywhere in the form of Skip Jack Tuna, Bonito and Google Eyes. For now amigos, be patient, the breaks are worth waiting for and if you can´t wait, then hit the bay for some smaller action, but great tasting! Oh, the bite, about 9 am and around 3:30…. Time your trips accordingly!
For the moment. When these storms stop, the fish come back in a hurry with all the bait we have in the bay and at the deep water locations of Corbeteña and El Banco.
Until next time don’t forget to kiss your fish and remember at Master Baiter’s Sportfishing & Tackle “ We Won’t Jerk You Around”!
Master Baiter´s has changed locations in Marina Vallarta and are now near Victors Café Te Cuba. Look for me at the least traveled end of Marina Vallarta and I will be there in my new place. Email your Questions to me at: CatchFish@MasterBaiters.com.mx Web page: www.MasterBaiters.com.mx , Local Phone at: (044) 322 779 75 71 or if roaming: 011 52 1 322 779 75 71 (this is my cell phone directly until the shop phone is workingFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Master-Baiters-Sportfishing-Tackle/88817121325The trade name Master Baiter’s ® Sportfishing and Tackle is protected under trade mark law and is the sole property of Stan Gabruk.
