Water Temp Roller Coaster, Fish In/Ou

Water Temp Roller Coaster, Fish In/Out

Written by: Stan Gabruk owner of Master Baiter´s Sportfishing & Tackle

By now you should be sick and tired of hearing me talk about El Nino, but here we are again. When people learn about El Nino and how it all works, nobody expects conditions to change all at once. When it does change it can be like a ¨Log Jam¨ busting. Two weeks ago the water was 87 degrees, five days later it was 74 degrees, then back up to 80 degrees and now it´s 76 degrees. From these roller coaster fluctuations its toll on fishing. Warm water fish like Marlin, Tuna, Sailfish, and Dorado will run from this cold water and not think twice about it.

So, with a lead in like that, I don´t think I need to tell you that the fishing at this exact moment, not tomorrow or the day after, but this minute the water is so cold the only real location to find fish is in the bay! Los Arcos is alive with different baits and this is drawing in Sailfish and Marlin to the area! A freak thing, the fishing in the bay is better than at El Banco or Corbeteña, again at this exact moment. I say this because I don´t want people reading this article a week from now and thinking the fishing is bad when it´s bad for the moment. Everything changes quickly here and in three days things will be different. We are at the end of High Season for fishing and the water temperatures may not make it back into the 80´s again, lets hope not.

Corbeteña and El Banco: Well the water is that clean green color, which is an indication of cold water. The locals don´t mind it, they´ll take baits in it, but they´ll shy away from the cold. Sailfish, Marlin, Dorado, Yellowfin Tuna have all bugged out with the frigid water. This could be a cold local current or it could be the real deal and El Nino is finally coming to an end. Either way for this particular moment, fishing in this area is rolling the dice. Could change in a few days, Stay tuned.

Marietta Islands / El Morro / Punta Mita: Well if you can imagine the water is a little warmer in this area, but not much. We´ve seen some Rooster fish, some I say around the El Morro area in the 50 lb range.  If you have Goggle Eyes for bait, you may have a chance at a roaming Sailfish or Rooster fish. Chances of seeing Dorado are slim. Dorado does not handle cold water snaps very well and will be the first to vacate an area when the chill hits. This area and north can still get warm water that trickles down the cost form the Seas of Cortez so it´s not ¨doom and gloom¨ conditions amigo. It just means we have to figure out a solution to a challenge, again.

Inside the bay is the best fishing we have available to you in Puerto Vallarta for the moment. Warm water is still in the bay as currents are much slower to do their work with low circulation. For that reason and the fact that we have super abundance of bait in the bay, has drawn in some unexpected species. Sailfish are still hanging out around Los Arcos and three were boated just a few days ago. Freak fishing, you bet, but we´ll take it. We´re seeing Cubera Snappers at the river mouths for trolling and Jigging, Jack Crevalls at 35 to 50 lbs, Snook to 30 lbs, Sierra Mackerals. You know except for the freak Sails around La Cruz and Los Arcos it´s all going to be small fish amigos.

The bite is still happening around 11:00 a.m so plan accordingly to take full advantage of a four hour fishing trip. Otherwise you could be coming in when the bite is just starting. Water temperatures are a mess. We don´t know if they´ll go back up or stay where they are now. But we do know this, things change quickly and if you give it a few days things will change again for the better. Right now we´re seeing 76 degree water which is about as cold as it will get, so it should mix in with the warm water and who knows, maybe it will make the fishing hold out until after new years. The best baits to use right now are Goggle Eyes as they´re turning ¨everyone’s¨ head. The shrimp and Red Tuna Crabs have left the area with the currents. I´m not sure if that´s a good thing or a bad thing, but it´s a thing we have to deal with. Bullet Bonita, Bullet Skippies are also a great choice if you can find them. For lures it´s the same again, Petroleros of brown, green and purple, Iguanas of Yellow and Green to mimic Dorado baits, Pink / Blue and Blue / Silver are good place to start.

UpDate: Like the article says wait three days and things can change. Not that things have changed dramatically but there seems to be some warm water fish coming back in. Today (12/30/2016) Magnifico boated and released two Striped Marlin and a nice Dorado at 35 lbs. Two days ago Corbeteña has no fish, not even Jack Crevalls and now it looks like for today anyway there were decent fish at Corbeteña. For now El Banco is still barely breathing, but We´re seeing the area around Punta Mita to El Morro coming to life a little also with some Dorado and Sailfish a touch more abundant, but nothing automatic. Inside the bay we´re still seeing Sailfish, freak thing, but there you go. There are some Dorado being boated around Puta Mita points north to Guyabitos where you can see Sails and Striped Marlin as well, but you´ll need to plan a ten hour day for this. All and all the fishing has improved a bit, but it´s not good by any measurement. Water temperatures are still around 78 degrees, up a touch from the 76 degrees reported here, but it seem Dorado are hanging at areas where there is plenty of bait and some swirling warm currents. So it´s not ¨Doom & Gloom¨ as the report suggest any longer…YeHa!

Until next week, Don´t forget to kiss Your Fish!

Master Baiter´s is located in Marina Vallarta between docks A and B on the boardwalk

Web page:  www.MasterBaiters.com.mx , Local Phone at: (044) 322 779 75 71 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Master-Baiters-Sportfishing-Tackle/88817121325

The trade name Master Baiter’s ® Sportfishing and Tackle is protected under trade mark law and is the sole property of Stan Gabruk.