That’s a great title for this week’s article. We just had a full week of rough seas from two local Hurricanes heading the opposite Direction.
What does that mean, well basically we had some rain as a result of two passing Hurricanes. The rough seas came a bit later. For most of the week we were turning down fishing trips or trying to reschedule those that were already here. The conditions at Corbetena and closer in were perfect and we were boating fish. But we’ve been dealing with the Hurricane aftermath, we still have some fairly large swells outside of the bay. With “confused” swells and currents, right now fishing has its challenges. Again, nothing new, basically normal. The good news is we have Marlin, Tuna, Sailfish and more. The secret this week is all about the bait!
Alright, we had two tropical depressions along with two tropical storms that turned into Hurricanes. This resulted in high waves or rollers at ten feet with nine second intervals. We’re still seeing swells out in the deep water locations and in the bay. The last few day’s boats have been going out and yes, we have fish. Sailfish are running the area, but not in huge numbers. Blue and Black Marlin are in the 350 to 600 lb range and they seem on the thin side numbers wise as well. Yellowfin Tuna made a nice appearance running 40 to 80 lbs. And if you find Spinner Dolphin there are always 30 to 40 lb Yellowfin Tuna to be had. No real Dorado as yet here, not sure why. Cubera Snappers have been taking trolled baits as have Amberjacks. Plenty of bait in the form of baby Bonito, Skip Jack Tuna and species like flying fish and Goggle Eyes. But the secret is Krill. Yep, there are just massive amounts of Krill Shrimp, Krill Squids, and Plankton in the form of tiny almost transparent fish the size of your thumb nail. That is the challenge. We hooked into a Black marlin and at the boat he was throwing his “bill” around and Krill was flying out of its mouth like Krill Pellets everywhere. So use that information as best as you can. Most Captains right now have been having better luck with dead bait and lures. You feeling up to the challenge?
Closer in from the Marietta Islands to Punta Mita it’s been a little rough as well. We’ve had heavy rain showers, 3 inches of rain in three hours in Marina Vallarta the other day. So the rivers are full of dirty water and trash pouring into the bay. This means there are trash lines everywhere. The more mature and the farther out a trash line is the “better” they seem to be. Right now Dorado in these areas are anywhere from 10 lbs to 30 lbs and again it just depends on what you come across. Sailfish are running the whole area but seem to be best north of Punta Mita in the Sayulita Area and off El Morro. Rooster fish are being boated in this area as well but only 10 – 12 lbs. If you take a heading of 300 to 330 about 10 to 12 miles off the point then Blue and Black Marlin are possible. I shouldn’t forget Striped Marlin are still running the area when they shouldn’t be here, so they’re a “gift” for now.
Inside the bay we’ve seen Jack Crevalles show up again and their numbers were nil. The secret with bay fishing is clean water. With so much rain coming down that can be a challenge with the rivers “doing” their job. Planers work with Rapallas, but it’s best to find clean blue water. South of the Los Arcos area the water has been perfect so a six hour trip is a minimum. Sailfish will run this ridge route to Corbetena and it’s not unusual any more to boat large to tiny Sailfish in the bay. Dorado seekers will find them, smaller for sure from 7 to maybe 20 lbs for the lucky. Skip jack Tuna in the 8 lb range and perfect for bait on the way out to Corbetena.
The Bite this week, is still after 09:00 in the morning, which means head out slow to avoid “hazards” get to the fishing grounds relaxed. Water is dirty in many areas, but once you’re at El Morro it turns blue. Most captains are using dead bait, but that hasn’t been working well. For now you need a “Hoochie” rig, we used to call them “daisy chains” to mimic Krill. And run a lure for good measure.
Looking for Airport Transfers, Tours, Private Tours and Benjamin can fix you up. Tired of the cookie cutter tours, try something different and ask Ben to get creative. With 30 yrs. in PV, he is a local expert on the entire area!
Until next week, don’t forget to kiss your fish!
Written by Stan Gubruk, owner and operator of Master Baiter’s ® Sportfishing and Tackle; protected under trade mark law and the sole property of Stan Gubruk https://masterbaiters.com.mx
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