If there was ever a ‘cookie cutter’ fishing report, this is it! Fishing in Puerto Vallarta and the entire Bay of Banderas hasn’t changed much since last week. We still have dirty water, and the currents are pretty strong with the storms up north, so these conditions may continue for a while.
For now there are challenges when it comes to fishing. Having said that, there are fish to be caught. Our world-class fishing grounds are still sporting some warm water species like Dorado. But they’re in the dirty water.
So, what do you do, right now? Your guess is as good as mine. But if a fish sees bait or a lure, then they’ll take it, maybe. Why ‘maybe’? Krill, whale food, the swimming McDonalds of the bay. It’s a mixed-up world and for now, for those who still want some fun action, it’s here to be had.
If that lead-in doesn’t leave you scratching your head, then nothing will. That’s the point amigos, what do you do? For those visiting PV looking to go fishing for summer species are going to face some challenges, that if you knew what you were getting into, you probably wouldn’t be heading out. But I have die-hard clients, even when they know their expectations should be diminished, they still want to head out and take a shot at a bucket list Striped Marlin.
For those guys, this is the best I can tell you – there are fish in this dirty, coffee-colored water. Now, how many is the question?
If you’re around the Corbetena area, south of the rock, as much as 14 miles south of the rock, is where you need to be. Striped Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado to 30 lbs, and Roosterfish in the shoreline. Much of this water is dirty as well, but for some reason, these species are there, taking bait.
If you find any blue water in the area, then anything is possible, amigos. If you’re of the mindset that you’re just looking for some fun action, you’ll have a great day. If you have to have a Dorado at all costs, you may be disappointed.
Same goes for El Banco. I expect El Banco to be the first area with clean water. There is action in the form of Jack Crevalles, but nobody hits this area for Jacks.
The same story between El Morro to Punta Nayarit. Just more of the same dirty water.
But trolling can still be productive. With all the Krill in the local waters, this is the biggest motivation for fish to stay in the area even with dropping water temperatures.
So, the Krill, in this case, is a saving grace for keeping fish in the area for now. You still have a shot at a Striped Marlin. You could find clean water north of Sayulita where there are still Roosterfish in the Carilleres area. Find a floating log or debris, there is always something floating and its Dorado heaven.
After four weeks of this dirty water, which is very unusual, clean water can’t be far behind us. Be sure to check the local reports, which means mostly me, contact me, and get the latest conditions.
For those looking for action, Jack Crevalles are always available, as are the Bonito and Skipjack tuna. But you don’t need eight hours for those, amigos.
Inside the bay, what can I say? I’ve been sending people to the Los Arcos area. There are some rivers in this area dumping fresh water into the bay helping with the dirty water conditions.
And there is still the occasional Dorado at 20 lbs. Plenty of Jack Crevalles, who don’t seem to mind dirty water, are willing to take your bait. So that’s a plus. We also have Bonito to 20 lbs, remember these are part of the Tuna family and taste great. Skipjack Tuna are also running about 10 lbs, another great tasting option. Sierra Mackerels are a delicious species, but not very large. Still, you can catch twenty of these 12 lb beauties and have a great meal.
And there you go. Not much to say this week. Things will change soon, I’ve never seen this dirty water transition last four weeks before. But the simple fact is we’re moving into the winter fishing season.
Soon, the Striped Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado, and the rest will the heading south for the winter.
We will probably see a spurt of Dorado coming down from north of Cabo. Then, we’ll be moving into the Grouper, Snapper, and Sea Bass period of our fishing season. Shorter duration trips, great white meat, cold water species.
We have a six to eight-week window when the water hits 70 degrees as these species will move in. The fishing details: The bite is still late in the morning, about 10:00. So leaving too early doesn’t do you any favors. If running lures, bright colored lures of pink and black or pink with a black or green stripe is working if live bait is failing you. Water temperatures at 77 degrees are continuing their downward slide as expected.
Until next week, don’t forget to kiss your fish!
