You know, during the winter, I feel like I’m making excuses for the ‘tourist high season’ fishing conditions that don’t normally include the species people have fantasized about all year.
Once we enter mid-June, we get past a rough spot where the season and spawning for many species end. We see massive amounts of baby Dorado get larger by the day. We see Blue Marlin move in, Sailfish are picking up in numbers, and it’s all about Blue Water!
Water temperatures are now in the perfect range of 84 degrees. Bait is everywhere, and Hurricane Barbara has passed us by 250 kilometers, pushing even more fish into the area. ‘High Season for Fishing’ is here again as we see the very beginnings of our summer species beginning to move in. Blue Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, Sailfish, Roosterfish, and more are available to those both lucky enough to be in Puerto Vallarta and, secondly, those with the fishing budget to get that ‘Bucket List’ fish you’ve always fantasized about.
Many times, during tourism’s high season, the fishing is less than exciting to a person like me. I’m the kind of guy who just wants to catch something. Bigger is not always better; it’s about the action, the fun, and the company I’m with. But this changes for me when the Roosterfish start rolling in. These quill-headed demons can surprise you with their strength, as they drag you across the cockpit. Thankfully, the first mate grabs you by the belt. Starting with Corbetena, all the locals wait for late June, when finally, after what seems like a lifetime, beautiful blue water returns!
With massive amounts of Sardines and Skippies (aka Skipjack Tuna). They’re a perfect size at 4 to 6 lb. range. As the locals find them, they get more excited than my ex-wife gets at a Nordstrom shoe sale. A 300 lb Blue Marlin will also be attracted to this bonanza. Sailfish are also picking up in numbers around the rock.
North of the Rock, you’ll find Yellowfin Tuna Footballs ranging from 25 to 40 lbs. There have also been some Spinner Dolphin; they always run with Yellowfin Tuna of this size range.
Sailfish are also running the neighborhood, but none have been boated. It’s pretty much the same for El Banco right now. Blue Marlin, Spinner Dolphin, which means Football Tuna. With massive amounts of Skippies everywhere, especially at El Banco, they’re a favorite bait for every species out there.
For now, it may still be a little early to head out for a ten or twelve-hour trip, but then again, maybe not. A little secret here is that the old reliable Cedar Plugs, Feathers, and Live bait of any kind is working well, amigos. Things are picking up as well in the eight-hour-duration fishing grounds.
We’re still early in the season, but at the 12-mile mark off the point of Punta Nayarit, we are seeing many Sailfish, which, for some reason, weren’t taking bait, but they will at some point. With so many Sardines in the area, a favorite of Roosterfish, we’ve seen sporadic action in the Sayulita Area.
There have also been days when, at El Morro, Roosterfish at 40 lbs., were enjoying the upwellings there. But the place to be for Roosterfish is always the Cabo Corrientes area. That’s the southernmost point of the Bay of Banderas, and it’s a ten-hour trip due to the distance. It’s a 35-mile trek inside the bay, with floating trash, turtles, and ‘dead head logs’, so it turns into a ten-hour day.
Looking back at the Punta Nayarit area, further out from the point, there have also been Blue Marlin sightings. And since Dorado are starting to arrive, there could be Dorado anywhere from El Morro to north of Punta Nayarit in the coming days.
The water is blue, the bait is there; the only thing missing is you. There are also tons of baby Skip Jack Tuna, we call them ‘Bullets’. When you have this much bait in the area, crazy action is normally right behind. Stay tuned!
Inside the bay is still the same, but that means there’s plenty of action for those who are either budget- or time-challenged. We still have many Jack Crevalles at 25 lbs. from Nuevo Vallarta to Yelapa. Of course, Sierra Mackerels at 10 lbs. are a morning bite, and they’re abundant.
At Punta Negra, baby Roosterfish are under 10 lbs., so they’re not keepers, but still fun to catch. Dorado in the 6 lb. range are thick in the Los Arcos area, many are well over 10 lbs, where we separate the keepers from the releases.
There have also been some baby Sailfish boated at Los Arcos as well. The water is mostly clean and blue, but close to the rivers and the shoreline, it can be a little dirty, nothing new there.
With some recent rains in the area, we’re seeing some immature trash lines; when they mature and find their way into the middle of the bay, this will be a ‘day maker’ condition. Just a little secret here, keep this to yourself, but the Dorado off Punta Negra, where Garza Blanca is located, are hitting small green and black Rapala lures.
So, it doesn’t matter what your situation is; there is plenty of action that will just begin building from this point forward. Again, the water is mostly blue, and the water temperature at the moment is a perfect 84 degrees, but this will tick upward before you read this.
We seem to have a ‘tiered bite.’ That means Mackerels are hitting baits early, around 08:00, Jack Crevalle’s are hitting just after 09:00, and the Sailfish (and mostly all the other species) are hitting about 10:30! My advice is to be where you want to be early and get ready for action.
Until next week, don’t forget to kiss your fish!
