BIG MARLIN HITTING SLOW TROLLED SKIPJACKS AT EL BANCO AND CORBETENA

Aug. 1, 2004, Kurt Hjort, Esperanza Sportfishing, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Fishing:

The water temp at Puerto Vallarta is in the 85-88 degree range and the big fish are here and cooperating.

Most Puerto Vallarta boats are getting into the tuna and marlin at el banco and corbetena areas with the marlin on average of 400-600lbs and hitting slow trolled live skipjack.

The tunas started hitting a little better late week and this coming week should see some hot action as the moon changes. I have heard from a couple of private sportfishers of yellowfin near the 400lb mark being caught and this comes from very reliable sources.

Puerto Vallarta is very lucky to have the offshore banks in the migration pattern of these giant tunas and every year, record size fish are boated here.

The water all week has ranged from flat calm in the mornings, to a small wind chop on the return in the afternoon.

On inshore Puerto Vallarta fishing action, good to excellent roosterfish action was to be had north of punta mita and near the marietta islands. Google eyes, sardines, and green jacks slow trolled near the beach as always was the way tio get them. Good action also at corbetena for the big cubera snappers using live skipjacks. These fish will run to 70-80lbs.

Sailfish and dorado have been scattered and holding near any trash and weed lines or open water rip lines and breaks. The dorado action should improve with more rains in the next month and build all through the fall peak months. We have been lucky as to not have had any storms yet, but lets keep our fingers crossed and hope the great Puerto Vallarta fishing continues.

(See "Mexico Fishing News" online for current fishing reports, photos, weather, and water temperatures from Puerto Vallarta and other major Mexican sportfishing areas. Vacation travel articles, fishing maps and seasonal calendars, and fishing related information for Puerto Vallarta may be found at Mexfish.com's main Puerto Vallarta page.