BIG TUNAS CRASHING BAITS FOR CHARTER BOAT PRIME TIME

Dec. 5, 2005, John Nagy, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Sportfishing Report:

I and Barbara Fier, Marina del Rey, Calif., fished out of Puerto Vallarta Nov. 28 on the charter boat Prime Time with Capt. Josh Temple.

I caught an estimated 170 pound yellowfin tuna and Barbara caught a 50 pounder, both on the kite. There were crashing 200 pound yellowfin tuna everywhere. Both fish were caught on AVET reels with Owner circle hooks tied to three feet of 200 pound fluorocarbon leader and 130 pound dacron backing.

An estimated 100 pound sailfish also was caught and released by Barbara. This might be one of the few places on earth where you can take a 16 mile boat ride, catch big yellowfin tuna, and black and blue marlin, and be back at the hotel for dinner by 7 p.m.

We fished on the ridge that is approximately 16 miles west of Punta de Mita in about 60 to 80 feet of water. Puerto Vallarta air temperature was about 80 degrees F., and the water temperature about 79 degrees, higher the week before, with a slight chop in 2 foot seas.

The water started out greenish but turned blue as the day progressed.

The tuna were hitting late morning to early afternoon and were eating small squid and paper shell snails. Both tuna were caught in the same area on caballitos off the kite.

In the week before we fished, the tuna at Puerto Vallarta wanted only sardinas, but they passed over the sardinas for the caballitos on our trip.

We had one other tuna hookup in the same area, estimated at 100 pounds but it spit the hook about 5 minutes into the fight.

(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.