PUERTO VALLARTA SPORTFISHING SEASON REPORT

July 29, 2006, Myles Lineberger, Puerto Vallarta Today, Fishing season notes for Puerto Vallarta:

New fishing tournament for Puerto Vallarta has been designated by the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA), their “Hook The Cure Fishing Tournament" to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and also a qualifying event for the “8th Annual 2007 IGFA Offshore Championship Tournament." The host hotel is the Premier and host charter company will be Charter Dreams along with PVRPV Property Management Company. ESPN will be bringing in 4 camera crews to shoot the event.

The rains are here at Puerto Vallarta, and things are changing for the better but just a little slower start than what we’re use to. I’m not to sure what’s up with this slow start to the fishing. Some say that it is because of the El Nino effect and some say that it’s the commercial tuna boats, but who knows.

There are not as many sportfishing boats going out this time of year so we don’t get as much information as we do during the season.

The yellowfin tuna aren’t the big boys yet at Puerto Vallarta. They’ve been 50 to over a 100 pounds and a little tough to catch with some saying that they are feeding on the small red crabs and the small sardines. The big Tuna will be in anytime now and I feel that we will get that world record, 388 pounds, this year. We catch them every year at Puerto Vallarta over 400 pounds but just don’t get them weighed on a certified scale.

Both El Banco and the Rock are giving up Marlin in the 300 to 400 pound range along with some big Dog Tooth Snapper. Dorado, or Mahi Mahi, are also being caught from 20 to 40 pounds.

Sailfish are being caught from Punta Mita to past the Rock. I was told that a boat came in with a Sailfish that weighed 165 pounds and released 4 more. They were trolling dead baits.

Dorado are also being caught inside the bay on both north and south shores.

Robalo, or snook, have been active in the mouths of the rivers and off some of the beaches. As always plenty of snapper can be caught at night over the reefs and rock ledges.

Roosterfish have been very active at Puerto Vallarta around the buoy at Punta Mita to over by Litibu. They’ve been nice ones, 30 to 50 pounds. Live bait works the best but they’ll take a lure such as a Rapala and other diving plugs.

Cajon de Pena: Freshwater bass have been on the bite with rains filling up the lake. They’ve been most active on the south shore where it drops off deep fast and biting right on the edges. Plugs and worms seem to be working the best. Just get out there and plug that shore.

If you are looking for any of our great fishing just drop me email and we will get you hooked up, mylesrmt@yahoo.com.

(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.