Methods used for Saltwater Fishing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

There are 2 basic types of deep sea fishing. They are trolling and bottom fishing.

If you are new to salt water fishing and want to catch fish, instead of just going for long, often unproductive, boat rides you might want to try bottom fishing. Bottom fishing is fishing for fish that typically feed on the bottom, such as Grouper, Snapper, Jack Crevalle and Amberjack. A variety of bait is useful in this type of fishing. Most frequently used is squid, but sometime sardines, ballyhoo, and other types of bait are used. Bottom fishing is accomplished by lowering a weighted line with baited hooks into the water until the hooks reach bottom or near bottom. One of the biggest problems with fishing for bottom fish is that you hook the bottom and can't unhook "¦ this happens to us all. You can avoid this if you pay attention and "feel" your way to the bottom. When using a conventional reel, keep your thumb on the spool and let the lure down slowly. This will avoid tangles on your spool that will make you spend the rest of the afternoon untangling your line. If everyone around you is catching fish and you don't feel any bites, check to see if you have any bait. Finally, when you do feel a bite, hoist the rod tip quickly and reel like crazy. Bottom fishing can be done from most types of boats, including sport fishing boats. Very often bottom fishing is done with large groups from the deck of a "Party Boat". These are bigger boats which can accommodate many more passengers.

Trolling is often the most productive method for catching various game fish such as Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado, Wahoo and Yellowfin Tuna. These species feed on schools of bait that stay on the surface. Yet many anglers don't use this method because they have not had success in the past or they never learned the basic techniques. The basic trolling technique involves pulling bait or an artificial lure on a line from the back of a boat. The bait or lure is positioned so that it glides thru the water on the surface or just below the surface. Typically, the boat is under minimal power moving at a speed of only a few knots. Very important - you need to use a wire leader. This prevents the fish from cutting your line. Five to six feet of leader from the hook should be connected to ten feet of double line. Trolling covers more fishing area in a shorter time than any other method. Sometimes fish will simply follow a bait and refuse to strike. When this happens you may increase speed to make the baits run fast and skip wildly or stop the boat and allow the baits to sink. Sometimes a strike will happen when baits are drifting downward. It is a matter of experimenting to find what the fish like best.

There are variations on the two basic methods of deep sea fishing. One is drift fishing which involves trailing a line over the side of a boat while the boat drifts with the current. This method can be employed for predators, like mackerel, or for fish which are more inclined to be bottom feeders.

Another novel fishing method that is gaining popularity is kite fishing. The use of a fishing kite is an awesome, specialized technique that employs the use of a special rod and reel, release clips and a kite. This is a most productive method for catching sailfish.

Sport fishing boats usually depart on a "private charter" basis. Boats are typically 4-8 passengers. A private charter means someone or a group has chartered an entire boat for a specific date and time. Rates will vary depending on the size, age and equipment of each vessel. Operating from the marina in Puerto Vallarta - we offer a variety of charters to suit every budget.

Whatever method you use when fishing for the "˜big one' always remember the old adage: "A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at the office."