Marlin, sailfish, tuna and dorado off Puerto Vallarta · 6–10 hours · Departing from Marina Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta sits at the edge of a deep offshore trench, which is why the fishing here is world-class within a few hours of the dock. Closer grounds — El Morro rock and the water around the Marietas — hold dorado, bonito, jack crevalle and skipjack. The famous marks are further out: Corbeteña, a pinnacle roughly 30 nautical miles northwest, and El Banco, further still, where blue and black marlin, yellowfin tuna and sailfish are the target.
Distance dictates the day. A 6-hour trip works the inshore and mid-range grounds. Reaching Corbeteña or El Banco realistically needs 10 hours or an overnight departure, and a yacht with the range and fuel to do it — our concierge will tell you which boats in the fleet are properly rigged for it.
Crews here fish live bait and troll lures depending on the season and what is showing. Catch-and-release is standard practice for billfish; edible species like dorado and tuna can be filleted on board, and several restaurants in town will cook your catch the same evening.
Boarding at Marina Vallarta before sunrise — the bite is best early. Crew loads bait and rigs the spread.
Head out past Punta de Mita toward El Morro or, on long charters, northwest toward Corbeteña. Lines go in as soon as you hit fishy water.
Working the banks and current lines for dorado, tuna, sailfish and marlin. The crew handles rigging, teasers and gaffing; you fight the fish.
Run back to the marina, with the crew cleaning and filleting keepers on the way in. Dockside photos on arrival.
Blue marlin, black marlin, yellowfin tuna and dorado run strongest from May through November, peaking in the late summer and early autumn. Sailfish and striped marlin show through the winter, and inshore species bite year-round.