puerto vallarta — bahía de banderas
Large Pacific bay between Jalisco and Nayarit. Sailfish, marlin and yellowfin tuna on the outer banks; roosterfish and mahi-mahi closer in.
Bahía de Banderas has about 100 km of coastline between Punta Mita, in Nayarit, and Cabo Corrientes, in Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta is the base, with the fleet at Marina Vallarta; on the Nayarit side there are boats at La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and Punta Mita. Inside the bay and near the Marietas Islands, pangas and small boats catch roosterfish and mahi-mahi. Larger boats go to the outer banks, El Banco and La Corbeteña, and the El Morro rock, where sailfish, blue, black and striped marlin, yellowfin tuna and wahoo are caught on trolling and live bait. Sailfish peak from mid to late year, and yellowfin tuna from May to October. In winter, humpback whales use the bay to breed.
best season
Fishing all year. From June to December, with warm water, is the best time for sailfish, marlin, yellowfin tuna and mahi-mahi; roosterfish peak in August and September.
Local rules: Conapesca permit for anyone fishing from a boat, and NOM-017 limits (1 billfish and a limit of 2 for mahi-mahi and roosterfish per angler per day, within 10 fish total). In Islas Marietas National Park (DOF decree of Apr 25, 2005; summary of the management program in the DOF of Feb 25, 2011, Conanp), fishing is allowed only in the sustainable-use subzone, which covers most of the park's sea, and with gear authorized in the permit (rule 40); in the public-use and recovery subzones, no fishing. Check local rules.
- getting there
- Puerto Vallarta International Airport sits next to Marina Vallarta, with domestic and international flights. Nuevo Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit are to the north, on the same bay.
- facilities
- Marina Vallarta with a sport fishing fleet, tackle shops and charters from pangas to yachts; marinas and hotels also in Nuevo Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit.
- country
- Jalisco, Mexico
tip
For the outer banks, leave before dawn and bring live bait. Release the billfish and keep the mahi-mahi for the table.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
what you can catch here
before you fish in Mexico
Anyone fishing from a boat needs an individual recreational-sport fishing permit (permiso de pesca deportivo-recreativa), issued by Conapesca and obtained online through the e5cinco system, with fees paid per day, week, month, year or excursion. 2025 values reported by Conapesca: 1 day, MXN 204; 1 week, MXN 510; 1 month, MXN 766; 1 year, MXN 1,021; excursion, MXN 1,453 (adjusted every year). Fishing from land does not require a permit; spearfishing requires an individual permit (NOM-017-PESC-1994, amended in 2013).
- Marlin, sailfish, swordfish, sábalo/chiro, roosterfish and mahi-mahi (dorado de mar) are reserved for sport fishing within 50 nautical miles of the coastal baseline.
- Sea catch limit: up to 10 fish per angler per day, with a maximum of 5 of the same species. Billfish (marlins, sailfish and swordfish), sharks and giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas): 1 per day. Sábalo, mahi-mahi, roosterfish and baya: 2 per day. In freshwater, 5 per day. Fish caught beyond the limit are released alive back to the sea.
- Fishing within 250 m of beaches with bathers and of commercial fishing boats or nets is prohibited. Sport-caught fish may not be sold, and billfish may not be filleted on board.
- In natural protected areas, sport fishing is only allowed under the terms of the decree and each area's management program (Conanp); many have closed zones and stretches for catch and release only.
The rules and closed seasons in the rest of the app are Brazilian. Outside Brazil, the regulations of the country and province apply: confirm with the official agency.
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official DOF — Acuerdo por el que se da a conocer el resumen del Programa de Manejo del Parque Nacional Islas Marietas (25/02/2011)Sustainable-use subzone (1,283.78 ha) allows fishing; public-use and recovery subzones prohibit it; rule 40; commercial and sport fishing and humpback whales in winter in the zone of influence
- official DOF — Decreto que declara parque nacional la región conocida como Islas Marietas (25/04/2005)1,383 ha, including the marine zone around the islands, in Bahía de Banderas, municipality of Bahía de Banderas (Nayarit)
- market Master Baiter's Sport Fishing & Tackle — Fishing chartMonthly table of sailfish, marlin, yellowfin tuna, mahi-mahi, roosterfish and wahoo in Bahía de Banderas
- market Master Baiter's Sport Fishing & Tackle — Fishing mapFishing grounds of El Morro, La Corbeteña and El Banco; headquarters at Marina Vallarta