Ina Nektar Fly Fishing

Fly Striper

Stripers Working The Puerto Vallarta Area

By: Jim Scherrer

To many of us retirees, one of the more exhilarating moments in life is being front and center to a striper dance. Obviously, this article has the undivided attention of many of you geezers while you women probably just assume the author can't spell; however, stripers are not to be confused with strippers!

Stripers, stripeys, spikefish, spearfish, etc., are terms often used for striped marlin, a billfish of the Tetrapturus audax species of the Istiophoridae family of fish.

Of the billfishes that occur in Oregon, California, and Mexican waters, the striped marlins are easy to recognize. Marlins have scales, fins on the belly, and a rounded spear which set them apart from swordfish which have no scales or ventral fins. Sailfish have an extremely high dorsal fin not found among the marlins, and short bill spearfish do not have the long spear on the upper jaw nor the body weight of the marlins. The striped marlins are much smaller than the blue or black marlins but larger than most sailfish. The striped marlins are unique in that they normally develop conspicuous lavender to blue stripes along the sides of their bodies after death.

Because striped marlins are found in waters from 20°C to 25°C (68°F-77°F), they are often found all along the Pacific side of the Baja California peninsula during the winter months as the Pacific Ocean water cools and they migrate south to the warmer water. On the other hand, the blue and black marlins prefer warmer water, typically in the 25°C to 30°C (77°F-86°F). Therefore, the large blues and blacks are found off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico during the summer months when the Pacific Ocean water temperature is in the low 80´s. Seldom do those same waters drop in temperature low enough to attract the stripers. Consequently, winter fishing in Vallarta will generally yield yellow fin tuna, dorado, and some sailfish but no striped marlin.

This year the climate along the Mexican Riviera has been somewhat different than that seen for quite a while (obviously due to climate cooling!). Pacific Ocean water temperatures that are normally expected to be around 75°F are closer to 72°F and the game fish that live in the 75°F water are nowhere to be found around Vallarta early in March this year. On the other hand, striped marlins that are usually found around Cabo San Lucas during the winter months have migrated south and are now being caught offshore from Vallarta.

During the second week of March while trolling with lures at a speed of 10 knots, approximately 50 miles offshore from Vallarta, we spotted a magnificent striped marlin about 15 feet from our boat. He was heading the opposite direction at about the same speed, just minding his own business in search for food. What an incredible sight; seeing this 150 pound striper, with his dorsal fin and tail well above the surface of the water, pass along the side of our boat heading in the perfect direction to spot our delicious looking lures. Of course, everyone onboard started shouting instructions in English, Spanish, and perhaps a couple other undistinguishable languages!

As that beautiful striper approached our lures, we were ready for action. He checked out the first lure, then the second, and finally the third. After making his decision, he dropped back perhaps 30 feet and then charged at high speed (they can accelerate to 70 miles per hour), attacking the third lure. Wow, all hell broke loose as we set the hook. He came flying out of the water, did a full flip with a triple twist (degree of difficulty rating of about 2.9), and then proceeded to dance across the surface on his tail; the best striper dance we had ever seen!

After playing with this 150 pound beauty of nature for a half an hour, man once again conquered beast. After grabbing him by his long bill, we were able to safely remove the hook and free this magnificent specimen, allowing him to search for a more nutritious meal and live for a better day.

Some of the finest sport fishing in the world can be found in the Puerto Vallarta area. The months of October, November, and December are probably the best for most game fish, however the summer months can also yield some mighty fine catches. That being said, it still doesn't get much better than being out in the Pacific waters with your best fishing buddy in the middle of the winter when the air temperature is 80°F during the day and 70°F during the night, the winds are gentle to non-existent, and the sky is clear blue during the daytime and absolutely cluttered with millions of stars during the nighttime.

During the past decade, Puerto Vallarta has exploded with growth which has brought with it every activity imaginable including about eight new championship style golf courses. Still, sport fishing, the original activity of Vallarta, remains one of its top draws and definitely of world class caliber.

Whether you're interested in stripers or strippers, you're apt to find them in the Vallarta area! One thing is for sure, you'll have the best time of your life enjoying the winter activities in this incredibly beautiful Paradise south of the border. So, why wait; with the recent 35% devaluation of the Mexican Peso, everything is now on sale and the time for an action packed trip to PV has never been better.

About the Author

Jim Scherrer has owned property in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for 25 years and resided there for the past eleven years. The mission of his series of 50 articles pertaining to retirement in Puerto Vallarta is to reveal the recent changes that have occurred in Vallarta while dispelling the misconceptions about living conditions in Mexico. For the full series of articles regarding travel to and retirement in Vallarta as well as pertinent Puerto Vallarta links, please visit us at PVREBA

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