Mex 07...the Vallarta Mega Post!! (finally finished!!)

We just got back from the Vallarta zone and had a blast. While we didn't get to do as much yak fishing as previous vacations at the Cape, this areas has enormous yak fishing potential and we will definitely be back to dig in a little deeper.

We started out in Bucerias, a small town about 20 miles north of Puerto Vallarta in a gorgeous, P-13 equipped, condo we rented from "sailmale" on NCKA.  Bucerias is a perfect blend of real Mex and tourista ammenities.

You can find plenty of cool stuff like Bucerias "barbed-wire"...




"Unsafe" toys that actually entertain kids...




A town square where the locals hang out and ice cream for the whole crew is about  3 bucks...



The same plaza is alive with activity every night as the sun sets and the temperature drops.  TONS of great street food and lots of entertainment.  The local hippies tore it up!




Lots of GREAT street food.  We ate these marinated roast chickens several times.  Lunch for 5 was $6.00...




The kids enjoyed delicious $0.50 sodas made with real sugar...
   



Delicious carne asado tacos.  Dinner for 5 was 8 bucks...




Even more entertaining...all of the meat was cooked on an old steel wheel converted to a bbq...




The kids had a great time catching pint-sized toro on spinning tackle in front of sailmale's condo.  There were zillions of these turbo-charged inshore bluegill...




While the condo was within walking distance of the "real" deal it also had lots of gringo amenities including an infinity pool to cool off in...




and two well-equipped P-13's and a cart...




We could see monster bait-balls off of the balcony all over the place.  So we launched off of the beach right out front and headed across the bay...



We hucked out a few of our favorite plugs and blind-trolled our way towards Punta Mita.  Bait would have been the way to go but I forgot my sabiki...doh!  We went through numerous exploding bait balls for nada.   

After a few miles I finally felt a rod get slammed.  The little sardine x-rap had been slammed by a tiny sierra.  Cool!  Unfortunately the Rapala wrapped around its jaw and gill hooked this little guy and he was DOA.  So we kept him and made some delicious cerviche...




We kept paddling and got near some great looking rocks.  Both my rods went off..then one got off...so I started on the other...then it came it off.  As I reeled in, I got whacked again!!! Woohoo!!!!  Once it got to the boat I was delighted to see a nice huachinago (red snapper) at the rail.  The fish was the perfect size for whole roasting. One small swing of the Kunz gaff and dinner was served!




Just as I boated my fish, Jelly got whacked...



Another nice huachinago...




One day of full-contact fish handling and tropical sweat had turned Jelly's ill-timed cast into a bio-hazard.  So in true Mexico style Leah cut it off with my rusty bait knife!


 

I cleaned the fish on the beach and followed sailmale's recommendation of having them cooked at the restaurant right next door. We made arrangements and that evening we walked to Adouto's to have them whole-roasted.




Giant cocktails on the beach and a beautiful wife...life is good!




The meal was UNBELIEVABLE!!  Easily the best snapper of my life.  Sailmales buddy Adauto went nuts on these fish.  Beautiful and delicious...  








We made some day trips as well.  We went surfing in the cute little town of Sayulita for a day.  Jelly did incredible...surfing in 10 minutes.  Me and Leah had fun crashing!




After 5 days of bliss in Bucerias we headed out for Phase II.  Phase II was a family reuniun at my sisters timeshare.  The exact opposite of Bucerias, but fun none the less.  The kids love the pair of giant croc water slides...




Me and Jelly fished off of the rocks at dawn for a fun mix of jacks and pargo.  I saw a local bag a nice snook.  That kept me casting for the next 7 days, but no snook love for me.




Leah found ways to keep the whole family entertained...



We also charted a trimaran to Yelapa to see the sights.  We trolled Rapalas and swimbaits on the way over.  The CD-14 slammed LOTS of 6-12 pound skippys.  I past the rods to the kids and Paige got her first taste of fun with tuna.  This little one likes to fish!!




The swim baits produce nothing but frustration and sort-bites for Jelly...




The village of Yelapa was muy bonita!




The rental reptiles were BIG!



The obligatory hike to the falls was cool...but HOT!!!



A few days later, the big day arrived.  A day of tuna fishing with Danny Osuna...



Danny and his brother run a first class operation.  TONS of experience, nice boats, and enough man-bling to overwhelm the senses...



We loaded up on bait.  Danny cast a net off of the peir for a zillion mullet in one throw...skill.  Then we hooked up with another boat for some caballito.  The tank was plugged...






Once out to El Banco (about 35 miles out) we drifted bait off of one side and flew bait under giant balloons off of the other side...COOL!




There were a few boats around, but they left within minutes of us getting there.  Bad call.  Right after they left, tunas boils started going off!!  I can't explain how exciting it was to see all sizes of tuna EXPLODING out of the water chasing skipjack and flyingfish.

Withing minutes we got to watch and air-borne tuna snatch a mullet under the balloon...HOLY @#$%^& ...COOOOOooool!!!  Since we were hunting for cows this little guy had no chance against the tackle we were using...but still FUN!!



Then Leah hooked up on a drifter.  Her fish ran under the boat so she ran the rail like a pro to the bow...






Leah was STOKED to get her first tuna...




Jelly was up next and got railed by the best tuna of the day, a 35#r...not the cow we were hoping for but everybody had a tuna in the first 2 hours...


 

All of the tuna was immediately bled, gutted and packed in crushed ice...awesome!




Then Jelly caught on fire.  While we continued drifting for tuna, we jigged the banks for snapper.  Jelly slayed some INCREDIBLE snapper that put it to him.  Even the crew was impressed with these fish...





Jigging also produced a number of nice inshore fish.  We all caught decent toro on the iron...






Tuna continued to bust all day, but we couldn't get any more takers.  Midway through the day we got a nice little bonus.  A sailfish began cruising the balloon baits, and after a little slashing and hesitation it eventually eventually slammed a flying mullet...SWEET!  Once at the rail the fish was released so quickly we didn't even get a pic...bad for me but good for the fish.  What a day!

On the ride back gorged on ice cold sashimi and beer...




A tired, bloody, and very happy family!!!




We ate ahi well into the night...




All in all an absolutely GREAT trip.  We will definitely be heading back, and want to thank sailmale...aka Dennis...for hooking us up with his great condo.  It is availble for rent, and we highly recommend it!! 

Welcome Home ! Amigos. Looks like you guy's had a blast.
As Mooch will say , I hate you!     Just kidding! 

Wow what a report! pics, commentary, and video. Looks like a great time. Leah cutting off Jellys cast with that bait knife is classic!! And those snapper look way too good.. fiending for fried fish in the morning! Hey Mooch, does that make me team asian nation? Any surfing pics SCWA?

Z

Obviously you all had a blast!!
Thanks so much for sharing. Great report.
I can only imagine the $$$ of all the sunscreen you must have used.

Looks like a great time!  Those skippys fight hard, Paige must of had a blast
and been pretty tired after that fight!

John

The daily sunscreen ritual was LONG!

Zee-no surf pics.  I tried, but my Optio was on the fritz...its about had it.

I'm really starting to hate reading "Scwafish" fishing reports  I tried so hard not to "click" on the subject but I failed - doh 

Hey Sean, the first photo of the fence with the "barbed wire" totally brought me back to my home land........come to think of it, it is "home land security" 

ooh, how far is the condo from Punta Mita?  How much was the condo a night? 

WOW! 

Rates vary depending on the season, but its around a 1000 a week.  It is PIMP.  Marble, granite, stainless...super nice.  Its about a 20 minute drive to the end of Pta. Mita.  Good diving is as close as 10 minutes.

That was an awesome report!! Glad you had a blast with the family. The perfect vacation..

TL

Wow! What a vacation, glad you had such a great time down there.

You aren't lying.... Adauto sure went all out on that meal! 

What an epic adventure!  Way to go, Superman!   

Awesome report and  pics.

wow wow wow wow wow

like i always say, i'll be there one day... hmmm one day... 

thanks for the great report

james