Puerto Vallarta Fishing Report: Roosters, Tuna, and Prime Tidal Windows

This is Artificial Lure with your Puerto Vallarta fishing report. We woke up to classic early wet-season conditions on the bay: light morning breeze, building humidity, and a mix of sun and cloud. Air temps are running mid‑70s at first light and pushing into the mid‑80s by midday, with a chance of a passing shower later on. Sunrise is right around 6:20 in the morning, sunset near 8:30 in the evening, giving us long light and plenty of time to work the water. Tides today are on a moderate swing. Expect a rising tide through the early morning, topping out late morning, then a decent outgoing in the afternoon. That incoming tide at dawn and the first part of the outgoing in late afternoon are lining up as the prime bite windows. On the beaches, that push of water is stacking bait tight to shore; offshore, it’s helping form some nice current lines and color breaks. Inshore, the story has been roosterfish and jacks. Along Playa Destiladeras and down toward La Cruz, boats and surf casters have been seeing good numbers of **roosterfish** in the 10–25 pound class with a few bigger models mixed in. Jacks are cruising the same lanes, especially around the river mouths where the water muddies up a bit. A handful of **snook** have been taken at first light near the Ameca River mouth and some rocky points south. Best inshore offerings right now: - For roosters: medium to large surface poppers in white, blue/white, or mullet patterns, plus big stickbaits and live bait like mullet or small skipjack slow‑trolled tight to the beach. - For jacks and snook: swimbaits in natural baitfish colors, 1–2 oz bucktail jigs, and live sardinas or mullet drifted along the edges of the foam. Offshore, things are waking up nicely. Out by El Banco and Corbeteña, boats working the high spots and nearby temperature breaks have been reporting **yellowfin tuna** in the 30–80 pound range, plus scattered **sailfish** and **striped marlin**, with the occasional early **blue marlin** showing. Dorado are just starting to make a better appearance, especially around any floating debris or current rips. For offshore lures and bait: - Tuna: small to medium cedar plugs, feather chains in purple/black or blue/white, and live skipjack or chihuil slow‑trolled or fly‑lined when you find birds and breaking fish. - Billfish: medium trolling lures in purple/black, petrolero, or pink/white, and rigged ballyhoo. - Dorado: bright plastics in green/yellow or orange, and live sardinas around any trash lines. Two hot spots to circle on your chart: - **Corbeteña**: Work the rock itself and the surrounding ledges for tuna, sails, and marlin. Focus on the early morning high‑tide period and keep an eye out for birds and flying fish. - **The inshore stretch from Punta Mita to La Cruz**: Ideal for roosters and jacks. Get there at grey light, fish that rising tide, and keep your casts tight to the beach. If there’s light chop and some bait flipping, you’re in the right place. Overall fish activity is solid whenever the current is moving. When it goes slack, the bite has been dropping off sharply, so plan your prime efforts around that dawn high and the late‑day tidal switch. Lighter leaders inshore are getting more strikes in the clear water, but don’t go too light with those roosters around structure. Offshore, step up your leaders for billfish and bigger tuna; they’re not leader‑shy when they’re fired up on bait. That’s your Puerto Vallarta fishing rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn