It seems at times that all I do is rewrite what I said the week before, and I guess that is normal when your primary subjects, fish in this case, don't change habits drastically in the winter.

Normally for February the sailfish are still here and we'll see Dorado in diminishing numbers and smaller as time passes. In March, we see the water temperatures normally warm up a bit. After a La Niña year I have no clue what to expect. But remember this La Niña Year came after an El Niño year, which means hot water temps. Now that we are hopefully moving into a normal current pattern, we are seeing warm water species move back in to the area.

The fish I am talking about here are primarily Needle Fish. Just as we see the Sierra Mackerels and Jack Crevalls indicate that water temperatures have cooled down come the end of winter in to fall. So it looks like we will see an early spring this year is this is any indication.

As we mentioned the last few weeks there are still large Yellowfin Tuna at the Tres Maria Islands. I hate to talk of this location since anyone heading out to this location is at risk of being arrested and held for days on end.

Now those who think they can get around this simple fact may discover that being an idiot does not pay dividends and no matter what is out there, there is no reason to risk your boat! Those who have headed out this is way the last week are still boating Yellowfin Tuna which range between 100 to 200 lbs! But for the most part there are not many heading out this way.

El Banco and Corbeteña are still areas that have been ignored. There are always Cubera Snappers to be had in the structure areas that are only 75 ft. deep. Lots of Jack Crevalls and some Sailfish sightings, but that is about it for now...

Banderas Bay is still working on smaller fish, Sierra Mackerels, Snappers, Jack Crevalls, Bonita are returning, Needle fish and the list goes on. Four to six hours are productive and fun for sure. Perfect for the visiting angler with an itch to catch some tropical fish. Well worth the expense right now. So if you are looking for a short day on the water, you'll catch fish.

Once more, the big story is El Morro and the Marietta Islands. The Snappers have moved in to the El Morro and Marietta Islands in a big way. That's the good news, the bad news is there is plenty of bait in the water so you want to make sure you are there when the bite happens.

Last week it looked like a 2 pm bite. But now we're seeing them go for the bait earlier in the mornings, so it may be worth your while to head out early. Even if you are only heading out for four hours, the bite I a little earlier right now. So keep your ears open and your fuel money handy!

El Morro has some large Rooster Fish now ranging from 30 to 65 lbs, but the same situation with the bait and the bite. Both the Marietta Islands and El Morro have some smaller to very large African Pompano as well.

The last couple of weeks we've seen the Sayulita area strong with Rooster Fish and African Pompano. There are also some nice sized Dorado in the area that nobody for some reason is excited about. But if you are looking for something for the dinner table, then Sayulita has Dorado in the 25 to 40 lb range. So don't forget about this location. Now the long liners out there may not like you being there, but that is their problem!

As I mentioned in the title, the water is warming up where the temps in the bay are in the mid 70's at the moment. This is good news for those looking to see billfish move into the area should not have a long wait. We should see Sailfish in the next few weeks, I predict an early spring!

The Needle fish are an early indicator of seasonal current directions changing and that is good news for the fisherman. But the weather will start warming up also, so keep an eye on the conditions to see if you can get some great Billfish fishing in before it turns into the humid oven all tropical jungle areas become in the summer!

One constant is the fact that every species out there right now is gorging themselves on live bait. But they are also taking lures. So make sure you give your lure bag a workout. There are times when fish will take a lure and ignore live bait, not often, but they are looking at everything being presented to them. So if you can make it fish sexy, then you may look like a stud to your wife - and when was the last time that happened to you?

That's about it for now, until next week, don't forget to kiss your fish!

Remember, if you have any questions or suggestions you can reach me at MasterBaiters.com.mx or CatchFish(at)MasterBaiters.com.mx.

Stan Gabruk is the owner of Master Baiters Sportfishing and Tackle in Marina Vallarta. He came to Puerto Vallarta for a brief, three-week vacation and never left. You can find Stan at his Master Baiters Sportfishing shop in Marina Vallarta, located on the boardwalk down from the lighthouse. For more information about fishing in Puerto Vallarta, visit MasterBaiters.com.mx or email Stan at Catchfish(at)MasterBaiters.com.mx.

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