Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay fishing forecast
Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay is a saltwater fishing spot in Jalisco Mexico, Mexico. Anglers here target Indo-Pacific Sailfish, Atlantic Blue Marlin, Wahoo, Mahi-Mahi. The most productive months are typically November, December, January, February, March, April, May.
Today’s verdict
Ranks #116 of 437 spots FishRadar scored worldwide today
Trending up — 11 points above this spot’s 7-day average
Score confidence ±4 points, from 8 live signals
The statistical model disagrees with the physics model here today — treat this score with extra caution.
Current conditions
| Sea surface temp | 31.7 °C |
|---|---|
| Wind | 5 km/h from E, gusting 8 km/h |
| Wave height | 0.8 m at 8 s |
| Current | 0.03 m/s toward SSW |
| Pressure | 1012 hPa |
| Depth | 55 m |
| Cloud cover | 100% |
| Chlorophyll | 1.89 mg/m³ |
| Salinity | 32.9 PSU |
| Mixed-layer depth | 10 m |
| UV index | 0 |
| Precipitation (24h) | 0.1 mm |
| Wind sea | 0.0 m at 0 s |
| Ground swell | 0.8 m at 8 s from W |
| Current shear (surface vs 50 m) | 0.03 → 0.00 m/s |
The water here is 5.0 °C warmer than the September average of 26.6 °C. Warmer-than-normal water pushes cool-water species deeper and brings warm-water species in earlier than the calendar suggests. The water is mixed to about 67.3 m, so surface temperature carries well down the water column.
Updated 1 h ago.
What the score means at Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay
Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay currently scores 81 out of 100 (Good). Water temperature is 31.7 °C. 8 forecast signals are active in this score.
- Water temperature +24.3
- how close the water is to this species mix’s comfort band
- Chlorophyll +18.0
- plankton density — the base of the food chain
- Waves +9.0
- swell energy stirring the water column
- Wind +8.0
- surface chop, oxygen and bait drift
- Pre-storm bite +5.0
- the classic feed before heavy weather
- Current +3.4
- moving water concentrates bait
What’s biting now
The model expects today: mahi-mahi, wahoo, spotted-bay-bass, pacific-bluefin-tuna, white-seabass, roosterfish, king-mackerel, albacore
Bite windows
Best months for Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay:
Score history at this spot
30 days tracked at this exact location
Best recent day: 2026-08-12, 83/100
18 day(s) at 70+ in the tracked period
About this spot
Open coastal saltwater — conditions and safety depend heavily on the live wind, wave, and tide forecast, so check them before you head out.
Approximate bottom depth: 55 m
Access & shore
Fishable from shore · offshore-only
What you can catch
-
Istiophorus platypterus
-
Makaira nigricans
-
Acanthocybium solandri
-
Coryphaena hippurus
Best months by species at Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay
| Indo-Pacific SailfishIstiophorus platypterus | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Blue MarlinMakaira nigricans | ||||||||||||
| WahooAcanthocybium solandri | ||||||||||||
| Mahi-MahiCoryphaena hippurus |
Typical months; local seasons and closures apply.
Local regulations
| Species | Bag limit | Min size | Open season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indo-Pacific SailfishOfficial source | 1/day | — | — |
| Sailfish is a "picudo": 1 per angler per day, counts as 5 organisms against the 10/day limit, reserved for sport fishing within 50 nm of shore, sale prohibited. Tag-and-release is the recreational norm. | |||
| Mahi-MahiOfficial source | 2/day | — | — |
| Dorado is limited to 2 per angler per day and counts toward the 10/day total. It is one of the nine species reserved exclusively for sport fishing within 50 nautical miles of shore — commercial sale is prohibited. | |||
Licensing:
- saltwater-recreational — residents Federal sport-fishing permit (permiso de pesca deportivo-recreativa) required for everyone aboard a vessel fishing in Mexican waters, regardless of age or whether they personally fish. Fishing from shore or a pier does NOT require a permit. Permit terms: daily ~$127 MXN, weekly ~$318 MXN, monthly ~$476 MXN, annual ~$635 MXN. Buy from CONAPESCA online or authorised vendors., non-residents Same federal permit applies to visiting anglers and is sold online by CONAPESCA and by state tourism portals (e.g. Baja California). Charter/panga operators usually arrange permits for clients — confirm before departure. Underwater (spearfishing) requires an individual permit.
FishRadar regulations are summaries for informational purposes only and are not a legal source. Mexican sport-fishing rules are set federally by CONAPESCA (NOM-017-PESC) but daily limits, reserved species and protected natural areas (ANPs, e.g. Cabo Pulmo, Revillagigedo, Banco Chinchorro) carry extra restrictions, and rules change. The overall limit is 10 organisms per angler per day, maximum 5 of one species. Always carry a valid permit when fishing from a vessel and verify current rules with CONAPESCA before fishing.
Check Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay before you go
Live scores update through the day. Get the full forecast, bite windows, and your own saved spots in the FishRadar app.
Download on the App Store Google Play
Scan to install on your phone
Nearby spots
Explore 10 more fishing spots within 782 km of Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay.
-
Manzanillo Pacific
Lake Chapala Mexico
Mazatlan Pacific Mexico
Ixtapa Zihuatanejo Pacific
Cabo San Lucas
La Paz MX
La Paz Sea of Cortez
Topolobampo Sea of Cortez
Acapulco Pacific Mexico
Tampico Gulf Mexico
Frequently asked questions
What fish can you catch at Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay?
Anglers at Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay target Indo-Pacific Sailfish, Atlantic Blue Marlin, Wahoo and Mahi-Mahi.
When is the best time to fish Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay?
The most productive months at Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay are typically November, December, January, February, March, April, May.
What is the fishing forecast for Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay right now?
Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay currently scores 81 out of 100, based on live ocean and weather conditions — see the full breakdown on this page.
Can you fish Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay from shore?
Yes — Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay is fishable from shore (offshore-only).
Is the thermocline set up at Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay right now?
Not strongly right now — the water column is fairly mixed, so fish are less depth-locked.
How deep is the water at Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay?
The scored point sits over roughly 55 m of water. Depth shapes which species hold here and how the thermocline forms.
Fishing guides for this spot
- How to Catch Wahoo: Chasing the Ocean's Fastest SprinterHow to Catch Mahi-Mahi / Dorado: Chasing the Electric-Green Ghosts of the BluewaterHow to Read Tides for Fishing
Forecasts, not guarantees — check local rules before you fish.