Fishing in Puerto Vallarta: Which Boat, How Many Hours, What It Costs

The question we get about fishing in Puerto Vallarta is almost never "is it good" — Banderas Bay settled that argument decades ago. It is "which boat, for how long, and what will it cost us." This guide answers exactly that, using the three boats at Ol' Salty's Ranch, the charter operation working out of Marina Nuevo Vallarta that we point readers to.

First, Understand How the Pricing Works

Almost every fishing charter you will be quoted in Puerto Vallarta is sold as a package: four hours to here, eight hours to there, a fixed price attached to a destination somebody else chose. Ol' Salty's does not work that way. You rent a boat and a block of hours. What your captain does with those hours — and how far offshore they take you — is up to your group.

The rate is per boat, per hour, with a four-hour minimum and one-hour extensions after that. Nothing is charged per angler. That single detail changes the maths completely: a couple pays the same as ten friends, so the more of you there are, the cheaper the day gets each.

• Guanatuna — $3,200 MXN per hour, up to 15 guests
• Peaceful Easy Feeling — $4,000 MXN per hour, up to 8 guests
• Steel n Time — $7,000 MXN per hour, up to 22 guests

Four hours on Guanatuna is 12,800 MXN for the whole boat. Split among ten people that is roughly 1,280 MXN each — for a private boat, a private route and a crew working only for your group.

The Three Boats, Honestly Compared

Guanatuna — 34' Gulfstream, the sensible default

Twin turbocharged 250 HP Cummins diesels, which is why she rides steadily in a chop and stays comfortable over a long day. Raymarine GPS, radar and fish finder at the helm. Her whole main deck sits under a full shade canopy with cushioned lounge seating, and the bow is left open for anyone who wants sun.

Book her if: you have a mixed group where not everyone is fishing. She is the cheapest per hour, carries fifteen, and the shaded lounge means the non-anglers are not suffering while the anglers work. She is open-air rather than air-conditioned — the breeze does the cooling. See her full spec on the Guanatuna page.

Peaceful Easy Feeling — 32' super panga, the fast one

Twin Mercury 300 HP outboards, Furuno GPS and fish finder, full canopy over the console and seating, open bow, bathroom aboard, up to eight guests.

Book her if: you are a small group that came here to fish, not to sunbathe. Speed is not a vanity feature on a long-range day — every minute you are not running is a minute with lines in the water. For four anglers heading for the offshore marks she is the efficient choice. Details on the Peaceful Easy Feeling page.

Steel n Time — 53' Hatteras, the serious one

Twin Detroit diesels at 900 HP, Furuno GPS, sonar, radar and fish finder, three air conditioners, a salon, two bathrooms, and berths for eight. Up to 22 guests.

Book her if: your group is large, your day is long, or you want more than one day at sea. She is the only boat in the fleet that sleeps guests, which makes her the only multi-day option — one to three days out, which is how you fish the distant grounds at first light instead of burning the morning on the run. On a hot August charter with a wide age range aboard, the air-conditioned salon is what people remember. See the Steel n Time page.

How Many Hours Do You Actually Need?

Because the boats are booked by time rather than destination, the hours you choose decide the fishery you reach:

• 4–6 hours — inside Banderas Bay. Calmer water, short runs, and genuinely productive. The right answer for a first trip, for children, and for anyone unsure about seasickness.
• 6–8 hours — just outside the bay. Roughly five to eight miles beyond the mouth. Bigger average fish and a realistic shot at dorado and tuna. The sweet spot for most visiting anglers.
• 8–10 hours — Corbeteña. A rock pinnacle rising out of deep water northwest of the bay. Structure that abrupt gathers bait, and bait gathers everything else.
• 10+ hours — El Banco. The furthest the fleet runs in a day: an offshore seamount known for big tuna and billfish.
• Multi-day — 1 to 3 days. Steel n Time only.

Note that trips well beyond the bay carry a fuel surcharge. Ask for the all-in figure when you book a Corbeteña or El Banco day so there are no surprises at the dock.

What Swims Out There

Banderas Bay is a deep submarine canyon — over 3,000 feet at its mouth — which is why serious water starts unusually close to shore. The catch list reflects that layering: sailfish, blue and black marlin, dorado (mahi-mahi) and yellowfin tuna from the offshore marks; bonito, jack crevalle, roosterfish, snapper and sierra closer in.

That inshore list matters more than people expect. Bonito in particular bite steadily and fight hard, which makes them the perfect first fish for a child. A four-hour trip inside the bay is not a consolation prize — it is the trip most families should book.

What Is Included, and What Is Not

Included on every charter: captain and crew, rods, tackle and bait, life jackets, bottled water and ice, and a bathroom aboard all three boats. On a fishing day the captain works from the tuna tower — spotting fish, birds and whales long before anything is visible from deck level — while the mate rigs lines and puts the rod in your hands.

Not included: a fishing licence if one is required for your catch, food and alcohol, and the fuel surcharge on extended-range trips. Bring what you want to eat and drink; there is ice aboard.

Fishing Is Rarely the Whole Day

Because you are renting the boat rather than buying a tour seat, most charters here mix things. The most common day the operator runs folds three activities together: troll while watching for whales, stop everything when whales appear, then fish again on the way to a beach for the last stretch of the afternoon.

Humpbacks are in the bay roughly from mid-December to the end of March, which is why whale watching is offered as a pairing rather than a separate product. The usual beach stops are Los Arcos for snorkelling and Las Ánimas for lunch on the sand; the operator keeps a page for each beach destination the boats reach. Just book enough hours to cover both halves of the plan.

Where You Leave From

All three boats depart from Marina Nuevo Vallarta, on the Nayarit side at the north end of the bay — about fifteen minutes by car from Puerto Vallarta international airport, ten from Bucerías and thirty to forty from the Zona Romántica depending on traffic. Departures run between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., bookings are held with a 30% deposit, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours ahead.

What a Fishing Day Actually Looks Like

Pictures of billfish give a misleading impression of the rhythm. Here is the real shape of a six-hour charter out of Marina Nuevo Vallarta.

The first half hour is the dock: paperwork, a safety briefing, cooler aboard, lines off. Departures start at 7:00 a.m. and the early ones are worth taking — the water is flattest at dawn and the light is kinder.

The run out takes anywhere from twenty minutes to well over an hour depending on how far you bought. This is when a fast boat earns its higher hourly rate: on Peaceful Easy Feeling the same distance costs you less of your paid day than it does on a heavier hull.

Then the mate sets the spread — a fan of trolled lines behind the boat, tuned to whatever you said you were after. The captain climbs the tower and starts reading the water: birds working, a colour change, a weed line, a fin. This is the part nobody photographs and the part that decides the day.

When something hits, it happens fast. The mate clears the other lines, hands you the rod, and coaches you through it. You do not need to know anything in advance; that is the crew's job.

The last stretch is usually not fishing at all. Most groups spend it anchored somewhere — a swim, a snorkel, lunch on the sand — before the run home. Which is only possible because you rented the boat rather than bought a seat on a schedule.

What to Bring, and What Happens to Your Catch

Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and polarised sunglasses. The polarised lenses are not a style note — they cut the glare and genuinely let you see into the water. A light long-sleeve layer for the early run, cash if you plan to tip the crew, and a cooler bag if you want to take fish home. If anyone is prone to seasickness, take something before leaving the dock; afterwards it is largely decorative.

Billfish — sailfish and marlin — are released as a matter of course, photographed boatside and put back in the water. The edible species are yours: dorado, tuna and bonito get cleaned by the crew at the dock. Plenty of restaurants around the marina and in town will cook your fish for you if you walk in with it, which is the best meal of most people's trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which boat is best for fishing in Puerto Vallarta?

All three fish well; pick by group size and range. Guanatuna for mixed groups up to fifteen and the lowest hourly rate, Peaceful Easy Feeling for a small group that wants speed on a long-range day, Steel n Time for large groups, full offshore days and the only multi-day option.

How much does a fishing charter in Puerto Vallarta cost?

Per boat per hour: 3,200 MXN for Guanatuna, 4,000 for Peaceful Easy Feeling, 7,000 for Steel n Time, with a four-hour minimum. There is no per-person charge.

Do I need experience or my own gear?

No. Rods, tackle and bait are aboard and the crew does the rigging. Bring your own only if you have tackle you prefer.

What is the best month to fish here?

The bay fishes year round. Roughly May to November is the classic offshore window for billfish, dorado and tuna; December to March is quieter offshore but brings humpback whales into the bay, so most groups combine the two.

Can we fish and visit a beach on the same trip?

Yes, and most groups do. Say so when you book so the hours cover both.

Do I need a fishing licence?

Mexico requires a sport fishing licence for anglers aboard a sport fishing vessel, and it is listed as not included in the hourly rate. Confirm with the operator at booking whether they arrange it for your group.

Is four hours long enough?

Inside the bay, yes — and it is the right length for families and first-timers. Corbeteña needs eight to ten; El Banco needs ten or more.

Ready to pick a boat? Compare the fleet and the current rates on the Ol' Salty's Ranch boats page, or go straight to the fishing charters in Puerto Vallarta. For the rest of your week, see our tours, beaches and food guides.