A few days ago we covered our neighbours at the marina in a single guide to private boat charters in Nuevo Vallarta, with fishing, snorkeling, beaches and the surf-and-boat day all together. This guide is for anglers only. If fishing is your main goal, here is how to plan a fishing charter in Nuevo Vallarta properly. Our separate guide to snorkeling and beach charters from Nuevo Vallarta covers the beach side.
The operator we recommend is Ol' Salty's Ranch, which runs private boat charters in Nuevo Vallarta with three boats out of the marina. We have watched their crews come back with dorado on the deck for years, and they are the people we send our own students to.
Why Nuevo Vallarta is the right side of the bay to fish from
Banderas Bay is one of the largest bays in Mexico, and the marina at Nuevo Vallarta sits on its northern, Nayarit side. That helps anglers in two ways. The run to the open water past Punta Mita, where the bay meets the Pacific, is shorter than from downtown Puerto Vallarta. You also avoid the traffic and the cruise-ship crowds of the Malecón. You park, walk down the dock and the boat is ready.
For surfers it is convenient too. Our Nuevo Vallarta surf lessons run on the beach a few minutes away. You can surf one day and fish the next without changing hotels.
Fishing Charter in Nuevo Vallarta: range is decided by hours
This is the key thing to understand before you book. Ol' Salty's has no separate "fishing package". You rent the boat by the hour, and the number of hours decides how far you can fish. The operator explains this in detail in its guide to fishing in Puerto Vallarta by the hour. Here is the short version:
Surfers already know this trade-off. The best waves are rarely at the closest break, and the time you are willing to spend travelling decides where you can surf. Fishing works the same way.
What you catch on a fishing charter in Banderas Bay
The photos from the operator's own trips show the range. It includes dorado on the deck, yellowfin tuna and bonito after a morning offshore, jack crevalle inside the bay, sailfish brought to the boat and released, and on a full-day offshore trip a blue marlin. The captain knows what is biting this week rather than last season, so ask when you book and plan the hours around it.
Sailfish and marlin
These are the headline catches of Banderas Bay and the fish that justify the longer runs outside the bay and out to Corbeteña. Ol' Salty's photographs its sailfish at the boat and releases them. Plan for a long day, an early start and a group that is happy to wait for the bite.
Dorado
Dorado are fast, bright green and gold, and very good to eat. They are the fish most likely to put a smile on everyone's face and something on the dinner table.
Tuna and bonito
Tuna and bonito give steady action once you find a school. Bonito especially keep the rods bending, which makes them great for beginners and for children who need regular excitement.
Jack crevalle and inshore fish
Jack crevalle are strong fish that live inside the bay. They are ideal for a four-hour trip and they pull harder than most people expect.
The three boats: choosing your private fishing boat in Nuevo Vallarta
All three boats are set up for a fishing charter in Nuevo Vallarta. The differences are comfort, range and how many people are coming. These are the published rates per hour for the whole boat:
Peaceful Easy Feeling — the fast one
Peaceful Easy Feeling is a 32' center-console super panga with twin 300 HP Mercury outboards and a Furuno GPS and fish finder. It takes up to 8 anglers and costs $4,000 MXN per hour. It is fast and handles well, which suits a small group that wants to reach the fish quickly.
Guanatuna — the all-rounder
Guanatuna is a 34' Gulfstream with twin turbo 250 HP Cummins diesels and Raymarine GPS, radar and fish finder. It has full shade over the deck and a bathroom, takes up to 15 guests and costs $3,200 MXN per hour, with a promotion of five hours for the price of four. For families and mixed groups it is the best value.
Steel n Time — the big-game boat
Steel n Time is a 53' Hatteras with twin 900 HP Detroit diesels, Furuno GPS, sonar, radar, a fish finder, three air conditioners and a tuna tower. It takes up to 22 guests and costs $7,000 MXN per hour. It is the one to book for Corbeteña, El Banco, large groups and the only multi-day trips.
- Minimum: 4 hours on every boat, hourly after that.
- Departures: between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm from Marina Nuevo Vallarta.
- Deposit: 30% to secure the date.
- Included: captain and crew, life jackets, bottled water and ice, rods and tackle.
- Not included: a fishing licence if one is required for your catch, food and alcohol, and a fuel surcharge on trips well beyond the bay (Corbeteña, El Banco, multi-day).
Rates are as published on the operator's site. Confirm them when you compare the fleet.
The captain is the difference
Anyone can rent you a boat, but the captain decides whether you catch fish. On an Ol' Salty's fishing day the captain works from the tuna tower, spotting birds, fish and whales long before anyone on deck. The mate rigs the lines and gets the rod into your hands the moment something hits. It is the same as surfing with a local who knows the reef: you catch more because someone is reading the water for you.
Morning or afternoon departure?
For long trips, leave early. The water is calmer, the air is cooler on the run out, and you have more daylight to reach Corbeteña and come back. Shorter trips of 4–6 hours inside the bay can also leave in the afternoon, because you are not racing to a distant mark. That creates a plan that suits surfers well: surf in the morning at Nuevo Vallarta, then take an afternoon fishing trip in the bay.
Whales, beaches and the mixed fishing day
Most fishing charters here include more than fishing. From roughly December to March, humpbacks pass through Banderas Bay. When the crew spots one, the lines come in, the engines slow and everyone watches for as long as they like. Then fishing resumes. See whale watching with Ol' Salty's and our own guide to whale season 2026–2027 in Puerto Vallarta.
The most popular combination is fishing on the way out, snorkeling at Los Arcos and lunch on the sand at Las Ánimas. The captain can build any custom charter in Banderas Bay around what your group wants.
A fishing charter in Nuevo Vallarta for families and first-timers
Many of our surf students have never held a fishing rod. That is fine, because the crew does the technical work. The mate rigs the lines, watches the rods and hands you the rod once a fish is hooked, and the captain tells you when to reel and when to rest. Your job is to hold on and enjoy it.
For a family day we suggest the following:
- Book 4–6 hours inside the bay. The water is calmer and the runs are shorter, and the day ends before children get tired.
- Choose Guanatuna. It has full shade, a bathroom, room for up to 15 guests and five hours for the price of four.
- Target the fish that bite often. Bonito and jack crevalle keep the rods bending, which matters more to a seven-year-old than one trophy fish.
- Add a swim stop. An hour at Los Arcos or a quiet cove turns a fishing trip into a full family day.
- Mention it when you book. Tell the crew if someone is a nervous swimmer, gets seasick or is celebrating a birthday. It changes the route but not the price.
The operator's gallery includes a father and daughter with their first catch of the day and a young angler working a rod on a family charter. On these boats that is a normal day.
Booking your fishing charter in Nuevo Vallarta, step by step
- Choose what you want to catch. This decides your range and therefore your hours.
- Choose the boat by group size. Up to 8 guests fit on Peaceful Easy Feeling, up to 15 on Guanatuna and up to 22 on Steel n Time.
- Choose the hours and departure time. Leave early for long trips. Afternoons are possible for 4–6 hours inside the bay.
- Pay the 30% deposit to hold the date.
- Tell the captain your priorities. Say whether you want to fish hard, mix in a beach stop or stop for whales in season.
- Arrive at Marina Nuevo Vallarta with sunscreen, food, drinks and a cooler bag for the fillets.
From the dock to the table
When you get back to the marina, the catch is laid out on the dock for photos and then cleaned. The operator's gallery even shows fresh catch cooked and plated after a trip. Bring a cooler bag if you want to take fillets back to your kitchen.
What to bring on a Nuevo Vallarta fishing charter
- Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and polarised sunglasses. Sun on open water is stronger than people expect.
- A light long-sleeve layer for the early run out.
- Food and drinks for the day. Coolers are fine, and water and ice are included.
- Cash to tip the crew, and a cooler bag for your fillets.
- A seasickness tablet before you leave the dock if you are prone to it, especially for trips outside the bay.
Fishing Nuevo Vallarta vs. fishing Loreto
Some of our students fish both coasts, so here is the comparison. Banderas Bay is big-boat, big-range fishing, with offshore marks like Corbeteña and El Banco and a fleet built to reach them. Loreto, on the Sea of Cortez, is panga fishing close to the islands, with yellowtail in winter and dorado and roosterfish in summer, a short run from the dock. We wrote about that side in our guide to a fishing charter in Loreto.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a fishing charter in Nuevo Vallarta?
The whole boat is rented by the hour: $4,000 MXN (Peaceful Easy Feeling, 8 guests), $3,200 MXN (Guanatuna, 15 guests, five hours for the price of four) or $7,000 MXN (Steel n Time, 22 guests). There is a four-hour minimum and a 30% deposit.
How many hours do I need for sailfish or tuna?
Four to six hours stays inside the bay. Six to eight takes you just outside. Eight to ten reaches Corbeteña and ten or more reaches El Banco.
What is included?
Captain and crew, life jackets, water, ice, rods and tackle. A licence if required, food and drinks, and the long-range fuel surcharge are extra.
Which boat is best?
Peaceful Easy Feeling suits small, fast groups. Guanatuna offers the best value for families. Steel n Time is for offshore trips, large groups and multi-day charters.
Will we see whales?
Humpbacks are around from roughly December to March. When one appears, the boat stops for it. Sightings are never guaranteed.
Can kids come fishing?
Yes. A four-to-six-hour trip inside the bay is the easiest option, with calm water, short runs and life jackets in every size.
References: Ol' Salty's Ranch — Private Boat Charters in Nuevo Vallarta · Fishing charters in Nuevo Vallarta & Puerto Vallarta · The fleet · All experiences. All photographs courtesy of Ol' Salty's Ranch.
