Diving/Fishing

[mroyer]

Hi, my wife and I will be on the Nov 3 Mercury cruise from SF. We are looking for suggestions for scuba in cabo and manzanillo and fishing in mazatlan.

[fish4ever]

Hello MROYER,

 

You have chosen a great place to fish (Mazatlan).. As you may have heard we are "One of the World's best fishing grounds for Big Game and Small Game Fishing"...

 

As for Scuba Diving in Cabo or Manzanillo, I can't help you much on that, but there are many on these boards who will probably have the best answers and recommendations on companies to use in the above mentioned areas.

 

As for fishing here in Mazatlan. Please be carefull on what you choose.. There are many fleets to choose from. You have the "Older" fleets at the "Old Harbor" where the cruise ships tie up at. These boats where the cruise ships tie up at will run you ($200 U.S. to $240) for a full day 8 hr fishing trip, but in this case no more than 7 hrs as you will be on the cruise ship. You can expect to pay $12 U.S. per person for a 1 day Mexican Fishing License, and around $7 U.S. per person for a lunch if you want, and around $1 U.S. per beer, soda or water. These boats are the older boats in Mazatlan and will take plenty of time to get offshore where you will need to go to find the Marlin. The Sailfish you can normally find closer to shore and will not take as long to get to. If you pay any more than the above mentioned for a full day 7 or 8 hrs fishing trip at the "old harbor" you have paid too much.. There are only 4 newer boats at the old harbor which will run $380 to $450 U.S. for a full day 7 or 8 hr fishing trip. Three of the four boats are called "Luhrs"..

 

Please note that there are many people who will say they are a fishing fleet but are really just a person making a comission renting the boats and really have nothing else to do with the fleet.

 

You can do a search online and find anything that says "nameofcompany fleet", and they are most likely a legit fishing fleet in Mazatlan.

 

I am unable to say much about me as I have been managing Vikings Fleet Sportfishing in Mazatlan for about 6 years.

 

If you prefer a fast, twin diesel crusier that can make it out as far as you need to go to get the Marlin, there are a few fleets at the newest marinas here which are about 18 minutes away from the cruise ship terminal via taxi. The boats which will range from 26 to 36 ft will cost approx. $350 to $650 U.S. for a full day 7 or 8 hr trip. These boats are the newest and finest boats you will find in Mazatlan. If you prefer a Super Panga, a 26 ft Super Panga will cost approx $200 to $240 U.S. from either 6 or 8 hrs. Again expect to pay $12 U.S. per person for their 1 day Mexican fishing license, $7 U.S. per person for a lunch and $1 U.S. per beer, soda, or water. If you pay more than the above prices at the newest marinas here, than you paid too much.

 

Please feel free to ask me anything about the fishing here in Mazatlan via this board.

 

You may find other topics about me on these boards by searching for topics pertaining to "fishing mazatlan"...

 

For some good advise, to make sure you pay the real price of the fishing trip, it is important to go through the fishing fleet and not just a sales person as most of the time they will charge you more money and they will pocket more money that you could have saved.

 

One thing you can do, is when you rent a boat online other than from the fishing fleet, you can always at the fleet where you are taken to, ask for a brochure from that fleet (the brochure from the fleets here will have their name plus the word fleet on it), this way you can see what you are supposed to pay. If the brochure has some other kind of name on it, it is not the real prices from the fleet. The prices may have been changed to charge you more than you should have to pay.

 

I hope this info helps.. I try to watch these boards to help answer questions, but I have been really busy lately.

 

Have a really great cruise..

 

Gray (fish4ever)

[mroyer]

Are there rules prohibiting you from talking about Vikings on this board or are you just being modest? I do not mind a biased opinion at all. I have looked over your website and have sent email requesting information. With regards to boats you mention newer versus older and these pangas (can these really hold their own with the marlins - they look so small). Can you provide further information on these. Given the time limitations I have I would be most interested in a boat that can get to the marlin quickly and fish them effectively. Some degree of comfort for my wife would also be nice to have.

[fish4ever]

Of course I always would like everyone to fish with us, but I first look out for what everyone wants and that they get a fair deal and do not get ripped off.

 

The Super Panga's 26 ft are one of the best ways to go fishing here for many reasons:

1. Speed

2. Maneuvering and Fish Handling

3. Smooth ride without all the rocking and rolling

 

Our Super Panga's and other Super Panga's here will get you out to the fishing grounds where the Marlin are in approx. 45 minutes to 1 hr. They are great for up to 4 people comfortably. There are 2 lines off the back and 2 lines off the outriggers.

 

If anyone tries to e-mail me for questions the last few days, my computer is down as I deleted a file from my computer with ad-aware by accident, and now I am working to get my computer back online without deleting everything on it.. I should be online by tomorrow night, and will update our weekly fish count on our web site.

 

As for your time, most of the crusie ships dock here and start letting passengers off by 8:00 (except Carnival which is 9:00 am).. We have a taxi that can pick you up outside the terminal and can bring you to our dock, on our boats and leaving for fishing by approx. 8:30 am (9:30 am Carnival).. Our boats will return to our dock by approx. 3:30 pm which gives everyone plenty of time to get back to the cruise ship.. This time frame gives you the most fishing time to enjoy while here in Mazatlan.. (approx. 6 to 7 hrs from the time you leave our dock to the time you return to our dock)..

 

We have won a couple tournaments here and have come close in a couple others. We caught a 600 lb Marlin in a tournament here back in Sep 1999 which you will see on our brochures.. The Super Panga's really can handle the Marlin great...

 

Hope this info helps you.. If you have nay questions about any of the boats or fleets here, please feel free to ask here on the boards so people can see what they can choose from and get the real information on what costs are here from all boats so they know what they will be paying and not paying more than what they should.

 

Gray (fish4ever)

[mroyer]

Gray,

Can you provide pricing on both your cruisers and super pangas and let me know what is available for Nov 8th? Also is there a fighting chair on the pangas? Hard to tell from the photo but there doesn't appear to be one - and if not how do you haul in the big boys?

[fish4ever]

Our Super Pangas, as well as most all Super Pangas here do not have a fighting chair, but we do have fighting belts. Our captains will maneuver the boats while you are handling the Marlin.

 

The cost to rent one of the Super Pangas is $240 for Deep Sea or $200 for Light Tackle Fishing. Our Bertram´s 28 ft are $375 and our new addition to our fleet Uniflite 36 ft is $650. The prices are for 6 or 7 hr trips depending on the cruise ship. If it is Carnival Cruise, the trip time is 6 hrs, and 7 hrs for people on most all other cruise ships. This is because Carnival always arrives late, and lets people off at around 9:00 am.

 

Hope this info help.

 

Our fish report online will be updated shortly. My computer is still down being repaired and upgraded.. I should be back online by tomorrow.

 

Thanks

 

Gray (fish4ever)