Corbeteña

Fishing the Rock

Corbeteña is the nearest deep-water mark to Banderas Bay, and that is most of its appeal. Out past Punta de Mita the sea floor falls away to well over 100 m, and the rock stands alone in that deep water with nothing else around it. Currents run hard and change direction across the day, which pushes bait against the rock and holds the bigger fish near it. The navy's sailing directions warn of the same currents, so a captain who knows the place times the drift with care.

The run out is the cost. From the marina at Nuevo Vallarta it is about 31 nautical miles (58 km) in a straight line, so even a fast boat spends an hour or more each way, and a slower cruiser closer to two. That is why the rock is sold on longer days. A half day rarely leaves enough time to fish it; eight hours does, and a full day lets the boat try the rock and then range farther offshore.

Yellowfin tuna are the main reason boats make the trip. They are caught here in most months, with the best of it from the middle of summer into January. Marlin and sailfish follow the warm water through the second half of the year, and dorado gather under anything that floats.

Expect an early start, open-ocean swell on the way, and little shade or shelter at the rock itself. A boat with live bait tanks is a real help here, because the fishing is often best with bait caught that morning. On this site, Spearo Two sells a day that reaches it from La Cruz and Punta de Mita.

Diving the Rock

Divers go out to Corbeteña too, and dive guides name it among the best-known sites off Banderas Bay. With the depth and the currents around it, it is a dive for people who already have experience.