Frequently Asked Questions
Fishing Trips – You are allowed to cancel your trip up to 7 days in advance of the trip with a 5% (of the deposit) processing fee. Cancellations within 7 days the trip will be a 50% (of the deposit) cancelation fee. Cancellation within 24 hours of your trip will result in full forfeit of your deposit.
Failure to show for your charter or cancellations inside of 24 hours will result in a full charge to the card on file for the total charter cost.
Failure to show for your charter or cancellations inside of 24 hours will result in a full charge to the card on file for the total charter cost.
Our Goal is to make you happy!
Please feel free to contact us with any cancellation concerns, we are a reasonable group.
There is no controlling mother nature. Our goal is always safety first and we may have to cancel scheduled trips due to weather. The Port Captain of Puerto Vallarta is responsible for shutting down Deep Sea fishing or any water activities if the conditions are deemed dangerous. If we are forced to cancel your trip, we will try and reschedule your Puerto Vallarta deep sea fishing trip if possible but if that isn’t possible we will do what is right and refund 100% of any money received. If we feel there may be an issue with weather before your scheduled trip, we will do our best to inform you. A little tropical rain or wind happens in Puerto Vallarta during certain times of year, we will not cancel trips unless it is deemed dangerous by the Port Captain of Puerto Vallarta.
Motion Sickness: We cannot be held responsible for trips cut short due to sea sickness. Some of our guests have a high tolerance for motion and others feel ill even before getting on the boat. There are no refunds due to motion sickness. We recommend you take this into consideration before booking.
No. Each Puerto Vallarta fishing boat has a license and charter permit for a set number of anglers. This permit ensures the boat has the necessary safety equipment on board for each passenger like life jackets, etc. The only exception is children under 3 years of age in some circumstances and on some boats.
Yes. As long as you do not exceed the max number of passengers for that boat. Deep sea fishing in Puerto Vallarta is a great spectator activity, what could be better than experiencing the fabulous ocean air and watching someone reel in a large sailfish.
We do not have any set start time for our Puerto Vallarta Fishing charters since all of our fishing charters are private (we do not add others to any boat unless requested and agreed to in advance). Your time starts when you board. Best times to start are early 6:15 – 7:00 AM. We can start later, but fishing is often best if you start earlier.
We usually do not have a problem with finding a Fishing Charter for solo anglers. Fill out this form and we will do our best to accommodate you.
No. However you will sign a waiver that informs you that this is an “at your own risk” excursion. We also recommend that for very young children (under 5 years old) you bring your own personal life jacket as we cannot always guarantee our smallest life jackets will fit properly. If someone in your group requires any special assistance or has mobility issues, please inform us at booking. At Puerto Vallarta Fishing, we LOVE to get people out fishing who may have a difficult time without a little help. We can accommodate people in wheelchairs or with other special needs, just let us know and we will make sure to make it easy for you.
No, at Puerto Vallarta Fishing, we have a designated check in location at the marina where our staff will greet you and walk you to your boat. They will have your licenses and other information and although our fleet is scattered throughout the marina, your boat will come pick you up near our check in location.
Included with your booking is captain, crew, fishing gear, fishing tackle, fuel, dock fees, live bait (half day – 5 pieces and full day – 10 pieces) and all taxes.
Yes. The crews all speak enough English, the majority of our clients are English speakers and they are able to interact and answer questions. They like to say “we speak fishing”. We have crew that speak excellent English, if this is important to you, please ask when booking.
This will depend mainly on the time of year of your trip, the boat you book, and time on the water. Let us know what you are hoping to catch and we will help guide you in the right direction. Puerto Vallarta is recognized as one of the most productive sport fishing waters in the world, big Tuna, Marlin and other species are reeled in daily. You can view our “What you will catch” page r to get a general idea here.
As of 2018, Lands End Charters is 100% Catch and Release on all Bill Fish (Marlin and Sail fish), you can read more about this here. However you are entitled to keep the eating fish you catch like Tuna, Dorado, Wahoo, Sea Bass and more according to limits and slots established by the Mexican government.
If you catch a nice marlin or bill fish, the crew will bring it on board for a quick picture then let it swim another day. It is always best for the fish to keep it in the water, inform the crew if you prefer to keep it swimming, we would all appreciate that!
Yes….Many people ask about shipping fish home however, due to customs waits for shipping from Mexico, this is not an option. All airlines that fly out of Puerto Vallarta allow passengers to bring properly prepared fish onboard as cargo. You will need your fish to be frozen, stored inside a hard sided cooler and you may need to show your fishing license at customs. Your charter with us includes full fish processing (up to 30 pounds per day of finished weight). This includes, fillet, vacuum sealing, freezing and storing your catch until your depature. Coolers can be purchased from a nearby at the local Walmart, plan on paying between $40 and $80 US Dollars for a standard 40 or 50 quart cooler. We are happy to assist you with the process.
Airlines are used to dealing with fish leaving Puerto Vallarta, but you may want to check with them for any specific restrictions. Most airlines require that you pack your fish in a hard sided cooler, Styrofoam coolers are no longer allowed. Dry Ice is prohibited on all major commercial airlines. Please discuss your transport plans with the fleet staff for any additional help.
There is nothing better than enjoying your catch overlooking the ocean you pulled it from. It is truly an experience you will never forget, There are many restaurants that will prepare your fish and meal for almost nothing (they like selling beer). Rates will vary depending on the restaurant from $8.00 to $15.00 per person to prepare your meal, ask our fleet manager for recommendations.
Yes, there are world class taxidermists located right in Puerto Vallarta that can assist you. Ask your Puerto Vallarta Fishing captain for details.
The staff and crew at Puerto Vallarta Fishing tours work very hard to earn your tips, tips are expected and very much appreciated. Typically tips range from 10% to 20% of your charter cost.
Puerto Vallarta Fishing Tours only accept cash at the time of departure. Please bring enough for the trip, any extras you may have requested and a tip.
Absolutely amigos, if you are interested in fishing more than one day, let us know and we can offer a deal on your 2nd day of fishing. Puerto Vallarta Fishing is somw of the best in the world, often one day is not enough.
NO…we book a lot of boats every month. We sometimes have to turn folks away because we have no boats available. By booking Puerto Vallarta Fishing in advance, you are guaranteed a day of fishing with no hassles, no runarounds and peace of mind. Also, most boats (especially under 34 ft) are booked well in advance and you may not get your choice of boat or crew.
Also, some of the salespeople wandering the marina offer boats that typically don’t belong to any specific fleet and therefore have very little incentive to provide a good experience..there is a reason they might seem cheaper than others. You will never see that random guy offering a sweet deal again after your trip, don’t get ripped off over a few dollars…..BEWARE!
Once you have agreed to charter a boat with Puerto Vallarta Fishing Tours, you will receive a full confirmation. The confirmation you receive will have exactly whats included and the cost clearly shown, including important information about how to pay your balance. It will also include instructions and maps on where your charter is located if you check in anywhere other than our office.
PLEASE REVIEW YOUR CONFIRMATION CAREFULLY – THERE ARE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS THAT YOU MUST BE AWARE OF.