Mazatlan Fishing Charters

Mazatlan Tours

• Mazatlan Tours, based at the Old Mazatlan Marina, offers six-hour deep sea tours and eight-hour sport fish expeditions in the Sea of Cortez. There are also land-based half- or full-day bass fishing trips to El Salto Lake. In 2010, $395 a day provided a 34-foot dual-engine boat, English-speaking captain and crew for the six-hour tour, and fish processing upon return. En route to the fishing grounds, crew members teach techniques, and children are welcome. Prices for the eight-hour tour ranged from $475 to $655 for four to nine passengers, depending on the style of boat chosen. On both trips, species targeted include marlin, tuna, mahi mahi and sailfish. Bass fishing excursions started at $355 for a single angler on a half-day trip and ranged to $795 for two people staying overnight at Lake El Salto. This lake boasts plenty of fighting bass in the 10-pound-plus range, and it is very common for anglers to experience 30 to 80 hookups per day.

  Mazatlan Tours

  JS Tour and Travel

  Mazatlan, Sinaloa MX 82000

  866-471-4157

  mazatlantours.org

Cortez Yacht Charters

• This charter service has its local operations at the Marina El Cid and offers a variety of cruiser and super Panga boats in various sizes. For as little as $275 a day in 2010, you could hire a 26-foot boat that accommodates four passengers. On the high end, as many as nine passengers could be accommodated on a 36-foot Sea Ray yacht for $675 a day. Tackle, insurance, captain and crew, radio communication and land-based travel to and from your lodging is included. The charter's website states that captain and crew are hired for their expertise in the local fishing industry and speak some English, with greater proficiency in fishing terminology. This charter targets marlin, mahi mahi, tuna, sailfish, swordfish and wahoo.

  Cortez Yacht Charters

  3609 Hartzel Dr.

  Spring Valley, CA 91977

  619-469-4255

  cortezcharters.com

Inside Outside Charters

• This service gets its name from the types of fishing excursions it offers. "Inside" trips feature a quick run to ground near shore, where anglers generally use light tackle to catch fish that like to hang out around the many undersea wrecks just outside the Mazatlan harbor and along the seashore. These include roosterfish, snook, snapper, sea bass and jacks. An "outside" trip features deep sea fishing anywhere from four to 22 miles offshore, targeting the marlin species--striped, blue and black--as well as dorado, tuna, wahoo and shark. All of these trips begin in the morning and end in the early afternoon. Anglers can combine both trips. Inside Outside is the only Mazatlan-based charter offering an afternoon "inside" trip that returns after sunset. Various packages that can include hotel accommodations are available, and boats with captain, crew, tackle, bait, drinks and box lunches are available as well.

  Inside Outside Charters

  Nautica Costa Bonita

  Av Sabalo Cerritos S/N

  Mazatlan, Sinaloa MX 82100

  856-437-5596

  insideoutsidecharters.com