the first trip of the year will be to puerto vallarta with Marla's Sportfishing aboard the NTNC. the group will be me, Steve Banks, Bret Lawson, Colum Coyne, Calvin Gee, Jeff Lusich. big fish seem to be hit and miss, but these guys really want to go. it should be fun. the only thing you need for trip like this is a couple of 48 can nor chill insulated canvas bags from amazon. these bags will hold 50 pounds of frozen yellowfin filet. hopefully, we will get into the big ones. the boat provides all the tackle. this is one of the easiest trip that i do.
headed to the airport, first think tomorrow morning. by late afternoon, we'll be drinking tequila and soaking up the mexican sun!!!! ;D ;D ;D
Hope you have fun and catch some big ones Alan!
Go get 'em Boss!!! Set the tone for the year! - John
Here we go!!!
Made it to the boat!
Hmm, the weather looks just a tad better than yours back at home. I hope you didn't leave Joy there. She probably needs to dry out too. ;)
These guys don't appear to be drying out
Jack
Nothing yet....
First fish.
https://youtu.be/BhTz8yRUXKM?feature=shared
https://youtu.be/nUMYh7cHhJw?feature=shared
Got 12!!!
https://youtu.be/ztMWMOWuHTc?feature=shared
Looks a bit sporty out there!
https://youtu.be/ztMWMOWuHTc?feature=shared
Get 'em Boss! - john
50 yellowfin, 50 pound average. Plenty of fish for us, lots left over for friends and family in the local community. Nothing goes to waste.
Cartel violence. Stuck at the airport!!!
Keep your head down Alan. Know your exits
They are killing each other. This is a very bad time to visit Mexico. Especially if your already there. You can't fly out of there now. They have to fix the problems now the government has no choice.
I was hoping you guys had already departed. Hope everyone makes it home safe.
I went on 9 trips to the Tres Marias with the Osuna's. Gave it up 3 years ago. Mainly from getting too old and too weak to reel in the cows. I guess I can now add cartel violence to my list.
GA Mike
Hey Alan, probably the guys coming in to Puerto Vallarta didn't get in. Maybe the NTNC bros work a deal and you get outon another trip. by the time you get back hopefully all cleared :fish
QuoteThey are killing each other. This is a very bad time to visit Mexico. Especially if your already there. You can't fly out of there now. They have to fix the problems now the government has no choice.
From what I have read, no airports are closed. Flights are arriving and departing out of airports all over Mexico at this moment. The authorities have closed roads to the airport at Puerto Vallarta, which has effectively caused the airport to come to a standstill. Hotels in PV are keeping their customers on site to avoid having them wander into a dangerous situation. The state department has warned US Citizens in PV (and Ensenada and Tijuana) to shelter in place for similar reasons.
A similar thing happened not too long ago when the military tried to arrest a high level cartel leader in Mexico City. The cartels fought back, including using roadblocks and car fires in the area. This put civilians at risk. It didn't take long for things to go back to "normal". And today, the military killed a major cartel leader in Jalisco, leading to a similar cartel response.
This is not a good thing to be happening by any stretch of the imagination, but it is useful to keep it in perspective.
-J
I just checked the latest 4:15 P.M. all flights in and out of PVR have been cancelled. Keep alert boss. Dominick
Don't drink the water.
I hope everyone is safe
Update from Alan.....
Everyone is safe and they're spending the night in the airport.....
Quote from: mikeysm on February 23, 2026, 04:23:25 AMDon't drink the water.
Water when there's cerveza and tequila?
Hope they can get out of there soon
Here is the latest: Alan is monitoring this thread. He's probably sore, hungry and thirsty. Dominick
"Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR): While federal forces maintain control of the facility, major airlines (Southwest, Alaska, Delta, United, and Air Canada) have officially canceled flights for today. Most access roads to the airport remain blocked by the remains of burned vehicles."
Casualty Reports: Updated figures confirm at least 25 Mexican National Guard members were killed during the operation and subsequent clashes. A civilian death was reported in the Tapalpa area, and a jail guard was killed during a riot at a lockup in Puerto Vallarta.
happy Birthday Jefe, on the bright side, you will never forget this one !!
Still stuck at the airport, trying to get a hotel.The military is out in force. Things are calming down. We may head back up to La Cruz and go fishing!!!!Don't tell my wife.
Quote from: Dominick on February 23, 2026, 04:21:32 PMHere is the latest: Alan is monitoring this thread. He's probably sore, hungry and thirsty. Dominick
We slept on the floor, so definitely sore, had the world's worst pizza for dinner, and shared shots of tequila. Good times!!!
Quote from: alantani on February 23, 2026, 05:37:29 PMQuote from: Dominick on February 23, 2026, 04:21:32 PMHere is the latest: Alan is monitoring this thread. He's probably sore, hungry and thirsty. Dominick
We slept on the floor, so definitely sore, had the world's worst pizza for dinner, and shared shots of tequila. Good times!!!
sounds wierd, after two shots of tequila anything that you are eating becomes the most deliciuos food in the world, after the 3rd shot of tequila you can dance and sing like a rockstar.
Glad the gang is with you. I thought 12 hrs. at the airport In Seoul S. Korea by myself was bad, but I got to sleep on chairs.
Quote from: Joel.B on February 23, 2026, 07:07:14 PMIn the hammed-up movie they will make, the boat is the last one and the only way out of the country and Alan and crew have to fish their way to safety at exactly 12 knots or else!
The Long Ranger
starring Ken Watanabe
Uranus.
Hopefuly they can get Mike Oxlong to play Alan.
How about we charter the SOA for a rescue mission :d
Was stuck at the airport last night, trying to get a hotel.The military is out in force. Things are calming down.
Still stuck in Puerto Vallarta, because of the cartel violence. Danny Osuna took us north, away from the city center. We had lunch when we got here, then slept. We are staying on his boat, the PacificSlayer. It's like a private yacht. We fly out in 3 days!!!
Nice set up!
I was hoping you'd be able to stay on one of the boats if you were going to be stuck for a few days. Much better than the floor of the aeroporto!
Well that's working out ok. Now it probably feels like an extended vacation. Still, keep a low profile and get out safely. Dominick
The shelter in place recommendation has been lifted by the US Embassy and things are getting back to sorta "normal":
https://mx.usembassy.gov/security-alert-update-6-ongoing-security-operations-u-s-mission-mexico-february-24-2026/ (https://mx.usembassy.gov/security-alert-update-6-ongoing-security-operations-u-s-mission-mexico-february-24-2026/)
There sure was a lot of non-helpful propagation of misinformation and fake or misleading video and photos going around the internet. It must have been even worse for affected folk that were getting their "news" from their social media feeds.
Hope that the rest of the trip for Alan and crew is uneventful.
-J
Quote from: jurelometer on February 24, 2026, 09:45:06 PMThere sure was a lot of non-helpful propagation of misinformation and fake or misleading video and photos going around the internet.
On THIS the Canadian news has been better than the US news.
So, on Sunday, we were back from our fishing trip on the NTNC with the Osuna family and Marlas Sportfishing. The taxi driver told us that there were fires on the highway headed south to the Puerto Vallarta airport. A quick check told us that the flights were still on time, so Danny Osuna made the call to load us onto the fast panga and run us down to the harbor at Puerto Vallarta. He called ahead for a van to take us to the airport. From the harbor, we loaded into the van and it was there that I found out that my flight had been canceled. When we got to the airport, I had a porter take my two 50 pound fish bags to the Alaska Airlines ticket counter. No one was there at 11:30, but that was normal. While I was waiting, I heard a "pop, pop, pop," and saw people running. The Aero Mexico staff started running to the back and motion several of us to follow. I wound up in a back office with two very nice ladies from Chicago, Ruth and Robin. The staff tried to barricade the door, but they were poorly prepared. After about 10 minutes, they called an "all clear" and we came out of hiding. After milling around the lower level for another half hour, we were told to head upstairs. The restaurants and shops stayed open for a while, but the all closed quickly. Only the pizza place, Sbarro, reopened. Worst pizza ever, but no one complained. We slept on the floor that night. Kudos to our friend, Steve Banks. He's had experience the homeless and knew to grab pieces of cardboard from a shop that was still open. It was great insulation from the cold floor. I slept well. Others did not. In the morning, we start trying to get flights out. Three in our party got out, three of us were stuck. Around noon, Danny Osuna called. He picked us up at the airport. Then he drove us back to La Cruz, we stopped for lunch, and then he dumped us on the Pacific Slayer. The Slayer is Danny's brand new boat. It's like a private yacht. I'm telling you, it's nice to have friends. Danny really came through for us.
Here's the panga. Fires were visible from the water. These turned out to be mostly cars, trucks, and busses. There was one gas station. Few buildings. There was a semi-truck and trailer rig at the Costco that burned, but not the building itself. The news inflated everything.
:) Glad to hear all is well with the crew . Are you going to do any "Maintenance runs" on Danny`s boat . :fish The sand creeps come in handy , Had to smile when I saw the pictures .
If I can be so bold as to ask Alex, after everything calms down is this whole episode going to be for the better? no difference? worse?
Quote from: oc1 on February 26, 2026, 06:12:20 AMIf I can be so bold as to ask Alex, after everything calms down is this whole episode going to be for the better? no difference? worse?
C4rtel is the monster of the 7 heads, nothing will change, soon a new head will come up to continue sending packs to USA, as long as there are buyers there will be sellers.
Quote from: steelfish on February 26, 2026, 08:50:26 AMQuote from: oc1 on February 26, 2026, 06:12:20 AMIf I can be so bold as to ask Alex, after everything calms down is this whole episode going to be for the better? no difference? worse?
C4rtel is the monster of the 7 heads, nothing will change, soon a new head will come up to continue sending packs to USA, as long as there are buyers there will be sellers.
Yup.
Quote from: Joel.B on February 26, 2026, 01:50:56 PMMeanwhile people like Alex just want be left alone to loot little old ladies
Alax does not break laws, play nice.
Quote from: steelfish on February 26, 2026, 08:50:26 AMQuote from: oc1 on February 26, 2026, 06:12:20 AMIf I can be so bold as to ask Alex, after everything calms down is this whole episode going to be for the better? no difference? worse?
C4rtel is the monster of the 7 heads, nothing will change, soon a new head will come up to continue sending packs to USA, as long as there are buyers there will be sellers.
I was at a Mexican restaurant yesterday and my friend said,,, there's to much money they supply the whole world even Europe,,,,someone else will step in place,,,, :(
Quote from: Keta on February 26, 2026, 02:01:27 PMAlax does not break laws, play nice.
it all good Lee.
Joel is a good friend
:0)
"The love of money is the root of all evil" Apostle Paul, ~60-67 AD.