Fishing in Playa del Carmen

The migratory route from the Caribbean to the Gulf, where many fish species mate and spawn before returning to the Atlantic, runs right through the Yucatán Channel, and right where the channel narrows to a funnel at Cabo Catoche Playa del Carmen fishing is always good.

In February anglers flock to Isla Mujeres, Cancún, and Cozumel for white marlin, until late spring. From the months of March through July, Sailfish and marlin are abundant off of Playa del Carmen as they migrate in spring and summer. This is one of the rare places in the world where you can catch a Grand Slam of billfish all in the same day!

But, billfish are only one of the area’s many draws; truth is that anywhere along the coast fish are certain to be biting, unless a cold thermal has driven them south to warmer water. October is prime time for swordfish in the Yucatán Channel, and off of Chinchorro and the offshore banks farther south in Quintana Roo. Then in December and January migrating Atlantic Sailfish gather in the Yucatán Channel off of Isla Mujeres, chasing schools of baitfish heading into the area— and the bite increases as spring approaches!

Playa del Carmen fishing is not known for its flats or shore fishing, but you can definitely toss a line out from the beach, as long as you stay south of the hotels, and 250-feet away from swimmers.

The waters south of Playa del Carmen towards the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, all the way to Asención Bay are a haven for fly fishermen and inshore fishing. This area boasts of several world famous fly fishing resorts, perfect for that special vacation you’ve always dreamed of— days full of chasing bonefish, permit, tarpon, yellowtail, trout, barracuda, and jack crevalle. Some resorts cater to specific areas and specific fish such as tarpon and permit— so if fly fishing on the Yucatán Peninsula is your dream, there are many places to make that happen. As in other parts of Mexico, bring your own fly fishing gear, although there are shops and gear available in some of the larger resorts.

January: Yellowtail (Amberjack), Grouper, King Mackerel, Snook, Tarpon, Tuna, Wahoo, Snapper

Playa del Carmen fishing in February: Tuna, King Mackerel, Wahoo, Yellowtail, Barracuda, Snapper, Grouper, Snook, Jack Crevalle

March: Tuna, King Mackerel, Wahoo, Yellowtail, Barracuda, Snapper, Grouper, Snook, Jack Crevalle

April: Marlin, Permit, Snook, Tarpon, Wahoo, Dorado (Mahi Mahi), Great Barracuda, Snapper, Grouper, Jack Crevalle

May: Blue & White Marlin, Sailfish, Wahoo, Dorado, Barracuda, Snapper, Grouper, Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon, Snook, Jack Crevalle

June: Marlin, Sailfish, Permit, Snook, Tarpon, Trout, Wahoo, Dorado, Barracuda, Snapper, Grouper, Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon, Snook, Jack Crevalle.

July: White & Blue Marlin, Sailfish, Tuna, Wahoo, Dorado, Barracuda, Snapper, Grouper, Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon, Snook, Jack Crevalle.

August: Sailfish, Tuna, Mackerel, Wahoo, Barracuda, Snapper, Grouper, Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon, Snook, Jack Crevalle.

September: Deep sea fishing Playa del Carmen in September will produce fish including Sailfish, Tuna, Yellowtail, Wahoo, Barracuda and King Mackerel. Inshore there's Grouper, Permit, Tarpon, Snook, Jack Crevalle.

October:  Tuna, King Mackerel, Wahoo, Yellowtail, Barracuda, Snapper, Grouper, Tarpon, Jack Crevalle

November: Snook, Grouper, Snapper, Barracuda, Yellowtail, Wahoo, King Mackerel, Tuna (deep sea fishing)

December: Fishing Playa del Carmen in December will produce species such as Snook, Grouper, Snapper, Barracuda, Yellowtail, Wahoo, King Mackerel, Tuna

Does Playa del Carmen have good fishing?

Playa del Carmen is a great sport fishing destination. Offshore in both the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, there's tuna and billfish. Inshore, there's out-of-this-world flats fishing for snook, permit, jack crevalle, barracuda and bonefish.

Can you fish from shore in Playa del Carmen?

Fishing from the Playa del Carmen beaches you can do spinfishing for barracuda, snook and big jack crevalle. Make sure you respects the distance with swimmers.

What are the best fishing months in Playa del Carmen?

Fishing in Playa del Carmen is good all year round. Each season has its specific species. Spring and summer are great for offshore fishing to target billfish. Fall is good for smaller pelagic species. Winter is good or reef fishing.

What kind of fish can you catch in Playa del Carmen Mexico?

In Playa del Carmen you can catch a wide variety of exciting species. You can excpect inshore species such as snook, jack crevalle, tarpon, permit and barracuda. Offshore, depending on the season, there is tuna, white and blue marlin, sailfish and dorado (mahi).

Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya are a Caribbean beach paradise, and one of the best places to enjoy the beach and water sports! Take advantage of the crystal clear turquoise waters and go paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, parasailing, and plenty of other fun adventures!

Visit an Underground River— Rio Secreto (or Secret River) is an underground river and collection of caves with turquoise-blue water winding through rock formations within the caves, which include stalactites and stalagmites. Visitors can swim in the river, climb through the caves, learn about local Mayan culture, and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. Bonus: it’s a great rainy day activity.

Golfing is a popular in Playa del Carmen, it boasts three premiere golf courses, and many tourists come down from Cancún to golf here. The most popular courses are Golf Club Playacar, Grand Coral Golf Riviera Maya and El Camaleón Mayakoba Golf Club— the former is considered a gem of a PGA course.

Explore Mexican and Mayan Culture in Tulum— it would be a shame to travel to this part of the world and not see some of the best preserved Mayan ruins, and the natural beauty of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve. Just south of Tulum, the reserve contains more than 1.2 million acres of estuaries, reefs, cenotes and wetlands. Within the park, you can take tours of the local wildlife, take part in a diving or snorkeling tour or simply just walk around the beautiful and expansive park. Also on the south side of Tulum are the Pre-Colombian Mayan ruins, which feature temple and castle ruins and beautiful scenery. 

Fishing and Snorkeling in Puerto Aventuras.

If you are fishing from the shore, you will not need a fishing license. However, Mexico has strict fishing regulations for fishing from boats. Essentially, every person aboard a boat that has fishing equipment on board is required to have a license.

You can purchase a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly fishing license through CONAPESCA.

You can find more information on their website, Conapesca

If you plan on using a fishing charter, most charter boats include fishing licenses in the cost of the charter, but to be sure it is best to ask when booking your trip. The Playa del Carmen fishing charters sometimes include the lincense in the price of the trip.

Depending on the charter fishing boat and on the duration of your fishing tour, you’ll pay more or less for the tour. The price for a private 4 hour Playa del Carmen fishing trip with a smaller boat is $275. A half day trip with a 40ft charter costs around $650, while an 8 hour private trip will cost you $1050.

What does the price include?

The price usually includes the captain, fishing tackle, fuel, bait & lures and licenses. On every listing we indicate whether drinks and food are included.

Make sure you know if bait and the local tax (16%) is included in the price or not as this can make quite a difference in the final price.

Some fishing charters also offer (free) pick-up and transportation from and to the hotel. If the hotel is far away from the port, there can be an extra charge for the transportation.

Once you’ve made a booking, the captain will contact you to arrange the meeting point and the departure time. Also, we recommend you contact the captain a couple of days before the tour to confirm the weather forecast.