Puerto Escondido’s offshore waters abound with fish. Launches go out mornings from Playa Principal and routinely return with an assortment including big tuna, mackerel, snapper, sea bass, and snook. The sheltered west side of the beach is calm enough to easily launch a mobile boat with the help of usually willing beach hands.

The local Sociedad Cooperativa Turística Nueva Punta Escondida (www.tomzap.com/pe-coop.html), which parks its boats right on Playa Principal, regularly takes fishing parties of three or four out for about $25 an hour, including bait and tackle. Check with boatmen right on the beach, or at their Restaurant Pescador, at the west end of the main town beach (where they will cook up a dinner of the fish you catch).

Individual captains also offer sportfishing excursions. Check out highly recommended Capitán Carlos Guma (tel. 954/582-1303, local cell tel. 044-954/102-4090, guerra445 [at] hotmail [dot] com). He has a 25-foot boat, fine for catching big, fine-eating dorado (mahi mahi), tuna, and pez gallo (roosterfish). He charges $25 per hour, four-hour minimum.

Alternatively Omar’s Sportfishing (local cell tel. 044-954/559-4406, omarsportfishing-1 [at] hotmail [dot] com) offers fishing excursions, for about the same prices, bait and tackle included. You can find Omar on the beach at Puerto Angelito.

Additionally, travel agencies, such as Viajes Dimar (Av. Pérez Gasga 905, tel. 954/582-0734 or 954/582-1551, in Zicatela tel. 954/582-2305, viajesdimar [at] hotmail [dot] com), arrange fishing trips.