July 13, 2013

Anglers –

Tropical storm season came early this year, the latest system, Hurricane Erik, was initially forecast to sideswipe the Southern Baja Region, but quickly weakened and changed direction after encountering cooler water temperatures, moving off to the west. Erik ever did impact land, though high ocean swells created red flag conditions, closing all local Port Operations on Monday, reopening Tuesday morning, as swells and winds resided.

Tropical season’s first measurable rainfall was recorded, scattered storm showers, heavier in isolated areas, enough to clean the dust off the landscape. The local climate remains pleasant, Pacific breezes, marina layer, moisture air with increased humidity, but considering its mid-July, you could not ask for any nicer summer time conditions, tropical skies, with high temperatures averaged 90 degrees.

Anglers encountered rapidly changing ocean currents, blue water was found as close as three or four miles out, for the past week the cleaner and warmer water was found 10 to 30 miles offshore, averaging 80 degrees, clear blue current, while inshore areas once again became cold and off colored. This pattern seems to have been continuing now for a couple of months, just as soon as things appear favorable, we see another cold current sweep in green murky water inshore, slowing down the fishing action, before rebounding as the water temperatures warm.

This is a time when offshore action can break loose on any given day, clean blue water of 80 degrees are ripe to attract a wide variety of gamefish. Striped marlin remain the most common fish being found offshore, striking aggressively on trolling lures, as well as various rigged baits. This past week the size of stripers seemed larger, up 130 lb. Dorado were encountered, but most of the time they were just single fish that were striking the same style of lures as were the marlin, the majority of these fish were over 15 lb., there was now a chance at a trophy sized bull dorado, as fish to over 40 pounds were reported. An occasional wahoo was now being accounted for, these fish were striking on lures trolled in the open blue offshore water.

The only reports we heard for yellowfin tuna was from schooling yellowfin that were traveling with porpoise offshore, anywhere from 15 to 35 miles out, weighing in the 10 to 20 pound class. Not a consistent option yet, but it is encouraging news after going such a long stretch without any tuna in the daily fish counts. With conditions offshore really shaping up favorably, we do expect to see more exotic species such as blue marlin, black marlin, sailfish and wahoo appearing on local grounds.

Anglers did find some excellent inshore action on the shallow rock piles from Punta Gorda to Vinorama. Slow trolling with live bait was the method of choice, catches included amberjack to 94 lb., many others weighed over 50 lb., grouper, cabrilla, snapper were also on these same rocks, though they were not as numerous as were the amberjack. Along the more sandy beach stretches the roosterfish continued to dominate the action, big fish to over 50 pounds were landed regularly, average sized rooster was over 25 pounds. Many jack crevalle were in the area, being found close to shore and offshore as well under porpoise.

Other action included a mix of quality bottom dwellers, (groupers, cabrilla, amberjack), that hit on yo-yo jigs over reefs offshore of La Fortuna, Iman and San Luis Bank, it has been a long absence where the fish just did not want to strike on these normally very effective jigs, nice to finally see this trend turning around, this can be incredibly fun and productive fishing, retrieving the iron jigs in depths averaging 100 to 160 ft., can also being a lot of work when nothing wants to strike.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 74 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 1 wahoo, 23 yellowfin tuna, 15 dorado, 41 striped marlin, 8 dogtooth snapper, 15 yellow snapper, 54 amberjack, 35 jack crevalle, 7 broomtail grouper, 18 leopard grouper and 290 roosterfish, (majority released).

 Good fishing, Eric

July 6, 2013

Anglers –

The summer season has just begun and we are now seeing increased numbers of tourists arriving in Southern Baja. The climate has been different this year, more Pacific breeze and marine layer, keeping temperatures bearable, tropical conditions, highs near 90 degrees, mild compared to the record heat Wave sweeping across parts of the western U.S. Tropical storm season has started with a flurry, in the past week we saw the formation of Hurricanes Cosme and Dalia, both of which had no impact to land, following a westerly path. Presently on the horizon and gaining more strength, is T.S. Erick, this system is forecast to pass closer to the tip of the Baja Peninsula, possibly bringing some moisture, surely some higher swells, along with the associated humidity.

Ocean water temperatures have rebounded and in the direction of the Gordo Banks and towards Los Frailes currents have been averaging 80 degrees or warmer. Still some spotty off colored areas, but there has been clean blue water found within 5 to 15 miles from shore. Striped marlin have been the most common catch found offshore, lots of stripers encountered from the Gordo Banks and to the north, anywhere from 5 to 15 miles from shore. Found in schools, the billfish are readily striking trolled lures, majority of these fish are now running smaller sized, 50 to 80 lb., some specimens are ranging up to 130 lb.

Dorado are now scattered on the same fishing grounds where the marlin are, striking on the same type of lures or bait, no significant numbers, though the dorado they are finding are mostly larger sized 20 to 40 lb. fish. Anglers had the chance at finding schools of dorado if they found any type of floating debris or set buoys.

Just this past week we received more reports of yellowfin tuna activity, these fish were being found traveling with porpoise farther offshore, anywhere from 20 to 30 miles out. Off of the San Jose del Cabo grounds most of these yellowfin were in the 15 to 20 pound class, while off of the East Cape there are now some reports of yellowfin over one hundred pounds being accounted for. This is some encouraging news, there has been a long absence of any tuna action.

Inshore, it remains the same, with roosterfish being the most common catch, the incredible wide open action we enjoyed in June has tapered off some, currents had turned over the inshore conditions, but now the clean warm water is back and the roosters are back on the prowl, patrolling the sandy beach stretches, fish to over 50 pounds are still being hooked into almost daily. These fish are a trophy catches, not known for eating qualities and should be released as carefully as possible.

Rounding out the action were some quality sized amberjack, some weighing as much as 80 pounds, they are now being found over shallow rock piles to the north, similar shallow rock piles that attract dogtooth snapper and grouper. There have been more amberjack than these other species, hit or miss on the ambers though, traveling long distances to the more remote spots, highly susceptible to too much boat pressure, not the type of spot where the fleet can all congregate, too shallow, fish spook easily. Soon this action will shift back on to the normal grounds such are Iman or San Luis Bank, areas that can accommodate more numbers of boats and anglers.

Live baits supplies have been holding inside of the Puerto Los Cabos Marina channel, caballito, moonfish and mullet are available. Though quantities were scarcer this past week, the fact that commercial pangeros from La Playita have been netting and selling hundreds of bait to Cabo San Lucas vendors, who have had no bait source in their own area, they have special salt water reservoirs in the back of pickup trucks, all rigged with pumps, for quick transport back to the CSL Marina. Problem is this has added heavy impact on this fragile bait source. Not a good deal when local charters are facing bait shortages due to lack of resource, there is not an endless supply of baitfish to support two marinas worth of sportfishing charters.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 92 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 4 sailfish,15 yellowfin tuna, 20 dorado, 64 striped marlin, (many released), 11 dogtooth snapper, 34 amberjack, 22 jack crevalle, 15 cabrilla and 310 roosterfish.

Good fishing, Eric