December 15, 2012
Anglers –
Chilly conditions across the United States are making temperate destinations more popular, wintertime getaways which are in close proximity; this definitely makes Los Cabos high on the list. With the Holidays just a couple of weeks away not many people are actually traveling at this time, crowds are light, should start increasing next week. Weather patterns varied from the start of the week, with clear sunny days, winds out of the north and then later in the week we saw steady rainfall throughout most of the day on Thursday, as a cool front from the west/southwest, moved through the region towards the east. So roads will be a bit messy for a few days, no significant rainfall, maybe an inch or more, enough to clean the landscape.
Ocean water temperatures are now on a cooling trend, north winds accelerated this pattern, currents are ranging from 77 to 79 degrees, from Todo Santos on the Pacific, to Los Frailes in the Sea of Cortez, not much variance, still very favorable conditions for a variety of offshore game fish. Most consistent fishing action has been found within 10 miles of shore and more often than not anglers are finding action within a couple of miles. Productive fishing grounds have been off of Chileno, to the Gordo Banks, La Foruna, Iman and to Vinorama. Most abundant supplies of sardinas were found inshore near San Luis and the commercial pangeros were delivering the fresh bait to the grounds off La Fortuna. A few wahoo have been accounted for from this same area, trolling lures before the live bait arrives, also a few wahoo were landed incidentally while using direct monofilament while target yellowfin tuna. Still no consistent action on these elusive wahoo, we are hoping that we see a strong late run of these fish, before water temperatures plummet and send these pelagics on a southern migration.
Mackerel and sardineta schools are now moving into waters off of San Jose del Cabo, this is attracting an early run of striped marlin to this area, also good numbers of dorado following this same food source. Many dorado were in the 15 to 25 lb. class, they were found from close off the rocky points, to the open blue water and on the high spots, a larger percentage were caught on bait versus lures. Average sized striped marlin was in the 100 to 130 pound range, striking on lures and bait, anywhere from 3 to 10 miles from shore.
Most consistent yellowfin tuna action was for fish in the 15 to 40 pound range, being found from Iman to Vinorama, these fish are hitting on live sardinas while drift fishing, fly lining while freely chumming baitfish. Action would happen in flurries and the bite was tough earlier in the week due to the north wind. Anglers accounted for catches from 1 or 2 fish, up to a dozen, when weather and fish cooperated at the same time. There seem to be good numbers of tuna, doado and skipjack in this area, now late in the season, if the northerlies do not become too persistent this action could last into the New Year.
There were cow sized yellowfin tuna still hanging around the Gordo Banks, early in the week there were a handful of nice tuna accounted for and on Thursday, during the rain, there was a 213 pound yellowfin brought to gaff aboard the 26 ft. super panga “Killer II”, just one of perhaps twenty cow sized tuna that this same boat and skipper Chame Pino has accounted for during the past couple of months. These fish are striking more often recently on chunk bait from either skipjack or chihuil, both of which are now concentrated on the banks. More nice sized dorado are now being caught while chunking for tuna, also a few bottom dwellers. Not many of these big tuna are wanting to bite baited hooks, though with the heavy presence of baitfish and light angling pressure, anything could happen on any given day, these big tuna continue to be in the area and they are feeding machines, that is the bottom line, would be nice to see another Gordo Banks 300 pound yellowfin tuna before the end of 2012.
The annual migration of whales is now in full swing, as many sightings of both humpback and grey whales are being reported daily.
The combined panga fleets out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina, sent out approximately 91 charters for the week, with anglers accounting for a fish count of:
11 striped marlin, 3 sailfish, 4 yellowtail, 460 dorado, 224 yellowfin tuna, 26 wahoo, 10 amberjack, 54 sierra, 14 roosterfish, 24 mixed pargo species and 350 skipjack .
Good Fishing, Eric