July 20, 2013
Anglers –
Moderate crowds are now arriving in the Los Cabos area, as summer weather patterns continue to be more unpredictable than usual. No new tropical storms have developed at this time and the conditions are feeling more tropical, with scattered cloud cover and isolated showers on Thursday, as clouds blew moisture in from the east. This cloud front and associated breeze helped keep the climate very comfortable, high temperatures were around 90 degrees. Ocean currents have been strong and constantly shifting, ocean water temperature is around the 70 degree mark on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas, while towards the Gordo Banks and north there has been water temperatures up to 80 degrees or more.
The majority of sportfishing fleets now are fishing in the direction of the warmer blue water. Winds were shifting from out of the north, east to west and offshore waters were choppy at times. Striped marlin action turned on, on the grounds from the 95 spot, the 1150, Gordo Banks and north to Desteladera, multiple catches per day was common, stripers weighing up to 130 lb. were striking on the normal array of lures, readily hitting trolled or dropped back live baits.
Some scattered reports of yellowfin tuna being found traveling with porpoise, most of this action was found 10 to 20 miles from shore and the tuna have been smaller sized footballs. No larger sized yellowfin tuna are now being reported in local waters, though with 80 degree blue water now present, anything could happen on any given day. An occasional wahoo was being reported, most of these fish have been single fish, striking on lures in open offshore water.
There was a dorado frenzy found midweek in the vicinity of some buoys that were set in an area 10 to 12 miles offshore of the Cardon to La Fortuna area. Anglers who were fortunate to get in on this action will remember it for a long time, wide open action, as neon streaks of flashing blue, green and yellow could be seen all around, the fish were averaging in the 30 to 50 pound class. These fish were striking on any type of baitfish thrown in the water. Of course word travels quickly and the whole fleet arrived on the scene and the dorado became more weary in the coming days, first boats arriving in the morning hooked up, after that it was very scratchy.
Inshore action continues to produce roosterfish to 50 pounds or more, this is usually the later part of the season for them, this year we have experienced the best roosterfish bite as we have seen in the past decade, simply for the sheer numbers of big roosterfish found throughout the region. The amberjack action that had been going strong in recent weeks while trolling surface baits over inshore rock piles, seem to have faded out and now anglers are starting to find more action off of the deeper areas, such as the Iman Bank, San Luis Bank and La Fortuna reefs, with depths ranging from 100 to 180 feet. A mix of grouper, cabrilla, snapper, amberjack and other species can be found on these grounds. Techniques include, drift fishing with various whole and cut baits off of the bottom and using yo-yo style jigs, bounced and rapidly retrieved off of the high spots.
The supplies of baitfish in the PLC marina area continue to be plentiful for caballito, mullet and moonfish. We should start to see more offshore schooling batifish, such as bolito and small skipjack, move onto the local fishing grounds, this always seems to attract more predators, these make great live baits for the larger sized pelagic gamefish.
The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 69 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 4 wahoo, 19 yellowfin tuna, 78 dorado, 27 striped marlin, 13 sailfish, 5 dogtooth snapper, 12 hauchinango (red snapper), 18 amberjack, 33 jack crevalle, 9 broomtail grouper, 25 leopard grouper and 135 roosterfish (majority released).
Good fishing, Eric