January 28, 2012

 

Anglers –

Los Cabos weather conditions continue to be extremely pleasant for wintertime, mostly clear sunny skies, high temperatures reaching 80 degrees and variable northern winds. Cooler nights ranged as low as 50 degrees helped lower water temperatures a couple of degrees since last week, average ocean temperatures are now from 67 degrees on the Pacific to 70 degrees further offshore and in the direction of San Jose del Cabo. Crowds of tourists are lighter than would be expected, though the people making the trip are enjoying the warm sunshine and multitude of outdoor activities.

Supplies of sardinas have been plentiful off the beaches north of Punta Gorda, this has been convenient for anglers out of San Jose del Cabo, because this is the same area where the fishing action for species such as dorado and yellowfin tuna was more productive, also there were miscellaneous structure species being found.

Dorado were found spread out through inshore and offshore fishing grounds, these fish are striking on a wide variety of lures and baitfish, average size has been 5 to 15 pounds, but every so often there were fish up to 25 pounds accounted for. With the ocean now on a cooling trend this could slow the bite down, as these fish tend to migrate south when currents drop to 70 degrees or lower.

This past week anglers found much improved action for yellowfin tuna around the Iman Bank. There was a fast current to deal with, also some pesky sea lions and let’s not forget to mention the presence of huge schools of aggressive skipjack, they made it tough to get through to have a chance at the tuna. Persistence and patience was the key, but many charters did account for one, two, three or more yellowfin, average sizes were 25 to 40 pounds, with some fish up to 80 pounds mixed in. Using sardinas or chunk of skipjack for bait was the most productive technique.

Closer to shore there have been fair numbers of sierra, most of these fish were in the 1 to 5 pound class, quite a few juvenile sized roosterfish in the area as well, both of these species hit best on sardinas, but would also strike Rapalas and cast jigs. Off the bottom, when currents allowed, anglers using various baits and yo-yo’s found a mix of amberjack, yellowtail, yellow snapper, cabrilla, bonito and dogtooth snapper, no great numbers, but at times it showed good promise of some great eating variety.

Striped marlin action has been more spread out this year, at this time the fleets are finding more numbers of stripers in the direction of San Jose del Cabo, from the Gordo Banks, Desteladera to Vinorama and this should be the area to concentrate on in coming months.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita/Puerto Los Cabos sent out approximately 68 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 6 striped marlin, 94 yellowfin tuna, 14 bonito, 15 amberjack, 13 cabrilla, 42 yellow snapper, 6 dogtooth snapper, 196 dorado, 18 roosterfish, 8 yellowtail, 6 mako shark and 88 sierra.

Good Fishing, Eric


January 28, 2012

 

Anglers –

Los Cabos weather conditions continue to be extremely pleasant for wintertime, mostly clear sunny skies, high temperatures reaching 80 degrees and variable northern winds. Cooler nights ranged as low as 50 degrees helped lower water temperatures a couple of degrees since last week, average ocean temperatures are now from 67 degrees on the Pacific to 70 degrees further offshore and in the direction of San Jose del Cabo. Crowds of tourists are lighter than would be expected, though the people making the trip are enjoying the warm sunshine and multitude of outdoor activities.

Supplies of sardinas have been plentiful off the beaches north of Punta Gorda, this has been convenient for anglers out of San Jose del Cabo, because this is the same area where the fishing action for species such as dorado and yellowfin tuna was more productive, also there were miscellaneous structure species being found.

Dorado were found spread out through inshore and offshore fishing grounds, these fish are striking on a wide variety of lures and baitfish, average size has been 5 to 15 pounds, but every so often there were fish up to 25 pounds accounted for. With the ocean now on a cooling trend this could slow the bite down, as these fish tend to migrate south when currents drop to 70 degrees or lower.

This past week anglers found much improved action for yellowfin tuna around the Iman Bank. There was a fast current to deal with, also some pesky sea lions and let’s not forget to mention the presence of huge schools of aggressive skipjack, they made it tough to get through to have a chance at the tuna. Persistence and patience was the key, but many charters did account for one, two, three or more yellowfin, average sizes were 25 to 40 pounds, with some fish up to 80 pounds mixed in. Using sardinas or chunk of skipjack for bait was the most productive technique.

Closer to shore there have been fair numbers of sierra, most of these fish were in the 1 to 5 pound class, quite a few juvenile sized roosterfish in the area as well, both of these species hit best on sardinas, but would also strike Rapalas and cast jigs. Off the bottom, when currents allowed, anglers using various baits and yo-yo’s found a mix of amberjack, yellowtail, yellow snapper, cabrilla, bonito and dogtooth snapper, no great numbers, but at times it showed good promise of some great eating variety.

Striped marlin action has been more spread out this year, at this time the fleets are finding more numbers of stripers in the direction of San Jose del Cabo, from the Gordo Banks, Desteladera to Vinorama and this should be the area to concentrate on in coming months.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita/Puerto Los Cabos sent out approximately 68 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 6 striped marlin, 94 yellowfin tuna, 14 bonito, 15 amberjack, 13 cabrilla, 42 yellow snapper, 6 dogtooth snapper, 196 dorado, 18 roosterfish, 8 yellowtail, 6 mako shark and 88 sierra.

Good Fishing, Eric


January 21, 2012

 


 

January 21, 2012

Anglers –

Pleasant winter weather continues to attract moderate crowds of tourists, cloud cover giving way to warm sunshine, with highs into 80s and variable winds. Mid week there were strong gusts from the north, this created choppy seas and limited options for anglers, by Thursday and Friday conditions had settled. Water temperatures have averaged in the 70 to 72 degrees range. Good supplies of sardinas were found along the beach stretches north of Punta Gorda, there were also caballito, sardinetas and some mackerel available.

The San Jose del Cabo fleet has been fishing areas from off of Red Hill towards Iman Bank, species such as dorado, skipjack, striped marlin, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, snapper, sierra and roosterfish are all being found in limited numbers. Dorado have been the more numerous, being found in smaller sized schools, ranging in sizes up to 25 pounds, though most of these fish were under 15 pounds, striking on trolling lures or baits, found close to shore, as well as on the offshore fishing grounds, though greatest concentrations were encountered within a couple miles of shore, this is where baitfish are more prevalent.

This past week we saw more striped marlin off of San Jose del Cabo, many billfish were seen free jumping as well as tailing in the swells, a percentage of these fish would strike on bait or lures, other times they were not interested. This is typically the time when the striped marlin start to shift from the Pacific Banks in the direction of the Sea of Cortez, following their food sources. It is the also the season when we see more mako sharks on these same fishing grounds.

Yellowfin tuna activity has increased in recent days on the areas from the Gordo Banks to Iman, no great numbers of fish being hooked, but these fish are schooling in the area and are quality sized from 30 to 50 pounds, with fish to over 100 pounds also hooked into. There still is a heavy presence of skipjack that the yellowfin have to compete with and it varies from day to day as what time of day the tuna decide to feed, a bit more finicky in the cooler waters. Anglers were using sardinas and chunk bait from skipjack, drift fishing over the grounds, at times tuna would be seen on the surface, other times anglers had blind strikes. This is not the peak season for yellowfin tuna on the local fishing grounds, though at this time there is chance to catch a couple of nice specimens. Every year is a bit different, with global weather patterns, these days you really never know what might happen.

Anglers found other available options along the shoreline for sierra, weighing up to five pounds, hitting on baits, hoochies and rapalas. Also a few early season juvenile sized roosterfish in the area. Off the bottom, anglers found varying currents, but there were some improved pargo catches, a handful of cabrilla and bonito. We heard of yellowtail caught off of the Pacific and at East Cape, so we hope these jacks move into our range soon.

The combined panga fleet launching from La Playita/Puerto Los Cabos sent out approximately 57 charters for the past week, with anglers accounting for a fish count of: 1 sailfish, 9 striped marlin, 5 mako shark, 212 dorado, 38 yellowfin tuna, 13 roosterfish, 125 sierra, 5 amberjack, 10 bonito, 14 cabrilla, 2 yellowtail, 3 dogtooth snapper, 12 barred pargo and 35 yellow pargo.

Good Fishing, Eric