San Jose del Cabo Weather Links
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Water Temperature > http://tempbreak.com/index.php?&cwregion=cb

 

Wind Report > http://www.sailflow.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=130&regionProductID=30&timeoffset=0

 

February 25, 2012

Anglers –

There was a noticeable increase in tourists this past week, as more visitors were arriving to enjoy the pristine wintertime weather and multitude of outdoor activities available. Sunny days, averaging 70 to 80 degrees, light to moderate variable winds with ocean water temperatures warming up a few degrees in recent days, now averaging 70 to 73 degrees, with even warmer currents found outside of San Jose del Cabo.

Sportfishing fleets are fishing areas all throughout the zone, from the grounds on the Pacific, to off Chileno, Palmilla, Punta Gorda, Iman Bank and north to Vinorama. Anglers found scattered action on a wide variety of species, no great bite on one specific fish, but the all around action has been comparatively on par for how wintertime action typically is. This is now the beginning of spring transition period, warmer currents start to return, attracting a particular food chain, with the array of gamefish following.

Anglers found spread out striped marlin action, no great concentrations, though a percentage of charters were accounting for multiple billfish days, the cleaner warming currents brought more fish closer to shore this past week, though often when encountered they were bait shy. Striped marlin were striking on trolled lures, as well as on baits such as caballito, skipjack, rigged ballyhoo and if you were fortunate enough to find, mackerel. Dorado were scattered now, as often they become in these cooler water temperatures, by next month we should see more of these prized golden dorado returning to local waters. There still are a few dorado being encountered, most of them juvenile sized, with warming water temperatures anything could happen at any given time.

Panga anglers found the most consistent action around the vicinity of the Iman Bank area. This is the spot where the yellowfin tuna have been the prized target species, despite being somewhat out of season, there have been schools of quality sized yellowfin tuna holding here and anglers are hooking up while drift fishing with sardinas, as well as on chunk bait. Heavy boat pressure, fast currents and big numbers of hungry skipjack and sea lions, all have contributed to up and down, hit or miss action, some days better than others, anglers felt fortunate to land one or two of these tuna, average weights were in the 30 to 60 pound range, with a fish pushing the one hundred pound mark seen in the area. These yellowfin were finicky, lots of boat pressure, sporadically coming to the surface, anglers using 30 to 40 pound line weights accounted for more hook ups, but many larger sized fish were broke off due to extended battles on the light gear. On some days the early morning bite would be best, while on others there was more activity later on.

For the San Jose del Cabo fleets, sardinas are now being netted near Vinorama, which is nearly a 20 mile run, but this is where this preferred tuna bait is now found, not many other options for sardinas, near Cabo San Lucas sardinas were abundant, though the bait was much smaller and this is not practical due to the location of the yellowfin tuna at this time. The Iman Bank is about three miles south of Vinorama, so this is the best deal for now.

Stronger currents this past week made it more difficult to fish bottom spots, though there was a wide mix of structure species caught, amberjack, yellowtail, pago, bonio, cabrilla, grouper and shark. No big run of yellowtail yet this season, best numbers were found along the Pacific shores, a few fish, here and there in the direction of Sea of Cortez, the yellows that were found, weighed 10 to 30 pounds. Drifting with baits and working yo-yo jigs were the two main techniques used for the bottom action. Typically this type of action peaks during the spring time months.

The combined panga fleets launching from La Playita/Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 83 charters for the past week, with anglers reported a fish count of:

6 striped marlin, 15 amberjack, 22 cabrilla, 23 yellowtail, 166 bonito, 24 huachinago, 42 sierra, 13 dorado, 1 wahoo, 105 yellowfin tuna, 35 yellow snapper and 312 skipjack.

Good fishing, Eric

 

San Jose del Cabo Weather Links
Click for weather forecast

 

 

Water Temperature > http://tempbreak.com/index.php?&cwregion=cb

 

Wind Report > http://www.sailflow.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=130&regionProductID=30&timeoffset=0

 

February 21, 2012

Anglers –

Typical southern Baja winter time weather, lots of sunshine, with high temperatures ranging up to 80 degrees. Northern winds continue to blow, but not as relentless as they normally can be during this time frame. Water temperature warmed back up to an average of 69 to 70 degrees, early in the week cold currents of 67 degrees had swept through the area.

Anglers found improved action closer to shore and off the rock piles. Along the beaches sierra action broke wide open, particularly off of the Chileno area, some nice sized sierra up to five pounds were accounted for, limits were the rule, with sardinas being the best bait. While using yo-yo jigs retrieved up from the bottom, anglers were hooking into a mix of yellowtail, amberjack cabrilla, pargo and bonito, all very good fighting fish and excellent table fare. The Red Hill area was starting to hold more fish, other consistent spots were near Iman Bank. Bait suppliers were finding schooling sardinas near Desteladera and from Palmilla to Chileno. No one reported catching any mackerel off of San Jose del Cabo, there were caballito available from vendors.

Striped marlin activity was scattered, offshore baitfish activity has been scarce, as weather becomes more stable this activity should improve. Some charters searching for billfish have had multiple strikes, while others were not so fortunate. Still more chances in the direction of Cabo San Lucas and on the Pacific than in the direction of the Sea of Cortez. Dorado action was few and far between, having scattered with the arrival of cooling currents, still there were a few stragglers being encountered, most of them under ten pounds.

The rainfall last Wednesday and the following gusty winds from the north attributed to turning the water conditions over through last weekend, shutting down the yellowfin tuna bite that had developed on the Iman Bank. At this time conditions have improved and for the past few days anglers are catching limited numbers of yellowfin tuna while drift fishing with sardinas. These tuna are weighing in the 30 to 50 pound class, a definite bonus considering these fish are normally out of season during this time period. Black skipack and sea lions have continued to be a nuisance for anglers to deal with.

The combined panga fleets launching from La Playita/Puerto Los Cabos sent out approximately 62 charters for the past week, with anglers reported a fish count of:

1 striped marlin, 90 bonito, 21 amberjack, 26 cabrilla, 22 yellowtail, 16 huachinago, 322 sierra, 8 roosterfish, 16 dorado, 27 yellowfin tuna, 35 pargo, 3 dogtooth snapper and 12 jack crevalle.

Good fishing, Eric

 

 

San Jose del Cabo Weather Links
Click for weather forecast

 

 

Water Temperature > http://tempbreak.com/index.php?&cwregion=cb

 

Wind Report > http://www.sailflow.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=130&regionProductID=30&timeoffset=0

February 11, 2012

Anglers –

The month of February is now living up to its reputation as having very unpredictable weather patterns, the week started off with clear and calm days, then we had a cold front move in from the north, leaving moderate rainfall on and off through Wednesday, followed up by wind from the north on Thursday and Friday. Ocean water temperatures began the period averaging about 72 degrees and by the end dropped down into the 67/68 degree range. Air temperatures varied from lows in the 50s to highs in the mid 70s. Crowds of tourists remained light, though the limited numbers of anglers did find some very good angling action during the first half of the week.

Full moon seems to always stir conditions up at his time of year, extreme tides and often wind, also can scatter bait fish schools. Despite this there were good supplies of sardinas found off the beaches near Desteladera. Schooling mackerel were hard to find now for the last week, though skipjack continued to be found in large schools throughout the region.

Striped marlin activity has been scattered, though anglers targeting these billfish have had an average of a couple opportunities per day on stripers ranging up to 120 pounds, much of this action was found 10 to 20 miles off of the Chileno to Cabo San Lucas and Pacific regions. Strikes came on trolled lures, rigged ballyhoo and dropped back baits. We expect as water temperatures warm back up some, this will food supply fish, such as mackerel, sardinetas and flying fish, we should see improved action offshore.

The most consistent fishing action has been closer to shore, over rocky structure, most often in depths ranging from 100 to 150 feet. San Jose del Cabo charters concentrated most of their efforts around the Iman Bank. Besides finding some of the heaviest whale watching concentrations in the area, this is where they found yellowfin tuna action, not wide open, but definitely a chance at landing one or two, sometimes more, quality sized fish, they were a bit finicky to take drifted sardinas, at times preferring live bait and other times dead, fluorocarbon leaders of 40 to 60 pound were being used for these line shy tuna which were averaging 30 to 80 pounds, some fish were in the 100 pound class. These fish would could up to chum at unpredictable times during the day, sometimes early, other times more active later in the day, lots of aggressive skipack and sea lions to deal with in the mean time. Considering that this is now off season for the yellowfin tuna fishery in local waters, this has been a special bonus for anglers, it is not always a sure deal to have chances at this size of tuna during the cooler winter months.

There were even a few wahoo in the mix, striking in the same area where the tuna were schooling, hitting on yo-yos and sardinas, of course as usual for ‘hoo, more strikes were lost than actually landed. Dorado action tapered way off compared to previous weeks, though earlier in the week before the ocean conditions turned over, there were some decent number of do dos found, most of these fish were weighing fifteen pounds or less, with a few exceptions of larger specimens.

Bottom action showed some signs of improvement, but then slowed back down to a standstill, though a anglers did fins limited numbers of yellowtail, amberjack, various pargo/snapper species and cabrilla, some of these fish weighed up to 30 pounds, they hit while drift fishing off the rocky bottom areas on baits and yo-yo jigs.

Close to shore, just outside the surf zone, there were sierra, roosterfish and jack crevalle. Slow trolling with sardinas was the most productive method of finding action, though anglers also reported success on hoochies and Rapalas. More sierra than anything else, up to three or four pounds, the few roosterfish that were encountered were also of similar size, some of the jacks ranged to 20 pounds, strong fighters and strong tasting fish as well.

The combined panga fleets launching from La Playita/Puerto Los Cabos sent out approximately 50 charters for the past week, with anglers reported a fish count of:

2 striped marlin, 29 bonito, 11 amberjack,16 cabrilla, 13 yellowtail, 36 huachinago (red snapper),116 sierra, 6 roosterfish, 22 dorado, 69 yellowfin tuna, 16 yellow snapper,

18 barred pargo, 4 dogtooth snapper, 12 shark and 450 black skipper.

 

Good fishing, Eric