Anglers –
September 5, 2015
The Eastern Pacific has remained calm near the Southern Baja Peninsula, while the recent hurricanes have been forming further to the west and heading in the direction of the Hawaiian Islands. Presently there is Tropical Storm Kevin, it is far off the Baja Coast and appears that this system will stay offshore, before downgrading rapidly to a Depression. With the one year anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Odile nearing, we all anxiously following all weather forecast with close interest.
We are now in the final month of summer, conditions are now very tropical and humid, there has been little rainfall felt along the coastal stretches, though mountainous regions have received more scattered afternoon thundershowers and the desert landscape has turned a brilliant lush green.
Crowds of visitors remain light, families are preparing for new school semesters and Southern Californian anglers are taking advantage of epic pelagic gamefish action in their local waters due to the affects of the el Niño current. Ocean conditions have been great, mostly calm, with breezes picking up later in the day. Light to moderate swells, fluctuating currents and clean blue water now found very close to shore. Water temperature has ranged from 86 degrees on the Pacific to 89 degrees in the direction of the Sea of Cortez.
Schooling sardinas have been remaining in the same place to the north of the marina jetty, caballito have also been another bait option. Offshore fishing grounds are attracting bolito, skipjack, small yellowfin tuna and flying fish.
Red Hill and Palmilla Point was the spot early in the week where charter fleets found good action on the smaller grade of yellowfin tuna, up to 15/20 lb. This bite fading out later in the week. Other tuna action was found on the Gordo Banks and Iman Banks, on these grounds the action varied from day to day for the larger sized yellowfin tuna.
Dorado and wahoo were now in the daily reports, most of the dorado encountered were small to medium sized. The wahoo were the highlight in recent days, often very elusive, these prized gamefish went on a great bite on the known grounds from Cardon, La Fortuna to Iman Banks, most wahoo weighed in the 20 to 40 lb. class. Some charters have had five or more fish in the box, with many other strikes lost. Trolling with Rapalas and skirted lead heads in order to find the fish, then anglers were having many strikes while slow trolling rigged baits, such as caballito, chihuil, ballyhoo or bolito.
These same grounds were producing a mix of bottom species, no significant numbers, though a handful of quality fish were being accounted for, dogtooth to 50 lb., amberjack, yellow snapper, rainbow runners, cabrilla, etc…
The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 45 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 4 striped marlin, 7 sailfish, 12 bonito, 16 rainbow runners, 38 dorado, 49 wahoo, 320 yellowfin tuna, 4 dogtooth snapper, 5 amberjack, 11 cabrilla, 16 yellow snapper and 14 barred pargo.
Good fishing, Eric