Anglers –
December 5, 2015

This week like clockwork the numbers of visitors were far fewer than in previous weeks, this is normal for immediately after Thanksgiving and prior to the Christmas Holiday season. Last week we were all caught off guard by the latest forming major Hurricane ever recorded in the Eastern Pacific, Hurricane Sandra reached category four strength and initially was forecast to pass very close to Cabo San Lucas on Saturday, the system followed a unpredictable course, it then collided with a powerful wind shear from the north, which stirred the storm further south and caused rapid weakening. Southern Baja was spared of any devastation, there was a fair amount of rainfall recorded in the Los Cabos, possibly up to three inches in certain areas. Winds never reached much more than 30 mph gusts, but storm swells did kick up to about four meters and both local ports were closed all day on Friday and Saturday, rainy day schedule, finally opening Sunday morning. Since the passing of this storm front there have been persistent northerly winds, ranging 15 to 25 mph and this created choppy conditions on the open grounds north of Punta Gorda. The winds did slack later in the week, helping to settle seas, air temperature are still reaching into the 80’s and lows dipped to 60 degrees. Ocean water temperature was now ranging 79/80 degrees throughout most of the region. North winds pushed in slightly greener current close to shore.

The week started off with the wahoo being aggressive and very active early in the day on the Iman Bank. Best action was on slow trolled baits, either caballito or chihuil, not much reported on trolled artificial lures. Some charters landed up to five wahoo, with that many other strikes lost, weights for the ‘hoo averaged 25 to 40 lb. Not as many numbers of dorado were found from these same grounds, though the other fleets fishing on the Pacific did find more numbers of dorado, but not many wahoo or other species, besides billfish.

Yellowfin tuna action became hampered by persistent winds, harder to find porpoise activity, and not favorable for drift and chum style fishing. Other days anglers could see tuna breezing on the surface, but these fish were just not interested in striking any offerings. A handful of yellowfin tuna have been landed, some smaller grade football, but other quality tuna in the 40 to 120 lb. class were accounted for. The day before the recent storm struck there was a report from commercial pangeros based out of Los Frailes, who landed one yellowfin tuna that weighed 378 lb. while fishing on the San Luis Bank with squid. If weather does cooperate we do expect to have more quality yellowfin tuna action opening up.

The bottom action showing a little more promise in recent days, but again you need calmer conditions to really have better opportunities. A few species of pargo, bonito, amberjack, triggerfish and cabrilla, no big quantities, but better than what we have seen off of the bottom for the past month, we expect to see improved bottom action, though this will depend on how persistent north winds prove to be. Normal fall/winter wind patterns have been harder to predict this year, winds usually blow for several days, then we have a few nice days and cycle repeats itself, not like these seven to eight day blows we have had this fall.

Bait supplies remained plentiful for live caballito, not much else was available, no ballyhoo or sardinas to speak of. With changing ocean conditions we hope to see sardinas move back within our range.

Surely we will see the annual migration of whales start to arrive soon, warner than normal water might delay this, but these mammals will arrive soon enough. Great time to visit now, ideal climate, crowds of anglers are light and fishing is liable to break wide open on any given day.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 78 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 1 blue marlin, 13 sailfish, 7 striped marlin, 34 yellowfin tuna, 39 dorado, 49 wahoo, 9 sierra, 46 misc. pargo species, 1 amberjack, 12 cabrilla, 13 bonito, 6 roosterfish and 25 triggerfish

Good fishing, Eric