Anglers –
January 30, 2016

We are seeing fewer visiting anglers arriving during the past couple of weeks, this is not unusual, as this is never peak season for any particular gamefish species on our local grounds. Weather patterns remain much the same, mostly sunny days, some marine layer cloud cover, winds still predominately from the north, varying up to 20 mph or stronger on some days, high daytime temperatures have been reaching into the lower 80s. These winds can limit on where fleets can fish comfortably. Ocean temperatures are averaging 76 degrees and clean blue water is being found within one mile of shore. Anglers have been using a mix of caballito, striped squid and ballyhoo for bait, no reports of any sardinas being located within local range, nor has any consistent offshore baitfish source been happening. There were reports of large concentrations of flying fish being seen, with fish spotted chasing these flyers, acquiring a taste for them and not too aggressive for other offerings.

Local sportfishing fleets were scouting out fishing grounds in all of the normal directions, most productive grounds recently were from Santa Maria, Palmilla, Punta Gorda, La Fortuna and Iman Bank. Yellowfin action was reported on the more distant Pacific Banks for a larger grade of yellowfin. The Iman Bank was producing tuna to over 30 lb., though with the northern winds and sea lion presence, this was a tough bite for the past five days or so, need calmer conditions to effectively drift fish these grounds.

Wahoo have been playing elusive hide and seek games as usual, though actual these fish have become more active in recent days, found close to shore, trolling lures and baits, best bet early in the morning, but there were chances at all hours of the day, you have to just be in the right place at the precise time when these finicky feeders decide to strike. The wahoo now being landed have been in the 15 to 40 lb. range. Anglers reported wahoo action off of Santa Maria, Palmilla, Punta Gorda and Iman Bank. With water temperature still temperate, we expect these ‘hoo to stay in the area into February. Remember last season, some of our best wahoo action was found mid-February.

Striped marlin action improved this past week, decent number of stripers were found straight outside the Puerto Los Cabos Marina, anywhere from one to four miles from shore, most strikes were on caballito, soaking down deep, slow trolling baits on the surface, or occasional gun and run to feeding fish.

Not much going on for sierra or roosterfish, sporadic action found, though some dorado were encountered very close to shore, attracted by available baitfish, more dorado this week than last, sizes ranged up to 20 lb. Anglers were fortunate to find one or two, no big numbers of any particular species now.

Bottom action was tough, mainly due to the windy days, hard to reach the more productive areas to the north, closer inshore, where it was more protected from gusty winds, most common catches were for triggerfish, a handful of snapper, bonito and cabrilla.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 61 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 22 striped marlin, 19 wahoo, 38 yellowfin tuna, 19 dorado, 8 rainbow runner, 9 cabrilla (leopard grouper), 8 huachinango, 14 yellow snapper,10 bonito, 2 sierra and 80 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
January 23, 2016

We are seeing increased crowds of visitors, though not that high of percentage of these visitors are serious salt water anglers. Many people are escaping the winter chill and heading south, we expect this will continue, as the eastern section of United States are in the midst of a serious blizzard now, many flights are being canceled, though expect people will be ready to get out of town when they are able to. Local weather has been cooler in the early morning, down around the 50 degree mark, though days have been clear and sunny, with high temperatures reaching up to 85 degrees. Winds continue to blow predominately from the north, 10 to 20 mph, switching to the south on some days. Ocean temperatures are avenging 76 degrees throughout Southern Baja region, swells have been moderate, fluctuating currents, quite swift at times.

The local bait situation remains much the same, slabs of squid, ballyhoo, caballito and just in recent days some charters found schooling sardinetas offshore. With ocean temperatures now being about 4 degrees higher than normal, hard to predict what might happen with fish migrations this winter season. Plenty of whales now in the area, also more than enough hungry sea lions, creating even more competition for anglers.

Sportfishing fleets were spread out in all directions, we heard reports of larger cow sized yellowfin tuna being encountered traveling with porpoise on the outside of the Pacific Banks, marlin were scattered, some days charters could find one or two striped marlin, while on others days there were none to be found, as more concentrations of baitfish move in we do expect to see more billfish activity. Some stripers were even striking on the stripped squid that anglers used for targeting tuna on the grounds from Punta Gorda to Iman Bank. This action was on and off, wind was a problem on the grounds further to the north, sizes of the yellowfin averaged in the 15 to 50 lb. range, for the most part there were np significant numbers, anglers did well accounting for two or three tuna in their combined morning catch.

Dorado action dropped way off on the grounds off of San Jose del Cabo, we did hear of more do-dos being found on the Pacific, these pelagic fish are just now returning from Southern California, where they had followed the warm El Nino current this past summer and fall. So we do expect to see more dorado appearing in the next month, especially if this warm water situation continues. Wahoo did become more active in the past week, especially early in the week, there was good early morning action found close off of Punta Gorda by anglers trolling both lures and trap hooked larger batfish, sizes ranged up to 40 lb. This bite became more sporadic as the week progressed, though these elusive gamefish are definitely still holding in the temperate conditions and we expect continued action for these fish until water temperatures become too cool for their liking.

More bottom activity being found now, rock piles north of Punta Gorda were producing leopard grouper (cabrilla), yellow and red snapper, rainbow runner, bonito, amberjack and triggerfish. No really big numbers, but more than we have seen so far this season, anglers had success on yo-yo jigs, as well as on whole or strip baits.

Not much reported along the shore, no sierra to speak of, a few roosterfish north of the marina jetty, the majority being smaller sized fish which should always be released with care.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 57 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 6 striped marlin, 26 wahoo, 144 yellowfin tuna, 6 dorado, 21 rainbow runner, 22 cabrilla, 35 huachinango, 16 yellow snapper, 4 amberjack, 14 bonito, 2 roosterfish and 110 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
January 16, 2016

Quiet week in Los Cabos, as light numbers of tourists were arriving, as we are now in the normal lull period immediately following the New Year’s Holiday. Winter time conditions are even being felt locally, as low temperatures dipped to 50 degrees and though days were mostly sunny, high temperatures were hovering around 75 degrees. Actually very pleasant climate for the midst of winter time, be hard to convince the locals though, as they are bundling up like there is no tomorrow.

The week started off with gusty northerly winds, settling down later, nice ocean conditions for anglers, besides the early morning chill. Ocean Temperatures averaging 75 degrees, warmer currents are being found on the Pacific Banks. Anglers continue to rely on the available bait sources of caballito, cocinero, ballyhoo and slabs of squid. No reports of anyone finding schooling sardinas within local range. Local San Jose del Cabo fleets continue to concentrate their efforts on the Grounds from Cerro Colorado/Red Hill to the Gordo Banks and north to La Fortuna and Iman Banks.

Really there has been no particular hot spot recently, everyday certain areas produced a mix of species in limited numbers. Very few dorado or wahoo reported, though free swimming wahoo were sighted on several occasions, not many were actually hooked and landed, same with dorado, they seemed to be taking the week off. Yellowfin tuna were holding around the twenty five spot off of La Fortuna, but with often rapid sweeping drifts created by winds, this spot was not always easy to fish. There was an ongoing problem with nuisance sea lions, waiting for their chance at an easy meal. Most of the yellowfin accounted for were under 20 lb. and were elusively hooked while using strips of squid for bait. The Gordo Banks were also attracting a larger grade of yellowfin tuna, but only a handful of these fish were actually landed, this fishery was a late afternoon deal, done pretty much elusively by local commercial pangeros, fishing the late twilight hours, reported that the yellowfin to over 100 pounds would start feeding as the sun was just about setting, makes for a late day, fighting fish into the darkness and then arriving back to the dock area in the pitch black of the moon less evening.

Billfish action was also very scattered, most common catch being smaller sized striped marlin, no larger concentrations of offshore baitfish to attract any major feeding frenzies. With all of the normal fish migration patterns being abnormal this year, we are expecting later than usual arrival of sardineta and mackerel this season, hard to predict when this will happen, it is time now, these are mostly unprecedented events that are now occurring.

Bottom action was showing encouraging signs the past couple of weeks, more red snapper, amberjack and cabrilla started to appear, then we saw stronger currents slowing down this action, we expect to see steady improvement for this structure activity as weather conditions stabilize. Winds have been more consistent than normal through this past Fall and now into our Winter season, should be time that we start having the calmer days and this will help open up more bottom opportunities.

Very little inshore action, spotty action on smaller sized roosterfish, no sierra to speak of without the preferred sardina bait source.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 56 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 7 striped marlin, 10 wahoo, 88 yellowfin tuna, 11 dorado, 1 island jack, 10 rainbow runner, 14 cabrilla, 26 huachinango, 22 yellow snapper, 8 amberjack, 2 sierra, 12 bonito, 4 roosterfish and 85 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric