Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo and Blue Marlin keep Anglers Interested ~ July 29, 2017

Anglers –
July 29, 2017

We are really starting to feel like the tropical desert climate is dominating. With a series of tropical storm system developing in succession from the south, before following western paths. The latest on the list being Hurricanes Irwin and Hilary, both moving further off to the west and now downgraded to tropical storms. In Los Cabos the impact felt was increased ocean swells, to 8 to feet or more, more cloud cover, higher humidity and some isolated rai squalls on Thursday, moderately heavy in certain areas. Looks to be clearer in the coming days, though this time of year it is very hard to predict weather patterns more than a couple days in advance.

Ocean swells were definitely much larger early this week and will continue moderately for the next week, this commonly is the time of year that we see this. Though winds have been mainly increasing later in the morning or afternoon, morning hours on the water were relatively nice. Water temperatures are now averaging 80 to 84 degrees throughout the region. Clarity a bit stirred up closer to shore, due to currents and swells, but clean blue water is being encountered within a few miles of shore. Early in the week there were sardinas found in limited quantities, as well as caballito and mullet. With increased wave activity it is has been not possible to safely reach where the sardinas were schooling, though there are some sardinas found inside of the marina channel area. Other bait options has been using strips of squid, which is just beginning to prove to be a successful option.

Most common areas now being targeted by local sportfishing fleets have been from off of Chileno Bay and north towards Vinorama, for the most part during summer months the waters are calmer in the direction of the Sea of Cortez, rather than on the Pacific. In recent days the billfish action has improved, decent numbers of blue and striped marlin were being hooked into while trolling lures in open offshore waters most of the stripers being under 100 lb., blues were averaging 150 to 200 lb., with one blue marlin, estimated at 500 lb., lost due to tangling lines of a commercial fishing boat, not a good way to lose a trophy fish like that. Dorado have still been slow, but most days we are seeing some do-do’s striking on various trolled lures, small in size, ranged up to 15 lb. Wahoo became a bit more active for first time in a while, as more hook ups on the ’hoo were reported later in the week, as these fish were striking on trolled lures in the La Fortuna to Vinorama, so this is encouraging, A possible good chance now for another quality option.

Bottom action has been slim recently, strong current being part of the issue, also warmer waters, this often means certain species move to deeper and cooler zones. Most common species now being targeted for panga, cruisers and center console charters, was the yellowfin tuna action. This week the best bite was near Vinorama and on most days later in the morning was better than early. Perhaps the currents slacked near higher tide, you never really know when fish will be more aggressive towards feeding. These yellowfin tuna ranged from 5 lb. to 80 lb. Most consistent action was found on sardinas, as well as on caballito, some strikes on strips of squid. Trolling small to medium Rapalas and hoochies produced mainly the smaller grade of yellowfin, with the larger specimens taken on bait. You also had to fish persistently, with patience, waiting for your chance when the fish would come up and be actively feeding. Also these yellowfin were also line shy, finicky, often anglers needed to go down to 30 lb. line to buy a strike, some of these larger tuna can take close to two hours to land when using such light line. Catching one, two or three of these nice tuna was average, some boats had up to five or more, these fish are definitely on these grounds, using more chum was better to help entice them, but being there when they actually would come to the surface and feed was the key factor

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 84 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 16 striped marlin, 8 blue marlin, 42 dorado, 18 wahoo, 4 amberjack, 12 bonito, 18 yellow snapper, 6 barred pargo, 175 yellowfin tuna, 7 leopard grouper, 73 huachinango, 16 jack crevalle, 18 roosterfish and 38 triggerfish.
Good fishing, Eric

Weather Heats Up, Lots of Smaller Yellowfin Tuna Show ~ July 22, 2017

Anglers –
July 22, 2017

Another week with light crowds and increasingly warmer weather. The latest tropical storm which has developed off of Southern Mexico is named Greg, it is following the recent trend and heading on a westerly track offshore, all we felt from this system was perhaps more tropical climate with increased humidity. Winds were relatively light, morning calmer, with breeze picking up mid-day on. Ocean temperatures are back up in the 80 to 84 degree range on the Sea of Cortez side of the Peninsula and on the Pacific Banks it is about 78 degrees.

Sportfishing fleets have been fishing from Chileno, Palmilla, Gordo Banks, to Iman and San Luis. Action was spread out now. Largest fish we heard of was early in the week, a 428 lb. black marlin which was hooked into while trolling a lure around the Gordo Banks, other highlight was a 100 lb. class yellowfin tuna landed on Thursday. Most common catches were for a smaller grade of 10 to 20 pound yellowfin, these fish were scattered throughout the inshore region, striking on trolled hoochies and smaller Rapalas. This action started out strong early in the week, was more spread out by the weekend. These schooling tuna were not associated with porpoise, just found in open water, along the inshore drop off.

A few more numbers of dorado, though most of these were under 8 lb., only an occasional larger specimen seen. Tolling same type of tuna lures was the best bet to find these fish. Inshore there was decent action for roosterfish, hot spot perhaps off of the San Jose Hotel zone, fish to over 40 lb. were landed, also many juveniles mixed in.

The action off the bottom was up and down, one day good, next day slim, mainly targeting red snapper (huachinango), in the 4 to 12 lb. range, found near San Luis Bank and hooked up with yo-yo style jigs. Only a few amberjack were found. No dogtooth snapper to speak of either, only a couple of small ones. The months of July and August is when we normally to find the largest of amberjack and dogtooth snapper, so our fingers are crossed that these normal patterns are just running a little being typical schedules.

Bait supplies consisted of mullet and caballito, some anglers are starting to try their luck with strips of squid, but so far noting has been consistent with that, need a larger grade of yellowfin to move in, it is the time of year we do regularly see the quality grade tuna move in.

Some limited wahoo activity was reported this week, more strikes missed and lures cut off than fish caught, this happened while trolling for the tuna, though a couple of wahoo up to 25 lb. were landed. First of these we have seen in a while. With inshore waters cleaning back up, blue water is what wahoo prefer. If water temperatures become too much warmer these fish often become more sluggish.

We heard of one 45 lb. class snook landed off the beach in the evening, these world class fish are in the area, though you have to put in some serious effort and be fortunate to land one.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 59 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 1 black marlin, 24 dorado, 2 wahoo, 8 amberjack, 16 bonito, 11 yellow snapper, 4 barred pargo, 185 yellowfin tuna, 10 leopard grouper, 2 dogtooth snapper, 84 huachinango, 9 jack crevalle, 68 roosterfish, 2 pompano and 22 triggerfish.
Good fishing, Eric

Weather Settles, Heat Wave Arrives, Tuna to 80 LB ~ July 15, 2017

Anglers –

July 15 2017
Light crowds of tourists were feeling the real heat of the summer season now, as weather patterns have stabilized, feeling more tropical, higher humidity and lighter winds. Surf conditions were larger, as a result of two distant hurricanes, Eugene and Fernanda, which formed off Southern Mexico and headed off on northwesterly tracks. No impact on land was felt, except for larger ocean swells and high humidity. Ocean temperatures have warmed up into the 82 degree range on the Sea of Cortez side, the Pacific is still slightly cooler. Water clarity has continued to improve, green water inshore is showing improvement each day.

Live bait options consisted of caballito and mullet, some chihuil and bolito were being found and used for trolling on the offshore grounds. Inshore fishing action slowed with higher surf conditions, a scattering of roosterfish and jack crevalle. Most fleets are working the grounds from Iman to the San Luis Banks, this is where the most productive all around action was encountered.

With the warming currents, the fast action for huachinango has slowed down, though there were still some to be caught, all on yo-yo jigs, off of Iman and San Luis Banks, also a mix of Eastern Pacific bonito, up to 10 lb. These were the same grounds that quality sized yellowfin tuna were schooling, not in huge numbers, but tuna in the 30 to 80 lb. range were being hooked into on a daily basis. These yellowfin were also striking the yo-yo jigs well this past week, not something they commonly do, usually they prefer various whole or cut baits. Besides striking on yo-yo jigs, these tuna also would hit while drift fishing or slow trolling baits. Most charters were having chances at least for one or two tuna, other landed as many as three of four. Many fish were lost as well, because these yellowfin were a bit line shy, most anglers were using 40 to 50 lb. leaders in order to have better chances at hooking up, resulting in a greater percentage of lost fish as well.

As the ocean water temperature has warmed back up and as the present surf swell resides, this could be the opportunity for dogtooth snapper to finally go on the bite, so far this season we have seen very limited activity from these larger of all pargo species. We did see a couple of nice sized amberjack recently, this is the time of year when we see the largest of these ambers of the season, not uncommon to see fish up to 80 lb. or more this month.

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: 3 striped marlin, 16 dorado, 7 amberjack, 32 bonito, 11 yellow snapper, 3 barred pargo, 89 yellowfin tuna, 13 leopard grouper, 165 huachinango, 12 jack crevalle, 24 roosterfish and 26 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric