More North Wind, Limited Options, Green Water ~ December 29, 2018

Happy New Year’s
Anglers –
December 29, 2018

Last week of the year, we are seeing fair number of families visiting for the holiday vacation, though with continued north winds the fishing has been subpar on the local grounds out of San Jose del Cabo and this has hurt the numbers of charters. Winds have been relentless since November, conditions have turned over, greenish, swift currents, water temperatures near 73 to 74 degrees.

Anglers are using a combination of caballito, slabs of squid and some ballyhoo for bait. There are now reports of mackerel showing up on bait grounds off of San Jose del Cabo, if conditions settle some, this could open up some new options and bring in gamefish species such as striped marlin.

The majority of local charters are fishing the grounds from Red Hill, Gordo Banks to Iman Banks. At times limited where boats could comfortably fish due to weather conditions. Air temperatures have been moderate, lows down to 55 degrees early morning, with mid-day highs near 80 degrees. Mainly sunny skies, morning cloud cover burning off as sun rises.

Yellowfin tuna, dorado and wahoo action were all very scarce. Best chances were for possibly a tuna or two near the Iman Bank, but only a handful of yellowfin tuna are being landed, lucky to catch one at this time. Most of the tuna landed were in the 15 to 20 lb. range, striking on strips of squid. There were a couple of tuna specimens in the 60 to 80 lb. class accounted for, so there still is a chance at a nicer grade of yellowfin. Only an occasional dorado being seen, even less talk of any wahoo.

The more productive action now was for a variety of structure species, the most common being the Eastern Pacific bonito, ranging up to ten pounds, striking various lures as well as on bait. Also red snapper (huachinango), glass eye snapper, baqueta, triggerfish, ocean whitefish, yellow snapper, flag cabrilla and tijareta.

More billfish action now being found on the Pacific, but some striped marlin were also encountered on the 95 and 1150 spots and now with the reports of schooling mackerel appearing off San Jose del Cabo, tis should mean that more numbers of striped marlin will be not too far behind.

Inshore action there were small sized roosterfish and some sierra, this provided some back up action on the days that proved too rough offshore.

The combined sportfishing fleet out of the panga area from Puerto Los Cabos Marina reported an estimated 66 charters for the week and anglers reported an approximate fish count of: 6 striped marlin, 8 dorado, 29 yellowfin tuna, 145 bonito, 1 amberjack, 12 glass eye snapper, 16 red snapper, 8 cabrilla (leopard grouper), 14 baqueta, 6 ocean whitefish, 12 yellow snapper, 25 tijareta, 12 flag cabrilla, 22 sierra, 16 roosterfish and 80 triggerfish.

Good Fishing, Eric

North Wind, Greener Water, Slows Action ~ December 22, 2018

Merry Christmas!
Anglers –
December 22, 2018

We have seen lighter than normal crowds arriving for this Christmas Holiday week. Though it is feeling more like winter time now, cooler days, low temperatures of 55 degrees, highs in the mid-70s. Some scattered cloud cover, with mostly sunny skies. North winds continued to blow all week, finally letting up Saturday. This has contributing to pushing in greener ocean currents, of 73 to 75 degrees off of San Jose del Cabo, while off of Cabo San Lucas they reported 78 degree water.

All around fishing action was slower on the grounds from the Gordo Banks to Vinorama. Bait supplies consisted of caballito, slabs of squid and some ballyhoo, still no sign of sardinas showing up along local beach stretches. Wind has been more relentless this season, last year at this time we had good action for wahoo, dorado and tuna, this year is a different story, as green water and cooling currents has turned over conditions.

Very few yellowfin tuna were striking this week, most of the tuna found were between Iman and Vinorama, drift fishing with strips of squid, sizes averaged 15 to 20 lb., on Friday there was an 80 lb. yellowfin landed off of the Gordo Banks. Also we saw one nice 30 lb. yellowtail brought in, as well as a few deeper water grouper in the 25 to 30 lb. class. Of course triggerfish continue to dominate all bottom fishing done closer to shore, a few snapper, amberjack and pargo species in the mix.

Billfish action was very good through the first part of the week on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas, off San Jose del Cabo there has been only a scattering of striped marlin seen, one late season black marlin was hooked into off of the Gordo Banks, but this fish eventually broke off.

Dorado and wahoo activity was almost nonexistent, just an occasional fish being found. Early in the week several wahoo were hooked into north near Vinorama, on Friday a 45 lb. wahoo was brought to the tables. We are hoping for nicer calm weather conditions, which would give the water a chance to clear up some, then wahoo and dorado action could rebound, before water becomes too cold and sends these gamefish migrating to warmer southern waters.

Along the shore, especially off of the San Jose del Cabo Hotel zone, there was good action for roosterfish ranging in sizes up to 20 lb. Slow trolling with live caballito was the best technique, some jack crevalle and sierra also in the same inshore area.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 51 charters for the week. Anglers reported a fish count of: 4 striped marlin, 8 dorado, 2 wahoo, 35 yellowfin tuna, 9 bonito, 7 white skipjack, 10 red snapper, 12 yellow snapper, 2 amberjack, 1 fortune jack, 1 yellowtail, 6 cabrilla (leopard grouper), 6 baqueta grouper, ocean whitefish, 9 flag cabrilla, 11 sierra, 42 roosterfish, 5 jack crevalle and 110 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

North Wind, Limited Action, Light Crowds ~ December 15, 2018

Anglers –
December 15, 2018

There continues to be a noticeable lack of visiting tourists now, as families prepare for Christmas and are not doing much raveling now. We do anticipate more people arriving over the upcoming school vacation period. Weather was cooler this week, persistent north winds continued as well, so far to date we have seen more wind than we normally do, just one of those years. Scattered cloud cover, high temperatures of 75 to 80 degrees. Ocean water temperatures has been ranging from 75 to 78 degrees, we expect to see more of a cooler trend with the northerly winds pushing in cooler currents.

Still no signs of a new resource for sardinas, caballito continue to be netted in the marina channel, other bait options for anglers have included strips of squid and ballyhoo. Local sportfishing fleets are searching out the fishing grounds from Chileno to Vinorama, most consistent action has been found from Iman to Vinorama, the problem is that this is where the wind has been blowing the grounds out of shape and making it more difficult to drift fish for the yellowfin tuna. Anglers were doing well to land two or three tuna, these yellowfin ranged in sizes from 10 to 80 lb., most being in the 10 to 20 lb. class. The highlight catch for the week definitely was the super cow sized tuna that was brought in by a team of local anglers on Monday, this yellowfin tuna was weighed in at 313 lb. and was hooked into on the Gordo Banks on a piece of squid, quite an impressive tuna for this late in the season, it took the team close to an hour and a half to bring the monster to gaff.

Besides the sporadic bite for the tuna, dorado and wahoo proved to be even more elusive. Only a scattering of these gamefish were encountered. Hard to say what the coming weeks will bring, cooler, off colored greenish ocean conditions now, seasonal transition time. Should start to see schools of mackerel and sardineta move in, this migration brings in more fish.

Off the shoreline charters were doing well for roosterfish, not normally the known season for these fish, but they are around at this time, particularly in front of the San Jose del Cabo hotel zone. Most of these roosterfish are smaller sized juveniles, under ten pounds, with an occasional larger specimen in the mix. Please remember to always release these prized fighting gamefish, they are known more for trophy fish, take a photo and release, not known for their eating quality.

Not much bottom action being done, swift currents and dominance of triggerfish the main deal. We did have one nice Californian sheepshead, island jack, some pargo and a couple of amberjack and bonito.

Billfish is mainly going on the Pacific now, very little marlin action off of San Jose del Cabo now, when there food source moves this direction the marlin will follow.

Whale migration is now moving in the direction of peak season, more of these mammals are being seen daily.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 71 charters for the week. Anglers reported a fish count of: 1 sailfish, 3 striped marlin, 12 dorado, 4 wahoo, 105 yellowfin tuna, 10 bonito, 5 white skipjack, 14 red snapper, 10 yellow snapper, 2 amberjack, 1 sheepshead, 6 cabrilla, 4 mohara, 1 island jack, 12 sierra, 48 roosterfish and 55 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric