Anglers –

May 25, 2019

May weather has been ideal, seems that it has not become too warm yet, a little cooler than we can normally feel this close to summer time. Actually about the perfect climate now, lows about 65 degrees, highs averaging in the lower 80’s, very few clouds, sunny and dry. Crowds of anglers are moderate now, great time for a visit, with some eating fish being brought in. Early in the week we saw currents from the north push in water that was in the 78/70 degree range, later in the week it was holding more in the 74/76 range. Much of the week we felt north winds, this limited at times where charters went, later towards the weekend winds laid down. With changing currents, also this pushed in slightly greenish off colored waters. Transition period has been unsettled for weeks now, eventually conditions will heat up and we will see some more stable patterns.

Bait vendors are finding moonfish, jacks and some sardineta, also options of ballyhoo. The most consistent action being found was over the structure, boats are working areas from off of Red Hill/Palmilla, Gordo Banks. Cardon, La Fortuna, San Luis, north to Vinorama. Some of the best action was very early on the San Luis Banks, anglers working yo-yo jigs did very well for red snapper (huachinango), these fish were quality, average of 5 to 12 lb. Good number of The Mexican bonito as well, also over the various rocky areas there were some amberjack and grouper species found, we saw amberjack up to 70 pounds, most were in the 10 to 30 lb. range. Yellowtail action died off, but some could still happen with that, lots of sharks were moving in around the Gordo Banks, some days sea lions were a bad problem as well.

A handful of striped marlin were hooked into, boat the off colored changing currents, combined with passing of the full moon,  this seemed to spread this action out, scattered activity for billfish, surely will rebound as soon as water conditions become more favorable. No dorado or wahoo being talked about, though there were some yellowfin tuna accounted for from the super pangas fishing on the northern grounds from San Luis to Vinorama, striking on cut bait and yo-yo jigs, most of these yellowfin were in the 12 to 20 lb. range.

Inshore areas just south of Palmilla, to Chileno produced good action for roosterfish, some of these to over 30 lb. Slow trolling live bait was best technique for these powerful gamefish. Also in the mix were a handful of late season sierra, as well as hog sized jack crevalle.

The combined sportfishing fleet out of the panga area from Puerto Los Cabos Marina reported an estimated 60 charters for the week and anglers reported an approximate fish count of: 4 striped marlin, 8 yellowfin tuna, 10 leopard grouper, 245 Mexican bonito, 82 red snapper, 5 yellow snapper, 7 African pompano, 5 barred pargo, 24 amberjack, 9 sierra, 12 glasseye pargo, 22 roosterfish, 10 jack crevalle and 40 triggerfish.

Good Fishing, Eric

Anglers –

May 18, 2019

We are seeing limited crowds of tourists now, but we have noticed an increased number of actual anglers, so hopefully this trend will continue. Weather patterns remain ideal, lows of about 65 degrees, with highs reaching into the near 90 some days. Mostly clear sunny skies, not many clouds besides some early in the day that quickly burn off. Moderate winds later in the week, early on had been very calm. Warmer current moving in from the north, up to 78 degrees on the Gordo Banks, still much cooler on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas.

Bait netters had to work extra hard to obtain what they could, a mix of moonfish, caballito and a few species of sardinas were found. On the fishing grounds, namely Gordo Banks, anglers were able to jig up some other chihuil baitfish, but this proved scarcer by the day as water warmed up quickly. Using mullet now is prohibited, believe this season will open up in coming weeks.

Main fishing grounds being concentrated on now, have been from Palmilla, Red Hill, Gordo Banks, San Luis and as far north as Vinorama. The Gordo Banks had been the location where yellowtail were being found, averaging 25 to 35 lb., striking on larger live baits near the bottom, though as the week progressed this bite came to a standstill, large numbers of various shark species were also moving in on these same grounds, that seems to spook the gamefish. Sea lions were a pesky problem as well, especially on the grounds to the north, good action for red snapper and bonito was wrecked by these aggressive mammals. Other bottom action included cabrilla, leopard grouper, pargo and amberjack, on Thursday there was a very impressive 96 lb. amberjack landed from a panga. More numbers bonito than anything else, most of these were striking on yo-yo style jigs, weighing 5 to 10 lb..

In recent days the striped marlin became much more active, on these same grounds and a bit further offshore there were stripers being found, most of these were striking various baits and average weights were 70 to 100 lb., though one monster striper of about 180 lb. was landed on Friday, many people were thinking it was a blue marlin because of its size, years past we used to see more of the larger striped marlin. One wahoo of about 25 lb. was also landed Friday, no dorado or yellowfin tuna to speak of. To the north off of Cabo Pulmo they have been finding tuna, so we expect these fish will also move south into our range before too long. Off of the San Jose del Cabo hotel zone anglers were finding better action for roosterfish in the 15 to 25 lb. range, we look for this action to peak in the six weeks or so, please remember that these gamefish should always be released. Not as many sierra being seen now, no large schools of sardinas to attract them and as the water temperatures increase these fish usually migrate out of this region.

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: 13 striped marlin, 13 yellowtail, 1 wahoo, 18 leopard grouper, 360 bonito, 74 red snapper, 10 yellow snapper, 5 African pompano, 6 barred pargo, 29 amberjack, 11 sierra, 6 glasseye pargo, 32 roosterfish and 75 triggerfish.

Good Fishing, Eric

Anglers –

May 11, 2019

Light crowds of anglers are now visiting, making it a great time to come down with the minimal pressure. Weather conditions are now ideal, very little wind, perfect temperature, sunny skies, with highs of about 82 degrees. Ocean water temperature is now ranging from as chilly as 68 degrees on the Pacific, up to 75 degrees off of San Jose del Cabo and towards the north.

Supplies of sardinas have become scarcer, but are being found most mornings. Surface action is slow to get going, it is now the season where things can change very quickly, depending on conditions. Main action now has been found from Palmilla to Gordo Banks, La Fortuna, Iman and San Luis. Catches included a mix of bonito, sierra, roosterfish, pompano, amberjack, red snapper, pargo, cabrilla and yellowtail.

Some of the hard core local pangeros fishing commercially have been leaving very early, this has paid off in being able to jig up chihuil baitfish by using sabiki rigs on the Gordo Banks. After the sun comes these bait fish do not want to bite. These candy baits have been producing quality catches of yellowtail, averaging 25 to 30 lb., while soaking these baits on both the Inner and Outer Gordo Banks. Sport fishing fleet are catching a few, but hard to leave at the hour needed to catch the better bait for this action.

Anglers are using a mixed of available batfish and yo yo jigs to produce a mix of good eating bottom species. Marlin action has been very spotty, but they are seeing a few of the striped marlin, actually in recent days, more of these billfish were seen closer to shore than further offshore, where water was a bit more greenish. Still transition time to where the water changes from green to blue and currents are pushing in from different directions. We are optimistic that the all around action improve soon.

No talk of yellowfin tuna, dorado or wahoo now, but that could change at any given time as conditions become warmer and more favorable. Still plenty of sea lions to deal with as well. Most all of the whales have now moved out of the region and are on their migration north to their summer feeding grounds.

Inshore action consisted on some roosterfish to 20 lb. and sporadic action for sierra to over 5 lb. A handful of African Pompano found off inshore rocky areas, though there are so many aggressive triggerfish it is hard to get through them.

The combined sportfishing fleet out of the panga area from Puerto Los Cabos Marina reported an estimated 55 charters for the week and anglers reported an approximate fish count of: 1 striped marlin, 7 yellowtail, 14 leopard grouper, 155 bonito, 26 red snapper, 12 yellow snapper, 7 African pompano, 10 moharra, 4 amberjack, 32 sierra, 4 glasseye pargo, 14 roosterfish and 85 triggerfish.

Good Fishing, Eric