GORDO BANKS PANGAS

September 27, 2020

We saw similar weather patterns this week, quiet for tropical storm systems in the Eastern Pacific, we could use some more rain, but definitely do not need any late season devastating hurricanes to sweep through. So we are hoping for a calm transition period this fall, this year has already been tough enough. Topical humid conditions continue, not as many clouds this past week, though early in the period there were a few scattered rain squalls. Swells have been light and most days the ocean has been flat calm, little wind, with the breeze picking up in the afternoon.

The main bait source now has been sardinas, caballito are scarce. The sardinas are plentiful along beach stretches near the marina, though they are small in size, anglers are using two, and sometimes three per hook, these schooling baitfish should grow in size in coming weeks. Catching chihuil or skipjack have been other bait options, but that proved more hit or miss. Slabs of squid are being used as well for drift fishing for the yellowfin tuna, though in recent days it seemed the tuna preferred the sardinas, even though they were tiny.

The yellowfin were more finicky, becoming wise to boat pressure and also gorging on plentiful food supply they found on the local fishing grounds. Anglers were using lighter leaders with more success and small hooks. Iman Bank was main spot this week, as sea lions took up residence on the Gordo Banks and made that impossible to fish. Drift fishing was the technique, fish were biting better later in the morning and locals were also commercial fishing in the late afternoon and doing better than the morning charters, but also coming back in very late, not a normal charter deal. The yellowfin ranged in size from 10 lb. to 80 lb., most fish being in the 20 to 60 lb. range. Average catches per boat varied from one to five fish.

Very few dorado or wahoo found, though these fish are in the area and we are seeing some landed, just one here or there, mostly small dorado, we saw wahoo to 35 lb. These fish become sluggish when water temperatures reach as high as 86 to 88 degrees, as they are now. Clean blue water now as close as a mile from shore, so really anything could happen on any given day.

Last week we saw more numbers of nice sized dogtooth snapper than we had seen in several years, this action was on the same Iman Bank, though this week that action quickly faded out. Not much off the bottom, a few varieties of snapper, a handful of cabrilla and amberjack.

Not much heard of for local billfish action either, most anglers we saw were preferring to target the tuna action. A couple of sailfish were reported, as they hang around the same grounds as do the tuna.

Light crowds, good fishing, Eric

GORDO BANKS PANGAS

September 20, 2020

Entering the fall season now, for the Los Cabos region this is the most tropical period, high humidity, scattered very tropical cloud cover and always a chance at isolated rain showers. Not many tourists now, as this is normally a slack time for travelers, even more so this year due to Covid 19, in another few weeks the area will become much busier, high stakes tournament time. The entire month has been very quiet in the Eastern Pacific for tropical storms, though the Atlantic has been a different story. Almost eerie, how it is so quiet now, there is a distance low pressure system, developing far to the south, forecast to strengthen some as it heads off to the west. With local ocean temperatures now as high as 88 degrees, still high possibilities that if conditions become favorable, powerful storms can develop quickly and in close proximity.

For the few anglers that were in town, they enjoyed mostly flat calm seas with minimal breeze, with the exception over the weekend when passing storm clouds kicked up winds, creating choppy seas, but as clouds passed through, seas calmed down again, no rain was reported, higher mountain areas had some isolated rain squalls. Extended forecast say that these calm tropical conditions will remain similar for next ten days, hopefully they are right.

Main bait now be offered are sardinas and slabs of squid. This is what the better action was found on. Yellowfin tuna has been the most common gamefish being targeted, the tuna have been found from the Gordo Banks, north to Vinorama, Iman Bank was one of the more popular areas this week. Boats from the north, East Cape, are arriving on these same grounds, adding to the concentrated pressure. Early bite was particularly good for yellowfin, which have been in the 10 to 80 lb. range, average fish 40 to 60 lb. Larger cow size tuna were seen, proved to be finicky, quickly disappearing, though they are in the area and with these calm conditions, the ocean is becoming riper for wide open action to break loose. Boats now were averaged one or two tuna, or sometimes up to five or six, depending exactly where you happened to be.

Not as many dorado or wahoo being found, though they are in the area and some were accoutered for, most of the dorado were small fish, have not seen any large bulls recently, the few wahoo we have seen were in the 20 to 35 lb. class. Minimal bottom action, mixed species, a few quality fish, amberjack to 45 lb., one 65 lb. dogtooth snapper, barred pargo, bonito, pargo cororado and one black sea bass by local commercial pangeros, about 70 lb.

Last weekend and the first part of this past week, there were a handful of black marlin hooked into, most of these from the vicinity of the Gordo Banks and while trolling skipjack or bolito baits. At least three blacks were landed and brought in, they ranged in sizes from 340 lb. to close to 500 lb. Several sailfish and striped marlin also were reported.

Light crowds, good fishing, Eric

GORDO BANKS PANGAS

September 13, 2020

We are seeing light numbers of tourists now, for the few that are here they have been enjoying calm weather patterns for the past week now, scattered tropical cloud cover, high humidity and light afternoon breezes. The early mornings are just starting to feel fall like, slightly cooler, but still not much needed besides shorts and t-shirts now. There is a Tropical Storm Karina lurking about 250 miles off to the west of Todo Santos, we are not feeling much from this at all, besides humidity, perhaps some isolated rain showers, but limited. Forecast looks favorable for another week, this is now the sixth anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Odile, which caused catastrophic damage to the Los Cabos region. Weather can develop rapidly this time of year, so we will be monitoring reports closely.

Ocean is now averaging 80 to 84 degrees, cleaner blue water found within a couple miles of shore. Some scattered schools of sardinas are now congregating around the marina jetties, as well as some caballito, though in recent days the more consistent action was found while using sardina, as well as strips of squid, which are also available through local bait vendors. There were reports of chihuil being chummed up on the high spots, also some skipjack and bolito being used for larger trolled baits.

The hot wahoo bite from the week before has now fading out, perhaps wahoo are sluggish in the warmer currents, as they can become, also back side of full moon and put them off, though surely they are still in the area and certain conditions could trigger activity again. Yellowfin tuna are now the main gamefish species being found. Some scattered dorado as well, found while trolling lures and drift fishing baits.

The schooling yellowfin have been found near San Luis, Iman Banks, north to Vinorama and in recent days the tuna became more active on the Inner Gordo Bank. The most successful methods being used were drift fishing with sardinas, dead or live, as well as using strips of squid. The caballito baits have not been as enticing this past week, yellowfin now preferring sardina or squid. Average size tuna was in the 40 to 70 lb. class, charters were landing one, two three and four of these tuna per morning, using 40 to 60 lb. line mainly, the fish a bit finicky at times, fluorocarbon leaders of 50 to 60 lb. being used, strong fish, sometimes taking an hour to land.

A few marlin sightings, hook ups as well, but did not hear of any large marlin being landed. Not much off the bottom besides red snapper, a couple of amberjack and dogtooth snapper. Always a chance at a big grouper this time of year, but not many anglers are specifically targeting those at this time.

Light crowds, good fishing, Eric