GORDO BANKS PANGAS
September 6, 2020
We are now into the first week of the most tropical and unpredictable month of the year, always watching forecast closely and seeing light crowds of tourists arriving, never is this the busiest time of the season, though this year things are predictably even slower. This week the weather patterns were more stable though the entire week, giving ocean conditions a chance to recover and the water clarity became much cleaner, blue water found within a few miles of shore. Ocean temperature was now in the 80 to 84 degree range. This is also the most humid time of the year, with recent rainfall and hillside landscape has transformed to lush green, season to have insect repellant handy.
The majority of local charters have now been concentrating efforts on the grounds from the Gordo Banks and north to Vinorama, as these are normally the most productive areas during the summer months. The whole summer season was slow to get on track, lots of dirty currents moving cooler water through, more south wind than normal, but finally this past week weather patterns stabilized and the fishing action improved significantly. Anglers were using caballito and rigged ballyhoo for baits, also a few scattered schools of sardinas are being located near marina jetty. On the fishing grounds themselves there have been some small skipjack and bolito caught and are being used for trolling.
We are now monitoring Tropical Storm Julio, which meteorologists are having a hard time figuring out exactly what it is going to do. Consensus is it will weaken as it passes a couple of hundred miles off on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas, though we are expecting scattered rain showers.
The yellowfin tuna bite was more productive around the San Luis Bank, striking mainly on caballito and average size was in the 40 to 70 lb. range, many boats accounted for several of these tuna. Highlight for the week for the season’s first super cow, a 366 ft. yellowfin tuna which was brought in on Friday from a 23 ft. super panga operated by Jesus Banaga of La Playita. They hooked this fish while trolling a medium sized skipjack near the Inner Gordo Banks and it took them 2 1/2 hours to land.
The wahoo went on a great bite this week, striking readily on trolled Rapalas throughout the zone from La Fortuna to Vinorama. Many charters were landing 3 to 5 wahoo, while losing other strikes as well, average sizes ranged from 15 to 35 lb. Nice to see these wahoo, it has been a while since we have seen them in numbers like this. Fast, aggressive and very fun gamefish to catch, as well as being highly sought after and prized for eating.
Dorado were found scattered throughout, no huge numbers, but found while trolling in small schools, sizes ranged to 20 lb., majority were 5 to 12 lb. Not a lot of billfish action, an occasional sailfish reported on the same tuna and wahoo grounds, also a couple of larger blue or black marlin hook ups which were lost, a few striped marlin hanging around in the warm waters as well. We will look to see more of the big marlin to show up the next two months, big tournament season coming soon.
Not much reported off the bottom, as more anglers are now trying for the wahoo and tuna. Nor did we hear anything going on close to shore, again no anglers really trying this, as they were offshore on the banks for other species.
Light crowds, good fishing, Eric