Bull Dorado Highlight Action ~ July 31, 2022

July 31, 2022  

Despite airports and Resorts being fairly crowded, we are not seeing many anglers arriving at this time. On and off breezes from the south have helped keep summer conditions more comfortable. Though with Hurricane Frank now paralleling the Baja Peninsula some 500 miles offshore, this has increased the humidity, as well as slightly larger swells over the weekend. Water temperature has ranged from 77 to 84 degrees, cooler currents closer to shore. Clean blue water is now being found close to shore.

Bait supplies consisted of caballito, sardinas and anchoveta, when surf conditions were not too large, other options being ballyhoo and slabs of squid. Fishing action has included surface action, as well as a mix of bottom species. No particular type of fish being found in abundance. Overall action was scattered. Chance at yellowfin tuna, though this option remains far offshore, out of normal range for morning charters, yellowfin associated with porpoise and average size ranged 10 to 20 lb. 

Striped and blue marlin are being encountered on the normal grounds such as the 1150 spot. Dorado of mixed sizes, including some bulls to over 50 lb. were being accounted for, the majority taken while searching farther offshore, though some larger dorado were also accounted for closer to shore where juvenile dorado were found in small schools.

Wahoo were hard to entice, though a couple were taken on trolled lures, these fish are definitely in the area, but are finicky at this time, spear fishermen have had much better results, on Sat. on dive boat came in with 11 wahoo up to 50 lb., sure would be nice if they changed regulations so the spear fishermen could only harvest one fish of each species and say no more than three total. Something needs to be adjusted so that this area can sustain this type of pressure.

As normal the inshore action starts to fade out at this time of year, we still did see a few late season sierra, jack crevalle and roosterfish. Locals have been surf fishing, but the bite has been tough recently, a few fortunate anglers landing snook, corvina and tripletail.

Good Fishing, Eric

Swells Reside, Dorado Bite ~ July 24, 2022

July 24, 2022 

 Light crowds of anglers continue, tropical conditions, after last weekend’s passing of Tropical Storm Estelle, the week settled down and as swells resided ocean conditions rebounded. Ocean water temperatures ranged from 78 degrees on the Pacific up to 85 degrees in the direction of the East Cape. Clean blue water was found close to shore. On Saturday we felt welcome relief from relentless heat as local rain squalls developed, lasting on and off throughout the day.

Bait sources consisted of caballito, sardina, anchoveta, ballyhoo and a few moon fish. Sardinas were smaller in size as compared to previous the recent swell activity. Fishing action has been spread out from the 95,1150 spot towards Cabo San Lucas and north to San Luis Bank, not much being reported from the Gordo Banks, it is the time of year that large bait schools should move in on the Gordo Banks and in turn attracting more gamefish. 

Billfish, dorado and yellowfin tuna were found further offshore, the yellowfin were more often being found associated with porpoise, 15 to 40 miles offshore. Tuna were striking on various lures, feathers, cedar plugs, etc… Sizes ranged from small footballs up to 70 lb. We are expecting that these yellowfin will move closer in soon, on to high spots, making them more accessible to normal morning charters.
Dorado ranged from small schoolies, up to 40 lb. plus bulls. They were found throughout the region, more numbers further offshore, but many were also found closer to shore, as blue water was shifting nearer to shore now. Only a few reports of wahoo being seen free swimming or lost hook ups, so they are in the area, just not being landed.

Action closer to shore off the rock piles remained good for a variety of spaces, pargo colorado, African pompano, yellow snapper, barred pargo, bonito, amberjack, leopard grouper, dogtooth snapper and others. 

Roosterfish are becoming harder to find, as the season winds down, though there still was a chance, as there were reports of nice roosterfish being caught and released.

Good Fishing, Eric

Bull Dorado, Bottom Action, Tropical Conditions ~ July 17, 2022

July 17, 2022  

Warm and humid now, presently we are following the path of Hurricane Estelle, forecast to reach category three strength soon, but fortunately appears to be passing some 300 miles or more off to the southwest of Cabo San Lucas, far enough away to not cause much of any impact to the Los Cabos area besides higher surf conditions and increased humidity. Light crowds now apparently high inflation rates are keeping people from making their normal summer travel plans.

With water temperatures now 80 degrees and higher, conditions are ripe for tropical storm development, so we will be following forecast closely the next couple of months. We had on and off south winds to deal with this past week. Majority of local fleets are fishing grounds from Cardon to San Luis. Bait supplies continued much the same, with caballito, sardinas and anchoveta being offered. Schooling bolito were found on offshore grounds and were being used for bait as well.

There has been a mix of inshore, bottom and surface action. Best chances of catching fish was off the bottom, snapper, grouper, dogtooth, leopard grouper, amberjack and others, using mainly bait, but some on yo-yo jigs in the deeper water. changing daily as to where better action was found.

Only a handful of yellowfin tuna were found, most these near the San Luis Bank, sizes to 45 lb.. Slow trolling caballito seemed to be the most effective bait, and anglers were fortunate to catch tuna. More yellowfin were encountered offshore, but being some 40 miles out, this was not a normal practical deal for morning charters. Dorado were scarce, but most of the fish being encountered were nice size, several bulls over 40 lb. were accounted for and over the weekend the Dorado Tournament out of the East Cape produced a sinning 57 lb. Bull, worth over $250 K. 

No reports of wahoo action on our local grounds. Billfish were centered offshore around the 95 and 1150 spots, with many boats accounting for multiple fish. Mainly striped marlin, but a few blues and sailfish mixed in. As this warmer water settles in we expect to see more of the blue and black marlin soon.
Roosterfish action is still available, but seems to be tapering off, as it normally does at this time. Still some late season sierra around, also pargo colorado and dogtooth snapper chances close to the inshore rocky reefs.

Good Fishing, Eric