More crowds of tourists continue to arrive in Los Cabos, taking advantage of the great climate and all of the outdoor activities offered. We are seeing pristine conditions, clear sunny skies, highs of 80 degrees and lows averaging 65 degrees, last week we saw lows down to 55 degrees, though this week conditions warmed some. Ocean swells very slight, water temperatures dropping slowly, still in the 77 to 80 degree range.
Bait supplies remain steady for caballito and ballyhoo, with slabs of squid being offered, but with the lack of tuna action are not being used much. Another option is trying to chum up chihuil on the Inner Gordo, which takes extra time and is never a guarantee.
For local charters most action recently has been centered on the grounds from Cardon, La Fortuna and Iman Bank. This is where dorado and wahoo are being found. Anglers are using a mix of lures as well as rigged ballyhoo and slow trolling live baits, which have probably been the most successful technique. Lots of pressure on these same areas and fish have been increasingly more spooky. Average catches ranged from a couple of fish, up to 6 to 8. Dorado sizes were up to 20 lb. and wahoo to 45 lb., though average were more like 20 to 30 lb.
Tuna have been scarce, though we have seen a few, most of these under 25 lb., found on the same grounds as were the dorado and wahoo. We hear of reports of yellowfin tuna being far offshore traveling with porpoise, some 40 plus miles outside of Cabo San Lucas and about a 70 mile run each way from Puerto Los Cabos Marina, way too far for an average day charter, these tuna were reportedly in the 15 to 25 lb. class.
Billfish action was red hot on the Pacific side of the Peninsula, though we saw more this past week of the striped marlin showing off of San Jose del Cabo as well, with sizes ranging to about 130 lb.
Very little bottom or inshore action now going on. Whales have been a bit behind schedule for arriving, but are now showing slowly in greater numbers and will be around for the next few months.
As has been a ongoing deal the past five years or so the spear fishing crowds come out in numbers this time of year, going after the prized wahoo on the inshore grounds where all of the rod and reel anglers are as well. One of their favorite areas is close off Punta Gorda. This used to be a great place for fishing and have chances at catching the late season wahoo, but with so many spearos in the water in this relatively small zone the fishery can not sustain both forms of sport. It is to the point that authorities should place restrictions on certain regions on where spearos are allowed versus rod and reel anglers. But of course there has never been much thought of protecting future fish stocks locally, it is more of the attitude of what can be found today and who cares about the future.
Good Fishing, Eric