Anglers –
February 23, 2019
This week we noticed an increase in visiting tourists and anglers alike, maybe this is due to the icy cold conditions sweeping across most of the U.S. Locally we also felt chilly temperatures, with lows down to 52 degrees recorded and highs which barely reached the mid-70s. Winds were still predominately from the north, a bit unpredictable from day to day, but overall not as bad as previous weeks.
The limited schools of sardinas that had appeared inside the marina channel area last week, were quickly all netted and now this resource is gone once again. Anglers were relying on slabs of squid, ballyhoo and also some mackerel, sardineta and chihuil. Actually despite the cooler weather this week the all-around fishing action was improved over last week, still a bit sporadic from day to day where the action was best. Fleets have been fishing from Chileno, Palmilla, Gordo Banks, Punta Gorda and north to Iman Bank. Water temperatures cooled off some, down to the 70 to 72 degree range, though clarity remained good. The most constant action in recent days was found closer to shore.
The billfish action was scattered, no concentrations found, though the striped marlin are spread out through the area. With the conditions not so favorable on the Pacific, most of the Cabo San Lucas fleet is also fishing in the direction of San Jose del Cabo.
There was encouraging signs for yellowtail action, we have not seen a strong run on these popular gamefish in several years. Inshore area off of Chileno, Santa Marina were producing good number of smaller sized yellowtail while trolling hoochies and smaller size Rapalas, most of these fish were in the 3 to 8 lb. class, but at least we are seeing them. Typically these smaller fish appear first, then we will start to have the larger sized yellows move in on the same grounds, hopefully this will be the case in the coming month.
Early in the week there was decent wahoo action found close to shore off of Punta Gorda and on the Iman Bank, these fish ranged up to 40 lb. and were striking on slow trolled baits, as well as a handful taken on yo-yo jigs. Later in the week the wahoo bite seemed to vanish, but dorado action was very good, same deal, striking various baitfish. There were more dorado found closer to shore and often the bite was better later in the morning. These fish raged up to over 15 lb., many boats scored as many as three, four or five dorado, this has to be considered very good considering this is not the normal season for these gamefish which much prefer the warmer currents.
Inshore action also produced a few roosterfish to 15 lb., jack crevalle to 20 lb., sierra, bonito and needlefish. Off the bottom the most common fish were smaller sized red snapper, some hogfish, triggerfish and an occasional leopard grouper or amberjack. A few glasseye snapper, baqueta grouper and golden eyed tilefish found in the deeper water on the outside of the Gordo Banks.
The combined sportfishing fleet out of the panga area from Puerto Los Cabos Marina reported an estimated 84 charters for the week and anglers reported an approximate fish count of: 8 striped marlin, 115 dorado, 24 yellowfin tuna, 22 wahoo, 45 bonito, 230 red snapper, 12 baqueta, 12 hogfish, 9 leopard grouper, 6 roosterfish, 8 jack crevalle, 24 yellowtail, 4 amberjack, 14 golden eyed tilefish, 10 glasseye snapper, 12 sierra and 65 triggerfish.
Good Fishing, Eric