September 5, 2021
After an active summer season in the Eastern Pacific, this week the weather patterns stabilized and since early last week when the local Ports were closed for a couple of days due to a scare and which turned out to be, the distant passing of Nora, we presently have no new storms threatening. Though as we all know the rest of this month is historically the period when Southern Baja can be most vulnerable to hurricane strikes. Light crowds of tourists now, which is normal for this final month of summer. Scattered cloud cover and tropical humid conditions now,though early morning we have begun to feel that slight cooling off as first signs of fall season just around the corner.
In recent days local sportfishing fleets have found the best all around action on the grounds from San Luis to Vinorama. Ocean water temperatures are still ranging in the upper 80s, now at peak warmest levels for the year. Schools of sardinas have shifted from where they had been for months near the marina jetty, now these baitfish were found along the beaches from San Luis to Vinorama. Caballito are more limited and slabs of squid are the other main option.
Strong currents have been running, anglers have been mixing up action with some drift fishing and trolling. Yellowfin tuna has been the highlight, striking on sardinas, strip baits and some larger baits. Sizes averaged 30 to 50 lb., though this week there were at least two yellowfin landed that were in the 130 to 170 lb. range, they are some larger fish that are finally showing. The overall bite was tough, tons of black skipjack being found on the same grounds, yellowfin tuna were often seen breezing the surface, but getting them to strike instead of only the aggressive skipjack proved to be a challenge. Anglers were doing well to land a couple of these tuna. Though at least we are seeing the tuna on a regular basis, they remain finicky as they see boat pressure on these same grounds every day from fleets as far as away as Los Barriles.
We did see more dorado this past week, from both directions, sizes to 20 lb. We also saw one 30 lb. wahoo. Billfish action was slow, though striped marlin and sailfish were being hooked into on the same areas where boats were targeting the tuna and dorado. Not many charters now specifically looking to target the black or blue marlin, this is the time of year now for these larger marlin, though also something that requires a lot of patience and is more of a hit or miss deal.
Not much inshore or bottom action now. More triggerfish, bonito and smaller pargo. Though there is still a fair chance and hooking into a dogtooth snapper while drift fishing for the yellowfin, these larger snapper hang on the same high spots this time of year.
Good Fishing, Eric