Anglers –
October 8, 2016

While the Caribbean and the East Coast of the United States were dealing with major destruction from Hurricane Matthew, conditions have been calm in the Eastern Pacific, this week we could definitely feel the climate transition into the normal fall pattern, cooler temperatures early in the day and in the evening, though days continue to be quite warm and humid. A little more offshore breeze now being felt as well. Water temperatures have ranged 84 to 86 degrees in the direction of San Jose del Cabo, slightly cooler on the Pacific.

Crowds of anglers arrived in larger numbers this past week, busy time now for the next couple of months. The main bait being used continues to be slabs of squid, no signs of any sardinas showing up, there have been limited caballito available and on the fishing grounds there have been skipjack, chihuil and cocinero.

Most charters were fishing areas from the Gordo Banks to Iman and San Luis Banks. This is where there have been schooling yellowfin tuna concentrated. Chance at larger fish was on the Gordo Banks, a couple of tuna in the 200 to 300 lb. class were landed in recent days, late in the day by local anglers, morning action on these same grounds were sporadic. Better numbers of fish were found to the north near Iman Bank, yellowfin tuna mostly in the 10 to 40 lb. class, an occasional scattered dorado or wahoo encountered on the same vicinity. In recent days the tuna bite was better late morning. There was a strong current to running, this makes drift fishing that much more challenging. Overall the action did improve some this past week, of course it varied a bit from day to day. Average catches per charter was several tuna with a handful of other species mixed in.

Not a lot going off the bottom now, more triggerfish than anything else, but there were some days when a mix of yellow snapper, rainbow runner, amberjack, huachinango and cabrilla were landed from the same banks where the yellowfin tuna action was centered, a lot of rock piles in this area, though the more productive bottom action typically occurs during the winter and spring months.

Billfish was spotty, though we did see some sailfish and striped marlin, a couple of larger marlin reportedly lost after being hooked up on lighter tackle.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 102 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 5 striped marlin, 4 sailfish, 245 yellowfin tuna, 31 dorado, 7 wahoo, 14 yellow snapper, 11 leopard grouper, 22 bonito, 18 huachinango, 12 amberjack, 26 rainbow runner and 160 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
October 1, 2016

We are beginning the new month now, the start of our busy Fall Season, crowds are increasing already, though in another couple of weeks the area will be bustling with visiting anglers, many of them attracted by the series of high stake fishing tournaments that are scheduled during this time frame on an annual basis. Our weather conditions has remanded very tropical, this past week there was threatening cloud cover often, but very little rainfall was felt, definitely warm and humid. The latest low pressure system off to the west appears that it will not develop into much and forecast calls for clear sunny skies for most of this next week. With the combination of small swells, very little wind and warm clear water, this makes for excellent opportunities for anglers.

Ocean water temperatures averaged in the 84/85 degree range. Water was clear and blue within a couple of miles of shore, current remained strong, not as swift as they had been. Limited availability for caballito in the marina area, main bait being used for local fleets has been slabs of squid, as well as some bolito, skipjack and chihuil which are caught themselves on various fishing grounds. No signs of any resources opening up for sardinas, so it appears we will not have this supply available.

Not much going on close to shore, not the time of year we would normally find roosterfish or jacks. Main action has now been centered from the Gordo Banks to the Iman Bank. More chance of a variety of species near Iman, better numbers for yellowfin tuna as compared to the Gordo Banks. Though the tuna on Iman have been mostly in the 15 to 40 lb. class. There is a chance at hooking a much larger yellowfin tuna on the Gordo Banks, but numbers of these have been limited, though every day we do hear about at least a couple of cows being seen or hooked into. A few black marlin were also hooked into around the Gordo Banks, one weighed in at 380 lb. We saw more sailfish this past week, most of these were in the 45 to 70 lb. class. A few striped marlin also hanging around in the warm water, while the main schools of stripers would now be off of Northern Baja, We saw one striped marlin that was estimated at 150 lb.
We heard of a half dozen or so tuna in the 100 to 140 lb. range. Lots of pressure on these ground now. Since nowhere else has had the tuna possibilities like these areas. East Cape fleets are traveling long distance to target these yellowfin, they have no tuna in their zone at this time.

Reports of great dorado action out of Cabo San Lucas, trolling lures on the Pacific grounds, produced fish up to 30 lb. Off of San Jose del Cabo we are seeing some scattered dorado, though most of these have been under 12 lb. We saw an occasional wahoo, other hook ups being lost, so these wahoo are lurking, just waiting for their preferred conditions to become more aggressive. Reports of larger sized sea lions hanging on the Gordo Banks, have robbed their share of hooked up tuna and at least a couple of wahoo we heard about.

Not much reported off the bottom, a few yellow snapper, rainbow runner, leopard grouper, bonito, huachinango and triggerfish. More triggers than anything else. Anglers used both yo-yo jigs and various baits when targeting the bottom, same area where the tuna action now is, are the same ground we do normally find better bottom action during the winter and spring months.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 78 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 2 black marlin, 4 striped marlin, 12 sailfish, 190 yellowfin tuna, 34 dorado, 3 wahoo, 9 yellow snapper, 6 leopard grouper, 14 bonito, 8 huachinango, 90 triggerfish and 14 rainbow runner.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
September 25, 2016

Although we are now officially into the first week of the Fall season we are feeling very tropical weather in the Los Cabos area. This is always the time of year when weather patterns can be very unpredictable, as well as very humid. The landscape is now lush green from significant rainfall the past month. The most recent Tropical Storm Paine stayed far off to the west, paralleling the Pacific coast of Baja before it dissipated, there was no significant impact on land. Presently we are having some isolated local thunderstorms threaten, mainly in the afternoon, though this has not amounted to much of anything. We are also closely monitoring a new low pressure system developing off to the west, which is forecast to slowly gain strength, most likely become Tropical Storm Roslyn and move in the direction of Southern Baja, precise track is not yet determined.

On Monday the red flag was posted early in the morning, closing the Port, presumably as a precaution, even though the day turned out to be calm, with no rain or high swells at all. Most scheduled charters were forced to cancel this day, only after the Port reopened at about 10:00 a.m. did a handful of boats go out. The remainder of the week sportfishing fleets operated normally, seas were calm most days, late in the week we had some wind pick up later in the day, threatening tropical clouds, but did not rain on the fishing grounds. Ocean swells increased, but were moderate and overall conditions were very favorable considering what time of year it is. Most of the fishing action now is centered on the grounds from the Gordo Banks to San Luis.

The bait now be used consisted of caballito, slabs of squid and various skipjack, bolito and chihuil, which were being found on the fishing grounds themselves. The yellowfin tuna bite definitely improved, anglers found various grades of tuna, ranging from football sized, many fish in the 20 to 50 lb. class, a handful to over 100 lb. and even at least a couple of super cows of over 300 lb. that were caught by local anglers fishing on the Gordo Banks later in the day after the crowds lightened up. Drift fishing with strips and chunks of various baits was the technique now being used. Action came in spurts, sometimes early, other times late, lots of pressure on these areas now, since this is where the only real bite is now being found. Individual charters accounted for a couple of tuna per morning, up to ten or more.

Yellowfin tuna was definitely the most common species being targeted with success now, only a scattering of bottomfish, a few amberjack, grouper, rainbow runner, triggerfish and various snapper/pargo being encountered, this action is on the same grounds as are the tuna. Wahoo went on a limited bite earlier in the week on the grounds north of Punta Gorda, though these fish have not been very active overall. Dorado were found scattered throughout the same areas, though recently it has been rare to see a dorado over ten pounds.

There were reports of good billfish action off of the East Cape, lots of blue marlin. Off of our area the action was limited for a mix of striped, blue, black marlin and a few sailfish. Lots of natural food fish on the high spots now, so there is more than enough food for the largest of gamefish to feed on, makes it tough to get them to bite. Several stories of black marlin being hooked on lighter leaders that were targeting the more leader shy yellowfin tuna and resulted eventually in losing the marlin due to sawed off leaders.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 74 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 2 sailfish, 3 striped marlin, 1 blue marlin, 235 yellowfin tuna, 58 dorado, 7 wahoo, 7 yellow snapper, 1 gulf grouper, 9 leopard grouper, 12 bonito, 12 huachinango, 85 triggerfish, 2 surgeonfish, 5 amberjack and 12 rainbow runner.

Good fishing, Eric