Anglers –
October 15, 2016

As more crowds of visiting anglers continue to arrive in progressively increasing numbers the weather continues to cooperate, no late season storms are forecast at this time to head our direction, ocean conditions are great, light winds, minimal swells, with clear sunny skies. Daytime temperatures are still quite warm, though the early mornings are now starting to have a slight chill. Water temperatures are still warm, should start to cool off in the next couple of weeks.

The main bite now has been centered from the Gordo Banks to Iman, San Luis, Desteladera and Vinorama. This is where anglers are targeting the yellowfin tuna, sizes have ranged from small football five pound fish to as large as 300 lb. Average yellowfin being landed have been in the 10 to 40 lb. class. Best bait for this action has been strips of squid, though some of the larger hook ups have been while trolling baits such as chihuil, bolito or skipjack. Best chance at hooking into a cow sized tuna has been from around the Gordo Banks, though numbers of these big yellowfin are very limited, the one yellowfin tuna we heard about that was over 300 lb. was caught by local anglers in the afternoon. Charters are finding more numbers of tuna on the northern grounds, also more chance at catching a variety of species from these grounds. Daily catches have ranged from a couple of fish to over a dozen, some days fish were biting early, some days late, still a very strong current to deal with.

Only an occasional wahoo being landed, up to 45 lb., striking trolled baits and Rapalas, though these elusive fish are definitely in the area, as water temperature cools some we expect they will become more active. Same deal for dorado, scattered action on mostly small sized fish, some people are killing dorado of very small size, does not really make sense, should be released to mature and reproduce. Off the bottom more triggerfish than anything else, but also a mix of cabrilla, various pargo species, rainbow runner, pompano, amberjack and others, though sporadic action off the bottom and at times not easy with the fast drift.

Billfish action has seen a mix of striped marlin, black marlin and sailfish, though no big numbers, trolling larger baitfish around the offshore high spots has produced black marlin hook ups, fish up to 380 lb. were reported, stories of larger fish lost.

No inshore action to be reported, surf anglers are catching a few jack crevalle and roosterfish in the marina channel area, also we saw the season’s first sierra.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 117 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 2 black marlin, 6 striped marlin, 7 sailfish, 565 yellowfin tuna, 58 dorado, 12 wahoo, 28 yellow snapper, 15 leopard grouper, 1 sierra, 4 barred pargo, 18 bonito, 1 pompano, 23 huachinango, 3 dogtooth snapper, 8 amberjack, 21 rainbow runner and 225 triggerfish.
Good fishing, Eric

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