Author Archives: BrianBrictson

Wahoo Surprise, Bottom and Inshore as well ~ April 2, 2023

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April 2, 2023

As we have seen in recent weeks, fluctuating numbers of spring break crowds are arriving in Los Cabos. This coming week is when the local spring break officially starts, ending on April 9. Next weekend beach crowds will be at heaviest times for the entire year, as many local families go on extended beach camping trips and many of the smaller businesses in town will be completely closed down.

Weather patterns have been very pleasant, 85 degree highs, with morning cloud cover burning off, and a lot of sunshine. Some on and off north wind, which can still be expected for this winter to spring transition period. Ocean swells were minimal and water temperatures were in the 72 to 73 degree range.

Anglers have found a  mix of bait available, sardinas, caballito, slabs of squid and ballyhoo being most common. Trying to jig up some chihuil was another hit or miss option off of the Gordo Banks. Most local fleets are now fishing areas from Punta Gorda,, Cardon, La Fortuna and Iman Bank. All around the action was scattered and no particular species was being found in big numbers, with exception perhaps the Mexican white bonito.

Highlight of the week were the wahoo that anglers hooked into while trolling closer to Punta Gorda or Cardon. Not the normal season for these highly prized pelagics, but it proves that you can never really know what might happen. These fish normally prefer warmer waters, bite was sporadic day to day and slow trolling live bait was the best bet, particularly the elusive chihuil. We saw one monster wahoo of 79 lb. landed and several others over 50 lb., so of the handful that were brought in they were of impressive size.

A few dorado up to 15 lb. were also accounted for and a couple of scattered striped marlin, but overall offshore surface action was limited, unless you were lucky enough to be in the right spot when one of these wahoo was ready to strike. Yellowfin tuna action was pretty much dead this past week.

Off the bottom there was a mix of various pargo, snapper, grouper, amberjack, but by far most prevalent were the bonito, striking on yo-yo jigs over the rocky high spots, sizes averaging 3 to 8 lb.

Inshore there was good action found for both sierra and smaller sized roosterfish, along the local hotel zones was where much of this action was found, while using live sardinas for bait.

Good Fishing, Eric

Wahoo make Surprising Show ~ March 26, 2023

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March 26, 2023

As we extend further into Spring Break Season we are seeing  more numbers of tourists arriving, many of them younger, college aged, as well as lots of family groups. We are having ideal weather patterns now, lows about 60 degrees, with highs of 80 degrees and mostly clear sunny skies. Winds are still predominantly from the north but not as strong as in previous weeks. Ocean swells are light and water temperatures are averaging 70 to 72 degrees.

Bait supplies have consisted of caballito, sardinas, ballyhoo and slabs of squid. Schools of sardinas have been found near Palmilla and to Cabo Real, caballito in the marina channel area and are somewhat limited.

Sportfishing fleets have been scouting out different areas, not much found further offshore as for billfish or dorado, only an occasional scattered striped marlin or dorado. More consistent action for a variety of species are being found closer to shore. Punta Gorda, Gordo Banks, Cardon, La Fortuna, Iman and San Luis Banks are main grounds where boats are now concentrated. All around action is spotty, but has shown signs of improvement and we are seeing some quality fish accounted for, just no big numbers now of any particular species, except perhaps sierra or bonito.

This week we surprisingly saw more wahoo appearing in the fish counts, these fish ranged to 35 lb., were found near Punta Gorda and were striking best on slow trolled baits. Particularly chihuil if anglers were able to obtain these candy baits, elusive, being chummed up on the Inner Gordo Banks, but never a guarantee from day to day, and definitely more of a specialized panga deal, not so much from the cruisers. Still fortunate to land one wahoo, though we did see pangas land as many as three in one morning.

Yellowtail are still in the area, not many charters specially targeting them now. Best chances seemed to be with the live chihuil for bait, drift fishing down deep on the Gordo Banks, but again a lot of patience was needed and the best bait was not easy to come by. Skill was involved as well, even tough for experienced anglers to hook and keep these powerful fish from cutting lines off in the nearby rock piles.

Iman and San Luis Banks produced mainly bonito on the yo-yo jigs, with a few red snapper, yellow snapper, barred pargo, leopard grouper, amberjack, fortune jack, triggerfish mixed in. The best chance for finding yellowfin tuna was on Iman Bank while using strips of squid or sardinas. Bite was sporadic day to day, with a big day being when three or four tuna for the combined fleet were landed. Sizes were repressive fish up to 60 lb. But this was a hit or miss deal, Saturday was the best day this week for the yellowfin, I believe five nice fish were brought to the tables.

Inshore the sierra action was fairly consistent, as long as you were able to obtain live sardinas. The Hotel zone and stretches near Marriott and Secrets produced good numbers of these fish, averaging 2 to 6 lb.

Good Fishing, Eric

Mixed Bag for Anglers, Yellowtail Highlight ~ March 19, 2023

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March 19, 2023

This is always a busy week for the local population, as March 19 is the official San Jose del Cabo Day, climaxed by the week long fiesta and carnival rides situated downtown, adjacent to the baseball field. Makes for some major congestion, as streets are blocked off and normal traffic routes altered. Weather patterns are quickly turning around, spring time has definitely arrived, daytime highs now up to 85 degrees, early morning low in the 60s and north winds are much less of a problem. Actually perfect climate now, if it could only stay like this.

Anglers found bait situation similar, though more schools of sardinas this week than last, limited caballito and then the mainstay of ballyhoo and slabs of squid. Most charters are now working the grounds from the Gordo Banks to Cardon, La Fortuna, Iman and to San Luis Banks.

Numbers of dorado were down this past week, only seeing a handful for the combined fleet each day, most of these smaller in size. We have seen a couple of wahoo appearing, every few days or so one being landed. Water temperature is up to 70 degrees, with warmer currents morning in from outside of Iman to San Luis. 

Yellowfin tuna action is very limited as well, though a few tuna in the 30 to 60 lb. range have been taken off the Iman Bank, there were nice sized yellowfin seen jumping on various grounds, including the Gordo Banks, but quickly disappearing as fast as they had shown. It is the time of year when things can quickly change, major transition period, every season being a bit different.

Main bottom species has been the white bonito, hanging over the various high spots and striking best on yo-yo jigs, sizes up to 10 lb., most between 3 and 5 lb. This week we did see a few more leopard grouper, red snapper, whitefish, triggerfish and others. Highlight off the bottom were some quality yellowtail to over 30 lb. Sporadic action, but these powerful are in the area now and ready to do battle. Live bait over the high spots was best, if you could get a hold of chihuil for bait even better. 

The yellowtail were found on the Gordo Banks and Iman. Sharks were a problem at times and these yellowtail also once they were hooked knew exactly where the closest sharp rock out cropping was and if given the chance would quickly reach the structure and cut lines.

Not much going on for billfish now, just an occasional scattered striped marlin, but actually we did see more of the stripers this week over last. Same deal inshore, limited action for sierra and a few smaller sized roosterfish reported.

Good Fishing, Eric