This month has lived up to normal expectations of unpredictable weather patterns and even more. We have seen cooler temperatures for the past few weeks, consistent lows in the mid 50s and daytime highs were only reaching up into the lower 70s. It is winter time and expected, though this year it seems a little more extreme, as north winds have been persistent and limited what options anglers were able to practically target. Water temperatures at this time have been in the 66 to 70 degree range, swirling currents, shifting daily and pushing in greener water.
Bait situation remains much the same, no sardinas are being found to speak of, very limited caballito or mackerel, main options being ballyhoo and slabs of squid. Most local charters are now doing a combination of trying for surface action and then also working bottom rocky structure. Just not much consistent action off the bottom now and even tougher when wind is blowing. We did see bonito, leopard grouper, various pargo, snapper, whitefish, small amberjack and triggerfish. We expect this action to improve as spring times arrive and weather patterns stabilize.
Good news this past week is that the striped marlin have shown up in good numbers off of the San Jose del Cabo area. Since bait schools are more scattered now, so are these marlin, not found feeding on balled up schools of bait as they were at this same time last season. The stripers are spread out, found tailing on the surface and by taking blind strikes while trolling lures. Sizes were averaging 70 to 120 lb.
Dorado were still being found, despite the cooling water temperatures, though numbers were less than in previous weeks and average size a bit smaller, with a few exceptions up to 15 lb., most under 10 lb. They were striking on trolled lures and ballyhoo, some charters landed up to four fish, others one or two.
Yellowfin tuna action was slim, though a few were still being found by dedicated anglers working the strips of squid on the Iman Bank, including a 133 lb. yellowfin landed on Friday from the super panga “Lydia”. A handful of other tuna accounted for in the 40 to 70 lb. range, though not being found every day and on the days they did bite there just a few fish for the combined fleet being actually landed. Again the persistent north wind has made this a challenging option on most days.
Not much action being reported along the beach stretches, lack of live bait, particularly the sardinas, has hurt this normally productive sierra season. Lots of whales now, no shortage this season, these mammals should be around a couple of more months.
Typical February patterns continue, with lighter crowds of anglers, cycles of winds predominantly from the north, cooling ocean temperatures, scattered fishing action as we wait for more stable warmer spring time conditions to arrive. Water temperature ranged from 66 to 71 degrees, warmer currents now found off of Cabo San Lucas, coolest areas in the direction of Los Frailes. Bait supplies are now limited to ballyhoo, slabs of squids and some days live sardinas being found in limited supplies around the entrance to Puerto Los Cabos Marina.
Majority of local charters are fishing in the direction towards Cardon, La Fortuna and Iman Bank, as scouting trips towards Palmilla and south did not produce much. A mix of surface and bottom action now being found on grounds towards the north. Scattered numbers of dorado striking on various lures and trolled ballyhoo or sardinas, sizes ranged up close to 20 lb., though the majority were smaller fish under ten pounds. No larger schools, mostly single fish, with charters accounting for an average of one or two fish, actually surprising that these warm water species are still hanging around in local waters. No wahoo to report, as is usual for this time frame.
Billfish continue to be more prevalent on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas, only a few striped marlin being found on the grounds off of San Jose del Cabo, late to migrate in this direction this season. We did see one nice sailfish caught and released earlier in the week, an unusual catch in the cooler waters.
Anglers were still having chances at hooking into a quality yellowfin tuna on the Iman Bank, though ocean conditions were a major factor, as well as having persistent patience and sufficient supplies of squid. Drift fishing, while chumming and using strips of squid was how these few tuna were being hooked into. Sizes ranged from 30 to 80 lb. Though on an average day only a handful of these yellowfin were accounted for by the combined fleet.
Off these same grounds anglers were working the rocky bottom reefs, there was a variety of species found, though no species were very abundant and most were smaller in size. We saw a not very common California sheephead of 15 lb., leopard grouper, broomtail grouper, barred pargo, yellow snapper, red snapper, spotted rose snapper, white fish, bonito, triggerfish, porgy and amberjack. All great eating fish, we do expect to see improved bottom action in coming weeks, hoping that the season’s first yellowtail will appear soon.
With limited supplies of sardinas we only saw a few sierra now being accounted for, most of these hooked on the troll or over shallow rocky reefs. Not much talk of roosterfish being found, lack of bait and cooler water are the main reason for this.
The start of a new month, as usual February can be one of the more unpredictable times of the year, often we see persistent cycles of north winds, as well as the coolest conditions of the year. These factors also contribute to cold ocean temperatures that push in green currents. Many of the popular warmer water game fish migrate south during this period, this is a transition period, as other species which do prefer cooler conditions move in. This is definitely the peak season for whale migration, but other fish species are in transition and reports can change quickly from week to week as to what is going on. We have seen water temperature from 67 to 71 degrees this past week and the green water is gradually pushing in from Los Frailes towards San Jose del Cabo.
Bait supplies have become increasingly scattered as well, sardinas have pretty much vanished this past week, as have mackerel and sardineta. Main bait being offered now has been ballyhoo, slabs of squid and some frozen mackerel, seems that with each passing season bait is not holding up to local supply demands.
Local sportfishing fleets are mainly concentrating efforts on the grounds from the Gordo Banks to Iman Bank. Overall action was much tougher this past week, crowds of anglers were noticeably lighter as well, Trying to choose an ideal day for nice ocean conditions can be a hit or miss proposition during this time frame.
Despite cooling and not so favorable ocean conditions there still have been some dorado being found, trolling various lures or ballyhoo has been best bet for this, scattered throughout the region in small schools, with average sizes being 15 lb. or less. We did see one wahoo wahoo brought in mid-week, a seemingly lost fish, as most of these pelagics have followed warmer currents south at this time.
Billfish action is still very strong on the Pacific grounds and late to show in the direction of the Sea of Cortez, proving that every year can vary greatly. Last year during this same time frame the striped marlin action was going crazy on the grounds near the Gordo Banks. Bottom action has not really come on yet, nothing consistent, lack of consistent bait supplies a major factor, deeper grounds where yo-yo jigging is often done, has been hard with strong winds creating rough seas. Times are tough now, nothing usual for this time of year, but spring time will be here soon and things always turn around then.
On the Iman Bank there still has been chances at hooking into a quality yellowfin tuna, the few fish being accounted for have been in the 30 to 80 lb. range. Striking while drift fishing with strips of squid. Late in the season now for this action and also hit or miss with north wind cycles. Over the weekend conditions did lay down and more of these tuna were hooked up. The key was patience and persistence and to have plenty of squid for bait, drifting and chumming was the technique, some days the better action was encountered early, other days late, some days nothing at all. Same grounds have produced some miscellaneous bottom action for species such as leopard grouper, yellow snapper, barred pargo and smaller sized amberjack and bonito. We do anticipate to see improved bottom structure fishing soon.
Along the shoreline there has been limited sierra action, lack of sardinas is a set back for this option as well. Trolling with small hoochies is the main deal now for targeting inshore.
