November 23, 2019

Anglers –

Last week we saw TS Raymond pass through the Los Cabos area, shutting down all Port activities on Sunday and Monday, this during a very busy time frame when these red flag conditions are rare occurrences. In another week the large crowds will lighten up, as they normally do after Thanksgiving and before the Christmas Holidays. Unpredictable weather conditions for the past month, more north wind than usual for this early in the season, also we are now following forecast for another rain storm that is moving in the direction of Southern Baja, all local interests are hoping this latest system veers in another direction, as we have already had plenty of rainfall, last weekend alone there were reports of isolated areas receiving six of more inches of rainfall, also some major flooding through low lying regions.

After the passing of the rain the all-around action seemed to slow down, which also stirred up ocean conditions, dirty water and a bit cooler, down in the 79 degree range, baitfish became scattered as well. Later in the week water clarity did improve and baitfish were becoming more active. Some schools of sardinas were found near marina jetties, also some caballito, other options were ballyhoo and slabs of squid.

The wahoo action near Vinorama vanished, though by Friday a few nice wahoo up to 47 lb. were reported, other strikes lost, so we are confident that these fish will remain on local grounds for another month or so. Dorado were spread out in different direction, found more consistently towards Cabo San Lucas, most of these fish were under 15 lb., with a few exception of larger 20 lb. plus specimens, striking both baits and lures.

The yellowfin tuna bite near San Luis Bank came to a halt, though the big news was that a few much Alger yellowfin tuna were hooked into off of the Gordo Banks, though more anglers were having battles with various species of sharks, there were some monster tuna now on these grounds. There were several very impressive catches records,, including 145 lb,. 272 lb. and 335 lb., this proved to be best week yet for this season on these grounds for the larger grade of yellowfin, several other cow sized tuna were lost after long epic battles. Slow trolling lovely smaller sized skipjack was the main producer of these big strikes. Offshore and towards Cabos San Lucas there were a smaller football sized grade of yellowfin tuna, though that was a bit hit or miss, with some charter landing 5 to 7 fish and others lucky to find one.

Bottom action continued to be slow, mainly triggerfish, an occasional amberjack, cabrilla, snapper or pargo. Inshore action was limited, depending on what bait was obtainable, jack crevalle up to 20 lb., a few sierra and some juvenile roosterfish up to 15 lb.

Billfish was red hot on the Pacific grounds, but were also starting to move in the direction of the local grounds off of San Jose del Cabo, a handful of striped marlin, sailfish and blue marlin were accounted for in recent days, nothing too large, stripers averaged less than 100 lb., blue marlin up in the 175 lb. range.

The combined sportfishing fleet launching out of the panga area from Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out an estimated 120 charters for the week and anglers reported an approximate fish count of: 1 black marlin,1 blue marlin, 5 striped marlin, 1 sailfish, 88 dorado, 65 yellowfin tuna, 5 wahoo, 6 yellow snapper, 2 barred pargo, 3 leopard grouper, 5 amberjack, 29 Mexican bonito, 4 sierra, 4 jack crevalle, 10 roosterfish, 4 surgeon fish, 2 rainbow runner,5 golden eyed tilefish and 80 triggerfish.

Good Fishing, Eric

GORDO BANKS PANGAS

November 17, 2019

Anglers –

Large crowds of anglers continue to arrive, as the peak fall season will be winding down in a couple of weeks. Weather patterns have been abnormally unpredictable, with winds out of the north increasing, creating choppy seas. Presently we are following development and forecast for Tropical Storm Raymond, which is expected to bring significant rainfall to Southern Baja, strong winds and has forced Port Closure for at least Sunday, most likely Monday as well. Also the annual local Wahoo tournament was canceled and rescheduled for Dec. 15. Looks as though by Monday mid-day this rare late season topical system will pass to the north and dissipate rapidly. Water temperature averaging 80 degree through much of the region.

Sportfishing fleets are covering all directions, most local fleets are now working the grounds from the Gordo Banks to Vinorama. Bait vendors are selling caballito, limited sardinas, ballyhoo and slabs of squid, on the Pacific there are schools of mackerel, the next month is when these baitfish start to move towards the sea of Cortez. Most common target species now have been yellowfin tuna, wahoo, dorado and billfish, more marlin action now towards Cabo San Lucas.

The yellowfin tuna action had vanished off of the areas north of Gordo, especially near San Luis Bank. This week there were once again a quality grade of tuna to over 100 lb, was found on local grounds, including one 240 lb. cow Friday afternoon, no big numbers, but everyday a handful are being brought in, with many others being lost. Bite was sporadic, some fish hooked early, then dead action for hours, but maybe later they go on another bite. Most all of these yellowfin were striking on strips of squid, lots of chum needed to keep making continued drifts. Some charters had as many as three or four tuna, most felt lucky to have one. Also some smaller football sized tuna found with sardinas or hoochies, scattered bite though.

This week we saw more dorado than previously, though more dorado were being found towards Cabo San Lucas and the Pacific, where we heard of some bulls to 30 lb., the dorado off of San Jose del Cabo have been mainly under ten pounds. Wahoo action continued to be more consistent near Vinorama, though this bite slowed during passing of recent full moon, fish still being seen, but more finicky, best chances have been on slow trolled baits, such as caballito, skipjack or chihuil. A few fish also striking on Rapalas, but not as many lure strikes as we traditionally would expect. In recent days charters were doing well to land a wahoo or two, the fish brought in were weighing up to 45 lb. An occasional striped marlin or sailfish were hooked on these same grounds as where the wahoo, tuna, dorado were encountered.

With the windier conditions and combined currents, not a whole lot of bottom action going on, mainly triggerfish, we did see more of the bonito showing, a few red snapper and an odd leopard grouper or barred pargo.

The combined sportfishing fleet launching out of the panga area from Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out an estimated 134 charters for the week and anglers reported an approximate fish count of: 1 blue marlin, 4 striped marlin, 28 dorado, 44 yellowfin tuna, 45 wahoo, 10 yellow snapper, 5 barred pargo, 4 leopard grouper, 3 amberjack, 48 Mexican bonito, 8 yellow snapper, 6 sierra, 12 roosterfish, 2 surgeon fish, 8 golden eyed tilefish and 35 triggerfish.

Good Fishing, Eric

November 9, 2019

Anglers –

Another busy week in Los Cabos, as hundreds of anglers arriving from across the globe to participate in the annual WON Tuna Jackpot. This year’s event attracted some 154 teams, with prize money of over one million dollars up for grabs. For yet another year the top first place honors went to a local San Jose del Cabo, La Playa team, this year is was the Sirena team which won with a monster 345 lb. yellowfin tuna, third largest ever weighed for this tournament, congratulations to this group of professionals.

There was more north wind this week, this resulted in choppy ocean conditions, particularly on the grounds north of Punta Gorda where most local charters have concentrated efforts. Daytime highs reached 90 degrees and ocean temperatures were averaging in the 80 to 83 degree range, slightly warmer on the Pacific that in the direction of Seas or Cortez. Various bait options included caballito, ballyhoo, few sardinas found, slabs of squid, small skipjack and chihuil.

Through the past week now the action for tuna which was previously found on San Luis Bank came to a standstill, only later in the week were a handful of free feeding yellowfin even spotted, the tuna found during the two day WON event were outside of Cabo San Lucas and on the Pacific grounds, nothing found on the Gordo Banks.

Highlight this week was the wahoo being found north near Vinorama, most of the fish landed were on slow trolled baits, mainly on caballito, since chihuil were now hard to obtain. Numbers of wahoo were limited, but they were more common than dorado, tuna or any other gamefish being found. Size of most wahoo we saw were in the 20 to 35 lb. class, largest we weighed in was 43 lb. The overall catch this week was way down, anglers were fortunate to land a wahoo and did really week if they caught two.

Only limited bottom action reported, even though the strong current finally slacked, then the wind picked up and made this a more difficult option. A few nice barred pargo, leopard group were accounted for, but more triggerfish than anything else.

Inshore there were good numbers of small roosterfish taken and with sardinas being scarcer we did not seeing more than a few sierra.

Billfish action was more toward the Pacific now, but we did see a handful of striped marlin and one blue marlin out of San Joe del Cabo, found in the direction of the Cabo San Lucas. Also more dorado found that way, though dorado were vey scattered and most of them were under 15 lb.

A few early season whales were reported, in the next month we expect more of these mammals arriving on their southern migration

The combined sportfishing fleet launching out of the panga area from Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out an estimated 140 charters for the week and anglers reported an approximate fish count of: 2 blue marlin, 6 striped marlin, 13 dorado, 1 yellowfin tuna, 43 wahoo, 6 yellow snapper, 8 barred pargo, 1 bigeye jack, 1 amberjack, 4 leopard grouper, 12 Mexican bonito, 8 yellow snapper, 2 sierra, 32 roosterfish and 35 triggerfish.

Good Fishing, Eric