Anglers –
April 14, 2018

We did notice lighter crowds this past week. Visitors were greeted by cooler weather patterns, which started with winds switching from out of the south last Sunday, continuing through the first part of the week. This pushed in cold Pacific currents which turned over the ocean as far north as Los Frailes, green colored water and dropped water temperatures into the 67 degree range. Of course this did not help the surface fishing action much at all, basically shutting down the tuna and marlin bite, though the all-around climate was nice, lows of about 60 degrees and highs up to 80 degrees. Typical spring time conditions during this transition period.

Anglers found that sardinas were scattered as well, some of the clear type of sardinas which are used for dead baits, also some rigged ballyhoo, a few caballito. The best action found was for shallow structure species, using various baits, as well as more fish starting to strike on yo-yo jigs, particularly the bonito and leopard grouper, a few amberjack and yellowtail.

Last Sunday the yellowfin action was very good north of Vinorama and a few were caught on Monday as well, these were fish in the 30 to 60 lb. class. Since then the cold green water has shut this action down and now we are waiting patiently for the conditions to rebound. In the meantime the best bet has been to concentrate on bottom species over the various rock piles. The red crabs also were less active, but the fish were starting to strike the yo-yo jigs better. Several yellowtail up to 30 lb. were accounted for, a handful of amberjack, a variety of snapper and pargo and quite a few leopard grouper in the 5 to 18 lb. range. All very good eating fish.

Along the shoreline there were sierra, jack crevalle and an occasional roosterfish, this action was spotty though, but if you were at the right place at the right time there were some nice fish found.

Billfish, dorado, wahoo were not in the picture at all, with the exception of a few striped marlin and dorado early in the week before conditions completely changed.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 66 charters for this week. Anglers reported a fish count of: 2 striped marlin, 5 dorado, 18 yellowfin tuna, 32 yellow snapper, 20 cabrilla (leopard grouper), 42 huachinango (red snapper), 125 bonito, 7 amberjack, 9 yellowtail, 22 barred pargo, 6 roosterfish, 10 jack crevalle, 35 sierra, 1 halibut, 12 grunt, 15 flag cabrilla, 7 island jack, 6 surgeon Fish, 65 spotted rose snapper and 90 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
April 7, 2018

As spring break now winds down we have noticed that crowds of tourists are lighter. Great time to visit now, as weather conditions are ideal, clear sunny skies, light winds, with high temperatures up in the 85 degree range. Early mornings were still a little chilly, down to 59 degrees, warming quickly as the sun rose. Still quite a few whales being seen, despite now being late in the season for them.

Most local sportfishing charters are now concentrating on the fishing grounds from La Fortuna, Iman Bank and towards Vinorama. Supplies of sardinas have become more scattered, with the other type of clear sardina being more common, these do not stay alive well, but do work dead for the yellowfin tuna and other species. In recent days the yellowfin tuna action was very spotty around the Iman Bank, the tuna could be seen often breezing and feeding on the surface, but were very finicky, the few yellowfin that were actually landed weighed in the 25 to 50 lb. class. There were some new reports of some charters heading further north, past Vinorama and finding some more cooperative tuna on those grounds.

Dorado were also much scarcer this past week, though we did see a couple of fish up in the 20 lb. range. Water temperature was averaging about 73 degrees and clarity was up and down, with very strong currents moving through, one day it could be more greenish, and then it would clear backup on others.

Striped marlin were still being found, but they have moved further offshore searching for their favored food source. Rigged ballyhoo, lures and skipjack were being used with varying results.

Perhaps the highlight of the week was the pelagic red crabs making a strong showing on local grounds, from the Gordo Banks to Iman Bank. Appearing on the surface in masses and being scooped up and in return used for baiting up the red snapper, or locally referred to as the huachinango, prized eating, the true Pacific red snapper, ranging in sizes up to 12 lb. , scrappy fighters on light tackle as well. A very popular and valued commercial species, so everyone is now out in force taking advantage of this event as long as it continues. This is a deal that can end on any given day.

Other bottom action included a mix of amberjack, leopard grouper, yellow snapper, barred pargo, surgeon fish, bonito and triggerfish. More reports of action being found on yo-yo jigs, as well as drift fishing with bait. Though strong currents made this type of fishing much more challenging, will be much improved when these swift currents do slack up.

Inshore action was limited, not many sierra and a few mostly smaller sized roosterfish. No sign of the annual migration of mullet yet, still a little early in the season for that.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 81 charters for this week. Anglers reported a fish count of: 18 striped marlin, 13 dorado, 68 yellowfin tuna, 22 yellow snapper, 23 cabrilla (leopard grouper), 310 huachinango (red snapper), 95 bonito, 14 amberjack, 4 island jack, 9 surgeon fish, 15 barred pargo, 4 broomtail grouper, 14 roosterfish, 16 sierra and 155 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
March 31, 2018

Busy week locally, spring break is now for Mexico, schools are in recess for two weeks, This weekend is the popular holiday when people all head to various beaches, wherever they can find room, many of these families go for extended camping excursions. Many local businesses shut down to take time off, hard to find too many people who work this weekend. Also we saw quite a few tourists arriving, many of them tried to book late notice sportfishing charters.

First half of the week was plagued by stiff north winds, though for the weekend conditions calmed down, early mornings once again were down into the low 50s, but as the sun rose into clear skies, temperatures quickly warmed up close to 80 degrees, excellent all around climate now. The main choice for bait now has been sardinas, they are being found schooling near Palmilla, Cabo Real and the north near San Luis, surf was a little higher earlier in the week and this made it harder to get the bait off of the beaches to the north. On some days the pelagic red crabs were found drifting to the surface and these crustaceans were being used for various pargo and snapper species. Though this was a sporadic deal from day to day. Ocean water temperatures ranged from 71 to 74 degrees. Still some whales being sighted each day, likely the final couple week period now for this, as these mammals will be all heading north soon.

The main concentration of sportfishing charters were fishing the La Fortuna, the twenty-five spot, just on the inside of Iman Bank, this is where the yellowfin tuna are now schooling. These fish have been at this spot for several weeks now, seem to become more finicky each week, between the crowds of boats, pesky sea lions and the plentiful natural food source these yellowfin are very leery to strike any batfish with a hook, anglers are using 20 to 30 lb. leaders to enhance their chances, so once a fish is hooked it is a delicate battle to be able to land it. The average sized tuna being landed are in the 20 to 50 lb. range, though even larger sized yellowfin were reportedly seen feeding on the free chummed sardinas. Individual charters were doing well to land one or two tuna during a morning trip, other charters worked hard without ever even having any opportunity.

These same grounds produced a mix of bottom structure species, not many large monsters, mostly fish in the 5 to 15 lb. class, leopard grouper, yellow snapper, bonito, triggerfish, huachinango, amberjack, island jack, barred pargo and others. The best technique proved to be with fresh sardinas, with a few fish also taken on yo-yo jigs.

The striped marlin bite was good now, a bit more scattered this week, as the balls of baitfish that were being found dispersed and the marlin were found more moving onto to different grounds. The striper’s ranged nicer sized, up to150 lb., striking on trolled lures, rigged ballyhoo, bolito, skipjack and chihuil. With most of the billfish action coming within 3 to 8 miles from shore.

Numbers of dorado were down this week, though there still were some of these gamefish hanging around, we saw fish up to 15 lb. accoutered for. Even a chance at wahoo, though not many were landed, more of these fish should start biting when the water temperatures warms up, as it does the later part of April.

Not much talk of inshore action now, a few roosterfish and sierra, but no numbers and actually more anglers are now targeting the more prevalent offshore species.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 84 charters for this week. Anglers reported a fish count of: 3 wahoo, 37 dorado, 42 striped marlin, 36 yellowfin tuna, 38 yellow snapper, 29 cabrilla (leopard grouper), 32 huachinango (red snapper), 35 bonito, 4 amberjack, 6 island jack. 16 barred pargo, 2 dogtooth snapper, 5 roosterfish, 23 sierra and 135 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric