Anglers –
August 15, 2015

With summer progressing the weather has remained calm for the Los Cabos region, recent storm development has seen tropical systems following tracks heading far off to the west. Presently there is a low pressure area off of mainland Mexico that appears favorable for further tropical formation, with forecasts having this system follow a path paralleling the Baja Peninsula, several hundred miles from any impact on land. The next six weeks are historically the period when the highest numbers of hurricanes have impacted the Southern Baja area, so we will be following weather updates closely.

With Southern California now experienced epic, almost unprecedented action for tuna, yellowtail, dorado, striped marlin and other gamefish, local sportfishing fleets are seeing lighter crowds than during previous summers. The main species now being targeting locally has been the yellowfin tuna, supplies of sardinas are now becoming more scarce and with surf conditions now increasing and coinciding with early morning low tides, we expect this bait resource will become even more scattered in the coming weeks. Many anglers are searching out other bait options, local super markets have been selling slabs of giant squid and this has been one of the more productive options available for drift fishing the tuna. The consistent tuna bite on the Iman Bank has continued, in recent days the action turned on best later in the morning, most of the yellowfin caught off of these grounds were ranging in the 6 lb. to 50 lb. class. The spot where a handful of very very large yellowfin tuna have been lurking is on the Gordo Banks, with three more tuna of 300 lb. or more landed this past week. Not any significant numbers yet for these larger cows and the bite for the smaller grade tuna also becoming a little less productive, this area has had heavy pressure now for three weeks, also water clarity has been greenish due to Pacific currents pushing this direction and this seems to have slowed the action. Ocean temperatures remains in the 86/87 degree range, chances are that it will stay in the upper 80’s until the early fall season.

Billfish have been scattered, trolling available larger baitfish around the Gordo Banks has been one of the best techniques for having chances at sailfish, striped, blue and black marlin or the cow sized tuna, which are now all hanging around these grounds, so you never know what you might hook into on any given day. Trolling with skipjack, bolito and small yellowfin tuna are all proven big gamefish producers, though this is the type of fishing where a lot of patience is needed. With hook ups on these fish being few and far between, more charters have been concentrating around the Iman Bank, where there has been better chances at catching more numbers. East Cape charters continue to make the long run south to these same grounds, must mean that they do not have much going on off of their more local fishing grounds.

No really consistent bottom action going on now, a handful of snapper/pargo species, an occasional amberjack, dogtooth snapper, cabrilla or grouper, strong currents has made this structure action more difficult and at times even when the currents slacked, the fish just did not seem to be very active.

We expect that the coming weeks will bring even more reports of monster yellowfin tuna or larger sized marlin, as this is always known as the time when big fish are hanging around on local grounds, attracted by the huge concentrations of natural food sources.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 58 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 9 sailfish, 7 striped marlin, 188 yellowfin tuna, 3 dogtooth snapper, 4 amberjack, 6 cabrilla, 2 broomtail grouper, 18 bonito, 18 rainbow runners and 27 mixed pargo species.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
August 8, 2015

The Eastern Pacific remains calm in the vicinity of Southern Baja, though at this time there is a powerful Hurricane Hilda brewing far off to the west, present forecast has it passing to the north of the Hawaiian Islands. Locally the conditions have been very tropical, with occasional thundershowers over the mountainous regions, ocean swells have been light, though currents have been strong, greenish water had pushed in after south winds from last week, though water clarity has showed improvement in recent days. This week the larger high stake tournament season kicked off with the East Cape Bisbee event, though overall crowds have been light as we move into the warmest period of the year and everyone is anxiously following weather reports for any development of tropical storms that might impact local interests.

Yellowfin tuna remain the main species being encountered by anglers, using sardinas for bait on the Iman Bank has been where the most consistent action is being encountered. Sardinas have been found schooling near the Puerto Los Cabos Marina Jetty’s, though these schools are not as plentiful as during the previous weeks, showing signs of impact from heavy pressure, since this has been the only area locally where these baitfish have been available. Some anglers are shopping for slabs of giant squid at local super markets as another option and this has been paying off. Average size for the yellowfin has been in the 10 to 50 lb. range, though the recent tournament did produce a couple of tuna in the 150 to 170 lb. class. Lots of charter boats have been congregating on the Iman Bank, coming from as far as the East Cape or Cabo Lucas, since this is where the best bite has been, heavy pressure has meant that the fish have become more finicky and anglers were finding better success while using lighter leaders, though that can be a problem when hooking into larger fish. No huge numbers of fish now, though most charter are catching fish and many have been accounting for tuna in the 50 lb. class.

Still no dorado being reported, only an occasional wahoo and the billfish bite has been scattered, with more blue marlin in the 100 to 200 lb. class being found, a few black marlin as well, as well as some sailfish and striped marlin. Last week a 553 lb. blue marlin was weighed in, caught on a private boat on the Pacific Finger Bank, a bit out of range for normal day charters.

Off the bottom there have been a mix of pargo, occasional amberjack, triggerfish, bonito, white tuna, cabrilla, dogtooth snapper and even a handful of larger sized roosterfish, which seem to like hanging out in the deeper water where they are finding a variety of natural baitfish congregating, this has been a trend in recent years. Anglers hooking into heavy fish over the deeper structure, only to find out they have a big 40 to 60 lb. roosterfish instead of an amberjack or grouper.

Not much inshore action at this time of year, action is centered over the offshore grounds, this is where all of the bolito, skipjack and other food sources are congregated.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 60 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 3 blue marlin, 1 black marlin, 9 sailfish, 6 striped marlin, 6 wahoo, 205 yellowfin tuna, 5 dogtooth snapper, 6 amberjack, 14 cabrilla, 19 white skipjack tuna, 3 roosterfish and 28 mixed pargo species.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
August 1, 2015

As we start a new month there are no new storm systems on the horizon that are forecast to affect Southern Baja. At this time Hurricane Guillermo is far off to west, following a path towards Hawaii, but is supposed to weaken before impact the island chain. Locally the weather has been very warm and humid, though skies have been clear, none of the afternoon thunder storms since last weekend. Ocean swells have been moderate, with water temperatures holding in the 86/87 degree range. Light afternoon breezes made for very comfortable conditions for anglers.

The action on the Gordo Banks for past couple of weeks, which had been for mostly very small sized yellowfin tuna, has now faded out, still a few marlin being hooked into from these grounds, both black and blue marlin, a handful of striped marlin and sailfish. This past week there were marlin to over 300 lb. landed, these fish were striking on trolled skipjack or tuna.

With supplies of sardinas still maintaining fleets in the vicinity of the marina jetty the action now has switched north to the Iman Bank, using the small sized sardina baitfish anglers were finding a grade of yellowfin tuna in the 10 to 50 lb. class. No significant numbers, but most charters were accounting for two, three, four of five tuna per morning. Off the bottom this area produced some huachinango, dogtooth snapper, cabrilla and triggerfish, again no big numbers, but a few quality fish were reported.

Dorado continue to virtually nonexistent, a combination of factors likely the cause for this. Finding any action while surface trolling open waters was difficult, more action was accounted for while using baitfish, drift fishing over the structure where fish were concentrated. Just a handful of wahoo were found, most of these while trolling early in the day with Rapalas.

No inshore action to speak of either, just a few roosterfish hanging around, the season for this gamefish is nearing the end. Though there is always a chance at finding a roosterfish lingering around the marina jetty where there are concentrations of various baitfish.

Eastern Pacific appears to be on track of having a strong el Niño warm water phenomena that can cause havoc on normal fish migrations patterns. We still have over two months of tropical storm season to deal with, so we will monitored weather forecasts frequently.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 66 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 2 black marlin, 1 yellowtail, 5 sailfish, 4 striped marlin, 1 blue marlin, 2 wahoo, 190 yellowfin tuna, 13 dogtooth snapper, 1 gulf grouper, 4 amberjack, 8 cabrilla, 1 surgeonfish, 22 white skipjack tuna, 4 roosterfish and 32 huachinango (red snapper).

Good fishing, Eric