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Olaf Hits Directly, Big Tuna Bite ~ September 19, 2021

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September 19, 2021


On Thursday, September 9, Hurricane Olaf made direct landfall in San Jose del Cabo as a category 2 storm. Winds of over 100 mph and drenching rainfall up to 15 inches in areas, creating wide spread flooding. All utilities were knocked out, in some areas for ten days or more, this is the reason we missed last weeks report, as our internet and phone line were just restored late this week. Clean up is on going, but after being closed for several days the Ports are now reopened and all fishing activities have resumed. This week the weather has been calm, though heat and humidity is very high, we see no new tropical systems developing at this time.


Ocean was stirred up to start the week, as flooded arroyos washed out tons of debris into the sea. As the week progressed the ocean cleaned back up. Initially after the storm the ocean temperature had cooled down into the low 80s, this enticed the wahoo into becoming more active and there was a day or two where we saw some of these gamefish brought in. Quickly though water temperatures rose back up into the 86 or higher range.

Actually after the storm we had a busy week for anglers, the highlight was definitely the yellowfin tuna action found on the grounds from Iman, San Luis and Vinorama areas. Finally we are seeing a larger grade of tuna, average size yellowfin were in the 40 to 70 lb. class, though quite a few fish over 100 lb. were in the mix and at least one we know of over 200 lb.


Anglers were most often using slabs of squid or sardinas, though bolito and chihuil were other possibilities. The tuna were a bit finicky as usual and would not always come and show on the surface, but with persistence and a lot of patience some very impressive fish were landed.


Dorado were very limited, scattered and most of the few we saw were under 15 lb. Also fair numbers of sailfish and smaller sized striped marlin in the area. Black and blue marlin are also hanging on high spots now, these really need to be specifically targeted, with even more persistence and patience needed.


Not much going off the bottom or inshore now, mainly triggerfish, bonito, misc. pargo, snapper, cabrilla and at least a couple of 30 lb. yellowtail we saw, taken from the deeper cooler rock piles.
Good Fishing, Eric

Yellowfin on San Luis, Vinorama Grounds ~ September 5, 2021

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September 5, 2021


After an active summer season in the Eastern Pacific, this week the weather patterns stabilized and since early last week when the local Ports were closed for a couple of days due to a scare and which turned out to be, the distant passing of Nora, we presently have no new storms threatening. Though as we all know the rest of this month is historically the period when Southern Baja can be most vulnerable to hurricane strikes. Light crowds of tourists now, which is normal for this final month of summer. Scattered cloud cover and tropical humid conditions now,though early morning we have begun to feel that slight cooling off as first signs of fall season just around the corner.


In recent days local sportfishing fleets have found the best all around action on the grounds from San Luis to Vinorama. Ocean water temperatures are still ranging in the upper 80s, now at peak warmest levels for the year. Schools of sardinas have shifted from where they had been for months near the marina jetty, now these baitfish were found along the beaches from San Luis to Vinorama. Caballito are more limited and slabs of squid are the other main option.


Strong currents have been running, anglers have been mixing up action with some drift fishing and trolling. Yellowfin tuna has been the highlight, striking on sardinas, strip baits and some larger baits. Sizes averaged 30 to 50 lb., though this week there were at least two yellowfin landed that were in the 130 to 170 lb. range, they are some larger fish that are finally showing. The overall bite was tough, tons of black skipjack being found on the same grounds, yellowfin tuna were often seen breezing the surface, but getting them to strike instead of only the aggressive skipjack proved to be  a challenge. Anglers were doing well to land a couple of these tuna. Though at least we are seeing the tuna on a regular basis, they remain finicky as they see boat pressure on these same grounds every day from fleets as far as away as Los Barriles. 


We did see  more dorado this past week, from both directions, sizes to 20 lb. We also saw one 30 lb. wahoo. Billfish action was slow, though striped marlin and sailfish were being hooked into on the same areas where boats were targeting the tuna and dorado. Not many charters now specifically looking to target the black or blue marlin, this is the time of year now for these larger marlin, though also something that requires a lot of patience and is more of a hit or miss deal.


Not much inshore or bottom action now. More triggerfish, bonito and smaller pargo. Though there is still a fair chance and hooking into a dogtooth snapper while drift fishing for the yellowfin, these larger snapper hang on the same high spots this time of year.


Good Fishing, Eric

Nora Passes Northeast, Tuna Bite ~ August 29, 2021

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August 29, 2021


All week local interests were following the development of Hurricane Nora and its projected path forecast. Mid-week the way things were looking, Cabo San Lucas and surrounding area were looking to take a direct landfall strike, by Saturday though the situation changed, as Nora veered east and went in the direction of the Gulf of California, sweeping through Mazatlan, Culiacan and locations to the north. Los Cabos only had cloud cover, very slight breeze and little rain showers reported. So things went from preparation mode for emergency, to false alarm, everything is okay.


Light tourists at this time. For the few anglers in town the fishing action showed signs of improvement for larger fish. At least a couple of Black Marlin up to 450 lb., were taken from near the Gordo Banks, also on the tuna grounds to the North, there were several yellowfin up to 100 lb. accounted for, other nice grade of 30 to 70 lb. tuna being the average sized tuna seen. Anglers were using various available baits, sardinas, caballito, chihuil and strips of squid.  Overall anglers were doing well to land one or two of these tuna, though some boats had as many as 3 or 4.


Very few dorado seen, though there were a few nice scattered bull dorado up close to 30 lb. found. No wahoo to speak of, water temperatures still hovering in the upper 80s.


Off the high spots a handful of dogtooth snapper and grouper were landed, at times sea lions and the sharks made this style of fishing impossible.


Open water trolling produced a mix of striped marlin, sailfish and dorado, towards Cabo San Lucas we heard of some blue marlin being hooked into, it is that time now, lots of small skipjack and yellowfin tuna, being their favored food source.


Not much of anything reported near shore, it is the time of year that the inshore action scatters.

Good Fishing, Eric