Anglers –
October 1, 2016
We are beginning the new month now, the start of our busy Fall Season, crowds are increasing already, though in another couple of weeks the area will be bustling with visiting anglers, many of them attracted by the series of high stake fishing tournaments that are scheduled during this time frame on an annual basis. Our weather conditions has remanded very tropical, this past week there was threatening cloud cover often, but very little rainfall was felt, definitely warm and humid. The latest low pressure system off to the west appears that it will not develop into much and forecast calls for clear sunny skies for most of this next week. With the combination of small swells, very little wind and warm clear water, this makes for excellent opportunities for anglers.
Ocean water temperatures averaged in the 84/85 degree range. Water was clear and blue within a couple of miles of shore, current remained strong, not as swift as they had been. Limited availability for caballito in the marina area, main bait being used for local fleets has been slabs of squid, as well as some bolito, skipjack and chihuil which are caught themselves on various fishing grounds. No signs of any resources opening up for sardinas, so it appears we will not have this supply available.
Not much going on close to shore, not the time of year we would normally find roosterfish or jacks. Main action has now been centered from the Gordo Banks to the Iman Bank. More chance of a variety of species near Iman, better numbers for yellowfin tuna as compared to the Gordo Banks. Though the tuna on Iman have been mostly in the 15 to 40 lb. class. There is a chance at hooking a much larger yellowfin tuna on the Gordo Banks, but numbers of these have been limited, though every day we do hear about at least a couple of cows being seen or hooked into. A few black marlin were also hooked into around the Gordo Banks, one weighed in at 380 lb. We saw more sailfish this past week, most of these were in the 45 to 70 lb. class. A few striped marlin also hanging around in the warm water, while the main schools of stripers would now be off of Northern Baja, We saw one striped marlin that was estimated at 150 lb.
We heard of a half dozen or so tuna in the 100 to 140 lb. range. Lots of pressure on these ground now. Since nowhere else has had the tuna possibilities like these areas. East Cape fleets are traveling long distance to target these yellowfin, they have no tuna in their zone at this time.
Reports of great dorado action out of Cabo San Lucas, trolling lures on the Pacific grounds, produced fish up to 30 lb. Off of San Jose del Cabo we are seeing some scattered dorado, though most of these have been under 12 lb. We saw an occasional wahoo, other hook ups being lost, so these wahoo are lurking, just waiting for their preferred conditions to become more aggressive. Reports of larger sized sea lions hanging on the Gordo Banks, have robbed their share of hooked up tuna and at least a couple of wahoo we heard about.
Not much reported off the bottom, a few yellow snapper, rainbow runner, leopard grouper, bonito, huachinango and triggerfish. More triggers than anything else. Anglers used both yo-yo jigs and various baits when targeting the bottom, same area where the tuna action now is, are the same ground we do normally find better bottom action during the winter and spring months.
The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 78 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 2 black marlin, 4 striped marlin, 12 sailfish, 190 yellowfin tuna, 34 dorado, 3 wahoo, 9 yellow snapper, 6 leopard grouper, 14 bonito, 8 huachinango, 90 triggerfish and 14 rainbow runner.
Good fishing, Eric