March 2, 2013
Anglers –
The month of February is now over, there was lots of wind throughout the period, this last week was no exception, as northerly winds up to 20 mph prevailed. This created very choppy ocean conditions offshore and limited options on where anglers were able to comfortably fish. Water temperatures were now ranging from 69 to 72 degrees throughout the zone. March is the time when we can see have unpredictable winds, most of the time from the north, but usually the worst of the winds are over with and we start to see warmer and calmer days. This is what you would call a seasonal transition period, winter to spring, great time of year to visit the area while the climate is so ideal and there will be a wide variety of fishing opportunities available, from offshore, inshore, as well as bottom action. Crowds remain light at this time, but we are starting to see the first wave of spring breakers arrive. Whales remain very active throughout local waters, this is the final period now, as these mammals will be heading north soon.
Schools of mackerel and sardinetas are now gone from the grounds off of San Jose del Cabo, there are some caballito on these same spots and sardinas are being netting off the beach stretches near San Luis. Ballyhoo are also available for purchase and have been an option for enticing dorado.
This week there were reports of yellowfin tuna to 30 pounds being found in good numbers on the Jaime Banks, a long run for most charters and too far for San Jose fleets. Offshore marlin action slowed during the period, scattered fish, more billfish found off of the Pacific than towards the Sea of Cortez. This is the month we normally we would see the striped marlin moving in this direction, so we do expect to see this same pattern. No tuna found on the Gordo Banks this week and it was the same story on San Luis Bank, where the persistent winds made this area off limits most days.
Local fleets out of Puerto Los Cabos found the most consistent action to be closer to shore, in the direction of San Luis, Cardon, La Fortuna and Punta Gorda. There were more sierra than any other species found, striking readily on sardinas and also on rapalas and hoochies, some of these fish weighed up to 5 lb. Despite it being off season for dorado, there were surprisingly quite a few of these gamefish still being found, more of them close to shore where baitfish have been concentrated, compared to offshore where numbers were limited. Charters were accounted for as many as 4,5 or 6 dorado per day, average weights being 5 to 15 lb., with a few larger specimens mixed in. Some days these fish preferred the larger sized ballyhoo baits and on others sardinas worked just as well, a matter of finding the schools of these fish, not large concentrations of dorado, but when found the action was fast.
Bottom action was limited due to choppy conditions, but there was some quality eating fish available when conditions allowed, cabrilla, yellow snapper, barred pargo, huachinango and triggerfish were the most common species now accounted for off of the rocky structure. Anglers reported mixed success while using yo-yo jigs and various whole and cut baits.
This week the combined panga fleets launching out of Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 62 charters and anglers accounted for a fish count of:
6 yellowfin tuna, 192 dorado, 255 sierra, 19 roosterfish, 12 jack crevalle, 3 amberjack, 16 cabrilla, 26 yellow snapper, 15 huachinango ( red snapper), 12 barred pargo and 16 triggerfish.
Good Fishing, Eric