Happy New Year’s!
January 3, 2021
The busy Holiday Season is now winding down, just as quickly as it had begun. Vacationers are returning to work and schools are resuming classes, though the majority doing so on line. We will all hope that this New Year brings greater fortunes and that we can return to more normalcy. Winter like conditions did arrive in Southern Baja, as mid-week we registered lows as chilly as 46 degrees and high temperatures struggled to reach the low 70s, visitors need to realize that there actual seasons here in Baja, with the months of January and February being the coolest time of year. Of course as compared to most of the U.S. our local climate is moderate and very pleasant.
Anglers were now concentrating their efforts on the grounds from Red Hill and the Gordo Banks. Winds have continued to be persistent from out of the north and has contributed to steadily pushing cooler and greenish colored water in the direction of San Jose del Cabo. Through the week we saw conditions on the Gordo Banks change from clean blue 75 degree waters to off colored 70 degrees over the weekend. Further north towards Iman and Vinorama conditions are even more off. This is the normal pattern for this time of year, though this season the north winds have been stronger and more persistent than usual. Supplies of sardinas are still being netted close to the marina jetty off of the estuary. Also there are mackerel and sardineta now being found on local bait grounds.
Through most of the week local fleets concentrated on the Inner Gordo Banks, this is where schooling wahoo were being found, as well as some dorado, bonito and a few striped marlin. The wahoo action has been red hot on these grounds for the past couple of weeks, with most of these fish being juvenile 5 to 15 lb. size, still quite sporty on light tackle. These fish were striking best on chrome patterned casting jigs, but also hitting on sardinas, rapalas and caballito. The action definitely progressively slowed through the week, as schools were diminishing and conditions turned over. Also with this area producing the most consistent action there was greater pressure, from all sizes of carter boats and worst yet were everyday there were at least several boats full of spear fishermen concentrating directly on the high spot, this is a very small sea mount and cannot sustain the traditional rod and reel fishing combined with spear diving pressure. As everyone just seems to not care, no set regulations or even proposals of any particular zones, seasons of special permits, this activity will only increase, as with social media these days all news is exploited to the masses.
Dorado were declining in numbers with the cooling conditions, though we are still seeing them in smaller sized schools. Often they were fond closer to shore where batfish are now concentrated. Sizes averaged up to 15 lb. We did not have many anglers trying the bottom action or even inshore this past week, though this will be more of the normal fishery in coming weeks. Yellowfin tuna action was even scarcer, the tuna were seen at times surfacing on the Gordo Banks, but were especially spooky and not interested. We heard of a couple of reports of the yellowfin being found associated with porpoise a bit further offshore, but with the winds this was a very hit or miss deal.
Striped marlin are being seen now in greater numbers in the direction off of San Jose del Cabo, still scattered, but being found three to ten miles offshore, the Red Hill, Palmilla areas seems to be the more consistent grounds at this time. With the billfish striking various baits and lures.
Good fishing, Eric