Anglers –
November 17, 2018
Still very busy with visiting anglers this week, one more week, after Thanksgiving the numbers of visitors will lighten up. The strong gusty northerly winds were a major factor all week, relentless, beginning on Monday, finally weakening some on Friday. Ocean water temperatures dropped into the 78 to 80 degree range, clarity was still very clean, though strong winds made it difficult to fish on the more productive grounds from Iman to San Luis Banks. More frequent sightings of whales being reported, first wave of the annual migration of these mammals are arriving.
The main bait being used now has been slabs of squid, caballito, ballyhoo and some chihuil and small sized skipjack. Fleets have been fishing in all directions, no particular hot spot, heavy boat pressure, along with windy conditions made for a tough week, though it did not keep charters from launching, though it did limit what options were available.
Wahoo are now in peak season, though they are finicky, striking best on chihuil, ballyhoo and caballito baitfish, also they were striking lures, Rapalas and skirted lead heads. Though with heavy boat pressure now for the past month, these fish are hit or miss, fortunate to land one, but other anglers have had as many as four or five. Sizes range from juvenile 6 lb. fish, up to trophy sized 65 lb. specimens.
Dorado were more scattered this week than last, very few of these fish seen in recent days, same for billfish, still an occasional sailfish or smaller sized striped marlin, one blue marlin of about 220 lb.
Yellowfin tuna action on the banks to the north, Iman and San Luis, proved very difficult most of the week, the main factor being the north wind, hard to drift and chum wind you are being swept off the spot so quickly. There were yellowfin caught everyday though, sizes from small football all the way up to 90 lb. Heard of tuna to over 200 lb. offshore of Cabo San Lucas, traveling with porpoise, but these fish were not very numerous at all. We expect as weather conditions do settle down and stabilize, that we will see much improved action.
Bottom action was even more limited due to swift currents and winds. More triggerfish than anything else, a few various snapper, pargo, bonito and cabrilla species. One 60 lb. class roosterfish was caught and released while trolling near Punta Gorda, trying to escape the wind some, nice sized rooster considering we are out of season for them now.
The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 202 charters for the week. Anglers reported a fish count of: 1 blue marlin, 8 striped marlin, 6 sailfish, 23 dorado, 76 wahoo, 142 yellowfin tuna, 94 bonito, 24 white skipjack, 12 red snapper, 2 amberjack, 11 yellow snapper, 9 cabrilla, 8 sierra, 18 roosterfish, 8 jack crevalle and 110 triggerfish.
Good fishing, Eric