November 20, 2010
The Fall Season of 2010 is now in its final stretch as we near the Thanksgiving Holiday, after this there is always some down time, as people prepare for the Christmas and New Year’s period. The weather has continued to be great, clear skies, temperatures in the 80s and only moderate winds out of the north. Anglers do need to remember jackets for the early mornings, as it had been in the upper 50s early in the a.m. Local panga fleets remain very busy, most charters have concentrated either on the Gordo Banks or near Iman and San Luis. Water temperatures have varied from 76 degree towards the Golden Gate Bank on the Pacific to 80 degrees on the Sea of Cortez side of the Peninsula. Clean blue water has continued to be found close to shore and most charters are now fishing within 2 to 8 miles from shore.
Bait supplies have barely been able to keep up with the high demand, as schools of sardinas also migrate along coastal areas. There have been limited supplies of caballito available and chihuil is another option that pangeros have been able to catch themselves on the fishing grounds, these mackerel sized baits are particularly enticing to wahoo.
Yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dorado are the most targeted species now, with yellowfin most numerous. The key to success for the tuna has been drift fishing with sardinas, either dead or alive. The Iman Bank has been holding schooling yellowfin tuna in the 15 to 20 pound class. While a larger grade of tuna has been concentrated on the Gordo Banks, the outer bank in recent days has been most active, particularly early in the day. Most of the tuna on these banks ranged 40 to 90 pounds, some boats had as many as four or five of these fish. The first super cow sized yellowfin accounted for the last couple of weeks was taken on Thursday by none other than local pangero legends Hugo Pino and his son Agustine, they were key members of the “Fisherman” team of 2009 who won the WON Tuna Jackpot with the near record 383 lb. tuna. This latest fish they caught from the Gordo Banks while drift fishing with sardinas, weighed in at 302 pounds, they also had another tuna which weighed in at a not too shabby 185 pounds.
Wahoo continue to be found throughout the inshore areas, from Palmilla Point, Punta Gorda, San Luis to Vinorama. Everything is shaping up for the local wahoo tournament to be held this Sunday, Nov. 21. In recent days there have been several wahoo caught that weighed in to 60s and even 70s pounds. With the heavy boat pressure there have been more wahoo strikes coming recently on various baitfish, versus trolled lures. Many charters had multiple chances at wahoo, but the actual strike to catch ratio for ‘hoo usually averages out to about one fish landed per three strikes, you name it and it will happen with these elusive speedsters.
Dorado are spread throughout the area in small schools, no particular hot spot, most of the dorado are under 20 pounds, with a few exceptions of larger bulls being encountered.
There have been encouraging reports from the Pacific of more striped marlin moving onto the banks such as the Golden Gate, with many boats reported multiple catch and release marlin days. Mid week there was a 400 pound class black marlin taken form a 22 ft. panga out of La Playita, also a few sailfish here and there.
The combined panga fleets out of La Playita/Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 204 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 1 black marlin, 3 striped marlin, 7 sailfish, 655 yellowfin tuna, 82 dorado, 102 wahoo, 16 sierra, 15 rainbow runner, 26 amberjack, 8 dogtooth snapper, 17 cabrilla, 22 bonito and 18 hammerhead shark.
Good fishing, Eric