Anglers –
August 4, 2018

Again we are only seeing light crowds of tourists arriving, as we are now in mid-summer season, this can be normal. Tropical storm development are becoming more active at this time, with Hurricane Hector tracking far on the Pacific in the direction of Hawaii, another few low pressure systems off of Southern Mexico are developing as well. What we are watching closely is the potential formation of TS Ileana, which forecasts say will pass closer to Southern Baja by mid-week, Though Ileana is forecast to follow a path off to the west of the Peninsula, so hopefully this forecast is correct and this system does not make any land fall impact. We will surely will feel increased humidity and most likely larger ocean swells related to the passing of the storm. The next six or seven weeks is historically when the chances of tropical storms striking locally is at its greatest.

This was another calm week on the ocean for anglers, clean blue water was found close to shore, water temperatures were up in the 85 degree range. Still decent supplies of sardinas and caballito in the marina channel area. Slabs of giant squid for strip baits is another option, though only place to obtain this is at local super markets and the price per kilo has nearly doubled since there has been a shortage of squid being found in the region.

As can be typical for this time of year, the yellowfin tuna action is the highlight and most common species being found. Main areas now being targeted are the Iman Bank, to Vinorama and the Gordo Banks. The larger yellowfin seem to be schooling around the Iman Bank, this is where tuna up to 100 lb. are being found. No huge numbers, but charters have been catching as many as three or four quality sized tuna, with smaller fish mixed in per day, average sizes in the 10 to 70 lb. class. Drift fishing with fly lined sardinas or strips of squid was the most productive method of enticing the yellowfin. There has been lots of natural food sources on these seem grounds and plenty of boat pressure as well, this often makes the yellowfin more finicky, some days biting more readily than others, also at certain unpredictable hours.

These same fishing grounds produced dorado, wahoo, billfish and a mix of bottom action. There was an early morning wahoo bite going on inshore off of San Luis, trolling Rapalas were the best bet, early start and sometimes not waiting around to get sardinas proved to be the way to go after this action. Most of the dorado being found were smaller sized, though in recent days we are seeing a few more fish topping the 20 lb. mark, which is encouraging.

Bottom action was limited, best area seemed to be Iman Bank, earlier in the day, working yo-yo style jigs, a mix of pargo, snapper, bonito, cabrilla and a few amberjack. Billfish were spread out, though charters specifically targeting marlin were centered on offshore grounds such as the 1150 spot, where some blue marlin in the 200 lb. range were found, also some striped marlin and sailfish were in the mix. A couple larger black marlin in the 500 lb. class were reported off the East Cape during the Bisbee Offshore Tournament, also tuna to over 100 lb. and 50 lb. dorado.

Inshore action produced scattered action for jack crevalle and roosterfish, though this is now later in the season for roosters, best bet was to try and obtain mullet for bait.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 64 charters for this week. Anglers reported a fish count of: 1 dogtooth snapper, 6 sailfish, 5 striped marlin, 3 blue marlin, 14 wahoo, 74 dorado, 180 yellowfin tuna, 45 bonito, 15 yellow snapper, 19 red snapper, 18 cabrilla (leopard grouper), 3 amberjack, 14 roosterfish, 16 jack crevalle and 28 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
July 28, 2018

Ae we progress deeper into the summer season we are seeing limited numbers of tourists arriving, despite weather conditions being very tranquillo. No new tropical storms threatening for the near future. There was an increase in swell activity due to distant southern disturbances, also the wind picked up earlier in the week, mainly from the south, but swirling as well from the north and then out of the east, once again by the weekend conditions calmed down. The wind had pushed in greener water, especially closer to shore, also cooled the water a few degrees. Though now the water is becoming bluer with each passing calm day, water temperatures is back up averaging 78 to 83 degrees.

Finding the live sardinas has been tougher this week, some days hardly any could be located, other days there were sufficient supplies. Caballito still have been readily available, though some morning the bait moved into netting range later than at first light. There were still options of mullet for bait as well, these seem to be working best for the roosterfish, which are still in the area, but this is now the later part of the season for these gamefish. Some anglers are starting to use strips of squid for targeting the yellowfin tuna, bought from local super markets, this always becomes another option this time of year when the sardinas do normally become much scarcer.

Targeting the yellowfin tuna seemed to be the most productive option. Main center of activity has been from the Gordo Banks to the Iman Bank. Good numbers of the smaller football sized tuna have moved onto to both grounds, ranging from a few pounds to about 15 lb., mixed in with black skipjack and the Eastern Pacific bonito. The best chance of hooking into a larger grade of yellowfin has been near the Iman Bank, everyday a handful of tuna in the 50 to 70 lb. have been accounted for, these fish were finicky, a couple of yellowfin much larger were seen and even hooked into, though were lost due to extended battles on lighter than ideal tackle, this because the tuna were hitting the lighter line more readily.

Not much happening off the bottom, besides the bonito, a scattered of red snapper and an occasional amberjack or cabrilla. Still lots of sharks hanging on these same fishing grounds, most of them appear to be silky, also some hammerhead.

After seeing good numbers of dorado last week, though most were smaller in size, this week they were much fewer, no particular area that they were more concentrated, best chance at a nicer sized dorado seemed to be further offshore where charters were targeting billfish. Marlin action was limited, though a couple of blue marlin in the 200 lb. class were accounted for, also a few late season striped marlin and a few sailfish.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 58 charters for this week. Anglers reported a fish count of: 3 sailfish, 3 striped marlin, 2 blue marlin, 2 wahoo, 22 dorado, 265 yellowfin tuna, 190 bonito, 6 yellow snapper, 14 red snapper, 9 cabrilla (leopard grouper), 4 amberjack, 55 roosterfish, 22 jack crevalle and 34 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
July 21, 2018

We saw a slight increase in visiting anglers this past week. Weather patterns were increasingly more tropical, with more cloud cover, but only some very minimal rainfall was felt, more humidity than anything else. No new storms brewing to the south at this time, mild surf conditions and very little wind. All this made for great ocean conditions for anglers, with water temperatures up in the 80 to 83 degree range through most of the region and even warmer currents lurking further offshore. Lot of baitfish now on the fishing grounds.

Anglers found sufficient supplies of bait near the marina area, mainly sardinas, caballito and mullet. Most of the fishing action has now been centered from the Gordo Banks to Iman, San Luis and north to Vinorama. Cleaner currents have improved the all-around action in recent days. Though the yellowfin tuna that are schooling near and Iman and San Luis Banks continue to be very finicky from day to day, though the tuna that are being hooked into are averaging in the 40 to 60 lb. class and there were at least a couple of larger tuna up to 120 lb. accounted for this past week. Some small football sized yellowfin tuna have also shown up, we have not seen those yet until now, perfect bait size for trolling after at a big black or blue marlin. We have heard the reports of black and blue marlin taken out of the East Cape and especially out of La Paz. On our grounds a couple of blue marlin in the 200 to 300 lb. class were reported. Some sailfish and striped marlin were also found on the same grounds,

The wahoo and dorado also became more active this week, dorado were found on the same tuna grounds, most of these on various baitfish, though they would strike lures as well. Sizes ranged up to 20 lb., though the majority were under ten pounds, please remember to release the smaller fish, especially the females, which are easily identified by there more rounded off forehead. Wahoo were striking trolled Rapalas near Iman, San Luis and Vinorama, no huge numbers, but at least we are seeing some of these elusive and highly sought after gamefish, sizes were respectable, averaging 30 to 40 lb.

Bottomfish was mainly jigging for red snapper and bonito off of Iman and San Luis, some days better than others, late in the season now for these fish. Hoping to see more amberjack and possibly dogtooth snapper show up. Only a handful of leopard grouper or broom tail grouper found.

Inshore action for roosterfish was becoming a bit more scattered, but some epic action for quality sized roosterfish to 70 lb. was found, particularly on the beach stretches towards Vinorama, but also off the local hotel zones as well. Mixed in were some hog sized jack crevalle and even a few out of season sierra. Best bait for roosters was live mullet

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 74 charters for this week. Anglers reported a fish count of: 2 blue marlin, 5 sailfish, 7 striped marlin, 92 dorado, 132 yellowfin tuna, 9 wahoo,142 bonito, 12 yellow snapper, 75 red snapper, 19 cabrilla (leopard grouper), 2 amberjack, 68 roosterfish, 19 jack crevalle, 8 barred pargo, 5 surgeon fish, 8 sierra and 38 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric