Anglers –
July 14, 2018

Crowds of tourists continued to be lighter than we might expect, though maybe the more serious anglers are waiting for the fish reports to improve. Tropical weather patterns remained very quiet, light ocean swells, high temperatures near 90 degrees, water temp now back up to 80 degrees, water is steadily cleaning, with no new storms seen developing on the horizon and extended forecast looking quiet for the next ten days, it all appears to be favorable for putting our summer season back on track.

Supplies of baitfish now included caballito, mullet, sardinas and a few moonfish in the mix. Most of this bait activity is found right in the marina channel area. With the variety of baitfish in this area there have been some amberjack being hooked into right offshore of the nearby marina jetty, of course the word travels fast and many locals are now taking advantage of this limited opportunity.

Offshore action was hit or miss, mostly just heading out deep, 10 to 30 miles out, looking for schools of porpoise, with hopes of finding yellowfin tuna. With water temperatures warming and clarity improving daily, we have seen the action for yellowfin tuna near San Luis Bank rebound. No big numbers yet, but every day we are seeing some tuna brought in that are averaging 50 to 70 lb., these fish have been striking on caballito, sardinas and some on yo-yo jigs. Many of the silky sharks were lurking on these same grounds, ready for any chance they can find at an easy meal. Most charters were doing well to land one of these quality yellowfin, though some were more fortunate and landed up to three tuna. Mixed on these grounds were red snapper (huachinango), bonito, sailfish and striped marlin. With water clarity looking much better anglers reported seeing free swimming wahoo on these gronds as well, maybe if the water does not become too warm these fish will also start to bite.

Along the shoreline there were still some trophy sized roosterfish found, best bait for these fish seemed to be live mullet. Please remember to release these trophy roosterfish, as this fishery is becoming more fragile with each passing season and it is very important to preserve this species for future generations.

Only a scattered of smaller sized dorado seen this past week, with improving ocean conditions we should start to see some larger fish show up. Later in the month of July and through the rest of the summer is known for big fish season.

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: 4 sailfish, 11 striped marlin, 16 dorado, 55 yellowfin tuna, 158 bonito, 5 yellow snapper, 164 red snapper, 7 cabrilla (leopard grouper), 11 amberjack, 12 roosterfish, 3 barred pargo, 4 sierra and 36 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
July 7, 2018

We saw lighter number of tourists this first week of July, perhaps more people decided to stay home to celebrate Independence Day this year. The weather patterns are now progressing becoming warmer, high temperatures up to 90 degrees, though with the increased humidity, the heat index is making it feel more like 98 degrees. The winds were very slight, and after having larger swells lingering the first part of the week due to the distant passing of TS Fabio, ocean conditions were again calm. The green water is slower giving way to cleaner currents, water temperature on the Sea of Cortez side of the Peninsula is back up into the 78 to 80 degree range.

Anglers were using a mix of sardinas, caballito, mullet and sardineta for bait. Most common areas now being concentrated on have been from Palmilla, straight of San Jose Estuary and marina area, and north towards Iman, San Luis and Vinorama Banks. There were large concentrations of baitfish holding straight offshore of the Puerto Leo Cabos Marina, three to five miles out. This is where decent numbers of striped marlin were being found, most often by drift fishing baits down deeper, with the full moon these fish were a bit more finicky, but with patience most charters were having chances daily. This same area saw more dorado moving in as well, slow trolling bait on the surface was best bet for these fish, no big numbers, but many charters did report landing one, two or three fish, with weights up to 15 lb.

The other popular grounds recently for fishing was on San Luis Bank, this is where there was good early morning action for Eastern Pacific bonito and red snapper while working yo-yo jigs. The problem at this spot was that there were way too many hungry sharks lurking and they would readily strike the yo-yo jigs, as well as any fish that you did have hooked up, frustrating and a fast way to lose a lot of jigs in a hurry.

Early in the week a few yellowfin tuna were also hitting bait or yo-yo jigs on the same grounds, one tuna close to 80 lb. was accounted for, others were lost. The best chances at yellowfin recently has been further offshore, found moving with porpoise and changing location from day to day, most days they were found 15 to 25 miles offshore, though late week some were found as close in as 7 miles. These fish had to be worked for, lots of water covered, trolling medium sized feathers, hoochies and cedar plugs worked and sizes averaged 12 to 18 lb.

Inshore action for roosterfish and jack crevalle slowed down, more spread out, but some fish were being found, even a handful of late season sierra.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 54 charters for this week. Anglers reported a fish count of: 32 striped marlin, 24 dorado, 35 yellowfin tuna, 6 pompano, 95 bonito, 11 yellow snapper, 38 red snapper, 9 cabrilla (leopard grouper), 2 amberjack, 14 roosterfish, 7 barred pargo, 7 sierra, 35 triggerfish and 8 jack crevalle.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
June 30, 2018

As we progress further into the summer season we are seeing moderate crowds of tourists arriving, many of these are family groups enjoying the start of school vacations. Tropical storms are recently forming off of Southern Mexico and heading off to the west, staying clear of any impact with land. TS Emilia far off to the west and weakening rapidly at this time. Looks like newly forming TS Fabio with follow the same westerly path as did Emilia. Pacific currents are still pushing in off of San Jose del Cabo and to the north, creating cooler and greenish water conditions, we have seen water warming back in to the 76 degree range, but still it is very stirred up and off colored, swells have been moderate.

Bait supplies consisted of caballito, mullet and some sardinas. On the fishing grounds there have been sporadic baifiish schooling, some days not as much. Also lots of sharks now on the fishing grounds from Iman Bank and towards San Luis. There was good action for red snapper (huachinango) for anglers using yo-yo jigs, the problem was the sharks were so numerous and aggressively taking the hooked fish and cutting off many lines in the process, these large concentrations of sharks seem to be a new issue we are dealing with the last couple of seasons.

Other shallow water structure fishing producing various species of grouper, yellow snapper, pompano, bonito and a few amberjack. Along the shore roosterfish and jack crevalle were the most common fish, a few late season sierra in the mix. The majority of the roosterfish being found were in the 10 to 20 lb. class, though a few fish up in the fifty pound class were encountered further north near San Luis where water clarity was better. Still no action for dogtooth snapper, this is the time of year where these brutes are found patrolling the inshore rocky reefs, we are hoping for a late season flurry for these largest of all snapper.

The striped marlin action continues outside of Iman and towards Desteladera, some days better than others, no large concentration like a month ago, though everyday there is billfish action reported. Many smaller sized marlin in the 40 to 60 lb. range, also a handful of nicer sized stripers up to 140 lb. Trolling lures, baits, casting to tailing fish or drift fishing baits down deeper were all producing marlin strikes.

Only a few smaller sized dorado seen recently. The yellowfin tuna action was mainly now found further offshore associated with fast traveling porpoise, most of this activity was from 15 to 30 miles offshore. Spotty action, a lot of searching involved and the tuna being found were averaging in the 12 to 18 lb. range

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 77 charters for this week. Anglers reported a fish count of: 29 striped marlin, 5 dorado, 26 yellowfin tuna, 8 pompano, 125 bonito, 1 yellowtail, 1 corvina, 16 yellow snapper, 105 red snapper, 22 cabrilla (leopard grouper), 14 baqueta, 3 broomtail grouper, 8 amberjack, 70 roosterfish, 11 barred pargo, 1 sculpin, 16 sierra, 85 triggerfish and 24 jack crevalle.

Good fishing, Eric