Anglers –
January 2, 2016

Holiday crowds were greeted by weather conditions which were cooler than most people were hoping for, as much of this past week was overcast, cloudy, with only occasional sunshine, persistent northern winds and high daytime temperatures were barely reaching into the lower 70s. It is now winter season and considering that this is about as cool as the Southern Baja California region can be, we should feel fortunate to enjoy such a moderate climate during these normally chiller times.

Average ocean temperature locally is now 76 degrees, we are seeing this cooling trend, though this is still several degrees warmer than seasonal normal. Along with the unusual weather patterns of this past year, we continue to see abnormal fish migrations as well, even the annual migration of whales has been late to arrive to its peak. This is the time of year when we normally would find schools of sardinas congregating along the shoreline and mackerel mixed with sardineta on the offshore grounds, so far we are not seeing any of this baitfish and are relying on bait sources of caballito, cocinero, slabs of squid and some ballyhoo.

Fishing action has been more scattered than we would normally expect, options are limited without the mainstay of sardinas. The most productive grounds this past week was found two to four miles straight out front of Puerto Los Cabos Marina, this is where practically the entire fleets from both San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas were congregating. Striped marlin with a few dorado in the mix were striking on slow trolled baits, or while drifting baits down deeper, occasional feeders on the surface. No huge numbers of fish, heavy pressure. But still the best bet to find action. Most of the stripers were in the 60 to 90 lb. class, with a few reaching 120 lb. There must be some food source now holding in this area, porpoise are being seen cruising through this zone as well. Commercial shrimp trawlers are moving in our area now, and these are the same grounds where they regularly work, often contributing to scatter any action that does start to develop.

Ocean currents pushed in cooler, greenish water from the north and combined with persistent northerly winds, this made it tough to find any action around the Gordo Banks and further north. Some yellowfin tuna were accounted for, one tuna of 143 lb. was weighed in early in the week, others in the 15 to 80 lb. range were taken, but numbers were not significant at all and until conditions stabilize, this will most likely be the same situation. Tuna at times could be seen coming into chum lines or just breezing the surface, but proved to be very skittish. Late in the week anglers found sporadic action for yellowfin closer to shore off of Punta Gorda while drift fishing with strips of squid, these fish weighed up to 20 lb. and some charters landed as many as five tuna. Though this bite would slack off as quickly as it had started and be over just like that. Unusual to not see any of the larger sized needlefish that are typically present this time of year.

Only a handful of wahoo were reported, ranging 20 to 40 lb., though as conditions settle, we expect these fish to become more active. This coming week is forecast to be warmer and less windy, so this combined with a favorable moon phase could trigger improved action, of course these particular fish are very unpredictable. The bottom continues to show signs of more life, as more numbers of snapper and cabrilla were appearing, a couple of amberjack, yellowtail, ever present triggerfish and bonito. Need calmer conditions though to have better chances at these species.

Inshore there are now good numbers of smaller sized roosterfish, not always easy to hook on the larger baits which are being used, though still this has been an option for variety, please remember that these fish should always be caught and then released with care, so that they can mature and help maintain the future fishery of these prized gamefish, which are known for their fighting qualities and not as good table fare.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 80 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 48 striped marlin, 26 yellowfin tuna, 56 dorado, 4 wahoo, 2 yellowtail, 16 cabrilla, 11 huachinango, 20 yellow snapper, 2 amberjack, 8 rainbow runner, 1 dogtooth snapper, 4 white skipjack, 22 bonito, 44 roosterfish and 26 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
December 26, 2015

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to everyone

Many tourists have been arriving in Los Cabos this holiday season, compared to last year, when the majority of local resorts were still closed and in the process of rebuilding from the devastation caused by Hurricane Odile. The relentless north winds finally resided mid-week and conditions were feeling more like fall than winter. Warm sunny days, with calm seas, ideal time for anglers to take advantage of the opportunities at billfish, yellowfin tuna, dorado, wahoo, roosterfish and other available species.

Ocean temperatures have ranged from 75 degrees from Iman Bank to Los Frailes to as warm as 79 degrees straight outside of Cabo San Lucas. Ideal conditions now, if the winds stay moderate we do expect to enjoy excellent fishing action into the coming new year. With the lack of sardinas available, anglers have been relying on caballito, slabs of squid and various artificial lures to entice the variety of gamefish now in the area.

San Jose del Cabo fleets were having to travel all the way to the Cabo arches to find sporadic action for yellowfin tuna in the 10 to 15 pound class, some boats catching six or seven fish, other none, lots of pressure by the whole fleet, as well as hungry seas lions on this spot. Chance at a single dorado or wahoo off of the Chileno, Santa Maria and Red Hill areas. Though this action was very hit or miss. So we are glad that the wind has diminished for the time being and this has opened up our normal fishing grounds from the Gordo Banks to the Iman Bank. Crazy that black marlin and larger grade of yellowfin tuna have been holding around the Gordo Banks, in recent days the tuna action on these ground was very dead in the morning hours, but would come alive in the afternoon, so some locals have been packing 20 or more pounds of squid slabs and heading out for this late afternoon action, tuna to 140 lb. were landed, many other even larger yellowfin were lost, sea lions were a pesky problem on these grounds as well. This action should last in to January, any day these yellowfin could bite earlier in the day, full moon phase has feeding patterns mixed up as well.

Iman Bank was holding tuna in the 20 to 40 lb. range, though without sufficient chum and dealing with swifter cooler currents put this bite off later in the week. Dorado continue to be scattered, but actually in recent days we are seeing more of these fish than during the past week or two. Same for wahoo, not many being landed, but they are in the area, with conditions being as favorable as they are, anything could happen, these elusive and highly sought after gamefish are definitely still around and we expect them to become more active in the coming weeks.

This is the time when striped marlin appear on the grounds off of San Jose del Cabo and this has been the case this week, straight outside of the Puerto Los Cabos Marina, anywhere from two to four miles offshore, this is where fleets are now concentrated, chasing feeding marlin and drift fishing with baits down deep has produced good action on the striped marlin, averaging 80 to 120 lb., with some sailfish are still hanging late into the season.

Good numbers of smaller to medium sized roosterfish are now being encountered closer to shore, anglers have been using live caballito to slow troll for this action, not many sierra yet, the lack of sardinas will make this a tough season for the sierra. Bottom action has showed improvement recently, deeper water species around the Gordo Banks and other high spots.Various snappers, cabrilla, grouper, triggerfish, rainbow runner and bonito.

Whales are now appearing in greater numbers every day and will soon be peaking for their annual winter migration to Southern Baja California.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 84 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 5 sailfish, 2 black marlin, 38 striped marlin, 115 yellowfin tuna, 22 dorado, 11 wahoo, 14 cabrilla, 14 huachinango, 22 yellow snapper, 18 bulleye snapper, 3 amberjack, 12 rainbow runner, 24 bonito, 8 white skipjack, 55 roosterfish and 30 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
December 19, 2015

Holiday crowds have started to arrive in greater numbers this past week and it appears that it will be busy during this year’s festive times. Weather has been a been a bit crazy, relentless winds from the north much of the week, before laying down for the weekend and actually feeling once again almost like late summer, instead of winter. Whales are also being sighted more frequently now, as this is just the start of the annual migration for these mammals.

Ocean swells have been minimal, water temperatures have ranged from 76 degrees in the direction of Los Frailes and 79 degrees off of Cabo San Lucas. Anglers have been relying on caballito or squid slabs for baits, still no reports of anyone finding any schooling sardinas, hard to say what will happen with this, we do believe that when water does eventually cool off, that we will see these preferred baitfish return within our range.

The week started off with the most consistent action being found off the areas of the Cabo San Lucas Arches to Sol Mar, within one mile or less of shore, this is where there was a good bite going on for yellowfin tuna while drift fishing with strips of squid. These ranged from 8 to 15 lb., some of these fish also hit on caballito. The bite was sporadic, but many charters did account for their limits, there was a good chance at losing a percentage of your hook ups to hungry sea lions that were patrolling this same area. Lots of pressure on these grounds, since this was around the only productive spot through most of the week, as north winds made it almost impossible to fish on the grounds to the north. But over the weekend as conditions changed from nearly gale conditions to flat calm, this had charters heading north again and they did have encouraging reports, especially considering all the wind, water clarity was surprisingly good. Yellowfin tuna starting biting again on the Iman Bank, nicer sized fish to 30 lb.

Not much going on for dorado and wahoo, only an occasional fish being landed, other strikes lost, but just no significant numbers of either of these species. Nothing much going on around the Gordo Banks, but maybe the calmer conditions will get this area back on track, as lots of skipjack and other baitfish activity was reported. Also at least one 200 lb. class black marlin was landed, another black, estimated to weigh close to 500 lb. was hooked on a trolled caballito, only to be lost near the boat as the fish got its head down, gaining momentum and heading deep and breaking the lighter 130 lb. leader which had been intended for a cow yellowfin tuna, not a late season el Nino black marlin.

Inshore there was some good action for smaller sized roosterfish off of the San Jose del Cabo Hotel area, particularly near Holiday Inn and the Estuary. Very little bottom fishing was going on now, more triggerfish than anything else, we expect to start seeing more variety start to move in off of the structure. Marlin action was scattered as well, a few striped marlin and then the chance at a larger marlin around the Gordo Banks, no big numbers though of any of these billfish. Will be interesting to see if there is a good run or mackerel and in turn striped marlin his season, this is the month when this normally occurs, starting on the Pacific Banks, before shifting in the direction of the Sea of Cortez.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 74 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 1 black marlin, 8 striped marlin, 285 yellowfin tuna, 16 dorado, 5 wahoo, 4 cabrilla, 22 pargo, 8 bonito, 35 roosterfish and 18 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric