Anglers –
September 13, 2015

This week started off with the passing of Hurricane Linda within several hundred miles from the Los Cabos area, this system gained category three status as it followed a path parallel with the Peninsula, before turning further west and then weakening. The main impact felt in our region was first off the closure of all port activities for both Tuesday and Wednesday, as ocean swells became stormy and dangerous, with seas reaching 15 ft., winds were never too strong, some gusts up to 40 mph. There was some much needed rainfall recorded, scattered, hard squalls at times in isolated areas, on and off, as the outer bands of Hurricane Linda were holding quite a bit of moisture, some areas reported up to 3 inches of rain. Local Ports reopened on Thursday morning and each day since has become calmer, though there has been a strong current running, which contributed to greener water conditions. With weather now settled down, we expect conditions to rebound quickly. Of course we are now in the midst of the stretch in peak tropical storm season where things can change rapidly over night, at this time no new named storms are to the south, there is one area of low pressure that we will be monitoring closely for further development. With local water temperatures now averaging from 84 to 88 degrees, conditions are still ripe for rapid storm formation if environmental conditions dictate.

This is always the most tropical and humid time frame of the season, though with a couple days of cloud cover and some rainfall, this was a welcome relief from so much direct sun which had been prevailing, we can actually start to feel the first signs of Fall Season in the air. The busy season will be starting within a matter of weeks, time to prepare for the crowds of anglers that are scheduled to arrive.

Charter fleets recently have been concentrating on the grounds from Santa Maria, Red Hill, Gordo Banks, La Fortuna and Iman Bank. Although inshore baitfish are now not as abundant as pre-storm, commercial pangeros were able to net sardinas around the marina jetty area and just offshore they were jigging up caballito as another bait source option. On the fishing grounds themselves there were bolito, skipjack and chihuil schooling, these were being used for whole and cut baits. Yet another option was to purchase slabs of giant squid for use as additional chum and chunk, always a good deal when specifically targeting the giamt yellowfin tuna. Red Hill had been a hot spot for the schooling tuna, lots of fish up to 20 pounds, though this action then shifted south towards Santa Maria. Before the storm the water had been clean and the wahoo action was good, especially to the north of Punta Gorda, many wahoo to 30 pounds were landed as anglers trolled lures and baitfish. Now we wait for clean water to return and we do ecpect that action will pick back up.

The larger grade of yellowfin tuna are still holding around the Gordo Banks, first day out after the storm there was a 145 lb. and 294 lb. tuna brought in to La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos. Also a blue marlin was landed from a 23 ft. panga based out of Puerto Los Cabos Marina that was estimated to weigh over 700 lb., it was taken on a large live bait on the Iman Bank. There was also a 300 lb. class black marlin landed, as well as a number of sailfish and striped marlin, so definitely some variety available.

Strong currents made it tough to fish the bottom structure, though a handful of snapper, pargo species were landed, both on baits and yo-yo jigs, as currents slack these fish should become more active. Dorado were once again few and far between, after a flurry of action the past couple of weeks, as water cleans back up, we should see more of these dorado in the fish counts.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 62 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 1 black marlin, 2 blue marlin, 9 sailfish, 4 striped marlin, 22 wahoo, 17 dorado, 310 yellowfin tuna, 25 white skipjack, 10 bonito, 18 rainbow runner, 5 dogtooth snapper, 10 yellow snapper, 7 cabrilla and 8 barred pargo.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
September 5, 2015

The Eastern Pacific has remained calm near the Southern Baja Peninsula, while the recent hurricanes have been forming further to the west and heading in the direction of the Hawaiian Islands. Presently there is Tropical Storm Kevin, it is far off the Baja Coast and appears that this system will stay offshore, before downgrading rapidly to a Depression. With the one year anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Odile nearing, we all anxiously following all weather forecast with close interest.

We are now in the final month of summer, conditions are now very tropical and humid, there has been little rainfall felt along the coastal stretches, though mountainous regions have received more scattered afternoon thundershowers and the desert landscape has turned a brilliant lush green.

Crowds of visitors remain light, families are preparing for new school semesters and Southern Californian anglers are taking advantage of epic pelagic gamefish action in their local waters due to the affects of the el Niño current. Ocean conditions have been great, mostly calm, with breezes picking up later in the day. Light to moderate swells, fluctuating currents and clean blue water now found very close to shore. Water temperature has ranged from 86 degrees on the Pacific to 89 degrees in the direction of the Sea of Cortez.

Schooling sardinas have been remaining in the same place to the north of the marina jetty, caballito have also been another bait option. Offshore fishing grounds are attracting bolito, skipjack, small yellowfin tuna and flying fish.

Red Hill and Palmilla Point was the spot early in the week where charter fleets found good action on the smaller grade of yellowfin tuna, up to 15/20 lb. This bite fading out later in the week. Other tuna action was found on the Gordo Banks and Iman Banks, on these grounds the action varied from day to day for the larger sized yellowfin tuna.

Dorado and wahoo were now in the daily reports, most of the dorado encountered were small to medium sized. The wahoo were the highlight in recent days, often very elusive, these prized gamefish went on a great bite on the known grounds from Cardon, La Fortuna to Iman Banks, most wahoo weighed in the 20 to 40 lb. class. Some charters have had five or more fish in the box, with many other strikes lost. Trolling with Rapalas and skirted lead heads in order to find the fish, then anglers were having many strikes while slow trolling rigged baits, such as caballito, chihuil, ballyhoo or bolito.

These same grounds were producing a mix of bottom species, no significant numbers, though a handful of quality fish were being accounted for, dogtooth to 50 lb., amberjack, yellow snapper, rainbow runners, cabrilla, etc…

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 45 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 4 striped marlin, 7 sailfish, 12 bonito, 16 rainbow runners, 38 dorado, 49 wahoo, 320 yellowfin tuna, 4 dogtooth snapper, 5 amberjack, 11 cabrilla, 16 yellow snapper and 14 barred pargo.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –
August 29, 2015

Now into the final month of the summer season and weather patterns have remained calm off of the Southern Baja Peninsula, at this time there is Hurricane Jimena now gaining strength, positioned over 1000 miles to the west of Cabo San Lucas, this system is nearing major hurricane status and we are all fortunate that it is heading in a direction far from land. Crowds of tourists remained light, though vacationers are enjoying the clear and calm conditions, though it is very tropical, warm and humid now, need to remember to stay hydrated. We are seeing some afternoon thundershowers over the mountains to the north, though not as concentrated as in past weeks. We will be following weather forecasts very closely for the next month, this is historically when storm systems can develop rapidly.

Water temperatures have ranged from 84 degrees on the Pacific, to an average of 87 degrees in the direction of the Sea of Cortez. Swells have been light for this time of year, strong currents on occasions and calm seas early in the day, with breezes picking up in the afternoon, but no heavy winds to report. Overall the ocean water conditions have steadily improved throughout the week, no more greenish water to report, clarity is clean and blue to within a mile of shore. With these improving conditions we have seen more numbers of dorado, wahoo and even bottom species biting. Most fleets have been finding the most consistent action from the Gordo to the Iman Banks.

Bait supplies near the marina consisted of sardinas and caballito, sardinas were plentiful, but often were not able to be netted until about 7 a.m. when schools moved close to shore. On the fishing offshore grounds there have been chihuil, bolito, skipjack and small sized yellowfin tuna, all of which can be used for bait targeting larger gamefish. Strips of giant squid also remained an option, found in some of the local super markets. Yellowfin tuna have been found in a wide range of sizes, from 5 lb. to over 300 lb. Best chances for the largest yellowfin tuna has been mainly around the Gordo Banks, no big numbers, but this is the best it has been so far this summer, while Iman Bank has produced greater numbers of fish in the football to 60 pound size. This is also where dorado action has come alive in recent days, most do-do’s weighed under 15 lb. Wahoo action has really come to life with the cleaner inshore ocean conditions, hot spot just to the north of Punta Gorda. Several anglers reported having up to a half dozen solid wahoo strikes while trolling Rapalas and other favored lures, sizes were in the 20 to 40 lb. class, bite was not only early in the morning, some days best action was encountered late morning.

Anglers found mixed success off of the bottom structure, there were dogtooth up to 55 lb. landed, amberjack to 50 lb., a few yellowtail to 35 lb., grouper to 40 lb., barred pargo to 15 lb., quality yellow snapper as well, surgeonfish and rainbow runner. Great variety for quality species, no significant numbers, but great to have this option, all in the same area as where the other highly sought after surface fish were being found.

Billfish are hanging around large concentrations of baitfish, chances at a offshore grand slam now, with sailfish, striped, blue and black marlin all being hooked into on any given day, something you do have to target and put some time into, but the opportunities are definitely there.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 50 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 6 striped marlin, 3 blue marlin, 3 black marlin, 9 sailfish, 17 wahoo, 58 dorado, 530 yellowfin tuna, 7 dogtooth snapper, 6 amberjack, 3 yellowtail, 9 cabrilla, 2 broomtail grouper, 15 bonito, 18 rainbow runners, 13 yellow snapper, 16 barred pargo and 2 surgeonfish.

Good fishing, Eric