Anglers –

December13, 2014

We have seen crowds of tourists drop off this past week, this is the usual scenario during the time frame immediately after the Thanksgiving vacation and before the Christmas and New Year Holiday season. Families have other priorities now, as they prepare for upcoming events. This is a great time to visit now, with light crowds, this means minimal fishing pressure, weather is ideal, lows around 60 degrees and highs in the low 80s. Mostly clear sunny skies, winds have been light to moderate recently and anglers enjoyed comfortable ocean conditions.

Ocean water temperatures ranged from 78 to 81 throughout the region and outside of Cabo San Lucas currents were warmer at 82 degrees. This trend is holding at least several degrees higher than what would be normal for this time period, could mean that this might be another warm water winter, which in turn can keep pelagic gamefish species hanging around local fishing grounds throughout the winter. Global weather patterns are not easy to predict, will be crazy if the wahoo do not migrate south for a second year in a row.

Supplies of sardinas are more scattered now, being found schooling near Cerro Colorado and towards Los Frailes, pangeros are netting these baitfish close to shore and supplying sportfishing charters with sufficient supplies of these preferred baitfish.

Most common species now being successfully targeted, have been yellowfin tuna and white skipjack, also called white tuna and the scientific name is Katsuwonus Pelamis. These fish are excellent fighters, highly sought after for their flesh and normally range from 8 to 15 lb., with the IGFA record listed at 41 pounds. Somewhat rare species and not often are they found any further north of Southern Baja. Anglers have found that the action has been shifting from area to area almost on a daily basis, with one area being red hot one day and then producing little activity the next and in recent days the action has moved from where it had been on the Gordo Banks and closer to shore off of Punta Gorda, to areas further north near Vinorama. Yellowfin tuna have averaged 10 to 25 lb. and are striking on both dead and live sardinas, skipjack of the black and white varieties are mixed in with the schooling yellowfin. Some days anglers had to scratch to land three or four tuna and on other days easy limits were accounted for.

There is still a chance at hooking into a cow sized tuna on the Gordo Banks, mid-week there were a couple of yellowfin tuna weighing over 150 lbs. landed, but there are only a handful of the larger tuna being hooked into by anglers specifically targeting these fish. With warmer currents holding steady we might see cows caught as late as the New Year.

Dorado have been hard to find on a consistent basis, scattered in small schools, most of these fish weighing 10 to 20 pounds, anglers were fortunate to land a couple of these gamesters, about equal chances using various baits or on trolled lures. Wahoo action slowed down, not they these fish have left the area, they just have become more elusive, their preferred bait source of live chihuil have become harder to catch. Plenty of pesky sea lions causing havoc as well, making these baitfish very skittish.

Quite a few sierra now being found close to shore, a few roosterfish, bottom action has been limited, more triggerfish than anything else, a few pompano, pargo and cabrilla in the mix.

A few sailfish and striped marlin scattered offshore, no concentrations of billfish, though later this month we do expect to see the season’s first influx from the north, of migrating striped marlin, following their food source, typically this action first starts 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 76 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of:4 sailfish, 5 striped marlin, 215 yellowfin tuna, 240 white skipjack, 12 wahoo,12 roosterfish, 15 jack crevalle, 80 sierra, 16 bonito, 3 amberjack, 9 pompano, 19 pargo,18 cabrilla and 35 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –

December 6, 2014

We continue to have good sized crowds of sun worshipping vacationers arrive in Los Cabos. Great time to visit now, ideal fall weather patterns, clear sunny skies, with high temperatures of about 85 degrees. The north winds we had last week were not much of a factor this week, stronger breezes increased more often later in the day. Ocean water temperatures are now ranging in the 79 to 82 degree range, with clean blue water being found in close proximity.

Anglers have opportunities for a variety of pelagic gamefish which are now present on our local fishing grounds, including yellowfin tuna, dorado, wahoo, skipjack, sailfish, striped marlin and others. The abundance of skipjack, bolito and other natural baitfish that congregate on the same popular grounds have been much more limited this past week, the better option for bait source was to secure sardinas through the commercial fleet, they were netting these baitfish near Red Hill and towards Chileno, also schooling sardinas were found north of Vinorama, quite a long distance north.

There were reports that offshore from Cabo San Lucas there were yellowfin tuna encountered, this was best done on a larger charter, as these fish were found further offshore and open waters were unpredictable. The San Jose del Cabo fleet found their more consistent action coming from proven areas, such as the Gordo Banks, La Fortuna, Iman Bank and north to Vinorama. Yellowfin tuna in the 10 to 30 lb. class was probably the most common fish, besides skipjack, they were striking on sardinas on lighter tackle, while drift fishing with fly lined baits or using very light sinkers, this is normal most popular technique. Schools of a variety of bonito and skipjack were mixing in, as were roaming packs of wahoo.

The bite was more finicky in recent days, some areas would be very goodr one day and then tough the very next and the best action was shifting further towards Vinorama. Most charters were catching a combination of species. There continued to be the larger grade of yellowfin hanging around the Gordo Banks, we know of at least one yellowfin tuna in the 250 pound class that was caught earlier this week from a private center console, they hooked up with the cow while trolling a live skipjack. Other big tuna were lost after extending battles and a handful of 50 to 90 pound tuna were accounted for as well. But overall the numbers on these larger yellowfin were very few.

The best chances at hooking into a wahoo recently was while using live chihuil baitfish, slowed trolled over the inshore structure and ledges north of Punta Gorda. Though chihuil baitfish were not easy to obtain, only found seasonally in certain spots, special chum and small bait techniques required. Wahoo to over forty pound were landed, several charters were more fortunate, landing three or four wahoo, while losing at least as many strikes. Most anglers were doing very well to account for an all-around catch of, one wahoo, maybe two or three quality tuna, handful of skipjack and a dorado or two, as a bonus. Dorado were scattered, some charters were finding two or three, while others never reported seeing one, no particular place, hit or miss, luck of the draw, most dorado were weighing in the 8 to 20 lb. range.

Billfish were encountered spread out, no big numbers, some striped marlin, occasional sailfish in the mix, but then always a chance at the larger black or blue marlin, especially with warm currents still holding in the region.

Bottom action was limited, plenty of triggerfish, a few amberjack, snapper and cabrilla. Inshore sierra are hitting early in the morning, hoochies, Rapalas or smaller baitfish was the best way to entice these feisty smaller gamefish.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 126 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 3 sailfish, 6 striped marlin, 190 yellowfin tuna, 57 wahoo, 35 sierra, 22 jack crevalle, 25 bonito, 245 skipjack, 6 amberjack, 5 pompano, 22 pargo, 12 cabrilla and 25 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –

November 29, 2014

Vacationers were arriving in Los Cabos by good numbers for the Thanksgiving Holiday week. Warm sunshine likely attracting people, as very frigid winery conditions are now sweeping across much of the United States. Locally the early mornings have been cooler, but as the soon rises the days have warmed up quickly, with high temperatures now about 85 degrees.

Ocean water temperature has remained 80 degrees throughout the region. This week we felt the first really strong north winds, Tuesday the gusty conditions started and lasted for three days. These conditions limited options for anglers and created murkier inshore water conditions. The winds have settled down now and forecasts look favorable for the weekend.

Schools of sardinas are being found along beach stretches near Red Hill and towards Chileno. This has been the bait of choice for the all-around action now being found. Tougher ocean conditions contributed to more limited fishing action. Yellowfin tuna were found in schools close to shore, from Santa Marina to Punta Gorda and La Fortuna, mixed with skipjack, coming up to the live sardinas, striking best on lighter line. No big numbers though, the yellowfin were finicky at times, readily coming up for the chum, but not wanting to strike the baiting hooks.

Dorado were scattered in smaller sized schools, the majority of these fish were smaller in size, but some dorado up to 20 pounds were accounted for. Wahoo remain in the area and should be around for a while, with the water temperatures still holding at 80 degrees. Though the wahoo have proved more elusive for the past couple of weeks now, these fish are being encountered on the same grounds as are the tuna and dorado, ranging in sizes up to 40 pounds, striking on bait, yo-yo jigs and at times on Rapalas. Trolling with skipjack, ballyhoo, chihuil and sardina have been the various baitfish options.

We have started to see more structure species in the mix, such as amberjack, pargo, cabrilla and pompano, calmer weather is more suited for targeting these species. Sierra are moving in along the shoreline now in greater numbers and the season’s first whale migration are starting to arrive to their Southern Baja feeding and calving grounds.

Billfish action has been limited, the striped marlin schools are still on the Pacific grounds to the north, at least one 350 lb. class black marlin was reportedly caught and released early in the week from the Outer Gordo Bank area, this was on a private boat launching out of Puerto Los Cabos.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 135 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of:

15 wahoo, 155 yellowfin tuna, 84 dorado, 20 bonito, 180 skipjack, 15 cabrilla, 14 amberjack, 16 pompano, 68 sierra, 12 jack crevalle, 28 pargo, 2 yellowtail and 5 dogtooth snapper.

Good fishing, Eric