Anglers –

January 18, 2015

As we progress deeper into the winter season, we are now seeing light crowds of tourists arriving in Los Cabos. With airplane fares becoming more reasonable, as fuel prices drop, we expect more people will realize this and take the opportunity to visit this winter wonderland. We have seen varying weather patterns, some days with cloud cover, with some scattered rainfall earlier in the week, scarcely measurable, then again on other days there was plenty of warm sunshine, with highs reaching near 80 degrees.

Winds were variable as well, the week started off very tranquil, then later in the week there were stronger breezes blowing from the north. These patterns contributed to anglers adjusted their game plans accordingly, as to where they could comfortable fish on a given day. Options varied from offshore, inshore and reef fishing. Ocean temperatures were ranging from 74 to 77 degrees throughout the region, greener off colored currents now pushing in from the north.

Anglers enjoyed excellent action for yellowfin tuna during the first half of the week, tuna were striking on sardinas off of the normal grounds, such as the Gordo Banks, Iman, Vinorama, La Fortuna and Punta Gorda. Easy limits were taken on yellowfin that averaged 15 to 25 pounds, with a larger grade of fish mixed in as well, some 30 to 50 pounds and even a handful topping the 70 pound mark. A local angler reported one tuna over 100 pounds while fishing with slabs of squid on the Gordo Banks, so even though this is now very late in the season, there is still a chance at a larger sized yellowfin.

Dorado were more hit or miss, though there were actually more of these gamefish accounted for this week, as compared to the previous. Found in small schools. Many very close to shore, ranging 5 to 25 pounds. Wahoo were seen, but not many were being hooked into, remember last season, when the wahoo action went wide open during mid-February, we are hoping for a repeat of that non typical scenario.

Inshore action remained steady for sierra, scrappy gamesters, ranging up to eight pounds, striking on sardinas, trolled hoochies and Rapalas. Some juvenile sized roosterfish and various jacks also found close to shore. Off the shallow rock piles there has been a variety of structure species encountered, though this action was not consistent from day to day, depended greatly on how strong currents and winds were.

We are now seeing the main concentration of both humpback and gray whales arriving for their annual breeding and feeding voyage to Southern Baja. Sea Lions are bountiful as well remaining a pesky nuisance on the fishing grounds.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 58 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 8 striped marlin, 2 wahoo, 365 yellowfin tuna, 134 sierra, 18 roosterfish, 38 dorado, 28bonito, 12 white skipjack, 42 miscellaneous pargo, 5 island jack, 16 amberjack, 18 cabrilla and 25 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –

January 9, 2015

After one week of colder weather patterns we have now seen the winds calm down and a return to pristine conditions, clear skies and warm sunshine, with highs of 80 degrees. Incredibly ideal, considering the freezing forecast across much of United States and Canada. Crowds are relatively light now, as is normal right after the holiday season, great time to visit, airfares have dropped and the Los Cabos area has made impressive rebuilding headway, most areas are now back to normal, pre-hurricane status.

The colder currents pushing in the last couple of weeks have dropped ocean water temperatures into the 74 to 77 degree range, which would still be considered warmer than average by several degrees for this time frame. The cooler currents also brought in greenish colored water, which in turn scattered the pelagic gamefish, but now conditions are rebounding and opened up more options for anglers.

Anglers are using sardinas to fish close to shore and are catching good numbers of sierra, ranging to as large as eight pounds, these sierra were also striking on trolled hoochies and Rapalas. These fish, in the mackerel family, do prefer the cooler water. A mix of shallow water structure species are now becoming more prevalent as well, pargo, of several varieties, cabrilla, triggerfish, pompano, island jack, porgy, bonito, mero hawkfish, even sheephead, as well as and others, all very good eating fish, striking on various baits, as well as jigs.

Dorado were very scattered, but handful are being accounted for every day, most were under 15 pounds. Only a few smaller sized wahoo were reported, these were found in the direction of Cabo San Lucas. Yellowfin tuna had become very scarce during the windy days, but in recent days we have seen some nice yellowfin being accounted for from the Inner Gordo Bank, as well as from areas further north, near Vinorama. These tuna ranged in the 20 to 50 pound class, nice for winter time fish. Anglers were using sardinas, strips of squid and chunks of skipjack to entice these tuna. No great numbers, but there was a chance at catching several.

The striped marlin action continued off of San Jose del Cabo, anywhere from 3 to 6 miles offshore is where most of this action was taking place, concentrations of baitfish have been attracting the billfish and anglers were trolling and drift fishing with live baits, as well as casting into feeding fish when the opportunities arose.

If the weather conditions how it is at this time, we could all be in for some great winter action, hard to predict, but last year we had warm water all winter and chances are this season might be the same.

Many more whales are now arriving for their winter stay in the Southern Baja region, other attractions included manta rays, seas lions and porpoise.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 78 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 18 striped marlin, 3 wahoo, 27 dorado, 24 bonito, 15 white skipjack, 49 yellowfin tuna,140 sierra, 13 roosterfish, 1 sheephead, 15 porgy, 4 hawkfish, 65 various pargo, 8 island jack, 7 amberjack, 22 cabrilla and 30 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric

Anglers –

January 3, 2015

The New Year started off with a cold front sweeping in and the crowds of holiday vacationers were wondering where all that advertised warm sunshine disappeared to. Actually New Year’s Day was clear and sunny, nearly 80 degrees, the forecasted front pushed in that evening and looks as this will be the trend through most of the week. Ocean currents are changing and we have now seen water temperatures dip down to 75 degrees, also off colored, greenish water has proved more challenging for anglers options of finding cooperative gamefish.

Inshore there have been increasing numbers of sierra arriving with the cooler current, some quality sized sierra in the 5 to 10 lb. class were found near Cabo San Lucas, other areas were finding smaller sized sierra. A few juvenile sized roosterfish in the mix. Supplies of sardinas were coming from areas south of Palmilla Point.

Offshore of San Jose del Cabo there has been this on and off again bite for striped marlin, found three to miles from shore, on the same grounds where baitfish such as sardineta, jurelito, caballito are now schooling. The stripers were encountered feeding on the surface, also many were hooked into while slow trolling or drift fishing with live baits. Very few dorado or wahoo were reported and the yellowfin tuna all but vanished as well, last weekend there were a few charters that were at the Iman Bank at the right time and accounted for a handful of yellowfin tuna weighing in the 20 to 50 lb. class. This action was before the wind picked up again and is back on hold at the present time. After weather settles back down there should be chances at late season action for wahoo, dorado and tuna.

Last week the winds had calmed and conditions were rebounding, there was quality bottom action found for a variety of species, these type of fish will bite in greenish colored water, but to effectively drift fish over these rock piles, angler’s calmer conditions. So this is hit or miss action throughout the winter, usually becomes more consistent towards spring.

Whales have been slow to show in big numbers this season, we expect this cold wave will bring more of these mammals back to their winter spawning grounds. Plenty of sea lion activity, an ongoing problem for anglers, as they enviably loose a percentage of their hook ups to these pesky animals.

Progress has been slow for rebuilding the panga area of Puerto Los Cabos Marina, recently we have seen a new construction begin pushing some dirt around, so hopefully they continue to pick up the pace and we can see this major rebuilding project finally completed.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 71 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of:  16 striped marlin, 9 dorado, 10 white skipjack, 12 yellowfin tuna, 28 bonito, 210 sierra, 24 roosterfish, 25 pargo, 15 island jack, 5 amberjack, 1 yellowtail, 16 cabrilla and 25 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric