March 22, 2014
Anglers –

The Spring season has now officially begun, weather conditions have been hard to beat, warm and sunny skies, with high temperatures near 80 degrees. Winds have been swirling now for the past week, first from the north and then out of the south, this has created some choppy ocean conditions at times. Ocean temperatures have averaged from 71 on the Pacific, up to 74 degrees off of San Jose del Cabo.

This is now peak time for spring break vacations, scores of families and hundreds are college students are arriving in the Los Cabos area, though this past week we did not see as many anglers, of course windy conditions certainly convinced some people to change plans. With the passing of the latest full moon we saw the offshore action for striped marlin slow way down, these fish were now more scattered and not being seen in any numbers.

The majority of the dorado being encountered recently were found closer to shore, this is where concentrations of half beaks (ballyhoo) were schooling. Trolling various baitfish was the most successful for these gamefish, though some anglers did report catching dorado on lures as well. Sizes were averaging 5 to 15 pounds, with a handful of larger specimens accounted for. Most charters were fortunate to average about one dorado per day.

No action on yellowfin tuna being reported, only a few fish reported, mixed in with bonito off the high spots from Iman to San Luis Banks, Yellowfin have been holding in this region through the winter, though with the lack of sardinas to entice them, we have not seen any consistent action on these tuna since the Fall. The only live baitfish that has been plentiful has been caballito, rigging fresh dead ballyhoo has been another option.

Off of the high spots, where anglers were jigging over the structure, bonito was the most common species being landed; these feisty fighters were running in the 4 to 8 pound class. Only an occasional amberjack or yellowtail is being hooked into, most of these striking on yo-yo style jigs and ranged from 20 to 35 pounds. There are big yellowtails now on the Outer Gordo Banks, lots of bonito on these same grounds, striking on the iron jigs, drifting live caballito down deep can be productive for the big yellows, though a problem has been there are many hammerhead sharks lurking down deep on these grounds, hard to stay away from them while trying for the jacks. These rock piles also produced some cabrilla and snapper, though that massive red snapper run during the red crab bloom of previous week has not redeveloped, need these winds to reside for that to happen. We are in transition time now, still unpredictable as to what can happen with the weather conditions from day to day.

With the water temperatures holding a bit warmer than normal, baitfish migrations are off and so are typically gamefish patterns. Wahoo have been found though the winter, they are still being hooked into practically daily, though a bit sporadic, most of this action was reported on the inshore grounds from Punta Gorda to La Fortuna, water depths from 100 to 150 ft., strong winds last week turned over this water some and anglers found varied success.

We are still seeing numerous whales, though surely these will be the final weeks of this activity, many of these mammals have already begun their northern migration.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 78 charters for this past week, with anglers accounting for a fish count of: 8 striped marlin, 5 wahoo, 2 yellowfin tuna, 9 yellowtail, 16 amberjack, 395 bonito, 6 jack crevalle, 7 sierra, 42 dorado, 24 roosterfish, 18 cabrilla and 12 hammerhead sharks (released).

Good fishing, Eric

March 15, 2014
Anglers –

Another wave of Spring Break vacationers are arriving in Los Cabos and everyone is enjoying perfect weather conditions, lows in the 60, highs in the low 80s, clear sunny skies, moderate swells and warming ocean temperatures, what else could a person ask for? Past weekend there was a heavy south blow, pushed in cooler waters from the Pacific, but these conditions quickly rebound as winds subsided and average ocean temperatures are now in the 70/72 degree range on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas and in the direction of San Jose del Cabo we are seeing warmer 74/76 degree currents.

This big southern blow last Sunday contributed to the large concentrations of striped marlin moving from the Pacific grounds to area just outside the Gordo Banks. Previously the billfish action had been very scattered in this area, but all of sudden the bite broke wide open, fleets from all local ports were congregating on these grounds. Striped marlin were found in big numbers, many charters having more than a half dozen strikes per trip, Multiple marlin per boat was common. The stripers were readily striking trolled lures, ballyhoo, others were seen tailing on the surface and would take live caballito, also anglers did well drift fishing deeper baits. Quite a few thrasher sharks in this area, many were hooked while drifting baits, most of these were lost, very powerful fish, they head straight down and use their extended long tail to their advantage.

Doardo numbers were limited, though some of these gamefish are being encountered each day, at times very close to shore, sizes range 5 to 20 lb. No particular hot spot to find these fish now. Wahoo were sighted free swimming on the popular local grounds, though only a handful were actually hooked into. One wahoo in the 80 lb. class was landed, hooked into on the same grounds as were the striped marlin. Yellowfin tuna were seen breezing at times near Iman to San Luis Banks, but only a few of these 15 to 25 pound tuna were hooked into, either on live caballito or on yo-yo jigs while jigging off of the rocky structure, where the main catch has been for Eastern Pacific Bonito.

The much talked about red snapper bite that occurred last red, as a result of the red crab bloom, this action dissipated quickly as the red crustaceans no longer were found drifting to the surface in masses, as during the previous week. So snapper catches were spotty, an occasional amberjack, cabrilla, grouper or yellowtail were accounted for off the various rocky high spots. The San Luis Banks, as well as times on the Gordo Banks, produced great action for the local good eating variety of bonito, ranging 4 to 10 pounds, these toothy speedsters are fun sport on light tackle.

Along the inshore beach stretches, sierra, jack crevalle were found in certain areas. Good numbers of roosterfish, up to about 12 pounds, were being found the first couple of miles towards the north of Puerto Los Cabos Marina jetty entrance. Sierra were more scattered, still no sardinas being found locally, caballito has been the steady bait source recently.

Getting to be late season now, though there are still lots of a whales being sighted in larger sized pods, these mammals are going to be starting their northerly migration soon. Sea lions are becoming more of a nuisance on the local snapper grounds, wanting to catch their share of the tasty red snapper, always easier grab hold of when the fish is trapped on a fishing line.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 104 charters for this past week, with anglers accounting for a fish count of: 2 thrasher shark, 82 striped marlin, 4 wahoo, 6 yellowfin tuna, 4 yellowtail, 26 amberjack, 480 bonito, 14 jack crevalle, 12 sierra, 26 dorado, 110 roosterfish, 14 cabrilla, 72 red snapper (huachinango) and misc. pargo..

Good fishing, Eric

March 8, 2014
Anglers –

As the first wave of spring break travelers continue to arrive in Los Cabos, they are being greeted with absolutely beautiful pristine weather conditions, with high temperatures hovering near the 80 degree mark, clear skies and plenty of warm sunshine. Winds have been light and anglers enjoyed very pleasant days on the ocean. Swells were slight and we have seen warmer currents sweeping in, with water temperature now averaging 72 degrees on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas and increasing to 74/78 degree in the direction of the Sea of Cortez and the Gordo Banks, just outside of these grounds is where the warmest water is now located.

The Golden Gate Banks has continued to be the hot spot for finding striped marlin, also fair numbers of dorado reported from the Pacific grounds. While the billfish action in the direction of San Jose del Cabo was very spotty, with the lack of offshore baitfish concentrations, the stripers are scattered. More numbers of dorado were encountered close to shore, at times actually seen chasing half beaks (ballyhoo) directly on to the sandy beaches, at least one dorado was hooked and landed inside of the Puerto Los Cabos Marina Channel. Most of the dorado now seen have been in the 5 to 15 lb. class, with a few exceptions of larger specimens up to 25 pounds accounted for. Despite the warmer water temperatures we have seen fewer dorado this past week, as well as only a few wahoo, though we have heard of big wahoo bite now going on off of Cerralvo Island, which is out of our local charter range.

Inshore action was now producing many roosterfish in the 5 to 15 lb. range, trolling with live caballito was the best bet for this, remember these are rapidly growing gamefish, not known for good table fare and should be released with care, in order to mature and enhance the future fishery. Sierra numbers were down, warmer waters and lack of sardinas contributing to this situation.

The most exciting event this past week has been the season’s first massive run of pelagic red crabs, particularly on the high spots north of the Gordo Banks. Masses of these small crabs drifted to the surface, turned the sea a reddish color and this in turn was attracting the humpback whales, whale sharks and of course the Pacific red snapper (huachinango. This occurrence is always unpredictable, when conditions are just right these pelagic crustaceans swarm, normally happening sometime during the March to May time frame, though in local waters we have not seen such a run for several years. These red crabs are a favorite food source for many species, especially so for the red snapper, also one of the most popular and valuable commercial catches. All of the local commercial pangeros are now working overtime to catch as many kilos of these prized snapper as they are capable of while this bite lasts. These are the true Pacific snapper and average from 4 to 12 pounds in weight, scrappy fighters on light tackle and at times they are found schooling near the surface.

Other action included lots of Eastern Pacific Bonito and some early season amberjack, the bonito (3 to 10 lb.) were striking yo-yo jigs or trolled Rapalas over the high spots and the ambers, which ranged to over 30 lb., were hitting best on the yo-yo style jigs or by drifting live caballito off of the structure. There were lots of yellowfin tuna in the 20/25 lb. class seen breezing on the grounds north of Punta Gorda, but only a handful of these tuna were hooked into, very finicky, as they normally do become when they acquire a taste for these same red crabs.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 77 charters for this past week, with anglers accounting for a fish count of:
1 striped marlin, 3 wahoo, 8 yellowfin tuna, 2 yellowtail, 19 amberjack, 355 bonito, 18 jack crevalle, 18 sierra, 55 dorado, 135 roosterfish, 6 pompano, 28 yellow tail snapper, 14 cabrilla.and 640 red snapper (huachinango).

Good fishing, Eric