May 18, 2013

Anglers –

The season’s first tropical storm has developed off of the Southern Mexican coast, named Alvin, this weakening storm is far away from making any impact on land, forecasters do expect to see increased wave activity over the weekend as a southern hemisphere system is pushing in higher swells and surfers are excited with anticipation. Spring time weather has started to feel a bit more like summer, days are progressively becoming warmer, with highs nearing 90 degrees. Winds have been light, switching from the north to the south, unpredictable from day to day, as daily weather patterns are changing continually. Ocean temperatures have ranged from 65 degrees on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas, up to 75 degrees outside of San Jose del Cabo and towards Los Frailes.

Anglers found that the fishing action has been varying, just like the weather has been doing, on any given day just about anything could happen offshore, there is an abundance of squid and other baitfish in local waters now. At times crews encountered balled up medium sized squid on the surface and were able to net some of them as use for bait. We are seeing more schools of bolito now moving in on local fishing grounds, as well as mullet close to shore. Favorable signs when we see this much bait activity, always an attraction for gamefish to follow their preferred food source.

Striped marlin continue to provide consistent action offshore, fish have been scattered throughout the region, anywhere from 2 to 20 miles from shore. With all of the natural food in the area the billfish were at times not interested in feeding, other days they would shy away from caballito, but would readily strike bolito, some charters did accountant for multiple marlin catch and release days. The majority of the marlin have ranged in sizes from 80 lb. to 150 lb. A handful of open water dorado are being found and small groups of these fish were also found closer to shore over the rocky structure, places that hold concentrations of baitfish, a few dorado over 30 lb. were reported. Not much talk about wahoo, but we know with such plentiful baitfish around and the way the conditions are now warming and with clean blue water being found, that any day these fish could become increasingly active.

There are yellowtail holding on the high spots, the fish landed are in the 20 to 35 lb. class, they have not been biting consistently, they were striking best on live chihuil batfish drifted down deep on the Gordo Banks. These particular baits were very difficult to come by, only available at first light on these same grounds and in limited numbers, not for sale. Caballito continue to be the main bait source obtainable in the marina area, sardinas are schooling along the beaches north of Punta Gorda, but with higher surf conditions, the commercial pangeros were not safely able to net them.

Some charters were able to obtain fresh brined sardinas and they reported catches of various snapper, cabrilla, pompano and sierra. Some of these late season sierra have been large, to over 10 pounds. This past week there were several quality snook accounted for by anglers fishing off the shore near the Pueto Los Cabos Marina jetty. These catches are early in the season for the elusive snook, striking on baits and various lures, the largest reported was a 33 lb. snook that hit on a Rapala type lure. An unusual catch of a 20 pound halibut while trolling a live caballito for roosterfish was accounted from La Playita panga charter.

Action for roosterfish has been steady this past week, with larger fish now moving in, several roosters up to 50 lb. were caught and released, and many other fish were over 20 pounds, numbers of fish have varied each day, reports of 20 releases one day and the next day boats could only find a handful best chance was early in the day. Strong currents have been running and tidal swings can all have an effect on the bite.

The combined local panga fleets launching from La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 80 charters this past week and anglers reported a fish count of: 16 striped marlin, 3 sailfish, 4 mako shark, 22 yellowtail, 19 amberjack, 38 huachinango, 12 barred pargo, 20 cabrilla, 23 bonito, 30 dorado, 42 sierra, 1 halibut, 9 pompano, 6 dogtooth snapper, 34 jack crevalle and 115 roosterfish.

Good fishing, Eric

May 11, 2013

Anglers –

Moderate crowds of tourists are not traveling to Southern Baja and they are enjoying very pleasant conditions, clear sunny skies with high temperatures reaching into the upper 80s. Within several weeks we will see summer heat waves starting to arrive as the tropical season begins. Anglers have found various options for a variety of species, from offshore, inshore and over the rocky structure. Winds have been lighter than in previous weeks, though there was a couple of days of gusty south wind over the weekend that pushed in off colored currents and slowed the all around fishing action down for a few days.

Now there is a warming trend once again, offshore conditions are stabilizing, there is blue water being found within several miles of shore and ocean temperatures have ranged from the upper 60s to upper 70s, depending on location, warmest areas were further offshore and in the direction of San Jose del Cabo and north towards Los Frailes. Sportfishing fleets are searching all of the proven local fishing grounds, as they know during this season anything can happen on any given day. Striped marlin have been the most common offshore species found, scattered through the zone from 5 to 25 miles offshore, they were striking on trolling lures, but striking on live bait more readily. Striped marlin are running large this season, many fish are in the 120 to 140 lb. range. Quite a few charters were accounting were multiple billfish days, there were times when the marlin would be spotted and presented baits and showed no interest at all, this often happens when there is an abundance of squid in the area. The stripers have been gorging on these squid, also the changing current and moon phases can create different feeding habits. Dorado are spread throughout the grounds as well, found inshore and offshore, most of the time in small groups, not very numerous at this time, averaged size was 10 to 20 lb.

Caballito has been the most common baitfish available, still no source for sardinas and mackerel were scarce, should start seeing more bolito and skipjack showing up on the fishing grounds. Schooling mullet are now moving into the region, they are always a preferred baitfish when trolling close to shore. We have seen good numbers of roosterfish in recent weeks, these fish have ranged in sizes to over 40 lbs., many of them weighing in the 20 lb. class. There have been schools of 20 to 30 pound jack crevalle roaming the shoreline, aggressive and always ready to do battle. A handful of dogtooth snapper are now being reported, it is the time we should see more of these largest of snapper species moving along shore near the rocky outcroppings. It will be time for anglers to break out their heaviest tackle for these powerful pargo.

Schooling yellowtail remain in the area, action has been somewhat sporadic, but they are definitely are holding on favored grounds, the yellows being landed are mostly in the 20 to 35 pound class. The Gordo Banks has produced some of the largest yellowtail seen this season. These fish were hooked while drifting baits deep over the high spots and on yo-yo jigs, occasionally they would make brief appearances on the surface. A handful of red snapper were hooked into as well, both on live baits and on yo-yo jigs. Leopard grouper, amberjack, bonito, barred pargo and triggerfish rounded out the action found off the rock piles.

The combined local panga fleets launching from La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 84 charters this past week and anglers reported a fish count of: 18 striped marlin, 6 mako shark, 4 wahoo, 27 yellowtail, 14 amberjack, 28 huachinango, 14 barred pargo, 26 leopard grouper, 28 bonito, 38 dorado, 32 sierra, 7 dogtooth snapper, 26 jack crevalle and 125 roosterfish.

Good fishing, Eric

May 4, 2013

Anglers –

Crowds of tourists are lighter than normal for the this spring season, the all around climate has been ideal, with high temperatures in the 80s, moderate winds, favorable offshore conditions, with a variety of gamefish being found, this is the time of year when on any given day the unexpected can happen. Ocean water temperatures are ranging from a chilly 65 degrees on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas, up to 74/75 degrees in the direction of San Jose del Cabo. The more consistent fishing action is now being found in the direction of the warmer currents.

Baitfish are being netted in the marina channel entrance, mainly caballito, but there is a mix of jurelito and moonfish, on the offshore fishing grounds there were options for chihuil, skipjack and bolito. Still no signs of finding supplies of sardinas.

Anglers found that rapidly changing conditions was causing the action to change from day to day. There had been the great yellowtail bite throughout the area, especially for the larger fish on the Gordo Banks, then water temps warmed up last week and this bite came to a standstill. To take up the slack the wahoo went on a good bite on the grounds north of Punta Gorda, though this only lasted for a couple of days because ocean conditions turned over some and the news got out that the wahoo were hitting and the whole fleet was putting pressure on that area, we all know that the ‘hoo can become very elusive with increased pressure. On the days that the wahoo were active some charters landed as many as five fish up to 50 pounds, average size was 20 to 30 lb. They were striking on the normal high speed trolling lures, Rapalas, Yo-zuris and skirted lead or jet heads. Some ‘hoo also were striking on trap rigged caballito or ballyhoo.

Despite this up and down action the striped marlin bite has remained steady for very nice sized fish up to 150 lb. The billfish action was now shifting further to the north, currently concentrated off of Vinormama. Good numbers of marlin were in this area and could be encountered tailing on the surface and were striking trolled baits and lures. Many charters were accounting were multiple fish days, though at times the marlin would be spotted and presented baits and showed no interest at all. There has been an abundance of squid in the same region, which the stripers have been gorging on, also the passing of the full moon can cause different feeding scenarios.

We have seen a few more dorado appearing with the warmer water, some charters finding several fish, ranging up to 30 pounds, while others never reported seeing any dorado, still hit or miss for these fish, though we do expect to see increased numbers as the water continues to warm. Late spring, early summer, is when we normally see some of the largest bull dorado of the year appear on the local grounds. No yellowfin tuna action being reported locally, the way conditions are really shaping up favorably, we would expect to hear reports of migrating porpoise traveling offshore and holding tuna schools, the month of May is when we typically see this pattern.

There are still some yellowtail in the area and a few were hooked into the past couple of days while drifting baits deep over the high spots, all were nice sized, 20 to 35 lb., though no big numbers like the previous week. A handful of red snapper were hooked into as well, both on live baits and on yo-yo jigs. So far this season has not produced much for anglers jigging the rock piles, perhaps the month of May will show improved yo-yo action. Always a fun way to target bottomfish, jigging can produce quality action when the fish do decide to strike on the jigs, normally early in the day is best.

Roosterfish action was very good for this early in the season, anglers were hooking into good numbers of these prized fighting gamefish while trolling live caballito along the shoreline, nicer sized fish, some up in the 25 lb. to 30 lb. class.

Despite this now being the very tail end of the whale migration season, we were still seeing quite a few numbers of humpback whales in the area, surely they will be trying to catch up with the main northern migration soon.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 88 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 46 striped marlin, 38 wahoo, 14 yellowtail, 8 amberjack, 42 dorado,12 sierra, 15 red snapper (huachinango), 25 bonito, 13 cabrilla, 42 roosterfish, 35 jack crevalle and 5 mako shark.

Good Fishing, Eric