December 13, 2020

There were only minimal numbers of tourists visiting at this time, many people now preparing for the Holiday Season, as well as dealing with the ongoing Covid pandemic situation. Weather was now turning more towards winter like patterns, we saw scattered cloud cover and low temperatures as chilly as 55 degrees, though most days were warming up near 80 degrees. Wind was predominately out of the north, much of the week limiting where anglers were able to comfortably concentrate their efforts, through the weekend the wind did slack and ocean conditions were again more favorable. Water temperatures now averaging in the 75 to 77 degree range, clearer blue water found on our normal fishing grounds, with the off colored currents now near Vinorama and towards Los Frailes.

Anglers were using mainly sardinas and caballito for bait, any week now we should see mackerel and sardineta move on to local bait grounds, as this is always the time of year this happens. Most charters are now fishing the areas from Chileno, Red Hill, Punta Gorda, Cardon and Iman. We saw lots of sierra closer to shore, most of these in the 2 to 5 lb. range, striking smaller sized lures and on the sardinas. This week we saw more dorado and they were larger in size, we even saw a handful of bulls over 20 lb. With the ocean still warm for this time of year, we expect this dorado action to continue through the month. Also there were good numbers of wahoo accounted for, striking on trolled Rapalas, various baits and yo-yo jigs. Sizes ranged from small juvenile fish and to over 40 lb., with the majority of the wahoo being smaller in size.

Tuna action has been spotty now for the past several weeks, though in recent days we did see more of the yellowfin being hooked into from near the Iman Bank, drift fishing with sardinas was the best bet for this action, sizes ranged to over 40 lb., with some boats accounting for two, three of four of these fish.

Not much bottom action being done, with few numbers of anglers in town, often choppy ocean conditions making this harder and with the fact that surface action was the most productive action now happening. We did see more striped marlin moving in to local waters, it will not be long now until these billfish make their main migration towards the Sea of Cortez, following their favored food source.

More and more whales are now being sighted as well, as we are now nearing peak season for these migrated mammals.

Good fishing, Eric

December 6, 2020

New month of December saw light crowds of visitors arriving, this is the normal pattern, as after Thanksgiving and before Christmas, there are not that many people vacationing, this year with the global pandemic still peaking, travelers are being extra cautious. North winds continued throughout the week, ocean temperature dropped into the 75 degree range and currents were off colored on grounds to the north. Still mostly clear sunny skies, highs averaging near 75 degrees and we saw low temperatures of 54 degrees, so it is the time of year you need to dress appropriately for early morning outdoor activities.

Anglers were able to find plentiful supplies of sardinas, with caballito, ballyhoo, slabs of squid bring other options. More of the super panga charters are now trying to chum up chihuil baitfish  on the Inner Gordo Bank, though this has not been all that easy or guaranteed with choppy conditions, though these baitfish were now the best bet for enticing the elusive wahoo. Early in the week we saw more numbers of wahoo being brought in, sizes ranged from small 5 lb. juveniles, up to 50 lb. trophy sized specimens. Areas from Cardon, La Fortuna to Vinorama produced strikes while trolling baits or rapalas. Though this same area is now seeing greenish cooler currents push in.

The week also started off with a pair of super cow sized 300 lb. yellowfin tuna being landed from off the Gordo Banks by local pangeros specifically targeting these cows. Lot of patience needed when targeting these fish, they used live skipjack for bait. The rest of the week we only saw a handful of other tuna accounted for, several were near 100 lb. Though overall the action for these yellowfin was very slow and north winds made the whole deal that much more difficult. Everyone is waiting for calmer conditions and it looks as though the coming week will at least start out calmer.

Dorado were even scarcer this past week, only a handful of these gamefish were even found, no large schools at all and mainly smaller sized. The past few seasons the month of December was very productive for nicer sized dorado, so we are hoping this year things are just starting out slow, still early in the month. Billfish action was almost nonexistent off of San Jose del Cabo, more chance now for striped marlin on the Pacific grounds, it will not be long though that the migration of mackerel and sardineta will shift in the direction of the Sea of Cortez.

Inshore the main action found was for sierra, most of these fish ranging in the 2 to 5 lb. range, striking on hoochies, Rapalas and sardinas. Also a few roosterfish accounted for, not the normal season for them, but they can hang around in minimal numbers.

With the windier conditions anglers were not able to try much bottom action, those who did found more bonito and triggerfish than anything else, we did see a few amberjack and at least a couple of dogtooth snapper brought in.

Good fishing, Eric

November 29, 2020

Moderate crowds of tourists visited this Thanksgiving week, enjoying the fall conditions and multitude of outdoor activities. We felt persistent north winds through the week, finally tapering off some over the weekend. These conditions made for rougher seas, especially on the grounds to the north of Punta Gorda. Scattered morning cloud cover, giving way to plenty of warm sunshine, as daytime highs were in the low to mid 80s and ocean temperature was also averaging about 80 degrees. Still good amounts of sardinas found schooling around marina jetty, also caballito, ballyhoo and slabs of squid being offered.

Overall the fishing action was tougher this week, a lot of this due to the winds beating the northern grounds. On Monday there were two impressive cow sized yellowfin tuna brought in, one of 200 b., found outside of San Luis Bank during normal mid-day hours, the other tuna, which was hooked into on the Gordo Banks later in the afternoon and fought for 3 ½ hours before finally being boated, brought back in the dark after 8 p.m., this cow was estimated at well over 300 lb. It hit on a trolled skipjack for a team of local La Playita anglers, headed by legend Eduardo Aripez.

The rest of the week the tuna action was scarce, there were a couple of days when fleets found some smaller sized yellowfin associated with moving porpoise and a handful of tuna in the 40 to 70 lb. class were hooked into while soaking baits on the grounds from Iman to San Luis, but again most of the entire week these areas were very choppy due to the winds.

Dorado were scattered, some days we saw more than others, though again most of these dorado were under ten pounds. Wahoo action was encountered on the grounds north of Punta Gorda, to Vinorama, but action was spotty, mix sizes of fish were taken, from sierra sized 4 lb. fish, up to trophy sized tournament contending wahoo of 60 lb. These fish hit on Rapalas, sardinas, yo-yo and more anglers are now starting to try their luck at obtaining chihuil and using them for trap hooked trolling baits.

Not a whole lot of bottom action being done, winds did not make this an easy option, highlight were a handful of amberjack and dogtooth snapper, but more triggerfish, bonito or small pargo/snapper, compared to anything else. Closer to shore and mainly towards Cabo San Lucas we were seeing some sierra, most of these taken on sardinas, hoochies or small rapalas, sizes up to five pounds.

We have heard of wide open action for striped marlin being found on the Pacific banks, though off of San Jose del Cabo we saw more sailfish, a pair of black marlin, one blue marlin and also a few striped marlin were brought in from pangas, no big numbers like on the Pacific.

Good fishing, Eric