Anglers –
August 13, 2016
This past weekend we were bracing for possible impact from the latest Tropical Storm Javier, the system ended up following a path further off to the west, just offshore of Todo Santos and paralleling the Baja Peninsula. There was some isolated heavy rainfall, only minimal flooding was reported, and winds were not too high, up to about 30/40 mph. The local Ports were closed for all activity on Monday and Tuesday as a precaution, as storm surge and swells picked up to about ten feet. The storm quickly passed and Ports were reopened Wednesday morning so that sportfishing operations could resume business as normal.
Right before this latest storm developed the fishing action to the north of Punta Gorda around Iman to San Luis Banks was showing signs of improvement, as the nicer grade of yellowfin tuna started to bite. Then after the passing of the storm the ocean was a bit stirred up on Wednesday and the bite was off, now as conditions steadily improve the action is picking up again. Anglers were using chunks of squid, other available baits, as well as yo-yo jigs and tuna up near 100 lb. were accounted for, no huge numbers, but some charters were landing several nice tuna. Other catches included dorado, wahoo and various snapper and grouper species. The billfish bite also improved, with blue and striped marlin both being found on the same local fishing grounds. We expect this all around action to continue to improve, as long as the weather holds as it is at this time.
As is the normal pattern, inshore action for jack crevalle and roosterfish diminishes at this time, still a chance at finding limited action while trolling baits outside the surf zone, but nothing like it had been earlier in the summer. More bolito baitfish are now being found schooling on the fishing grounds and these always make a great bait option. In the marina area the main live bait being offered is caballito and once again slabs of squid are being used for drift fishing the yellowfin tuna. Only an occasional dorado being found, a few up to 15 lb., same for wahoo, only an occasional fish actually landed, though these fish are in the area, they do commonly become more sluggish when water temperatures are average above 85 degrees, as they are now.
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: 5 blue marlin, 8 striped marlin, 3 wahoo, 69 yellowfin tuna, 8 dorado, 4 amberjack, 10 leopard grouper (cabrilla), 2 broomtail grouper, 5 pargo colorado,18 huachinango (red snapper), 10 yellow snapper and 4 barred pargo.
Good fishing, Eric