Anglers –
November 18, 2017

The crazy busy fall season is going to start lightening up in the next week, though this past week was very busy. Visiting anglers were enjoying clear sunny skies, with high temperatures in the upper 80s, still warmer than usual for this late in the fall. Winds were picking up from the north, though more so later in the morning, most fishing action now was concentrated from the Gordo Banks to San Luis Banks and the spots in between. Ocean water temperatures were still holding in the 83 to 84 degree range, several degrees warmer than usual, so we are anticipating having good action throughout the month of December as well.

Despite continued heavy pressure the supplies of sardinas have been holding up, being netted along the beach stretches from Palmilla and further south, this meant a bit of back tracking or waiting near the marina entrance, but at least this preferred bait was obtainable, anglers also continue to use slabs of squid as well. Most consistent action this week was for the yellowfin tuna on the Iman and San Luis Banks, wide open action on tuna in the 10 to 20 lb. class, also other areas where a handful of yellowfin in the 70 to 100 lb. range were being landed. The Gordo Banks slowed down, but was still the place to look for the possible largest of tuna, though this week we only heard of a couple of fish in the 150 lb. range, none over 200 or 300 lb. that we found out about. A few black marlin still hanging around in the warmer currents as well, with all of the tuna around, plenty of food source for the marlin. Lots of natural food on the banks as well, this can make the larger tuna more finicky. Most days charters were returning early, plugged with tuna, the majority the smaller grade, but still nice fish.

Dorado continued to be harder to come by, only a sporadic fish or two being found, most all under 15 lb., an occasional exception close to 20 lb. The wahoo action has not really broken open yet, though we have had ta aste of some decent action, and some boats were fortunate to get lucky and land as many as four in one morning, though other boats were searching hard and felt lucky if they landed one. Best chances for the wahoo seemed to be on the ground from the Iman Bank and to Vinorama. The wahoo were striking on various rapalas, lures and baits. We are hoping that as crowds lighten up some, the wahoo will become more active, with the warmer water hanging around the prospects remain high for the next few weeks.

Not really the time frame now when there is a lot of bottom action going on, though there were a few amberjack, pargo, bonito, cabrilla being accounted for, more triggerfish than anything else. A few more sierra starting to appear, even though the water is still warm, in the next month we should see some better inshore action happening, perhaps more off the bottom as well.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 210 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 3 black marlin, 1 yellowtail corvina, 78 wahoo, 28 sierra, 1650 yellowfin tuna, 78 dorado, 9 amberjack, 12 yellow snapper, 28 huachinango, 25 Eastern Pacific bonito, 82 white skipjack, 10 cabrilla and 110 triggerfish.

Good fishing, Eric