January 29, 2023

Another week that we saw lighter than normal crowds of anglers, though this is actually a seasonal trend during this time frame, through February, then we see more spring time visitors starting in March. This Monday afternoon of this week we had major wind gusts from the south, perhaps up to 40 mph, on Tuesday it switched to howling out of the north, on through Thursday, creating cold, choppy and uncomfortable conditions on the normal local fishing grounds. Over the weekend conditions finally settled down and the ocean was comfortable once again. Many visitors do nor realize that conditions during this time of year can be quite chilly, especially early in the morning, in the mid 50s, not counting wind chill factors, so you do need to dress accordingly. Most days have been reaching into the mid 70s or higher, with scattered cloud cover.

Anglers were using available bait sources such as mackerel, sardineta, strips of squid and some days minimal supplies of sardinas. The more productive fishing grounds have been from the Gordo Banks to Cardon, La Fortuna and Iman Bank. Closer to shore water is more off colored greenish now, but four or five miles offshore cleaner water is being found. Ocean temperature is now averaging in the 67 to 69 degree range.

Anglers were finding more dorado than any of the other glamorous pelagic species, actually a bit surprising to see as many dorado still hanging around in the colder water. Most charters were accounting for 2 to 6 dorado per outing, with sizes ranging up to 15 lbs. Wahoo seemed to have vanished, migrating towards more preferable and temperate southern waters. 

There have been some quality sized yellowfin tuna schooling on the Iman Bank, but the gusty wind had shut this action down through most of the week. Over the weekend though a few of these 50 to 80 lb. class yellowfin were once again being hooked into. The key was to bring quantities of the slabs of squid for chumming and strip bait fishing. Getting late in the season now for these tuna to be found on these grounds, but still a fair chance now, for the anglers that do specifically want to target these fish and are fortunate to choose a day when wind allows practical drift fishing.

Not a whole lot of bottom action even done this past week, need calmer conditions for this, though we expect this next month we will be breaking up slower surface action by scouting out options off the rocky bottom structure.

Very little billfish action is being encountered off of the San Jose del Cabo grounds now, despite schooling mackerel and sardineta being now found off the hotel zone. This is typically the time of year where the striped marlin bite switches from the Pacific in the direction of the Sea of Cortez. So we are anticipating to see more marlin activity soon.

Along the inshore zone we expect to be finding more sierra, jacks and juvenile roosterfish in coming months.

Good Fishing, Eric