August 12, 2012
Anglers –
Increased tropical storm activity is now progressing to the south of the Baja Peninsula, at this time these systems appear to be following westerly paths, stirring them clear of any impact on land. Though the humidity and heat has gone up a few notches and seeing rain clouds would be welcome relief. Swells have been stronger in recent days, lots of surfers in town and this week we also saw increased numbers of visiting anglers, many from the Southern California area, mentioning the existing situation for U.S. sportfishing fleets not being able to directly fish the Coronado Islands. Water temperatures ranged from 83 to 88 degrees, no more talking about cold water of dirty currents, clean blue water has been found within a mile or two from shore.
San Jose del Cabo fleets found the most consistent action on the grounds around the San Luis Bank. This week pangeros from near Los Frailes were arriving with supplies of live sardinas. This is a welcome option, for most of the summer there has been only caballito of mullet available for bait. The most common daily catches included dorado and yellowfin tuna, also a mix of bottom species and quite a few sailfish are now in local waters, there is a chance at hooking into a much larger blue of black marlin. Trolling hoochies type lures worked to locate the fish and then sardinas really got them into the feeding mood. Drift fishing or slow trolling with the live bait worked best. Tuna would be seen sporadically on the surface and you had to make the best of your limited opportunities. Most of these yellowfin were in the 15 pound class, though a few to over 40 pounds were in the mix and knowing that mid August is the time when cow sized tuna can appear on any given day.
Most charters were catching near limits of dorado, many smaller fish, but also a fair numbers of 20 pound or larger specimens being accounted for. Striking on a wide variety of lures as well as bait, they were encountered from close to the marina entrance to further offshore and over the structure, wide distribution of these sought after gamefish.
Sailfish ranging from 40 to 80 pounds have been found on the same local fishing grounds, striking on lures, a higher percentage hit on bait, fun to fight on lighter tackle. One 200 pound class blue marlin was landed out of La Playita early in the week and there were reports of other big strikes and missed opportunities on larger sized marlin.
The bottom action continues to be a very early morning deal, where only at first light has there been any consistent action found, this activity has been found on San Luis bank, mostly a commercial fishery, though some specially prearranged early departure charters have got into this bite as well, the red snapper are striking on yo-yo jigs, along with these prized huachinango, which were in the 6 to 14 pound range, there have been a variety of groupers and amberjack hitting the same jigs, some fish to forty pounds.
Roosterfish opportunities remain, but these fish are not being found in the numbers accustomed to earlier in the summer. Baitfish schools along the beach stretches are much more scattered now.
The combined panga fleet out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 88 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of:
1 blue marlin, 1 wahoo, 2 striped marlin, 15 sailfish, 162 dorado, 106 yellowfin, 24 amberjack, 9 grouper, 19 cabrilla, 14 roosterfish, 86 huachinango (red snapper), 2 pomano. 14 bonito and 20 triggerfish..
Good fishing, Eric
