October 5, 2008
Anglers '
The fall season is here, crowds of anglers are rapidly increasing, though the days feel more like summer, as the heat and humidity has continued. Water temperatures are ranging 85 degrees or warmer, still favorable for tropical storms to develop, there are a couple of systems now brewing towards the south. Tropical Storm Marie is following a track off towards the west, but has still attributed to increasing both the humidity and the ocean swell activity, further south there is an unnamed low pressure system that we will have to keep an eye on.
The Pacific fishing grounds, such as the Finger Bank is now showing signs of breaking wide open as it did last fall for striped marlin and dorado, lots of mackerel now in the area, even though water temperature is still averaging about 86 degrees, as the water temp drops into the upper 70's this should really develop into a hot bite. Boats fishing this area recently have already reported days with up to 25 billfish caught and released, so you can imagine what will happen when the conditions become even more favorable.
The panga fleets out of San Jose del Cabo have been concentrating on the areas from the Gordo Banks to the Iman Bank. Sardinas are being found daily in sufficient amounts, though with the increased swell activity have been more difficult for the commercial pangueros to net in the surf zone. Giant squid have been encounterd regularly and are also being using for chumming and strip bait for both yellowfin tuna and dorado. Last week there were a couple of nice sized tuna landed using this technique, fish weighing 90, 100 and 130 pounds were accounted for. Most of the yellowfin action has been more of the football sized models, ranging up to 20 pounds, early action off of Punta Gorda has produced best, drift fishing with live and dead sardinas. On the Iman Bak there has been the larger grade tuna, 40 to 60 pounds and chance to 100 pounds, those these are not as numerous or consistent on a day to day basis, though they have seemed to have a preference for the fresh cut squid.
Dorado are being found throughout the region, the fish in the direction of the Sea of Cortez are smaller on the average, 5 to 15 pounds, with an occasional 30 to 40 pound bull mixed in, while on the Pacific the dorado have averaged more in the 10 to 30 pound range. They are hitting various baits and a variety of lures. Wahoo are showing signs of coming to life, but still not in any significant numbers, just a couple per day on average for the combined fleet being accounted for, some of them hooked on fly lined sardinas while targeting tuna and dorado, other wahoo are striking on the normal array of Rapala's, Yo-Zuri's and skirted lead and jet heads.
There was a local Governors Cup Tournament help out of La Playita/Puerto Los Cabos with over fifty teams participating. The winning team was on the panga La Fatima, angler O. Nolasco with skipper Agustin Pino won first place honors with a 60 pound yellowfin and second place went to the team aboard the super panga Killer II with a 55 pound yellowfin landed by skipper Chame Pino, his wife Margot and Brian Brictson.
Local surf anglers have accounted for several trophy sized snook of 30 to 40 pound from the San Jose Estuary area. Limited public access keeps the crowds light and with the proper knowledge some incredible catches have been landed on artificial lures and various baits.
Then combined panga fleets out of La Playita
/Puerto Los Cabos launched approximately 112 charters for the week, with anglers accounting for a fish count of: 1 blue marlin, 4 striped marlin, 9 sailfish, 12 wahoo, 395 yellowfin tuna, 288 dorado, 102 pargo, 7 cabrilla and 48 triggerfish.
Good Fishing, Eric
