October 8, 2010
Nice time of year to now visit the Los Cabos region, kind of like the lull before the storm, ideal weather, with moderate crowds, only a week or two away from when capacity filling crowds will arrive for the peak tournament time season. Cooler mornings now, but daytime temperatures and humidity are still running high. No storm systems are on the horizon at this time, there have been clear sunny skies, with light winds and ocean swells. Water temperatures from Cabo San Lucas and in the direction of the Sea of Cortez are averaging 85 to 87 degrees. Clear blue currents are being found very close to shore, so most of the fishing action now has been taking place within five miles of land, often times much closer.
Live sardinas are now migrating inshore off of the Palmilla Point area and this has given anglers another option, besides buying the fresh dead brined sardinas. In the Puerto Los Cabos Marina channel some pangeros are jigging up Pacific moonfish with sabiki rigs and these small pompano like baitfish are being used as live baits as well.
The action on the Gordo Banks for the larger grade of yellowfin tuna came almost to a standstill, as only a handful of yellowfin in the 40 to 100 pound class were reported taken on these banks this past week. Hard to say if these tuna have moved out of the area or if they are just feeding deep on the available food sources. Conditions have remained favorable so we are optimistic that this bite will pick back up before long.
Everyday a few wahoo are being hooked into on these same banks, particularly early in the morning before boat pressure becomes a factor. A handful of larger black and blue marlin also were hooked into while trolling larger live baits such as skipjack, cocinero jacks or chihuil, but the majority of these marlin were lost due to the lighter leaders that were being used while targeting the more line shy yellowfin.
The fleet has been finding good numbers of schooling football sized yellowfin tuna on the Iman Bank, though some days there were too many skipjack beating the tuna to the sardinas. These tuna were readily striking the fresh dead bait, but in the past couple of days have once again started to have a preference for the live sardinas, which only recently have become available. The same area of Iman has produced a variety of species, included some wahoo and dorado on the surface, as well as a mix of quality bottom dwellers, namely dogtooth snapper, amberjack and grouper, most of these fish are striking on larger baitfish and some specimens weighed in the 60 to 85 pound class. This type of bottom fishing takes more experience than many anglers realize, even for the most skillful local skippers, it proves a real challenge to be able to hook these powerful fish and turn them away from the rock piles before they are able to cut off even your heavier eighty pound tackle.
As daytime temperature begin to cool with the progressively shortening fall days, the water temperature will drop more closer to the 80 degree range, with is ideal for triggering a more active wahoo bite. These fish are now definitely in the area and have been striking both lures and baits, but surely as the conditions become more favorable anglers could find themselves in some truly epic wahoo action this fall season.
The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita/Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 68 charters, with anglers accounting for a fish count of: 4 striped marlin, 1 blue marlin, 3 sailfish, 19 wahoo, 123 dorado, 324 yellowfin tuna, 20 bonito, 14 cabrilla, 8 grouper, 14 dogtooth snapper and 26 amberjack..
Good Fishing, Eric
