Anglers –
As the annual spring vacation period comes to an end the weather continues to be in transition period and actually a bit cooler than normal for this time of year. Daytime highs have been reaching close to 80 degrees and cool breezes from off the ocean have made it feel a bit wintry at times. The water temperatures have ranged from 68 to 71 degrees throughout most of the area, strong currents were changing water clarity rapidly, over the weekend the water was clearing and blue around the vicinity of the Gordo Banks. The unusually high swell of last week has resided and surf conditions are now light and back to normal for the month of April. Sportfishing fleets were finding scattered action from on the Pacific, around Jaime Banks and into to Sea of Cortez to Desteladera. There were good supplies of mackerel and sardinas available and the sardinas were of very healthy size.
Striped marlin was the most consistent fish found offshore, though the bite varied from day to day, Jaime Bank, Chileno 95 spot and the Desteladera Bank were some of the more productive areas. Trolling surface lures while looking for signs of billfish and having live baits ready to throw or drop back were the best techniques. Some days there were yellowfin tuna found further offshore, mainly traveling with porpoise, but at times just by blind strikes. Though the tuna action was not as consistent as was striped marlin. Dorado were even more scarce than were the tuna, as can be expected in the cooler water conditions, though a few single fish were accounted for, and they were in no particular area, from inshore to offshore.
The inshore action for pangas continued to be very good, the majority of the fish were not large (3 to 10 lb.), but they provided great sport on lighter tackle and fishing with live sardinas proved to be the best method of getting into the action. The most common inshore species recently were sierra, yellow snapper, pompano, barred pargo, cabrilla, jack crevalle and triggerfish. The best action was found in fifty feet of water or less while either drifting or slow trolling with sardinas. The majority of charters accounted for a variety of species and anywhere for 10 to 20 fish total.
The combined panga fleets launching from La Playita sent out approximately 56 charters for the week, with anglers accounting for a fish count of: 3 striped marlin, 6 yellowfin tuna, 11 dorado, 39 bonito, 8 amberjack, 28 cabrilla, 9 grouper, 285 mixed pargo species, 152 sierra, 15 jack crevalle, 34 triggerfish and 88 pompano.
Good Fishing, Eric
