May 20, 2007
Anglers -
For some reason crowds of anglers continue to be lighter than normal for the month of May. The weather has been ideal, steadily warming up as we near the summer season, though still very comfortable, lots of sunshine with high temperatures averaging about 85 degrees. Water temperatures have ranged from a chilly 62 degrees around the Jaime Bank region, to 74/75 degree on the Gordo Banks and up to 76/78 off of Los Frailes. Though the water is warm in the lower Sea of Cortez, it has been very murky green and charters are traveling far offshore in order to find cleaner blue water. It has been a waiting game, it is only matter of time before currents switch and the conditions on the fishing grounds closer to shore stabilize and attract the normal variety of surface gamefish.
Sportfishing fleets are now concentrating efforts from Chileno to Los Frailes, striped marlin action was spread out and most of the time ten miles or more offshore. Often marlin could be spotted on the surface but they proved to be difficult to entice into biting. There were more signs of baitfish activity, with flying fish, bolito and squid seen, this should only help to attract more gamefish. Closer to shore there are now large schools of mullet moving in and this means that the roosterfish are also showing up in greater numbers and are now of larger size. Sardinas remained plentiful as well, particularly off of the La Playita area. Off of the East Cape area there are more reports of yellowfin tuna being found offshore traveling with porpoise, most of the fish in the 15 to 20 pound class, with some going up to 40 pounds. Off of the Los Cabos area the tuna continue to be very scarce, as have been dorado, as conditions improve these fish should become more prevalent in the reports.
With the lack of any consistent offshore action the majority of the local panga fleets have been fishing closer to shore for a mix of medium sized species. Most common were yellow snapper, sierra, pompano, triggerfish, roosterfish, cabrilla and grouper. This action was found in water depths ranging from 30 to 150 feet and anglers found the best success while using either live sardinas or mullet. With the influx of more inshore bait activity there are now good numbers of larger roosterfish appearing, as well as dogtooth snapper and pargo colorado. Anyone who has ever targeting these large snapper will testify that hooking them is not that hard, the problem is turning these extremely powerful fish before they reach the rocks and cut the line. Heavy tackle is required and still the odds are that the fish will win the contest.
The La Playita panga fleet sent out approximately 53 charters for the week and anglers accounted for a fish count of: 2 striped marlin, 4 dorado, 166 pargo (various species), 31 cabrilla, 13 pompano, 36 roosterfish, 8 amberjack, 12 jack crevalle, 92 sierra, 26 bontio, 28 surgeonfish and 8 dogtooth snapper.
Good Fishing, Eric
