June 26, 2010
The start of the summer season brought more heat and humidity to Los Cabos, as the tropical storm season has begun with a flurry of storms. At this time there are two named systems in the Eastern Pacific, Hurricane Celia is closest to Southern Baja, some 700 miles to the southwest, an intense five hurricane that is moving towards the west and will not impact land. The other system is Hurricane Darby, which is strengthening, further south and appears to be following a westerly path as well. Increased swells, heat, humidity and winds out of the south seem to be the effect these early season storms will have on the Southern Baja Peninsula.
Ocean water temperatures have averaged 77 to 82 degrees, water clarity have fluctuated with the varying currents, but at this time there is clean blue water is moving back inshore near Punta Gorda, La Fortuna and San Luis. Schools of mullets are congregated along the shoreline and caballito are being found inside of the Puerto Los Cabos jetties. There are still no sardinas available.
Fleets are searching in different directions for productive action. Local panga fleets were finding the most consistent fishing from straight offshore of San Jose del Cabo, to San Luis and Vinorama. Most of the time charters did not have to travel more than several miles from shore to encounter striped marlin or tuna. Though this action did vary from day to day as to where the best location was. The yellowfin tuna were more often found traveling with porpoise, striking on various hoochies, cedar plugs and live baits. Tuna ranged in sizes from 10 to 60 pounds. Early in the week there were reports of yellowfin seen feeding, to 100 pounds or more, but anglers were not able entice them to strike what offerings they presented. Overall catches for tuna were limited, it was a matter of locating the fish and getting them to strike.
Dorado action has been slow to start off the season, though in recent days there were a few larger fish encountered, mainly just single fish, hitting on lures and baits, scattered throughout the area. Schools of bolito are late to appear this season, when more of these baitfish become established on the fishing grounds we anticipate that increased numbers of gamefish will be following this favored food source.
Wahoo were being found near La Fortuna to Vinorama, anglers reported hook ups while trolling lures and baits along the 150 to 200 ft. line. Anglers targeting these fish were fortunate to land one of them, though other days some boats accounted for up to three wahoo, while reportedly loosing other strikes as well. Sizes ranged from 25 to 50 pound.
Bottom action was spotty, mixed reports of bonito, snapper, amberjack and cabrilla. More bonito being found near Iman and San Luis while using yo-yo jigs or trolling Rapalas.
Inshore there have been good numbers of roosterfish, some of these fish were over forty pounds. Jack crevalle were prevalent as well, with some of these jacks reaching near record weights of 30 pounds. Dogtooth snapper to 45 pounds were landed by anglers that trolled larger baitfish over rocky inshore reefs, many larger fish were lost as usual, reaching the rocks before being turned. This action has not been as consistent as it was last season, perhaps increased commercial gill net activity north of Punta Gorda and less abundance of inshore baitfish has been the main factors for this.
The combined panga fleets launching from the La Playita/Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 87 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a total fish count of: 25 yellowfin tuna, 17 dorado, 7 striped marlin, 3 hammerhead shark, 15 amberjack, 19 dogtooth snapper, 18 yellow snapper, 28 jack crevalle, 14 cabrilla, 45 bonito, 19 wahoo and 68 roosterfish.
Good Fishing, Eric
