January 25, 2015
Similar patterns this past week, winter weather hard to predict, though the all-around climate is very pleasant and light crowds are enjoying themselves, soaking up the available warm sunshine. Winds have been more predominate again from the north and this has limited what areas the sportfishing charters could comfortably operate on any given day. Inshore areas north of Punta Gorda are seeing more greenish colored cooler current push in from the north, water temperatures are dropping as well, from the lower 70s up to the 75 degree range. Baits sources are supplying charters with sardinas, caballito and there are ballyhoo available as well. Lots of whale activity now being seen on a daily basis.
Anglers found billfish action offshore, a bit hit or miss, but this week the bite for striped marlin improved offshore of San Jose del Cabo, anywhere from four to six miles out, many marlin were hooked into while drift fishing live baits down deep, also trolling on the surface. Dorado were spread out, more being found closer to shore than further out, these fish are traveling where their food source is. The majority of the dorado were small to medium sized, an exception of a handful of fish being over 20 lb. Striking more often on bait than lures.
Yellowfin tuna action picked up, especially in the Inner Gordo Banks, the wind factor was an issue, too much wind and swift current on certain days made this option difficult to impossible. Though there were a larger grade of yellowfin now on these grounds, up to 100 pounds, many in the 30 to 80 lb. class were hooked into, biting best on sardinas rigged on lighter leader of forty pound test. Some charters had as many as three or four of these nice tuna, other days we would see maybe one or tuna all together. So this late season bite was still sporadic, though fairly impressive to even have a chance at these quality fish at this time of year. Tuna were also found on the banks such as La Fortuna and Iman, these fish were mostly in the 15 to 30 lb. range, again hit or miss, depending on the north wind conditions.
These same fishing grounds were producing a mix of bottom structure species, not a lot of large fish, most were under fifteen pounds, though always a chance of a much larger specimen and all of these fish are the excellent eating variety. Catches were made on yo-yo jigs, as well as on whole and cut bait, including pargo, snapper, porgy, island jacks, bonito, triggerfish, amberjack, cabrilla and parrot fish.
Close to shore the sierra run is now in full swing, once found, these schooling fish are voracious feeders and the action often can be fast and furious on these scrappy gamesters that were averaging three to five pounds. Also a few roosterfish and jacks rounding out inshore catches. Most of the roosterfish now being found are juvenile sized and should be released unharmed whenever possible. Early in the morning while panga charters were waiting for bait suppliers some nice fish have been hooked into directly outside of the Puerto Los Cabos jetties, including yellow snapper, cabrilla and amberjack. This was a early bird special and would happen one day and then maybe not the next, though a few fish in the 20 to 30 lb. class were accounted for.
The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 68 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 16 striped marlin, 95 yellowfin tuna, 325 sierra, 15 roosterfish, 72 dorado, 45 bonito, 18 barred pargo, 28 yellow snapper, 15 island jack, 14 amberjack, 28 cabrilla, 12 porgy,
8 parrotfish and 32 triggerfish.