January 31, 2015
This past week we saw more crowds of tourists traveling to the Los Cabos resort destination, airport activity was bustling and patience was necessary to get through International Customs. Lots of visitors, escaping the cold wintry conditions across much of the United States, despite this influx of people, not a high percentage of them were anglers and sportfishing fleets reported that though the fishing was very good, there were not many numbers of charters going out. That time of year, off season now for certain pelagic gamefish, spring time will be here soon enough.
Weather patterns were unpredictable, going from cold, cloudy, rainy, windy, to calm and quite warm, up to 90 degrees. Now we are starting the new month and as the local saying goes, “Febreo loco and Marzo otro poco”.Translated to “Crazy February and March even more”.
Actually in recent days the water clarity improved along the stretches north of Punta Gorda, ocean temperatures have dropped now into the 70/74 degree range, which might still be slightly higher than normal seasonal averages. Last week anglers were dealing with a challenging situation, having to wait for long as two hours for supplies of live sardinas to be delivered. Problem was that the baitfish schools shifted with the currents, in the direction of Cabo San Lucas, near Santa Maria, pangeros netters worked in the surf zone to net sardinas and then motor back to Puerto Los Cabos, where charters would obtain bait and head to the more productive northern fishing grounds. Bait supplies are no longer as abundant as in previous decades, more patience is needed, or later departure times arranged, there were not many options available for anglers to catch fish while waiting for this bait to arrive. Local pangeros were forced to regroup and now have found sardinas schooling north, near San Luis and Vinorama, they are hauling supplies to meet local sportfishing charters on the grounds such as La Fortuna, Iman and Cardon.
Yellowfin tuna are hanging around late into the season, or maybe this is the start of the new season, results will be dictated on what exactly happens with the ocean conditions and various food sources preferred by the gamefish. Spotty action, depending on what the weather and currents allowed. Tuna are being encountered on various grounds, most not far from shore, including the Gordo Banks, to La Fortuna, Iman and Vinorama. The bite was at random, sometimes early and often later in the morning, major issue with sea lions on other days. Average tuna was in the 15 to 30 lb., though the larger grade of fish was still lurking around the Gordo Banks, favorite choices for bait was sardinas or squid strips.
Dorado were found in decent numbers, La Fortuna and Cardon were good spots, fish ranging to 20 lbs., a handful even larger, slowly trolling or drift fishing with sardinas was a good bet, watch out for needlefish and skipjack.
Not much reported off the bottom, a mix of pargo, cabrilla, bonito and triggerfish for the few anglers that gave it a try when weather and currents allowed. Inshore action continued to be dominated by sierra, striking most readily on sardinas and earlier in the day, also some jack crevalle and juvenile roosterfish roaming the shoreline, remember to release these roosterfish, as they are a prized fighting gamefish that are only encountered and a limited natural range and need to be protected.
The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 52 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 5 striped marlin, 76 yellowfin tuna, 220 sierra, 18 roosterfish, 88 dorado, 20 bonito, 16 cabrilla, 34 various pargo and snapper species, 10 jack crevalle and 8 amberjack.