Oh, to be in Guatemala for the Sailfish Blitz

For additional information: bajafly@bajafly.com
USA toll-free (800) 919-2252 or 760/746-7260; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
East Cape
There’s no nice way to say it: the fishing is slow. Five days of north winds have cooled the water and made it a cloudy green. There are still some small dorado by Punta Pescadero. Sierra are scattered and only seem to bite early. Best sierra bite is by Rancho Leonero. Boats going 40 miles out have had some luck on dorado and marlin. The possibility of strong winds has kept most of the fleet closer to home. The wind finally died down some yesterday (2/4). Hopefully we will get a break for a few days.
Water temperature
70-74
Air temperature
64-68
Humidity
43%
Wind:
NNW 14 mph
Conditions:
Scattered Clouds
Visibility
10 miles
Sunrise
6:56 a.m. MST
Sunset
6:09 p.m. MST


Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
Whales dominated the scene at both Puerto San Carlos and Lopez Mateos this week. The few pangas that ventured out to the entrada found scratchy fishing yielding only fair results including a few small yellows, grouper and barracuda. Up at Lopez Mateos, the annual celebration of the whales, “Festival Ballena Gris,” will be held Feb. 12. The event will include the crowning of a Queen of the Festival and the celebration of what many locals are calling the best whale-watching season in several years. The esteros continued the same pattern of slow fishing influenced by poor weather reinforced by strong winds.

Water temperature
69-75
Air temperature
62-69
Humidity
25%
Wind:
WNW 15 mph
Conditions:
Clear
Visibility
3 miles
Sunrise
7:07 a.m. MST
Sunset
6:14 p.m. MST
Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The blue water has moved out to about 12 miles. Most of the fleet is fishing the area between 14 and 22 miles, and not doing very well. They are only averaging about one sailfish a day. The Terrifin Satellite Surface Temperature service clearly shows the cooler water being within the 10 mile mark, mixed water out to about 28 miles, and then good warm water from 30 miles and beyond.

It also stands to reason the few boats fishing beyond the 30 mile mark are doing very well, averaging five and six sailfish released a day.

A few mature dorado, between 20 and 35 pounds, are being taken at a rate of one dorado for every five boats on the water.

Butch Cooley, fishing with Capt. Martin on the panga “Isamar,” made a 35 mile run yesterday for roosters. They only had one strike on a surface popper.


Baja on the Fly report by Ed Kunze

Water temperature
80 - 84
Air temperature
75 - 86
Humidity
63%
Wind:
South 4 mph
Conditions:
Scattered Clouds
Visibility
10 miles
Sunrise
7:16 a.m. CST
Sunset
6:43 p.m. CST
San Jose, Guatemala
The overall conditions have been very nice in the San Jose area this past week. There were more boats out for a women’s light tackle tournament that is going on. For sailfish there were 447 releases on 668 bites. On the fly-fishing side, there were 34 releases for 60 bites. The action has been at 10 miles on quite a few of the days, with still a few boats ranging out as far as 20 miles. There are good reports of dorado being caught by the boats, but no action on tuna. Inshore, once again there were no clients out, but there were several roosters caught by a couple of the captains who were testing the waters.
San Jose, Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa McFarlin
Water temperature
72 - 82
Air temperature
78 - 84
Humidity
100%
Wind:
ESE 8 mph
Conditions:
Scattered Clouds
Visibility
6 miles
Sunrise
6:25 a.m. CST
Sunset
6:01 p.m. CST

For additional information: bajafly@bajafly.com
USA toll-free (800) 919-2252 or 760/746-7260; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373