REPORT #979. “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
Torrential rains greeted the early-arriving participants for our catch and release “Jacks or Better” tournament. Several anglers including Bruce Pratt, from Beaufort, South Carolina and last year’s winner Brian Berger from San Francisco, found plenty of action in the jack department, both landing fish in the 10- to 20-pound class on Wed. (10/5). By Fri. morning when the pre-fish day was scheduled, the sun was shining and the boats headed out in search of some action.

Ed Kunze

Water temperature
80 - 84
Air temperature
78 - 86
Humidity
55%
Wind:
SE 5 mph
Conditions:
Scattered Clouds
Visibility
10 miles
Sunrise
7:37 a.m. CDT
Sunset
7:29 p.m. CDT

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Otis came and went and left some grumpy seas along with wind and rain which prevented anyone from fishing outside. The esteros were not wonderful, but did provide some diversion while waiting for Otis to pass. Spotted bay bass, a few grouper and trigger fish were all that could be found.

When things finally settled down later in the week, a few boats were able to get outside. Water temperatures dropped a few degrees to the 77-78 range, but the YFT didn’t seem to care and were found half way out to the Thetis Bank. With few boats out, it is difficult to say where the marlin, wahoo and dorado ended up after the storm.


Water temperature
70-81
Air temperature
71-86
Humidity
79%
Wind:
W 17
Conditions:
Mostly Cloudy
Visibility
5 miles
Sunrise
7:21 a.m. MDT
Sunset
6:58 p.m. MDT

East Cape
Everyone is watching the storm containing the leftovers of “Stan,” which is meandering up the Mexican coast. Stan dumped plenty of rain on Guatemala and the West Coast of Mexico including Zihuatanejo. Unsettled conditions this week slowed the fishing down a tad. With few clients willing to head out, the reports were sketchy at best. There are still the squid out a few miles (go figure). Some tuna are out in front of La Ribera, but they are driven down quickly as more boats land on them. Offshore, billfish remain the best target. Dorado finally are showing, but don’t get me wrong – it’s not a bonanza. Along the beach, wind waves have made the water the color of a bad cup of coffee.
Baja on the Fly

Water temperature
80-88
Air temperature
78-96
Humidity
55%
Wind:
SE 12 mph
Conditions:
Mostly Cloudy
Visibility
12 miles
Sunrise
7:12 a.m. MDT
Sunset
6:50 p.m. MDT

San Jose, Guatemala
Hurricane “Stan” caused some heavy flooding to some parts of Puerto San Jose. A few of the private houses in the Villas del Pacifico Compound were flooded with two to three feet of water but most are OK. At the resort, a few large trees were fallen and some flooding to the employee quarters and parking lot but the resort is OK and open for business.Currently the roads to both the Villas and Marina Sol are closed but should open soon. Because of the poor weather no boats fished this week.

Water temperature
78 - 82
Air temperature
77- 80
Humidity
94%
Wind:
WSW 9 mph
Conditions:
Light Drizzle
Visibility
6 miles
Sunrise
5:53 a.m. CST
Sunset
5:46 p.m. CST
For additional information: mailto:bajafly@bajafly.com
USA toll-free (800) 919-2252 or 760/746-7260;
Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373 or (760) 670 4916