East Cape Summer Billfish Trifecta

REPORT #1016. “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 06/24/06
East Cape
While not quite “You should have been here earlier,” Cabo Pulmo succumbed to heavy pressure last week with early morning catches of YFTs, dorado and bonito sliding back to “good” instead of the WFO conditions enjoyed previously for the persistent fly-rodder.

Fortunately, billfish action is heating up – adding to the excitement are the blue marlin and sailfish that have begun arriving for the summer. You better be on your toes when the guide hollers “FOLLOW!” One never knows what may come up behind the teasers. Sailfish are perfect for the newbie flyrodder. Striped marlin offer a bit more challenge; and then there is the ultimate: a shot at a blue marlin. Land one of these babies on a flyrod and you will be a member of a very exclusive club.

Dorado action continued at a slightly slower pace this week, but still enough good shots to be had on the fly to make the day interesting.
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Back on the beach, rooster fishing continues to be tough. If one is at the right place, right time, and right tide you may have some good shots at roosters. Our guide Lance fished the beach yesterday (6/23) morning with Larry McGrath, Grass Valley CA and had a number of pez gallo charging the teaser. Sometimes it was a single fish, other times as many as 5 or 6 at a time. As usual, it took a well-placed and perfectly timed cast to be in the game with those teased roosterfish. In between rooster shots there was ample opportunity to practice the bait and switch on the schools of ravenous ladyfish that came up on the teaser.


Water temperature 74-85
Air temperature 71-99
Humidity 78%
Wind: SSW 2 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:34 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:07 p.m. MDT

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Reports of plenty of small grouper, spotted bay bass and pompano continue from both San Carlos and up at Lopez Mateos.
The entrada continues to offer spotty surface action for both bonito and a few firecracker yellows.

Offshore, unseasonable cool water temperatures are still preventing the action to swing in for the summer. There are only a few scattered reports of marlin, dorado or tuna.


Water temperature 61 - 66
Air temperature 68-78
Humidity 62%
Wind: W 15 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 6:38 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:19 p.m. MDT


Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
From the inshore, to way offshore, the water is averaging about 84 to 85º, and the blue water is only three miles off the beach. But, due to the moon phase, the sailfish and marlin were slow this week. With the new moon occurring tomorrow (6/25), the offshore fishing should make a substantial improvement.

One bright spot is the inshore fishing for the roosters. The roosterfish action is just outstanding, with every boat fishing them getting at least three or four. Even Santiago, on the panga “Gitana,” who came back inshore late because the sailfish action was slow offshore, ended up getting a 45 pound rooster off Playa Blanca.

Adolpho, on the panga “Dos Hermanos,” told me he only caught three roosters yesterday, but because each 70 pound class fish took an hour and a half to get to the boat, it was all the time they had before they had to head back to the dock.

Ed Kunze

Water temperature 78 - 84
Air temperature 72 - 84
Humidity 83%
Wind W 4 mph
Conditions: Thunderstorms
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 7:12 a.m. CDT
Sunset 8:23 p.m. CDT