Emilla Comes A Calling….

REPORT #1021. “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 07/29/06
East Cape
As Emilla approached the tip of Baja early in the week, conditions deteriorated quickly. According to an IM from Mark Rayor of Vista Seasport, a much needed eight of inches of rain on Tuesday was one result. Grumpy seas caused his dive trips to be cancelled but he was still able to send out the “Jen Wren” on a fishing trip. The fishing prior to the storm had been less than stellar with the best action being the tuna 35-40 miles down below Las Frailes. After the storm, off-color water prevailed and most of the action was a few blues, stripes and even one black reported along with a few dorado found further offshore. The tuna bite shut off and so far the school has not been found again. As of this Saturday, the murky water was a memory and all that is left to do is to find where the fish have moved to.


Water temperature 74-87
Air temperature 82-90
Humidity 66%
Wind: E 4 mph
Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:48 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:02 p.m. MDT

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

While Emilla managed to dump quite a bit of rain in the area, Enrique Soto at Puerto San Carlos reported good fishing at the Entrada which included several large black seabass, one close to 100 lbs. In tight to the beach on the north side of the Entrada there were a few small white seabass in the shallows near the rocks.

Offshore the remnants of Emilla have caused unsettled conditions.

The esteros remained slow yielding with few fish this week.

If the Mexican government continues to increase the quotas for sardine, it may be a long time before fishing improves. A group of locals, led by Enrique, are planning to deliver a petition later this week demanding a rollback on the extraordinarily high quotas for sardine that are decimating the bay.

Water temperature 61 - 66
Air temperature 72-82
Humidity 39%
Wind: NNW 15 mph
Conditions: Cloudy
Visibility 15 miles
Sunrise 6:52 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:13 p.m. MDT


Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
According to the Terrafin Satellite Surface Temperatures, the inshore water is holding at 84º, with 87º water at the 100 fathom mark (10 miles off the beach) and beyond. The blue water is only 2 miles off the beach.

I talked with Santiago on the panga “Gitana” who told me he had only fished a couple of days this week but was taking sailfish and lots of 20 pound class yellowfin tuna only 5 miles out.

The fleet is averaging about 2 sailfish a day, per boat.

The roosterfish and jack crevalle action is still holding up, with about 4 roosters per boat average and 6 of the large jacks.

Ed Kunze

Water temperature 78 - 84
Air temperature 78 - 84
Humidity 94%
Wind Calm
Conditions: Thunderstorms
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 7:23 a.m. CDT
Sunset 8:20 p.m. CDT

Tuna on the Fly

REPORT #1020. “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 07/22/06
East Cape
Great weather this week, though the temperatures were in the mid-90s. While it was a long ride, the tuna bite was great if you got there early. Mostly football-sized tuna, but they were sucking up wasabis like they were going out of style. Closer the home, there were a few billfish on the outside allowing the hotel boats to rack up some decent scores. A few mile out in front of La Ribera there were some better quality tuna, but unfortunately, most were caught deep and not on the surface. Also some pargo up to 15 pounds. Along the beach there were a few roosters if you could get past the pelicans, needlefish and ladyfish. There were even a few sight casting ops for the diligent.

Water temperature 74-87
Air temperature 78-97
Humidity 66%
Wind: E 4 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:44 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:05 p.m. MDT

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Diana Hoyt reported good dorado, tuna and skipjack a few miles outside the boca. Out at the Thetis, it was Giant Humboldt Squid to 50 pounds and a fair show of yellowtail on the surface.

Still mostly corvina, grouper and spotted bay bass in the esteros with plenty of halibut near the shallow sandy beaches.

Water temperature 61 - 66
Air temperature 72-82
Humidity 39%
Wind: NNE 9 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 15 miles
Sunrise 6:49 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:16 p.m. MDT


Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The 82º blue water is only a couple of miles off the beach. Due to the full moon phase, the sailfish action has slowed down a bit, but the fleet is still posting a two to three fish a day average per boat. By the middle of this next week, because of the new moon period, I really expect these numbers to increase.

We are starting to see a few small dorado and small yellowfin tuna also. This should also increase next week.

The main action is still the roosterfish and the large jack crevalle. This has been red hot. A typical day will yield five roosters, and at least eight large jacks of about 15 to 25 pounds. The roosters are averaging between 25 and 40 pounds, with a few larger fish showing every day.
.

Ed Kunze

Water temperature 78 - 84
Air temperature 78 - 84
Humidity 66%
Wind WSW 12 mph
Conditions: Scattered Clouds
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 7:21 a.m. CDT
Sunset 8:23 p.m. CDT

Slow Start . . . Better Finish

REPORT #1019. “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 07/15/06
East Cape
Early in the week moderate to strong winds slowed the fishing down somewhat. Inshore action was best early in the morning with plenty of ladyfish and a good pargo bite at Punta Colorada. While there were plenty of roosterfish to look at, getting them to take the fly was a different story. Several tropical storms below us have caused unsettled conditions for the past few days. Yesterday (7/14), in spite some rain and windy conditions in the morning, the fishing turned around with some tuna and dorado flags flying for a change.

Coci our Southeast San Diego ghetto dog that morphed into to one of the best fishing dogs to hit a Baja beach, left us last Wed. after 14 fun-filled years. A star in his own right, he was featured on the cover of several national magazines with many articles about his fish-spotting abilities. He had a remarkable life prowling Baja beaches with me. We will all miss him!

Water temperature 74-86
Air temperature 78-94
Humidity 66%
Wind: ENE 10 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:41 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:07 p.m. MDT

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Gary Hoterig reported an excellent yellowfin bite 30 miles south of the Thetis Bank. Later in the week, big swells and wind prevented most of the boats from getting outside the entrada and the ones that did get out found it uncomfortable. Some quality dorado were caught near the shark buoys west of the entrada.

Up in the esteros, there were big tides this week that resulted in very dirty water that slowed fishing down significantly.

Water temperature 61 - 66
Air temperature 72-80
Humidity 81%
Wind: NNE 9 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 15 miles
Sunrise 6:45 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:19 p.m. MDT


Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
We are really enjoying some very good fishing, great weather, and the only thing missing is a few more people here to take advantage of it. The rain, as normal, has only been coming in the late evenings. Plus, the 82º to 84º blue water is only a couple of miles off the beach, and the fish are biting.

The bluewater fleet, consisting of four to five boats, is averaging two to three sailfish a day each. The two or three boats fishing inshore are averaging three or four roosters a day and several large jack crevalle.

Thursday (7/13) Adolpho on the “Dos Hermanos” got lucky and found porpoise, birds and game fish herding a large school of small flying fish only about ¼-mile off the beach. They had already caught four roosters by the time they pulled up on a feeding frenzy. Before it was over, they were able to catch several large jacks and seven more roosters off the spot. Eleven roosters in one day is a highly memorable event.

My 11 year old son Ken and I fished with Adolpho yesterday (7/14). To guarantee our success, I had forgotten the camera, and had left it back at the house. We caught four roosters from 25- to 50-pounds, plus four large jacks from 18- to 25-pounds. This was all before 11. Ken was whipped, so we headed back, but then Adolpho spotted a feeding school of more jacks and roosters. The roosters did not cooperate, but we released another six jacks in the 14- to 17-pound range. And, we still made it back to the dock an hour and a half early.

Ed Kunze

Water temperature 78 - 84
Air temperature 82 - 91
Humidity 83%
Wind WSW 12 mph
Conditions: Scattered Clouds
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 7:18 a.m. CDT
Sunset 8:24 p.m. CDT

Species Galore

REPORT #1018. “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 07/08/06
East Cape
Fourth of July week at East Cape was memorable for the pleasant weather (though toasty mid-day), little wind and great fishing. Ed Lowery arrived from Las Vegas with his 10-year old son Nick on Sun. (7/2) and from Mon. to Wed. fished outside Cabo Pulmo, (tuna, skipjack, bonito and triggerfish); Punta Colorada, (snapper, pompano, cabrilla and needlefish); and the beach (jack crevalle and ladyfish). Nine species in three days! They also saw billfish and roosters, but couldn’t get them to bite.

With dark clouds of bait strung up and down Bartle Beach, it is not hard to figure out where to be early morning. The diving pelicans are a dead giveaway where the fish are feeding. Just a few yards outside the bait are herds of ladyfish, jacks swimming along the bottom; and roosters grabbing any bait that strays from the school.

The action for dorado was fair a few miles outside of Las Barracas, yielding a few fish from low teens to 40 pounds. We spotted the tell-tale V marking the greasy surface of the sea early morning, tossed a few sardina and the sea exploded – not with the expected dorado – but with a school of 10- to 15-pound pompano which sums up this week: always expect the unexpected at East Cape.

Water temperature 74-85
Air temperature 71-94
Humidity 30%
Wind: ENE 4 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:39 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:08 p.m. MDT





Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Offshore there have been a few dorado close to the buoys 10- to 20-miles west of the entrada. At the entrada, there are a few yellows mixed with sierra under the bird schools. Still reports of large tuna schools west of Cabo San Lazaro.
Up in the esteros there has been some action on snook near Devil’s Curve. Larry and Martha Warlaumont arrived aboard “Retriever” and are spending the entire week checking out the esteros using the big boat as a mother ship.

Lopez Mateos reported good corvina, grouper and a few palometa amarillo up to the north. Offshore, a few dorado and good tuna action out toward the Thetis Bank.

Water temperature 61 - 66
Air temperature 68-80
Humidity 87%
Wind: NNW 2 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 6:43 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:20 p.m. MDT


Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The 82º water is holding great roosterfish action inshore and fairly good sailfish action offshore. This last week or two has only seen a total of about 7 to 10 boats a day fishing, but they are averaging two to three sailfish each in the blue water; or about four large roosterfish if they are concentrating on the inshore fishery. The roosters are averaging 30- to 42-pounds.

A few dorado are starting to show and this should pick up notably over the next few weeks.

Ed Kunze

Water temperature 78 - 84
Air temperature 72 - 84
Humidity 83%
Wind W 4 mph
Conditions: Thunderstorms
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 7:16 a.m. CDT
Sunset 8:24 p.m. CDT

Slower Fishing and a Slower Truck

REPORT #1017. “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 07/01/06
East Cape
Sorry for the late report. I began my drive down to East Cape yesterday (6/30) and was delayed a bit by a very large truck that I had to follow for 50 (yes, 50!) miles before they would let me pass. So I am posting the report from La Paz instead of East Cape this morning.

Offshore, the action continued with billfish, dorado and tuna leading the charge. Inshore, the action seems to have slowed down a click or two, but it’s still very productive early; and then it is out to the bluewater to search for the bigger boys.

Beach action consisted mostly of ladyfish, pompano and a few pargo. There is plenty of both sardina and mullet tight to the beach from Scott Glenn's house all the way to Bartle Beach. Still seeing some roosters, but they seemed to have lockjaw this week.

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

There’s no wind and the water temperatures are beginning to climb; as it does, the fishing action has improved. Ten- to 15-miles outside the boca at Lopez Mateos there are plenty of yellowtail, bonito, barracuda and skipjack to keep everyone busy. Out another five miles above Lazaro there is excellent tuna action and a few marlin being spotted.

In the esteros, grouper, corvina, halibut and the ever-present spotted bay bass have been the best bet.

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
Inshore and offshore, the water is averaging a very warm 88 degrees. This has kept the tuna and marlin out of here, but is very favorable for the sailfish. Dorado, even though they have yet to show, also like the warmer temperatures.

Fly fisherman Tod Eason had a short 4 day trip down here and wanted one day of fishing. I lent him my fly gear and put him on the panga “Gitana” with Santiago. In just a few short hours he had one sail come off on a poor hook set, another broke the leader, but they tagged and released the third.

Adolpho, on the panga “Dos Hermanos” told me the inshore roosterfish action is outstanding. He is averaging 6 roosters a day, between 30- and 45-pounds. His best day was 8. They took them about 14 miles to the north, along the Pantla beach area.

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