Saturday, September 23, 2006
Baja Conditions Falling into Place
REPORT #1029 “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 09/23/06
East Cape
As storm season winds down, it was another busy week of clean up and preparation for the flood of visitors who will begin arriving after the 1st of October. Traditionally, Chubasco season officially ends in late October, but with cooler temperatures both on the mainland and Baja, hopes are high that the worst is behind us.
Nice weather with some wind chop in the PM was the report from the anglers who were out on the water.
If tuna are your thing, this was a great week to be at East Cape. Tuna schools were found just a few miles offshore from La Ribera all the way down to below Las Frailes, providing enough action to keep the sashimi flowing at “Happy Hour” back at the hotels.
As the water continued to clear up close to shore, more dorado were found under the floating debris left in the wake of the recent storms. Anglers who failed to have their rods rigged when they left the dock took more than a little heat when the boats skidded to a stop on floating weed patches close to the hotel. Small olive-backed See Through Deceivers or Baja Wasabi’s were the flies of choice.
A few anglers opted to spend their time looking for billfish, but the action included more dorado and tuna than the targeted billfish this week.
Locals predict some extraordinary East Cape action as conditions settle down in the next few weeks.
Water temperature 74-89
Air temperature 74-94
Humidity 89%
Wind: NNE at 9 kph
Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Visibility 9 miles
Sunrise 7:07 a.m. MDT
Sunset 7:14 p.m. MDT
Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
Every year, boats seem to be arriving earlier to search for the “holy grail” – the fish build-up that often is found offshore here at Magdalena. This year is no different. I received a call from Nick Smith, Palm Beach, Fla., whose “Old Reliable” is steaming up the West Coast of Mexico to begin fishing for billfish on the fly later this month. From recent reports, his timing may be right on target. A few yachts traveling through the area have reported large schools of billfish, tuna and dorado all the way from Thetis down to the entrada.
Inshore the action at the entrada included a few small yellows, grouper and bonito with skipjack just beyond the entrance. Still a few sierra on the surface at Punta Belcher’s with halibut hugging the sandy bottom.
Up at Lopez Mateos, Diana Hoyt reports that the mangrove action included corvina, grouper and spotted bay bass.
Water temperature 64 - 78
Air temperature 74-83
Humidity 87%
Wind: NE 5 mph
Conditions: Scattered Clouds
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 7:15 a.m. MDT
Sunset 7:21 p.m. MDT
Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
No report received this week. The following is a repeat of last week’s information with a weather update.
Water temperature 78 - 87
Air temperature 76 - 92
Humidity 86%
Wind E 5 kph
Conditions: T-Storms
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 7:35 a.m. CDT
Sunset 7:42 p.m. CDT
We really do not know how the fishing is right now. Tropical storm Lane formed only 60 miles out in front of us, and the port has been closed for 4 days now.
We do know the blue water has not come in very much from the 20 mile mark where it was pushed out last week by hurricane John.
And, just like Hurricane John, even though the port was closed and we got rain, we did not get any wind at all. However, I have recorded 9.75 inches of rain since this last Monday (the 11th), almost twice the amount of rain we got from John. Things should start clearing up soon, and we can get back to fishing.
Ed Kunze
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