Baja Ready to Pounce on October

REPORT #1030 “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 09/30/06

East Cape
Good weather continued this week with the locals talking about the Sea of Cortez being like a lake. Tuna and dorado action was the best for the few hotel guest this week. On the billfish front, the action has improved from last week when the fish were pretty lethargic. More fish in the pattern this week, but still not enough to make it worthwhile for the fly-flinger. Along the beach, the water has cleaned up after the storms and action has improved. There are a few jacks and roosters crashing on the schools of sardina between La Ribera and Punta Colorada. Also some ladyfish and a few pompano near the hotels.


Water temperature 74-89
Air temperature 75-91
Humidity 94%
Wind: WSW at 2 kph
Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Visibility 9 miles
Sunrise 7:10 a.m. MDT
Sunset 7:07 p.m. MDT

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

We received a report from Nick Smith on the “Old Reliable,” who began their first trip of the season. Fishing the pinnacle below the entrada mid week yielded fair action for a couple hours in the afternoon. When they returned the next day, the sweet spot had dried up and they slid down seven miles below Tosca and had non-stop action. Meanwhile, up at Thetis, there were reports of lots of marlin around the bank and further up the ridge good wahoo and dorado action under kelp paddies.

Mangrove action included corvina, grouper and several small snook at Devil’s Curve.

Water temperature 64 - 78
Air temperature 74-87
Humidity 94%
Wind: NE 8 mph
Conditions: Scattered Clouds
Visibility 6 miles
Sunrise 7:18 a.m. MDT
Sunset 7:15 p.m. MDT


Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
Things have calmed down considerably since the last two near misses by Hurricanes John and Lane. The 82° blue water has come back to the 12 mile mark and the sailfish fishing has been very good this week. Even though there are very few people fishing, the three or four boats going out each day are averaging about three sailfish each.

The blue marlin have also come on very strong. Each boat is getting at least a shot at the blues, with a couple a day being caught. Most of the blues are being taken at the 20- to 25- mile mark.

The most exciting day I have ever had on the water was just this last Monday. Baja on the Fly client, Jim Funk of Snow Valley, Idaho, fly-fished with Cheva, Jesus Juarez and me on the panga “Dos Hermanos.” Jim and I made the 1.5 hour trip to Puerto Vicente Gro. in my Suburban, while Cheva and Jesus made the 2.5 hour trip by water and brought the panga down from Zihuatanejo.

Ten minutes after getting on the panga, we were into the roosterfish. They varied in size from five to an estimated 50 pounds. And, there were a ton of them, with the average being around 25 to 30 pounds. In a few short hours we had teased up 32 roosters. The fish were so aggressive they followed the hookless surface popper to within 10-feet, to a maximum of 25-feet, from the boat. Sometimes we had a different rooster following the teaser on three and four consecutive casts. It was awesome.


Ed Kunze
Water temperature 78 - 87
Air temperature 77 - 92
Humidity 95%
Wind E 5 kph
Conditions: T-Storms
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 7:36 a.m. CDT
Sunset 7:36 p.m. CDT