Transition Time in Baja

REPORT #1055 “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 03/24/07

East Cape
Water temperature
65-78
Air temperature
62-75
Humidity
57 %
Wind:
NNW 7 to 9 knts
Conditions:
Clear
Visibility
5 miles
Sunrise
6:27 a.m. MST
Sunset
6:39 p.m. MST

The transition from winter to spring is in full swing and hopefully it won’t be long before the north winds will only be a fading memory. Most of the action offshore was down to the south and included some football tuna that have begun to arrive along with the continuing striped marlin bite. Unfortunately, dorado action slowed down a click or two this week.

Inshore the small roosters and sierra led the way along with a few ladyfish and pompano. We’re still seeing the larger variety jacks but they seem to be afflicted with a serious case of lockjaw.

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
Water temperature
65 - 72
Air temperature
55 -82
Humidity
82 %
Wind:
WNW 13 knots
Conditions:
Clear
Visibility
5 miles
Sunrise
6:26 a.m. MST
Sunset
6:39 p.m. MST
The few boats heading offshore found slim pickings from the Entrada all the way out to the Thetis Bank. The preponderance of bait in the water, mostly squid, may have had a lot to do with it. Back at the Entrada the bite also had slowed for the firecracker yellows for the same reason.

Action was a bit better in the Esteros with corvina providing the best action. There were also a few grouper, pargo and plenty of spotted bay bass to be found at slack tide up above Lopez Mateos.

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
Even though the incredible blue marlin bite of last week has not continued at its torrid pace, we have not exactly had a "should have been here last week" situation either.

A full half of the 15 boat fleet is still getting at least a shot at a blue marlin, with an average of about three blues a day being hooked. Cheva, on the panga, Dos Hermanos II, told me how he had a double on two marlin going a respectable 230 and 300 pounds. They got them both to the boat, and with what is probably the understatement of the year, he said, “it was a "bit confusing at times”.

The sailfish action is still only averaging about 1 fish per boat per day. A few yellowfin tuna are being taken at the 40 mile mark by the commercial pangeros.

We had some high surf this week, and the jack crevalle action slowed down a bit, but there are tons of black skipjack tuna. (This is one of the reasons the marlin are plentiful - the small tuna is a favorite food of a marlin.) The hard-fighting small tuna are providing very good action for fly rodders.
Ed Kunze
Water temperature
80 - 84
Air temperature
66-86
Humidity
83%
Wind:
Calm
Conditions:
Partly Cloudy
Visibility
2 miles
Sunrise
6:46 a.m. CST
Sunset
6:57 p.m. CST