Bills Come Early!

REPORT #1058 “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update April 14, 2007
East Cape

Cecilia “Pudge” Kleinkauf, owner of Women’s Flyfishing©, Anchorage, AK, arrived early in the week with a group of fishing buddies to enjoy some Baja sun and flyfishing. It didn’t take long to get the party started! First day out, with Pudge’s coaching, Jen Hall, Boston, MA, landed her first striped marlin on the fly. Not to be outdone, Maria Knutson, Anchorage AK, landed her first sailfish. Yes, read SAILFISH. They have arrived early this season.

Most of the marlin, sailfish and dorado action was due east anywhere from 14 – 35 miles from the Hotel Buenavista Beach Resort. The action continued to build throughout the week and some of the boats had as many as 9 flags a flying as a north wind chased them back to the dock Friday afternoon. Though most of the dorado were singles, the quality was decent with many of the fish exceeding fifteen pounds. Many of them were caught on bait, but there was enough fly action to keep things interesting.

With a lack of sardina locally, two boats opted to make the run up to Isla Ceralvo thirty miles to the north where sardina was available. These two boats found excellent fly rod action for skipjack lasting most of the day with the aid of the sardina.

Inshore there were a few jacks caught. Long time client, Allison Osinski, San Diego, CA, landed her “personal best” jack crevalle estimated to weigh 22 lbs. While there were a few roosters found cruising close to shore and a few near misses none were caught. Even tossing the leftover sardina in front of them didn’t stir up much action --- only a few ladyfish and one lone rooster. As the water temps continue to climb, the roosterfish action should begin to get better.

Water temperature
65-78
Air temperature
60-84
Humidity
64%
Wind:
N 12 - 16 knots
Conditions:
Sunny
Visibility
5 miles
Sunrise
6:59 a.m. MDT
Sunset
7:40 p.m. MDT


Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
Another “cookie cutter” week of moderate action both at the Entrada for small yellows and grouper and inside the esteros where there was some surface action for corvina using small poppers. Fishing further down in the water column near the bottom, with slow retrieved chartreuse Clousers, tricked a few small grouper and pargo.

As the waters have cooled offshore the action has slowed as well. None of the local boats headed out this week and we didn’t hear any reports from boats traveling either up or down the coast.
Water temperature
65 - 72
Air temperature
64 -85
Humidity
43 %
Wind:
SW 10 knots
Conditions:
Sunny
Visibility
3 miles
Sunrise
7:08 a.m. MDT
Sunset
7:48 p.m. MDT

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
Fishing still remains on the slow side, however there are definite signs of improvement. At least things were improving until we were hit by a 6.3 earthquake at mid week. Earthquakes apparently affect the vibration sensitive lateral lines of the game fish, and they absolutely refuse to bite for at least 24 hours after a quake.
Centered only about 60 miles South of Zihuatanejo, the quake did no damage at all.
Santiago, on the panga Gitana, told me he was raising 4 to 5 sailfish a day in an area between 18 and 21 miles from Zihuatanejo Bay. Dan and Alicia Sauder fished with Santiago for three days, releasing 6 sails and had a nice blue marlin come unbuttoned.
Inshore fishing is only showing a few black skipjack tuna and smaller jack crevalle.
May will be here in a few weeks, and May is usually one of our best months of the year for tuna and marlin.
Ed Kunze
Water temperature
80 - 84
Air temperature
71-90
Humidity
43%
Wind:
ESE 4 knots
Conditions:
Partly Cloudy
Visibility
4 miles
Sunrise
7:31 a.m. CDT
Sunset
8:02 p.m. CDT