Sardina Return … Action Improves!

Endless Season Update 08/11/2007
REPORT #1075 "Below the Border" Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
East Cape

The fly flingers were smiling this week as billfish action improved. There were multiples of sails, stripes and even a few blues showing in the patterns.

Our clients, Chris and Ryan Mott, from El Paso, Texas, managed to be the early birds on the scene when the YFT’s were busting sardina on the surface near La Ribera. They had three to the boat before the other boats arrived and drove the tuna down deep. A second day, the Motts had a very fun day catching lots of 5lb roosters, along with a few tuna.

With the sardina thick in spots, the bait guys have plenty to sell. The sardina have attracted these schools of 5-6 lb. roosters along with jack crevalle, sierra, green jacks, triggerfish, and enough needlefish to be a nuisance.


Dorado action consisted of nice sized fish, mostly singles showing up in the trolling pattern; not many found in schools.

Water temperature 78-87
Air temperature 74-98
Humidity 74%
Wind: NNW 6 to 8 knots
Conditions: Mostly Sunny
Visibility 2 miles
Sunrise 6:53 a.m. MDT
Sunset 7:56 p.m. MDT


Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico


Lightly fished this week, the offshore action continued to produce excellent catches of dorado and tuna. Football sized tuna, small yellows and nice sized dorado were found feeding on breezing bait just a few miles outside of the Boca. Also a few marlin are beginning to show under circling frigates near the Thetis.

Estero action included good catches of medium sized grouper, corvina, a few pargo and several small snook.

Enrique Soto reported good surface action at the Entrada for small yellows and bonito under the bird schools.

Water temperature 64 - 76
Air temperature 70 -87
Humidity 74%
Wind: WNW 7 to 10 knots
Conditions: Mostly Clear
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 6:59 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:05 p.m. MDT

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico

The small yellowfin tuna are still around the six mile mark and they are keeping the blue marlin around. These small tuna are only about 4 or 5 pounds, and are candy for the big blues. Several more blues were hooked this week.

The larger yellowfin are still out beyond the 32 mile area of the 1,000 fathom curve.

A few dorado are showing this week, and hopefully these are the leaders of the September mass migration we get about every 4 years. When the migration happens, a 100 dorado a day is not unreasonable: unless you get tired and quit before then.

The roosterfish bite is still awesome, and an excellent opportunity for a fly rodder to get in on the action.

Ed Kunze
Water temperature 80 - 84
Air temperature 77-97
Humidity 92%
Wind: ENE at 2 knots
Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 7:28 a.m. CDT
Sunset 8:15 p.m. CDT