May Action Comes Early

Endless Season Update 04/23/2009
REPORT #1163 "Below the Border" Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996

East Cape

By all accounts, the past few days have been the best in 2009 so far. With the help of a floating dead whale and flat seas, the dorado action was ‘off the charts’ providing nonstop action on both fly and conventional.

Inshore action continued with its winning ways providing plenty of bait which attracted roosters, jacks and pompano…enough to keep rods bent. Even after being thrashed last week by wind, the beach has turned the corner and those fishing from shore in the past few days have had the kind of action normally not expected until later in the spring.

Water temperature 67-73
Air temperature 56-86
Humidity 48%
Wind: NNW 13 to 18 knots
Conditions: Sunny
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:58 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:41 p.m. MST

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Very few anglers went out but the commercial guys are still talking about the dorado around the shark buoys west of the Entrada. Skipjack and small tuna remain in easy striking distance of Boca de Soledad.

The Esteros have also been lightly fished but there were a few grouper and mangrove snapper all the way up to the top end of the bay. There are also a few small halibut on the sandy beaches near the inside of the Boca.

Water temperature 67 - 77
Air temperature 52 -81
Humidity 45 %
Wind: WNW 12 to 16 knots
Conditions: Sunny
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 7:03 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:50 p.m. MST

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico

Being the blue water has moved out beyond the 24 mile mark, the blue water fishing is practically non-existent this week for the sport fishing fleet. They are only averaging less than a sailfish a day per boat. The only reports of decent blue water fishing are coming in from the commercial pangueros. They are working an area from 45 to 50 miles out, and scoring on yellowfin tuna and blue marlin.

There is a hot bite going on however. The jack crevalle, chulas and black skipjack tuna are providing lots of action for the light-line fishermen. The majority of the action is taking place between 1/2 to 2 miles off the beach, all up and down the coast. (A chula is an excellent tasting small tuna, between 4 and 6 pounds, with white meat and a serious set of dentures).
Most of the inshore fish are being taken on trolled Rapalas.
Talking to Jaime this morning on the municipal pier, he told me how yesterday they even encountered a school of large jacks at 17 miles. The 25 pound (average) fish were so hungry he ended up with a quadruple hookup on his sailfish baits.

Ed Kunze

Water temperature 78 - 83
Air temperature 68-86
Humidity 62%
Wind: WSW at 13knt
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:29 a.m. CST
Sunset 8:03 p.m. CST

Cabo San Lucas

The striped marlin bite has slowly begun to pick back up with fish showing on the surface on the Cortez side of the Cape. Most of the fish being caught are found tailing on the surface and the bites have been pretty evenly mixed between live and dead bait. On the Pacific side there have been a couple of fish found, but overall everyone pretty much agreed that inside the Pacific side banks the water is too cool for much action. There were reports of a couple of blue and black marlin giving some adrenalin rushes out there.

Once again the yellowfin tuna failed to show in any numbers. There were a few fish found, but they were at quite a distance from Cabo. It took several hours running time to get into the productive waters, such as they were, and once there it took quite a long time to find any fish, it there were any. A few schools were found 40 miles to the southwest, in the 20 to 35 pound class. That meant a long run for the possibility of getting a couple of small tuna…most anglers said never mind.

There were mostly scattered dorado; however, most boats were able to get at least one, and a few boats managed to get three or four. The warm water on the Cortez side produced the fish and the best area was three to five miles off the beach in the same area that held most of the striped marlin.

Wahoo were scattered with a few fish found in the early part of the week in the Punta Gorda, Inman Bank area. These fish averaged 25 pounds and swimming plugs had the best results.

Sierra and yellowtail continued to provide the best inshore action, but there was also a fair bite on amberjack and pargo and a few grouper to add to the mix. Most of the action early in the week was taking place on the Cortez side of the Cape but as the winds died down the bite moved back to the Pacific side off of Los Arcos.

George & Mary Landrum

Water temperature 75 – 78
Air temperature 56 – 86
Humidity 48%
Wind: W 9 to 12 knots
Conditions: Sunny
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:58 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:41 p.m. MST

Offshore Cool, Inshore Just Right

Endless Season Update 04/16/2009
REPORT #1162 "Below the Border" Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996







East Cape

Our clients found the offshore a little cool but the inshore was just right, yielding multiple species on the fly.
Cecilia “Pudge” Kleinkauf, Anchorage, Alaska, visited this week with a group of mostly seasoned Baja anglers with one angler on her first trip to Baja. They caught a variety of fish which included roosterfish, red snapper, pargo, cabrilla, sierra mackerel, pompano and white bonito all round. By the end of the trip almost everyone had achieved a personal best or a new species!

Heggie Wilson, from Park City, Utah, caught a fish on his second cast in the morning and it never slowed down. They fished the reef in front of Leonero until almost 10 a.m. for 5 different species. He ended up the day with 8 different species. it was full speed most of the day!

Water temperature 67-73
Air temperature 56-86
Humidity 48%
Wind: NNW 13 to 18 knots
Conditions: Sunny
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:58 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:41 p.m. MST

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Enrique Soto reported that the shark fishermen were finding dorado around the shark buoys twenty miles west of the Entrada. Up at Lopez Mateos outside the Boca ten miles, there are some small yellowfin tuna with skipjack mixed in.

Water temperature 49 - 82
Air temperature 52 -81
Humidity 45 %
Wind: WNW 12 to 16 knots
Conditions: Sunny
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 7:03 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:50 p.m. MST

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico

The fishing and conditions picked up a bit this week. Even though the fleet is only averaging about one or two sailfish a day per boat, this should improve soon.
The warm, 80° blue water is about 12 miles off the beach and several blue marlin are being hooked. The boats are averaging about one marlin hookup for every five boats each day.
Santiago, on the panga Gitana, had one decent day with his clients and released three sailfish. Not to be outdone, his brother Adan on the panga Gitana II, released four sails in one day.
The jack crevalle action bounced back to life, with lots of the larger 15- to 20-pound hard fighting fish being reported around the White Rocks, and on down to Petatlan (about 7.5 and 16 miles south of Zihuatanejo).

Ed Kunze

Water temperature 78 - 83
Air temperature 68-86
Humidity 62%
Wind: WSW at 13knt
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:29 a.m. CST
Sunset 8:03 p.m. CST

Cabo San Lucas

The concentration of striped marlin that we saw last week up in the Destilladera area was a short-lived showing that only lasted about three days as far as having a good bite. Later in the week the bite dropped off and a really good day might have resulted in three fish released. As we moved toward the end of the week, the fish were to be found almost everywhere up in the Sea of Cortez.

Yellowfin tuna have still failed to show up in any numbers but a school was found well to the south of the San Jaime during the middle of the week. A few boats were able to post good numbers on fish averaging 25 pounds, with an occasional fish pushing 40 pounds.
Almost every boat was able to get a dorado this week, and a few boats managed to get three or four. The warm water on the Cortez side produced the fish and the best area was three to five miles off the beach, the same area that held most of the striped marlin.

Strong winds this week made the inshore fishing a bit tough on the Pacific side but the area off of Los Arcos produced decent yellowtail early in the week for boats using iron in 150 feet of water. Later in the week the anglers all moved to the south side of the lighthouse and up on the Cortez side of the Cape to get away from the wind. The sierra bite continued to be very good and anyone who really tried was able to limit out on fish to 9 pounds. An on/off bite on red snapper kept every day a surprise and there were a few species such as roosterfish, amberjack, ladyfish, needlefish and skipjack that kept the action fairly constant.

George & Mary Landrum

Water temperature 75 – 78
Air temperature 56 – 86
Humidity 48%
Wind: W 9 to 12 knots
Conditions: Sunny
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:58 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:41 p.m. MST

“Ocho Ocho” - the Place to Go

Endless Season Update 04/09/2009
REPORT #1161 "Below the Border" Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996

East Cape

Best action reported is to the north, close to the 88. Loads of dorado and some marlin.
Closer to shore, anything floating seems to be holding schools of small dorado.
Same story inshore with a continuing run of quality roosters mixed in with some big-shouldered jacks north of Punta Pescadero all the way to Muertos.

Water temperature 67-73
Air temperature 57-87
Humidity 60%
Wind: NNW 8 to 11 knots
Conditions: Sunny
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:03 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:38 p.m. MST

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Outside, the dorado can be found around the shark buoys and the small yellowfin tuna are within ten miles of Boca de Soledad. There’s still some decent action at the Entrada for small yellows and some remaining sierra.

Estero action has been spotty. The few anglers fishing there found small snook, grouper and snapper at Devil’s Curve.

Water temperature 67 - 73
Air temperature 52 -81
Humidity 55 %
Wind: WNW 14 to 19 knots
Conditions: Partly Sunny
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:10 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:47 p.m. MST

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico

For all species, the fishing here has really been very slow this week. Historically, this is a typical April trend. Then when the cooler water current moves out, the fishing rebounds after the first week of May.

The blue water is still holding between 10 and 12 miles out, but the average is only about 1 sailfish per boat, per day. I was on the beach early this morning watching the night fishermen bring in their catch, and even it was very small. However, this could be attributed to the full moon phase. There was one commercial fisherman who had a few football sized yellowfin tuna, but he said he had to go 50 miles to find them.

Even the inshore jack crevalle action, which has been so hot the last few weeks, completely shut off this week.

Ed Kunze

Water temperature 78 - 83
Air temperature 68-86
Humidity 72%
Wind: Calm
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:40 a.m. CST
Sunset 8:00 p.m. CST

Cabo San Lucas

This time of year the Sea of Cortez, specifically up at the Punta Gorda area around the Inman Banks is where you’ll find the best striped marlin action…mostly tailing fish and you’ll need to be pretty accurate with your casts. However, if you manage to get bait within 10 feet, the chances are pretty good of getting a hookup. The better scoring boats are releasing 5 to 7 fish per day; others, one or two.

A few nice yellowfin were recently caught at the Gorda Banks, nothing earthshaking but some decent fish to 50 pounds. There were also several pods of dolphin that did have fish with them, 10 to 20 pound football-sized fish. Most were on the Cortez side of the cape.

There have been scattered 20+ pound dorado in the warmer waters offshore on the Sea of Cortez. Hook one up and there’s a fair chance of getting another following behind the hooked one. Spotting the frigates feeding was the key, although blind trolling resulted in some as well.

Inshore action has definitely been good. Sierra and yellowtail continue to dominate the inshore action. While not large, the sierra are in great numbers once the schools were found. There has been great action just outside the beach on the Pacific side at Pueblo Bonita Sunset Resort and on the Cortez side outside the Cabo Del Sol Golf Course. Most boats have been able to get limits for their anglers using sardina as live bait, but blue/silver swimming plugs and hootchies did well also. A few yellowtail in the 8 to 10 pound class with a few fish to 25 pounds and an occasional fish that could not be stopped. Added to the mix of fish caught were the occasional pargo and amberjack as well as some small roosterfish.

George & Mary Landrum

Water temperature 75 – 78
Air temperature 61 – 91
Humidity 62%
Wind: WNW 14 to 19 kts
Conditions: Sunny
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:04 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:38 p.m. MST

Early Billfish Pop

Endless Season Update 04/02/2009
REPORT #1160 "Below the Border" Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996

East Cape
Every day can be different this time of the year. The last few days have been terrific!

Mark Rayor, Vista Sea Sport, reported, “Yesterday, we fished straight east about 15 miles. There was a wide open dorado bite to the north of us. Although we saw jumpers all over, the marlin didn’t bite until the afternoon and we ended up with two. Our second one was only 4.5 miles from the house.”
Beach action was best from La Ribera to the lighthouse with numerous small schools of sardina attracting roosters, jacks and ladyfish right up to the shore line.

Cerralvo Island fishing report:

“Outside the warm water bulge continues to produce dorado on the buoys, while yellowtail action is slightly slower but still good. Sierra, cabrilla and pargo are abundant inshore and the winds are calming more and more.” Tim Hatler
Water temperature 67-73
Air temperature 58-84
Humidity 75%
Wind: SE 4 to 5 knots
Conditions: Sunny
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:11 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:46 p.m. MST

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Regardless of the cool water, the dorado remain just a few miles offshore. There are also some football-sized tuna with skipjack mixed in.

The esteros were lightly fished again this week but they did yield a few grouper, spotted bay bass and on the surface, some small sierra and corvina.

Water temperature 67 - 73
Air temperature 52 -82
Humidity 80 %
Wind: W 9 to 13 knots
Conditions: Partly Sunny
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:17 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:43 p.m. MST

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico

With almost the cruelty of a bad April Fools joke, you can be fishing in beautiful blue water, and not see a sign of life. Then you check the water temperature. The 77º reading makes it obvious if you want to catch a sailfish, instead of trolling lures, you would be better off trolling a jacket.

There is a strong cold current pushing the blue water, and it is meandering. It can be at 4 miles in the morning, and then 10 miles in the afternoon. The boats are only averaging one sailfish a day per boat.

There are no tuna or dorado showing, and even the blue marlin bite has died off. Historically, this is very typical for April. In a couple of weeks, the private yachts will start arriving and will be fishing out at the 45 to 50 mile mark. They will do well on blue marlin and large yellowfin tuna. It is all a prelude for the good things which start happening in May.

The best action on the coast is the large jack crevalle. Earlier in the week, Gordon Krantz of Texas fished with Cheva on the Dos Hermanos II. This is what he had to say: "We caught yellowtail jacks till my poor old arms couldn't take it anymore. The most fun, however, was catching them on top of the water...Poppers." The hard fighting jacks were averaging between 18 and 25 pounds.

Ed Kunze

Water temperature 78 - 83
Air temperature 68-86
Humidity 72%
Wind: Calm
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:40 a.m. CST
Sunset 8:00 p.m. CST

Cabo San Lucas

There have been just a few striped marlin caught this week. Most of these fish were found on the Pacific side inside the San Jaime Bank area. These fish have been tailing down-sea and when you found a hungry one, you had a chance at a hook-up. The problem was, not many of the fish were hungry! Maybe a quarter of the boats fishing this week returned with a Marlin flag, quite a difference from last month.

There were plenty of bonito to be hooked up, and in those schools yellowfin were reported as well, but they just would not bite.

There were some dorado to be found in the warmer waters on the Cortez side of the Cape this past week. The waters just offshore of the Westin and at the Inman Bank held fish that were not large, but there were some decent numbers averaging 12 pounds. Offshore just a few miles there were larger fish to 40 pounds…few and far between.

Inshore was definitely the way to go this week if you wanted action. Sierra and yellowtail continued to dominate the inshore action this week. While not large, the sierra was in great numbers once the schools were found. There was great action just outside the beach on the Pacific side at Pueblo Bonita Sunset Resort and on the Cortez side outside the Cabo Del Sol Golf Course. There were not great numbers of yellowtail found this week, but they were showing up in the fish boxes of the pangas. Most of them were firecracker fish in the 8 to 10 pound class, but there were a few nice fish to 25 pounds and an occasional fish that could not be stopped. Added to the mix of fish caught were the occasional pargo and amberjack as well as some small roosterfish.

George & Mary Landrum

Water temperature 75 – 78
Air temperature 58 – 84
Humidity 75%
Wind: WNW 11 to 15 knots
Conditions: Sunny
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:11 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:36 p.m. MST