Warm and Yellow

Endless Season Update February 20, 2011
REPORT #1246 "Below the Border"
Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:  

If you are in the neighborhood drop by and see me. I will be conducting a Baja seminar at the Fly Fishing Show in Pleasanton on February 25th @ 12:00 and 2:45 pm and 26th @ 3:30 pm. http://www.flyfishingshow.com/Programs___Seminars__Ple.html

East Cape

Color this report warm and yellow! First the wind quit for a few days and simultaneously daytime temperatures shot up.  Those encouraging events were enough to convince a few locals and visitors alike to go fishing. But the huge surprise was that the mossback yellowtail were found. Fortunately they were spread out along the shore from Bahia los Sueños to Punta Arena preventing the local illegal netters to locate them and wipe them out..not a wide open bite but several fish over forty pounds were reported.

In addition to the yellows, pargo and sierra were added to the mix. Seems like the biggest problem was locating a bait fisherman willing to spend the entire night catching enough to satisfy the fleets' need for larger bait. 

The fate of how long the improved conditions will continue is in the hands of the north wind gods;  they will still call the shots for a couple of months more.

Current East Cape Weather  http://tiny.cc/EastCapeWeather303

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Puerto San Carlos and Lopez Mateos are reporting good numbers of whales with more arriving every day. Meanwhile weather has improved but the pesky wind returned causing some bumpy afternoon rides for the whale lookers.

On the fishing front few anglers…make that none that we heard about bothered to compete with the whale watching or endure the windswept bay.

Current Magdalena Bay Weather  http://tiny.cc/MagBayWeather150

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico

For this week the clean water starts about 6 miles off the beach, on out to about the 1,000 fathom curve, and then here is a large band of greenish water. This band of cooler water is pushing down from the north. 

And, as I predicted last week, the tuna and marlin are coming with the cooler water. With most of the fishing taking place between the 16 to 22 mile marks, the yellowfin tuna and striped marlin are showing up in decent numbers this week, but not many sailfish are being caught. The tuna are on the small side, from 12 to 15 pounds, but they are in large numbers. And, they are hungry, which can present a bit of problem like one small cruiser encountered: Including the captain and deckhand, with two clients, there were 4 people on board when all 5 rods went down. It was a bit interesting for a while on that boat. 

Most captains are reporting a couple of strikes by sailfish, but they are not very aggressive and are averaging only 1 hooked sail a day. The striped marlin, liking the cooler water more, are more certain for the hookup.

Long time visitor to Zihuatanejo, John Torres fished a few days with Adan on the panga Gitana II. On conventional gear they took tuna one day, 2 sailfish and a striped marlin the next, and yesterday (Wed.) John got a very nice dorado on the fly rod, and missed a sailfish.

Adolfo, on the panga Dos Hermanos II, told me this morning on the pier there are lots of sierra and medium sized jack crevalle inshore, and got into some large jacks near the White Rocks yesterday. 

Fly fishing client Roy O'Shaughnessy, of Vancouver, B.C. went down to Puerto Vicente Guerrero with me and Adolfo’s son as my deck hand, and we actually teased three nice roosters to the boat, but failed to get a hookup. We also raised a lot of medium sized jacks… Ed Kunze

Current Zihuatanejo Weather  http://tiny.cc/zihuatanejo582

Cabo San Lucas

Well, I don't know if it's because of the full moon, but there seems to be a few more marlin biting.  We had clients that were seeing fish every day, and hooking up, but only about half of those were making it to the boat for a release.  Our best day for marlin recently was two fish released for two hooked up.  One was a very decent estimated 160-pound striped marlin, the other the usual 110-pound.  Both fish were caught on slow trolled dead bait, and both were within 10 miles of the lighthouse on the Pacific side.  This area seems to have had the majority of fish spotted, but they are still not very hungry.  A few swordfish were seen on the surface as well, but boats trying to drop bait down for them were having an issue with strong sub-surface currents and could not get the baits deep enough; they found some thresher sharks instead.  There were a large number of juvenile mako sharks out there jumping and flipping out of the water…most in the 15  to 40 pound class.

If you were in the right place at the right time, yellowfin tuna fishing has been decent.  The problem was being in the right place at the right time.  A lot of boats were able to find porpoise that were holding great meter marks of tuna, but they were not able to get a bite to save their lives.  Some of these pods of fish were within a few miles of the beach, while others were over 30+ miles offshore.  There seemed to be a decent bite to the north…off of San Jose on the Sea of Cortez, and some were a decent 30 pounds, but for the most part the fish were footballs of 10 to 18 pounds, and a decent catch was a few fish per boat.

There were a few more dorado flags, but almost all very small fish…less than six pounds.  They were caught by boats working inshore for sierra. We saw a large number of these small fish leave the docks in bags being carried by the crews.

It seems as if the sierra have moved up the Pacific coast a bit. The same situation occurred for the yellowtail as the bite dropped off as they moved around.  Right place, right time and fish that averaged from 15 pounds to 30 pounds;  if you were not lucky then your wrists and arms hurt from yo-yo'ing for hours on small spots of fish.  A few nice pargo and other snapper were caught in the rocks along with a scattering of other species such as needlefish, bonito and grouper.  The best live baits were sardina for the sierra, rigged on a very light bite wire, and caballito for the pargo and grouper..…George and Mary Landrum

Current Cabo Weather  http://tiny.cc/cabo191

Baja Hot Shot

Endless Season Update February 13, 2011
REPORT #1245 "Below the Border"
Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:  

If you are in the neighborhood drop by and see me. I will be conducting a Baja seminar at the Fly Fishing Show in Pasadena on February 19th @ 4:00 pm and 20th @10:30 am. http://www.flyfishingshow.com/Programs___Seminars__Pas.html

Dennis Braid's Monsterfish Show featuring Magdalena Snook will air on the Outdoor Channel Friday night, February 19th @ 7:30 pm, Saturday February 20th @ 9:30 am and Sunday February 21st @7:00 am. http://www.outdoorchannel.com/Shows/MonsterFish.aspx

East Cape

After enduring what many locals claimed was the coldest winter week they had ever experienced there was an abrupt change. . .really more like a hot shot as daytime temperatures soared back up to the mid-eighties.

Is the sudden change signs of an early spring? Everyone I spoke with expressed optimism. Maybe with the change the sierra, yellowtail and maybe a bonito or even a dorado will shed their winter doldrums and begin to bite…

Any way you cut it, lots of eager locals are shedding their winter coats, suiting up in shorts and actually considering getting back out on the water…stay tuned.

Current East Cape Weather  http://tiny.cc/EastCapeWeather303

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

According to Lance Peterson, the corvina action was as good as it gets in the esteros, in spite of the really cold (60°) water in the bay. Lance and his friend Brad Ellis had hoped for the snook show similar to last February. However the cool water temps seemed to send the snook packing seeking warmer water.

It didn't seem to hamper the whale watching. Locals are reporting there are considerably more of the giants and their offspring cavorting in the bay in front of both Puerto San Carlos and Lopez Mateos.

Current Magdalena Bay Weather  http://tiny.cc/MagBayWeather150

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico

The Terrafin satellite photos show exactly why the fishing has been on the slow side for sailfish and dorado. Cooler water is pushing down from the north, and the fish have gone south.

Several conventional gear fishermen are still scratching out a fish or two per day per boat, but a few boats are also getting blanked. The dorado are also scarce, with most of the dorado coming from 30 miles or more out. A few blue marlin are being caught, as well as a couple of striped marlin. 

Blue water fly fishing with Drew Chicone of Florida, we spent a couple of tough days on the water with Leonardo on the Fish On and Cheva on the Dos Hermanos II. We did get strikes, but the fish were not aggressive and would not tease to the boat.

We also saw at least a thousand porpoise pushing up bait, and thousands of birds. So the bait is here…just very inactive sailfish. We even saw a blue marlin surfing the swells. All that was sticking up was the top ½ of her tail, but it was over three feet tall. That is a huge marlin. I estimated it to be about 700 to 800 pounds.

Early in the week Mike Bulkley and Francisco took clients out after tuna on the super panga Huntress, and did well. When traveling long distances, the security of the twin 80hp motors on a larger super panga certainly makes it nice. This is what Mike emailed me:  "Went last Sunday and found the yellowfin tuna at 55 miles.  Caught 28 school tuna and broke off two large ones. Didn't get back until 8:30 pm."

Plus, Adolfo on the panga Dos Hermanos, looking for some blue water action for his clients a couple of days ago, found the yellowfin at 15 miles off the beach down in the Papanoa region. Adolpho also told me he is doing well on a few small roosters, lots of jack crevalle and sierras inshore. Keep in mind, Adolfo is fishing every day of the week and is always scouting for new locations, so he will do well for a few days, and then not so well. Most normal panga charters do not range far and wide like he does, so their production is fairly limited.  .....Ed Kunze

Current Zihuatanejo Weather  http://tiny.cc/zihuatanejo582

Cabo San Lucas

This past week showed that we can be a little optimistic about upcoming weeks.  While still not wide open by any means, there are more and more marlin showing up every day.  Many more are being seen that are being hooked up, and most boats are getting a shot at a few every day.  That is a big change from what we were seeing just a few weeks ago!  If we ever get schools of mackerel to show up we should see a very significant increase in the number of striped marlin associated with them.  As it is now, approximately 30 percent of the boats are getting hooked up, and about half of them are getting the fish to the boat.   

Well, the water calmed down, but unlike my prediction last report the fishing for yellowfin did not improve, or at least hasn't improved yet.  There are still scattered schools of fish to be found along the temperature break running below the San Jaime and west of the San Jaime and the Golden Gate Banks, and some of them are decent fish, up to 80 pounds this week.  Unfortunately they are really a hit or miss proposition as they will be in one spot one day and gone again the next.  While there have been fish to 80 pounds, most of them have been footballs in the 10 to 12 pound range.  A good catch this week would have been 6 to 8 fish with a few boats , mainly the first ones on the school, getting limits of five per angler.

Just coming up on the full moon and guess what?  Yep, we had a client on Friday land a 70-pound wahoo while fishing for marlin!

Inshore the swells settled down and the pangas were once again able to get up the Pacific coast.  The cool water made the inshore fishing better for both Sierra and Yellowtail.  We had anglers and friends who did well fly fishing for sierra using sardina as chum, limiting out on fish averaging 4 pounds.  Others did well in the slightly deeper water yo-yo'ing for yellowtail that averaged 14 pounds with a few fish going as large as 30 pounds.  Of course it was a matter of the right place at the right time as they could move as far as ½ mile up or down the coast overnight.  You had to work for them!  

There were also a few roosterfish to be found (surprisingly as they normally do not like water this cold).  They were not extremely aggressive but we did have one angler who was bit three times on the fly, but they were short strikes and he could not get a solid hook-up.  Other fish that were caught were some grouper in smaller sizes and a few very nice pargo to 25 pounds.…George and Mary Landrum

Current Cabo Weather  http://tiny.cc/cabo191

Whale Invasion

Endless Season Update February 06, 2011
REPORT #1244 "Below the Border"
Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996

East Cape

The predominate north winds normally associated with Sea of Cortez this time of year continued to blow. Resulting in cooler water temperatures as well as jacket-inducing temps below 50 degrees several mornings.

Few anglers even ventured out of the few hotels that remained open. Kite boarders dominated the inshore water along the beach as the wind came whistling down the gulf.

Buenavista Beach and Resort Hotel reported more Yoga students than anglers. Seems as though Michelle Anderson, Victoria B.C., took advantage of the slow winter season to offer Yoga Instructor Classes. However there were a few anglers who ventured out and cashed in on the short-lived pargo and yellowtail snap that took place on a few of the reefs close to shore.

Even the locals who usually fish regardless of the wind were sitting on the beach cursing the relentless wind, and discussing among themselves when they  might get back on the water.

Current East Cape Weather  http://tiny.cc/EastCapeWeather303

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

The whales being seen off the Southern California Coast recently have now begun to arrive in mass.  Appears that all that was needed was the XVIII International Festival of the Gray Whale held in Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateos held last weekend it the town.

Good thing too, Very few fishermen visited during January and with the current cooler weather it may be awhile before the trickle of fishing activity becomes a torrent.

Lance Peterson and his buddy Brad are planning a trip this upcoming week to sample the fishing both inside in the Esteros and offshore. I am sure Lance is hoping for a repeat of last year when he managed to add a grouper record to his growing list of records.

Current Magdalena Bay Weather  http://tiny.cc/MagBayWeather150

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico

The blue water current, for the predominately 80º water, is shifting so rapidly it is incredible. Yesterday (Wed.), fly fishing with John and Mary Hechk of Bozeman, Montana down at Puerto Vicente Guerrero, we found the clean water at 7.5 miles and exactly where the Terrafin Satellite photos said it would be. We got 4 strikes on sailfish between the 8.5 and 12.5 miles marks, and hooked two sailfish on the fly.

Today I went back with Gary Meger of Toronto, Canada and we went directly to the same areas as the previous day. The water was a warm 80º, but a dingy brown. It was not until the 20 mile mark we found the clean water. We only raised 2 sailfish all day, and nothing else. One followed the teaser to the boat, but had no interest in Gary’s fly. Heading back to port, and in a matter of just a few hours, we had clean water almost to the beach…incredible.

Unfortunately, coming back a bit, and at the 15 mile mark, we came across a long line run out of a panga. The panga was from Zihuatanejo, with no name, but had a large dorado chasing bait painted on each side of the bow. I always use Jose Pino when fishing out of Puerto Vicente Guerrero, and when he saw the simbra (long line) and the panga, he was livid. We sat there for about 5 minutes talking to the illegal fishermen; and it wasn’t for just pleasantries. Jose told them he has clients with him and can’t do anything right now, but if they come back into his territory, he will have “other” people with him and will not be restricted.

This is what needs to be done in Mexico! Jose was not limited as the Zihuatanejo captains are; where the illegal fishermen are a cousin or a brother-in-law. He did not know them, but knew they were illegally killing sailfish, and his future. They got the message.   

An interesting note is when we were only about ½ a mile off the point, we spotted two humpback whales. We shut the engine down and got the cameras ready. Just as the cameras were coming out of the bags, one of them went completely air-born about 150 feet away from the panga. It was truly awesome. While waiting for another, the second one breached further away and where we weren’t looking. I got off a snap shot…but it is blurred.....Ed Kunze

Current Zihuatanejo Weather  http://tiny.cc/zihuatanejo582

Cabo San Lucas

We still have whales out there folks, as I stood on the first tee at Cabo Real yesterday I saw one just off the beach in full breach mode, she must have jumped and cleared the water at least 5 times, really awesome to watch. 

Fishing is improving,  however not up to the normal numbers we had become used too.  A few boats have been getting bit by striped marlin this week, and some of them were able to release two a day, but most had a hard time finding any marlin at all, and if they did something would go wrong…a reel would freeze up, a line would break or the hook would get thrown.  The best action was on live bait and the best area was the warm spots off of the lighthouse and on the 1150.  Some fish were being seen elsewhere, but not in any numbers; the listed places supplied the best chance of getting hooked up.

Yellowfin tuna action continues to be a long run for most boats to get to the fish, with the best chances 30 miles or more to the southwest.  Most of the fish there were in the 15 to 25 pound class but a few were over 100 pounds.  The problem has been the water conditions.  Getting that far out wasn't a problem, but coming home was a really rough ride, and the water conditions made it tough to find the porpoise that the tuna were associated with.  There were small scattered schools elsewhere, mostly football sized fish, but still nothing consistent.  As the water calms down, the fishing for yellowfin should improve.

I would pretty much give up on dorado for the next few months.  If any are caught they will be stray fish, the water is just too darn cold to hold them!

Inshore the large swells made for uncomfortable inshore fishing, but at least there was some action taking place.  While not there in great numbers, it was not uncommon for a boat to get a dozen or more sierra ranging from three to six pounds.  Toss in an occasional yellowtail, a few bonito and once in a while an amberjack and the action was steady.  The best action seemed to be on live sardina, and if you did not have any, the action became spotty. The large swells kept most of the boats from going any farther up the Pacific coast...…George and Mary Landrum

Current Cabo Weather  http://tiny.cc/cabo191