On the Verge

Endless Season Update APRIL 18, 2011
REPORT #1253 "Below the Border"
Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996

East Cape

Could the early wahoo bite experienced during the past few weeks be the beginning of an unusual season? More striped marlin seem to be arriving every day, but they haven't settled down and the bite can only be described as sporadic. There has also been a scratch on nice-sized dorado, though they are few and far between.

The better quality pompano showed up at the Lighthouse this week. More were lost than caught but still they provided plenty of fun. There has also been a good show of roosters and jacks feeding on some the largest sardina I have ever seen.

Demonstrating the difference from the surface water temps to deeper water is that remarkably, the yellowtail are still around with some nice ones being caught in front of La Ribera.

Good going to Captain Steve Lassley aboard Bad Company!  It was reported that Anthony Hsieh  caught another SWORDFISH…this time a 240 pound  in 13 minutes, plus five striped marlin, baiting maybe forty. He was casting lookdowns at 'em...which he commented was too funny, like casting a Frisbee.

All the early season signs point to a season that is ready to break wide open soon.

.

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

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Little offshore action to reports as sea temps still remain unseasonably cool. In the Esteros the fishing for corvina, grouper, and small sierra has been good for the few anglers who have fished there recently.

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

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico

With the clean water at six miles and deep blue water at 30 miles, the Terrafin Satellite Surface Temperatures are showing an average of 83º water to way out past the 80 mile mark. I have never seen water this warm during April. There sure seems to have been some current changes this last couple of years.

Paige (age 8) and
Charlie Walters (age 12)
from Madison, N.J. 

The offshore fishing is still on the slow side for billfish, however lots of yellowfin tuna are being found in the blue water. Mike Buckley of the super panga Huntress emailed me this: Paige (age 8) and Charlie Walters (age 12) from Madison, N.J. took advantage of the excellent yellowfin tuna fishing on a recent trip on the Huntress with Capt. Francisco, each landing three nice tuna and hooking and releasing three others.  All the fish were caught right on the 1000 fathom line on the edge of the blue water.  Numerous longlines on the 20 mile line may account for the lack of sails in the area.

Cheva, on the panga Dos Hermanos, had a couple of great days also. The first day they worked the area south and heading for the antennas, they caught 20 large jack crevalle and two large roosterfish.  Today (Thursday), at 14 miles, they found the yellowfin tuna, and caught so many they ran out of live bait…Ed Kunze  

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

Cabo San Lucas

The striped marlin did move in much closer, but they were still hard to get to bite.  Many of the pangas were trying for them as a change of pace from sierra and yellowtail, but after a day or so of frustration, they went back to fishing for the inshore fish.  At a distance of only five miles off the arch, you were able to spend a lot of time working the fish, and if you had the right bait and the good luck, you were able to release a few fish each trip.  For the most part, the fish were very closed-mouthed and would just roll, look at you, then swim away.

There were a few small yellowfin tuna found with an average weight of only 12 pounds.  A few larger fish were caught, but not on a steady basis or in any numbers.  Most of the larger fish were found around the Gorda Banks area while drifting live sardina after chumming heavily.

With the change in the weather and the sea conditions, there was a lot more pressure on the Pacific side.  The yellowtail bite was good up around the Marguerite area with fish ranging in size from 12 to 20 pounds.  Using iron was the way to go, and you got your arms very tired reeling these up as fast as you could!  Sierra were still biting off the Solmar area and farther to the north, the bite on the Cortez side dropped off a bit.  There were a few grouper and snapper caught as well, most of them on live sardina.

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