Guatemala is Hot, Hot, Hot; Others Not

For additional information: bajafly@bajafly.com
USA toll-free (800) 919-2252 or 760/746-7260; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
NOTE: This report is on Fri. instead of Sat. because of local logistics and communications coming out of Guatemala.
East Cape
We’ve had North wind for the last three days with fishing definitely on the slow side. We did land three baby roosterfish at the lighthouse on a white and olive Clouser. The boats are going south and coming back with some dorado and marlin. The day before the wind started, the marlin fishing was great. All the boats came back with at least one. I was out with a friend and we saw six boats hooked up with marlin at one time. One boat had two on. They were only about three miles out from La Ribera. The same day, we caught small dorado a half mile from the Spa. The wind came up and the fish left. Fly-fishers are finding a few sierra early in the morning at La Ribera. Skipjack bite has been good just a few miles from shore with red the best color. Still no sardines available for chum.Report by Baja on the Fly guide Tim Selzer.
Water temperature
67-74
Air temperature
66-73
Humidity
58%
Wind:
WNW 11 mph
Conditions:
Scattered Clouds
Visibility
10 miles
Sunrise
6:31 a.m. MST
Sunset
6:26 p.m. MST


Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
It’s been very windy afternoons for the past several days. You need to get out early to take advantage of the first few hours before the wind picks up. Several day ago, a few large grouper or maybe a white sea bass were broken off at the entrada, the resident small yellowtail continued to provide fair action on a See Through Deceiver with an olive-colored back. Early as it is we are already receiving some vague reports of yellowfin tuna out to the west near the shark buoys. With only a few anglers fishing the esteros, it is hard to gauge the bite. The corvina have begun to bite and there were several snook landed and – of course – more of them lost. The whale watching season is beginning to wind down with only about 20 whales with their calves still in the harbor to be seen.
Water temperature
69-75
Air temperature
64-71
Humidity
58%
Wind:
Calm
Conditions:
Scattered Clouds
Visibility
3 miles
Sunrise
6:46 a.m. MST
Sunset
6:30 p.m. MST
Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
A cool water current has moved in, essentially sending the sailfish South. Fishing for all species, except for some very good action on large jack crevelle, has been slow all this last week.

This annual cool water current brings in the big yellowfin tuna and marlin, but it is still a little too early to target them with consistent results. Cheva, on the panga Dos Hermanos II did catch one nice black marlin of about 250 pounds this week, as well as Pepino on the Whisky II with a smaller blue. A few other marlin were hooked, but lost.

Steve Talbot has been targeting the big jacks most of the week with Martin on the panga Isamar and, releasing about 10 fish a day. The big jacks are averaging between 15 and 20 pounds, with an occasional 25 pounder. Their fish have been caught using a red and white surface popper, live bait, and trolled Rapalas.

Baja On The Fly client Matt Herman of Los Angeles fished the inshore one day with Cheva, releasing 5 of the big jacks, several black skipjack tuna, and one chula.

Baja on the Fly report by Ed Kunze

Water temperature
80 - 84
Air temperature
73 - 89
Humidity
78%
Wind:
West 11 mph
Conditions:
Scattered Clouds
Visibility
10 miles
Sunrise
6:56 a.m. CST
Sunset
6:54 p.m. CST

San Jose, Guatemala

The weather has been very pleasant with overall calm seas and bright skies. During the past week on the conventional side there were 847 sails released out of 1268 hooked for an overall average of 16 per boat-day with the high boat going 34 of 44. On the fly side, there were 127 released sails out of 306 hooked for an overall average of four per boat-day with the high boat going 12 for 14. There were also several marlin that showed up and a couple were released on light conventional tackle. Dorado were encountered by every boat, and made a nice addition to many dinner tables. Inshore, there were a couple of roosterfish also released.

Jack Balch, from Fremont, Calif., finished up his trip last Sun. and here is his take on the trip:
“Thank you for a fantastic trip. I don't believe you can find a greater concentration of sailfish then I saw in Guatemala. One day we raised fish 22 different times. Often multiple fish were raised at the same time. I actually had two fish fighting to try and get my fly at the same time. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone who wants to catch a sailfish on the fly.”

Water temperature
78 - 82
Air temperature
82 - 84
Humidity
94%
Wind:
SE 13 mph
Conditions:
Scattered Clouds
Visibility
3 miles
Sunrise
6:13 a.m. CST
Sunset
6:13 p.m. CST
San Jose, Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa McFarlin

For additional information: bajafly@bajafly.com
USA toll-free (800) 919-2252 or 760/746-7260; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373