Tuna and Dorado . . . Ignore the Wind

REPORT #1012. “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 05/27/06
East Cape
Homer Tollenaere and his wife, from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, spent a day inshore and had good action for both dorado and tuna in spite of the windy conditions this week. Beach action slowed somewhat as the wind waves took their toll causing off-colored water along the shore. Offshore, the billfish continued to provide the best action along with tuna and even some dorado. According to the recent SST reports, the water temperatures are continuing to creep up which should attract more bait which in turn should bring in more fish as we slide into the summer.

Water temperature 68-79
Air temperature 75-94
Humidity 78%
Wind: SSW 4 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:33 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:58 p.m. MST

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

There was some improvement in the weather this week and a decent grouper and pargo bite just outside Boca Soledad close to shore. Outside, the sea temps are still cool and seas are stirred up by the wind. A few boats went out as far as the Thetis for nothing this week. The local shark fishermen also are reporting seeing very little on the way out to their buoys west of the entrada. The entrada itself is still producing fair action under the bird schools for small yellows, bonito and an occasional sierra if they don’t bite through the leader. Devil’s Curve produced a few smaller snook, corvina and a couple of leopard groupers.



Water temperature 60 - 69
Air temperature 60-77
Humidity 88%
Wind: NW 7 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 6:37 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:10 p.m. MDT


Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
As I predicted, the warm water current moved in from the south and the fishing improved. The big story is the blue marlin. The fleet is averaging about five blue marlin a day. This is about average for us in the month of May, making Z one of the best locations in the world (for May and June anyway) to get a shot at a big blue marlin.

Santiago, on the panga “Gitana,” had a great week on sailfish. Early in the week he fished with John Wilkinson of Michigan. They released seven sails on Tuesday. Fishing with John and Ben Fuller of Boston on Wed, Thurs., and Fri., he released six, five, and five sailfish each day.

The 82º water inshore has also improved the roosterfish fishing. The best action is still 30 miles south near Papanoa, but in the next couple of weeks all the traditional roosterfish areas should have good populations of fish.

Ed Kunze

Water temperature 78 - 84
Air temperature 73 - 82
Humidity 83%
Wind N 4 mph
Conditions: Thunderstorms
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 7:10 a.m. CDT
Sunset 8:15 p.m. CDT

Rooster Season Begins at East Cape

REPORT #1011. “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 05/20/06
East Cape
There’s no doubt that the 2006 season has begun here at East Cape – and what a big difference from last year’s shortage of bait. This year is back to normal with large schools of both sardina and mullet gathering along the shore attracting a smorgasbord of species to shoot for. Jacks, sierra, pompano, ladyfish and of course “Pez Gallo” – or @##%%^& roosterfish to the uninitiated – are close to shore and along the 30 miles of East Cape beaches providing for quality fly-fishing opportunities.
Our guides, using hookless live bait for teasing from pangas, have been raising good numbers of roosterfish allowing our clients plenty of opportunity to hone their saltwater skills as the hungry fish charge the teasers in search of an easy meal.
Back on the beach, sight fishing opportunities are on the increase and it is not uncommon to encounter some big “cruisers” swimming tight to the shore. A little luck, determination and a well-placed cast could have you tight to the fish of a life time.
Offshore action is every bit as hot. Lots of hotel boats are going out each day and many are returning with good catches of marlin, sailfish, and an occasional dorado. Captain Ramon of the Hotel Buenavista cruiser “Tres Hermanos” flew six billfish flags as he pulled up to the pier yesterday . . . a great day indeed. All-in-all a great beginning for the East Cape as the 2006 season gets underway.

Water temperature 68-79
Air temperature 72-93
Humidity 58%
Wind: SSW 4 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:35 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:55 p.m. MST

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

There are still unsettled conditions on the outside, while inside it is business as usual. The entrada continues to offer decent yellowtail (small, but hungry) under the bird schools. A little further down in the water column there are a few small grouper to be found. There were a few smaller snook up at Devil’s Curve as well as up above Lopez Mateos. Still plenty of corvina through out the bay and lots of halibut in shallows near any sandy beach. Also, several palometa were caught near the boca above Lopez Mateos.

Water temperatures on the outside are slowly climbing upward and if the wind quits, fishing for the exotics should begin to improve.



Water temperature 60 - 69
Air temperature 60-78
Humidity 82%
Wind: W 15 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 6:40 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:06 p.m. MDT


Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The 80º blue water is at 18 miles, but the fishing is still not up to our normal May standards. Sailfish have been slow, with only about a one fish average per day, per boat. A few blue marlin have been hooked, but not nearly in the numbers of the last several years for May.

Karl Peters from Nashville, on his private boat the Aleta Negra, told me how he lost two huge marlin on consecutive days. They both hit a lure set on the first wake off the starboard corner. One snapped the 130-pound line from too tight of a drag setting; and the other wrapped the line on the rod tip.

Inshore action is picking up, but the only roosters reported this week was from 40 miles down South at Papanoa. There is a huge area of 84º water down there, and moving up to us. The fishing should have a big turn around next week.

Ed Kunze

Water temperature 78 - 84
Air temperature 73 - 84
Humidity 83%
Wind N 4 mph
Conditions: Thunderstorms
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 7:12 a.m. CDT
Sunset 8:12 p.m. CDT

They’re Biting at East Cape

REPORT #1010. “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 05/13/06
East Cape
Here we are at mid-May and we’ve already seen some of the best action in several years. There are plenty of large schools of bait, predominately flatiron herring and striped mullet, which can be found up and down the coast making inshore fishing from pangas exciting.

Having a tank full of mullet allows the guides to tease up some great roosters and jacks. Phil Barker of California and Randy Gibbs of Martha's Vineyards, Mass., recently connected with nice roosters which were teased to within fly range from pangas out of Hotel Buena Vista. Phil and Randy both had multiple hook-ups on teased roosters. Needless to say, the guides are in their element. There's nothing in the world of guiding that's more fun for them than teasing roosters! The bait has spread out instead of the tight schools we were finding several weeks ago, allowing beach anglers to encounter good numbers of cruisers in all the usual spots. Try large brown flies like our Chivo Lisa http://www.bajafly.com/chivo_lisa.htm to imitate the striped mullet and deep bodied, olive and white flies for the sardina (flatiron herring) like our See-Through Deceiver http://www.bajafly.com/see_through_deceiver.htm .

The physical task of modern beach fishing without an ATV can be daunting. If you can't run and cast like a champ, you are out of the game. Our guides are teasing up some ladies for the clients, but the shots at jacks and rooster were not numerous and it is tough to cash in on the chances. Beach fishing without the ATVs is some of the toughest there is. Not only do you have to be a great fly-caster, you have to have plenty of stamina and be in good shape as well.

Offshore action remains consistent for marlin. Fish became a little more cooperative in the spread over the last two weeks, but the bulk of the take is coming from the boats lucky enough to get live mackerel. Without the “liveys,” the guides have been reduced to pitching hookless, dead ballyhoo to feeders and sleepers with mixed results. Often, the fish will turn and follow, but not light up enough to provide the type of aggression needed to feed them flies. It's sure fun trying though and, "It only takes one!" Dorado, and tuna flags are also flying on the luckier boats, but not in the kinds of numbers that make them an easy target for fly anglers.


Water temperature 68-79
Air temperature 62-91
Humidity 58%
Wind: NNW 7 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:38 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:52 p.m. MST





Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
Still cool and windy conditions as local weather has been slow to catch up with the rest of Baja. Offshore, there have been a few dorado and tuna sightings in the neighborhood of the shark buoys west of the entrada. At the entrada fair action can be found chasing the bird schools. Small yellowtail, bonito and even a few sierra. Up in the esteros, corvina, spotted bay bass and a few grouper seemed to be all that could be found. Another option this week was small halibut in shallow water near almost all the sandy beaches. Water temperatures are slowly creeping up and summer conditions should be soon coming.



Water temperature 60 - 67
Air temperature 59-78
Humidity 94%
Wind: WNW 15 mph
Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 6:43 a.m. MDT
Sunset 8:02 p.m. MDT


Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The water has turned on us again, with the blue water being pushed out to 20 miles. The fleet is averaging about one or two sailfish a day per boat. Santiago, on the panga “Gitana,” fished with John Wilkinson of Indiana yesterday (Friday), releasing a sail and keeping two yellowfin tuna in the 30 pound class. The tuna were at 38 miles on a 230º heading.

Santiago also fished two days with Harry Schuler of California, releasing three sailfish and losing a nice blue marlin.

Adolpho, on the panga “Dos Hermanos,” reported by cell phone this morning he was fishing inshore in green dirty water. The inshore action has been very slow.

Ed Kunze

Water temperature 78 - 84
Air temperature 73 - 86
Humidity 88%
Wind Calm
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 7:14 a.m. CDT
Sunset 8:10 p.m. CDT

Cinco de Mayo Ushers in the Season

REPORT #1009. “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 05/06/06
East Cape
East Cape fishing conditions have been great over the last week. Warm water and ample supplies of bait have lead to good action both inshore and offshore. Early in the week, the offshore bite turned on big time with marlin, sailfish, and dorado on the feed in the vicinity of Ocho-Ocho (88). Gordon P. Henriksen made the trip across the planet from Denmark to sample the East Cape fishery. He and his buddy/camera man, Morten Svendsen, had plenty of action inshore with good catches of black skipjack and pargo. They moved offshore the next day and found wide open action on pelagic species including marlin, sails and huge skipjack. The fish had schools of squid balled up tight on the surface where they fed at will on the helpless cephalopods.

Inshore fishing has been good thanks to large schools of flat iron herring (sardina). Roosterfish, jack crevalle, black skipjack, pargo, and the occasional sierra have been on the prowl along the beach making for some outstanding action. Jim Schmitz of Tacoma, Wash. had an amazing day, hooking three large roosterfish from a dead stopped panga as the predators exploded in a feeding frenzy around the boat. It was Classic East Cape action!

Yesterday, JD and I went to the lighthouse for snorkeling and some casual fly-fishing. Got to cast to a few good fish. Turned a couple but no eats. Fun stuff. Great way to spend Cinco de Mayo. As we were leaving, a mega school of jacks appeared off the beach. Hundreds and hundreds packed in a tight ball.

By Lance Peterson and Josh Dickenson
Baja on the Fly Guides

Water temperature 68-79
Air temperature 62-89
Humidity 58%
Wind: WNW 2 mph
Conditions: Cloudy
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:42 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:48 p.m. MST





Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Cooler than normal conditions persisted again this week with a west wind that won't quit. Estero [estuary] action seemed to be confined to corvina and pompano along with an occasional grouper. Out at the entrada [entrance] action was fair under the bird schools for sierra, bonito and a few firecracker yellowtail. Offshore there was little to report with the continued rough sea conditions. Under the bridge at the entrance to San Carlos also produced a few corvina and even a pargo or two.



Water temperature 60 - 67
Air temperature 59-78
Humidity 94%
Wind: W 17 mph
Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 6:52 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:55 p.m. MST
Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The water has changed again this last week. Looking at the current Terrafin satellite photos, both the inshore and offshore waters have cooled down as much as four or five degrees this week.

This has slowed the fishing also. We are currently in the second day of our annual sailfish tournament, with about 120 boats fishing. They are averaging about one sailfish per day, per boat.

Talking this morning (Saturday) with Adolpho on the panga “Dos Hermanos,” the inshore action is seeing some sierras and a few jack crevalle, but no roosters.

Ed Kunze

Water temperature 78 - 84
Air temperature 72 - 86
Humidity 83%
Wind Calm
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 7:17 a.m. CST
Sunset 8:08 p.m. CST