East Cape Squid … Mag Bay Dorado

REPORT #1038 “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 11/25/06
East Cape

Thanksgiving week came and went with a welcome respite from the north wind. Billfish action remained slow with sails and marlin found up toward Punta Pescadero. The Humboldt squid are back among us near Punta Arena. Some boats are catching the quid to use as chunk bait for both tuna and dorado. Inshore there are plenty of small roosters to five pounds to keep the action moving. Also, plenty of ladyfish strung out along the Las Palmas beaches. If you are lucky, you may stumble into some larger variety of jacks to bend your stick.

Gary was a guest on the Gander Mountain – Great American Outdoor Trails Radio Magazine with Jim Ferguson talking about the magic of Magdalena Bay. Here is the link

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=203232782&s=143441&i=12114142


Water temperature
74-84
Air temperature
63-90
Humidity
87%
Wind:
SSW at 6 mph
Conditions:
Clear
Visibility
2 miles
Sunrise
6:39 a.m. MST
Sunset
5:32 p.m. MDT


Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
After a month of warm temperatures here in Magdalena, things are beginning to cool down. Dorado action that will be talked about for a long time still dominates the offshore action. Pudge Kleinkauf of “Women Flyfishing” and her band of women had WFO action during their trip; and on their last day of fishing this week had a dorado stop that lasted from morning until mid-afternoon and only stopped because the group said “uncle.” Marlin and dorado were still swimming around the boat when we pointed the “Mar Gato” toward the boca! The group also had great estero action with lots of grouper to feed their flies to. They have already begun making their plans for next year’s visit.


Water temperature
75 - 83
Air temperature
60-77
Humidity
66%
Wind:
WNW 9 mph
Conditions:
Fog
Visibility
6 miles
Sunrise
6:50 a.m. MST
Sunset
5:36 p.m. MST



Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico

The 80° blue water is at the Solitary Rock, only 1/2 mile in front of Zihuatanejo Bay. Averaging 1or 2 sailfish a day per boat, we are having fairly decent action, because a few 15 to 25 pound dorado also making a showing.

The majority of the yellowfin tuna are still beyond the 1,000 fathom line at the 30 mile mark, but some football sized tuna (10 pounds) did show up for a couple of days only a mile off the beach in front of Ixtapa.

The inshore action is excellent. With Orlando on the panga Tequila, fly shop owner and guide, Scott Cook and his dad Glen, of Bend Oregon, fished two days inshore. Each day they accounted for several small jack crevalle, sierras, black skipjacks, grouper, and cabrilla. Glen also took a 40 pound rooster on live bait.

Yesterday (Saturday), they made the run down with me to Puerto Vicente Gro., to target roosters on the fly. Scott got his 30 pounder only about 10 minutes after we started fishing. When Orlando grabbed the leader at the boat, the rooster broke off, leaving us with only in the water photos.
Ed Kunze
Water temperature
74 - 82
Air temperature
72-84
Humidity
88%
Wind:
Light
Conditions:
Partly Cloudy
Visibility
6 miles
Sunrise
6:56 a.m. MST
Sunset
6:08 p.m. MST

We Give Thanks for Magdalena Bay!

REPORT #1037 “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 11/18/06
 

East Cape

North wind remained consistent this week. Despite the gusts, our guide, Lance Peterson, found good November action for roosters in off-color water. One client landed eight nice firecracker roosterfish in the 5-pound class and lots of smaller ones. Also, he tangled with a few jacks and more ladyfish than he could count. Live bait teasing was very effective as the roosters charged after the bait almost to the transom. There are still a few billfish being found early in the day north of Los Barriles about five miles off of Pescadero. There were both sails and striped marlin. If you were willing to make the long run south, there were plenty of YFT and a few dorado to make the trip worthwhile.

Water temperature 74-84
Air temperature 65-87
Humidity 89%
Wind: N at 7 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 2 miles
Sunrise 6:34 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:33 p.m. MDT


Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Herds of dorado cruising under the boats and not a small fish in the bunch! Marlin gang-banging the teasers until the artificials are removed, and then pouncing on the flies that replaced them as though they were a Thanksgiving turkey. Welcome to Magdalena Bay in November. Guides and clients alike climb off the boats like zombies shaking their heads and mumbling, “I don’t believe it.” Action has been from below the Thetis to the Double 100s for the marlin and almost anywhere for the dorado.

In the esteros (estuaries), the action has been good as well for grouper and sierra. Our guest, Alan Hyman, managed to connect with a dandy16-pound snook on his last half-day of fishing. All-in-all it has been a crowd pleasing kind of week.


Water temperature 74 - 82
Air temperature 68-80
Humidity 88%
Wind: NW 8 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 6 miles
Sunrise 6:44 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:48 p.m. MST




Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The 82° blue water has been fluctuating with the current all week. Today (Friday) the blue water was at 8 miles, but has been as close as 1 mile and out to 10 miles off the point at Zihuatanejo Bay. Most boats are raising 4 or 5 sailfish a day, and hooking 2 or 3.

Russ Kitchener of Indianapolis, fishing with Adan on the panga, Gitana II, had the best day locally, with 4 sailfish releases.

Adan's brother, Santiago, on the Gitana I, had a decent day with Myles Mcfarr. They first released a sailfish on conventional gear for Myle's wife, and then Myles released two sails on the flyrod. The real excitement kicked in when a nice blue marlin was teased in and ate the fly offering. The big blue stayed hooked for about 5 minutes, running out a million miles of backing, and then came unbuttoned.

Margarito, on the Gaby, made the 40 mile run South to Puerto Vicente, Gro., and had a great day with 3 sailfish and a nice 350 pound blue marlin.

Daily, with a 15 to 20 pound average, about 1 out of every three boats are also adding a nice dorado to the count.

Lots of jack crevalle are showing, and tons of black skipjack tuna. Fly casters are actually getting weary of catching 30 to 50 of these hard fighting fish a day.

Roosters are still scattered. The late season rains have the inshore waters a bit discolored, and each boat is only averaging 1 or 2 a day.
Ed Kunze


Water temperature 74 - 82
Air temperature 68-80
Humidity 88%
Wind: NW 8 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 6 miles
Sunrise 6:44 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:48 p.m. MST

Dorado Thick….Magdalena Bay

REPORT #1036 “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 11/11/06
 
East Cape

Early in the week, just a few miles off the beach outside the off color water our client, Dr. Ted Hard, from Santa Rosa, CA, found good dorado action landing a good sized dorado on the fly. While skipjack could be found closer to the hotels, if you wanted tuna action you had to be willing to make the long trip down below Las Frailes and risk a rough ride home if the north wind kicked up. Billfish were still in limited numbers offshore with only a few to be found throughout Las Palmas Bay. Beach action was basically an early bird’s game with a few sierra, ladyfish and even some roosters found chasing small schools of sardina.
Water temperature 74-86
Air temperature 73-92
Humidity 88%
Wind: NNW at 4 kph
Conditions: Cloudy
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:26 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:38 p.m. MDT


Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

I arrived in Lopez Mateos Wednesday and began fishing on Friday.
We found marlin action ten miles straight out from Santa Maria Bay. As we reported previously, dorado were thick and almost a nuisance, ranging from ten to twenty lbs. with an occasional bull twice that size. We raised an even dozen marlin. They were not as aggressive as we would like with only a few getting close enough for a shot. We did land one and Jack Balch from Diablo, CA, had one on the fly that broke the hook. Closer to Lopez Mateos, the tuna action was non-stop inside of ten miles. Alan Hyman and Bruce Q. Vale both landed their first of many yft’s and dorado on the fly. Needless to say, everyone enjoyed the fresh fish dinner Friday night. After flat calm weather all week, the wind has picked up a bit but it is still very fishable.


Water temperature 74 - 84
Air temperature 68-80
Humidity 88%
Wind: NNE 5 kph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 6 miles
Sunrise 6:46 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:44 p.m. MST





Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
Sailfish have still been a bit slow, with an average of only 1 or 2 fish per boat, per day. But, this should change as the 82° blue water is back to the 10 mile mark, and we are getting out of the full moon phase.

The inshore fishing has been very good, for both conventional gear fishermen and fly rodders.

Travis Watkins fished 2 days with Martin on the panga Isamar, catching what could be considered the average for this last week. The full moon had scattered the bait fish, but they still managed 2 roosters, about 30 black skipjack tuna, an equal number of jack crevalle, and 6 sierra.

Ed Kunze
Water temperature 78 - 87
Air temperature 78 - 100
Humidity 89%
Wind ESE 9 kph
Conditions: Cloudy\rain
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:46 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:13 p.m. CST

Time Falls Back…Magdalena Lights Up

REPORT #1035 “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 11/04/06

East Cape

With few on the beach to notice, once again the gill nets begin to appear on East Cape Beaches. Here's a photo of a panga with a pile of gill nets on the beach near the lighthouse at Punta Arena. All the local captains are angered, but as usual, no one is doing anything about it.

Early north winds continued to takes their toll on the beach action. Wind waves pounded the beaches earlier in the week leaving the water the color of chocolate milk. Moving a few miles offshore, the water cleans up and there are a few decent sized dorado to be found. Hookless teasers will get them close enough for a cast or two. Small white hoochies with a hook also will work. When you hook one, bring it close to the boat, throw a few sardina and fling your see-through deceiver at the boils.
Further down the coast beginning outside of Cabo Pulmo, there are enough yellowfin tuna to keep things interesting. Keep an eye on the wind! If it kicks up, it may be a sloppy ride home.
Billfish action has dwindled down to precious few this week with very few catches being reported throughout Palmas Bay
Water temperature 74-86
Air temperature 73-92
Humidity 88%
Wind: NNW at 4 kph
Conditions: Cloudy
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:26 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:38 p.m. MDT


Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Offshore more yachts are arriving daily, like moths to a flame, as the striped marlin action heats up. Action seems to be strung out on a straight line south from the Thetis. It is always amusing to hear the radio chatter as most everyone complains about too many dorado beating the marlin to the teasers - enough to glaze over the eyes of the anglers at East Cape struggling to catch a few dorado. Most of the fleet are anchoring either at Santa Maria Bay or inside the Entrada at Belchers.

The pace in the Esteros has also quickened, providing good action for leopard grouper, pargo, corvina and some mystery bites that are leaving anglers with broken lines and a sheepish grin on their faces.

OK…sounds too good to miss, so early Tuesday morning I will be on the road again heading for another November hiatus at Magdalena Bay. The clients arrive mid week and I will be out there yelling CAST until I am hoarse as multiple marlin chase the teasers to the transom. See ya’ out there!



Water temperature 74 - 84
Air temperature 68-80
Humidity 88%
Wind: NNE 5 kph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 6 miles
Sunrise 6:46 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:44 p.m. MST





Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The offshore fishing is slow. According to the Satellite Surface Temperatures, we have 86° water out beyond the 50 mile mark, but it appears to be too warm to attract the blue water game fish.

Adolpho, on the panga Dos Hermanos, fished the blue water for three days, and only got one 25 pound dorado at 25 miles. I have never heard of him doing this poorly for three days on the water.....ever. At least he is honest.

However, he did tell me the roosters are still very active on the beaches, with 4 to 7 roosters a day being taken by each boat. Plus, they are good sized fish, with an average between 30 and 40 pounds.

Ed Kunze
Water temperature 78 - 87
Air temperature 78 - 100
Humidity 89%
Wind ESE 9 kph
Conditions: Cloudy\rain
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:46 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:13 p.m. CST