Sierra Rule!

Endless Season Update 12/10/2007
REPORT #1092 "Below the Border" Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996

East Cape

East Cape weather turned cold this week effectively shutting down most of the action. For the hard core there still was a decent tuna bite in spite of the north winds which are a factor this time of year.

Inshore the sierra offered the best action with a few small jacks and roosters mixed in.

Sierra Tip #2: When the sierra are crashing bait on the surface, use a surface lure or popper (Rebel “Jumpin' minnow) with the hooks removed. Attach the lure with a light piece of 4lb. to 6lb. leader. Cast into the melee and when the fish strike the line, it will eventually break. Now you have a free floating teaser that will drive the Sierra crazy! Just cast your fly or lure in the proximity of the free floating lure and you should have no problem getting hooked up. When the bite is over, recover your floating teaser to use the next time.Tip Archives

Water temperature 74-74
Air temperature 60-69
Humidity 95 %
Wind: WNW 8 to 11 knots
Conditions: Mostly Cloudy
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 6:50 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:32 p.m. MST


Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Cold and windy! Even Baja had to contend with its own version of the Polar Express this week. Still a few fish traveling down the coast, but miserable conditions prevented all but the most dedicated from trying to find them.

Estero action remained hot regardless of the cool temperatures. Plenty of pargo, corvina and better than average snook snap this week.

The following reports demonstrate the importance of the old adage (“being in the right place at the right time”)

Rich Johnson on his “Marie B”: We left on November 15, fueled at Turtle, stopped at Santa Maria to make bait, and then went down to Tosca. From there we went to the Potato Bank, saw black porpoise but tuna were not at home. We then plowed our way back to Belcher’s and spent the night. So far only a few marlin and surprisingly few, if any, dorado. No other boats---so we thought we were a day late and dollar short. Heading out the Entrada, my grandson saw a ‘tailer’ about 3 miles outside. Then it was as many as we could catch, nonstop in the green colder water! We stayed until the day after Thanksgiving and then went to Cabo to drop off my son and grandson.

Maurice Smith came down to help Mark Henwood on the “Marie B” for the uphill return to San Diego. Made some bait and caught a few on the Golden Gate. Ran all night back in flat calm weather at sunrise the next morning. The water was grease, and the most lazy 'tailers’ we had ever seen--away from the birds and bait---were still in close in that cold, green water. It was a nonstop bite for 5 hours! We finally arrived in the San Diego early in the morning December 4 before the nasty weather came storming down the west coast.

Our Guide Lance Peterson headed up to Magdalena Bay in early December along with some friends for a “Busman’s Holiday”. He says: “Our 2007 Mag trip began with high hopes but we just never hit the mother lode. We logged over 600 hard miles in not so great conditions. I felt we were really fishing well but the mighty Pacific was a tough egg to crack. We were always a day late, a day early, or just not able to reach the action in a panga. We did catch a few marlin and had some cool fly shots. But damn...we really took our medicine this time! Such is life on a big ocean in a small boat.
On the way back to Lopez we found 70 degree water at the San Carlos Entrada. The sea was finally calm and the sun was out. We just knew it was going to go off out there...but our time had run out and we reluctantly headed back into the bay and up to Lopez. Of course...the marlin went nuts that day where we had fished hard for 9 days. We missed it!!! We did have a blast on the Magdalena Island although it was Alaska-like conditions. It rained buckets at times with strong wind and huge swell. I fished in full north west style rain gear.”

Water temperature 67 - 71
Air temperature 60 -67
Humidity 87%
Wind: W 13 to 17 knots
Conditions: Overcast
Visibility 4 miles
Sunrise 7:01 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:38 p.m. MST

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico

The blue water is fluctuating between 5 and 10 miles, but with the moon phase kicking into high gear, the fishing is improving daily.

The cooler 78 to 80 degree water is still here, but the sailfish have been getting more active. Since Wednesday the count is averaging about three sailfish per boat per day. Plus the large dorado are showing again.

Santiago, on the panga, Gitana, had a 4 sailfish released day, and then a day with one sail and three nice dorado. He told me the dorado are averaging between 20 and 40 pounds.

Chuck Stratton fished two days with Cheva on the panga, Dos Hermanos II. Chuck had tried to get his dad C.D. to come down and experience the good fishing here, but it did not happen. On the first day Chuck fished inshore, taking numerous black skipjack tuna to an incredible 15 pounds. These hard fighting fish normally average about 3 to 4 pounds here, and really gave him a work out. Plus, they got 4 very large sierra, up to 10 pounds, for ceviche and dinner fillets.

Fishing offshore on the second day, Thursday, they hooked 7 sailfish and kept 2 large dorado between 30 and 40 pounds. More ceviche and dinner fillets. And dorado is one of the best tasting fish in the ocean. Too bad C.D., you missed out on a lot of good action, the experience of fishing with a world class captain....and some great fresh fish dinners.

Ed Kunze
Water temperature 80 - 84
Air temperature 74-95
Humidity 91%
Wind: S at 2mph
Conditions: Partly Sunny
Visibility 6 miles
Sunrise 7:01 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:10 p.m. CST

Sierra Snap

REPORT #1050 “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 02/17/07

East Cape

Beach and inshore action this week was dominated by a better-than-normal sierra bite that went on from gray light until well after sunrise. Our guide reported that between releasing fish and retying flies on, he barely had time to take any photos. If you were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, the small roosters and ladyfish could be found chasing small schools of sardina right to the beach. Offshore there was still consistent billfish and dorado action to the north outside of Punta Pescadero, as well as to the outside of the color break near the Punta Arena.


Water temperature
65-70
Air temperature
58-77
Humidity
62%
Wind:
Calm
Conditions:
Partly Cludy
Visibility
8 miles
Sunrise
6:51 a.m. MST
Sunset
6:15 p.m. MST

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Remarkably, the whale count continues to climb. Enrique Soto, Puerto San Carlos, reported seeing over fifty whales on a three hour trip on Friday. Huge schools of large squid have mysteriously appeared during the week and have been washing up on the sandy beaches. Inside the Esteros, the corvina fishing exploded this week for the few anglers fishing there. There were also a few snook caught at Devil’s Curve.

Offshore, in spite of the windy conditions earlier in the week, local shark fishermen found both marlin and dorado west of the Entrada, 10 – 22 miles.


Water temperature
65 - 72
Air temperature
64 -79
Humidity
41%
Wind:
Light
Conditions:
Partly Cloudy
Visibility
5 miles
Sunrise
7:00 a.m. MST
Sunset
6:22 p.m. MST

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico

This week's trend is still staying true to the improving fishing from last week. The sailfish average is holding at between two and three sails per boat per day, but the blue marlin have showed up to join the party. Early in the week, foretelling what was to come, several huge blues were taken. A couple came in around 750 pounds, and a few more between 450 and 650 pounds. But, on Thursday, six big blues hit the dock, and then yesterday (Friday), another eight. Plus, several more were taken by the private boats based out of Marina Ixtapa.

Keep in mind, more of these marlin are lost than are actually hooked. Almost every boat in the blue water is getting a shot at one. Almost all the blues are being taken on a slow trolled live black skipjack tuna.

The inshore action is kind of unknown at this time, as most captains are telling their clients to try for the marlin.
Ed Kunze
Water temperature
80 - 84
Air temperature
75-89
Humidity
82%
Wind:
SE 15 mph
Conditions:
Mostly Cloudy
Visibility
6 miles
Sunrise
7:12 a.m. CST
Sunset
6:48 p.m. CST

Big Sierra Accompanied by North Wind

REPORT #1042 “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 12/21/06
East Cape

Wind, wind and more wind this week. There is an occasional hole when the dreaded north wind backs off for a day or two, but the winter pattern is definitely in swing. Here is the weather prediction for this morning at Los Barriles. Weather courtesy of Buoy Weather:Friday 12/22 Morning Breezy white capping conditions with moderate choppy seas. Small short period wind waves.Winds: NNW 11 to 14 knotsSeas: NNW 4 feet at 6 sec. Afternoon Light winds with a slight chop. Small long period swell.Winds: NW 9 to 13 knots Seas: S 4 feet at 14 sec.
With the wind cranking up early, sierra continue to be the primary target with a few ladyfish and small roosters if you are lucky. The good news is they are right in front of the hotels, so you don’t have to go far and there some good-sized ones up to 10-pounds reported.

On the calm days, the few boats heading out are finding a few billfish five miles outside of Punta Pescadero and even a dorado once and a while.
We are doing our reports early during the holidays so we can spend more time playing.
All of us at Baja on the Fly wish you a Joyous Holiday Season, Merry Christmas and more grabs in 2007.


Water temperature
70-76
Air temperature
61-77
Humidity
85%
Wind:
NNW at 12-16 knts
Conditions:
Partly Cloudy
Visibility
8 miles
Sunrise
6:56 a.m. MST
Sunset
5:37 p.m. MDT


Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
Over the weekend, dorado and billfish action was red hot in front of the entrada. Unfortunately, the weather went sideways and the few boats traveling through have been hiding in the anchorage waiting for the high seas to subside until today.

The esteros continued to produce good catches of pargo, grouper and plenty of spotted bay bass.

Water temperature
70 - 77
Air temperature
60 -75
Humidity
78%
Wind:
NW 13 kts
Conditions:
Clear
Visibility
5 miles
Sunrise
7:07 a.m. MST
Sunset
5:42 p.m. MST



Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The 82° blue water is still only 4 to 5 miles off the beach, with most of the blue water action happening between 4. 5 to 6 miles. Most boats are each averaging two sailfish a day, with several nice 20- to 30-pound dorado being taken by the fleet also.

Yesterday (Wed.), a huge low pressure area moved in, and the counts were way down. However, things have stabilized, and with the new moon phase, the fishing should be very good this week.

Ludo, making his annual trek from Belgium, to fish eight days straight with Martin on the panga “Isamar,” has taken three sails and two nice dorado in two days of fishing. Today, they are going after roosters.

Adolpho, on the panga “Dos Hermanos,” told me he got eight roosters in one day, and six on another when fishing about 25 miles north in the Saladita area. He also said there were tons of jack crevalle
Ed Kunze
Water temperature
82 - 84
Air temperature
69-84
Humidity
83%
Wind:
Light
Conditions:
Partly Cloudy
Visibility
3 miles
Sunrise
7:11 a.m. CST
Sunset
6:16 p.m. CST