EAST CAPE STRIPED MARLIN BITE MOVES NORTH
10 MILES TO PUNTA PESCADERO AREA

March 19, 2005, John Ireland, Rancho Leonero, East Cape fishing report, Baja California, Mexico:

East Cape had nice spring fishing weather, with cool mornings in the 60's and afternoon highs to the upper 70's, with mostly clear, sunny days and calm mornings with afternoon breezes.

There was one day of wind and overcast at midweek. East Cape's Punta Pescadero water temperatures were stable at 69-72 degrees. There were few sportfishing boat departures this week, as the hotel is filled with spring break families. Marlin fishing is located north, roosterfish are south, and the return of tuna at week's end were this week's East Cape fishing highlights. There was lots of good green mackerel live bait.

The East Cape Striped Marlin bite has moved north, about 10 miles off Punta Pescadero, with fish taking exclusively live mackerel, either slow-trolled or cast on tailing marlin.

East Cape Tuna are under large schools of porpoise north off Isla Cerralvo, with fish of 10-20 pounds taking live bait, cedar plugs and hoochies.

Dorado are conspicuous by their absence from East Cape fishing waters. The are slower again this week, with flylined live bait on light line working best.

Inside fishing at East Cape had roosterfish biting aggressively, with some jacks mixed in, from Punta Colorada south to Las Baracas, taking mostly live mackerel. Commercial hand-liners continue to take pargo on the reefs off La Ribera.