BAIT SELLING OUT QUICKLY AT THE MARINA

May 28, 2004, Pam Bolles, Baja Big Fish Company, Loreto, Mexico Fishing:

The Loreto bait guys are selling out of the large baits quickly, due to more boats out fishing.

In fact they're selling out too quickly. You'll need to be at one of the FOUR bait pangas no later than 5:00 a.m., or that's it folks. Then they'll try and sell you smaller caballitos for a buck a pop. Don't do it. They're useless (well, practically). If you want to sleep in, just be ready to catch your own bait. Its not that difficult. Go to Isla Coronado's southeast (right) side and look for the lighthouse. Go about a mile east of that, but also just look for other pangas. If they're getting bait, so will you, especially if you have one of our locally tied bait rigs. Loreto locals swear by them and for three bucks... Mackerel/Bigeye: $20.00 U.S. (for fifteen baitfish) Sardinas: $15.00 U.S. (freshly netted to fill bait tank) Website of the Loreto Bait Union: Carnaderos y Pescadores de Loreto, SCL.

To the east of Loreto's Isla Catalan and extending south and all the way to the east side of Isla Cerralvos (just south of La Paz) is the warm water (82-85 F) that's hovering just to the north of that 88 spot. We need about 86 F for optimum Dorado conditions. The warm water is at the center of the Sea of Cortez which is typical. It extends through the center of the sea following the channel created by the San Andreas fault and continues north past Mulege. The Islands around Loreto are blocking the passage of the warm water here, but those islands are what make our fishery so unique.

The north winds and Loreto’s surrounding Islands have held back the warm water influx, but just for the time being. All the Loreto conditions are in place and now we're just waiting for the warm water to bring the fish. Sargasso drifting along temperature breaks, scum lines marking current and temperature differences...all indicitive of the summer are present now. This should be a better year for Dorado than last year was. Soon, we'll be seeing more Loreto Dorado caught and their numbers will rise from there.

(See "Mexico Fishing News" online for current fishing reports, photos, weather, and water temperatures from Loreto and other major Mexican sportfishing areas. Vacation travel articles, fishing maps and seasonal calendars, and fishing related information for Loreto may be found at Mexfish.com's main Loreto page.