ENSENADA, MEXICO: Ivan Villarino of Vonny's Fleet said very few anglers were in the Ensenada fishing area during the week. "The week was slow," Villarino said. "No anglers came down to Ensenada. We had light rain on Tuesday." On Saturday, Lester Ellet and Joe Rodriguez of Whittier, Calif., fished the tip of Punta Banda on the charter panga Vonny I with Capt. Beto for limits of red rockcod. Other boats had good action for mixed rockcods, lingcod, and sheephead. Ensenada fishing area weather over the weekend was cold in the mornings, calm and sunny, with ocean swells of 2 to 3 feet and the water temperature at Punta Banda averaging 57 degrees.

SAN QUINTIN, MEXICO: Pete Hillis of Pedro's Pangas at San Quintin reported continued exceptionally light tourist traffic in northern Baja during the week, possibly due to recent reports of highway crime. "I crossed the border on Tuesday and noticed a lot more police action on the roads with 2 additional police checkpoints in Tijuana," Hillis said. "Most cars with American plates were passed straight through and I assume this is in response to the recent news reports of crime along that section." Pedro's Pangas again had no sportfishing boats go out during the week. Hillis said, "We have no counts on white seabass or yellowtail. Capt. Hector and I will be going out Monday scouting on our own so I hope I have more to report next week."

SAN QUINTIN, MEXICO: Hillis also noted that his winter special fishing package at $220 per person, including 2 days of fishing, 2 dinners, 2 lunches, and 2 nights of lodging, was for 3 anglers fishing on pangas or 4 anglers on larger boats, rather than for 2 angler as previously reported in Western Outdoor News. Information: 888-568-BAJA.

MAGDALENA BAY, MEXICO: Chico Hernandez of Lopez Sportsman's Lodge at Puerto Lopez Mateos reported on 2 local commercial fishing trips to the Boca de Santo Domingo area, fishing mangrove channels with live shrimp baits aboard the charter panga Sonia Ann for a combined catch of: 15 corvina of 2 to 3 kilos, 7 pargo rojo of 2 kilos, 3 snook of 2 to 11 kilos, 4 paletas of 1 kilo, 20 parguito calandrios, and 5 other pargo of 1.5 to 3 kilos. Hernandez said he fished during low tide periods. "Navigating with the boat is better when the tide is high," he said. Canada geese were present at Magdalena Bay for their winter migration.

MAGDALENA BAY, MEXICO: Gary Graham of Baja On The Fly reported rough seas and few boats fishing on the Pacific Ocean off Magdalena Bay but good action found in the mangrove channels. "There are still a few fish traveling down the Baja coast but miserable conditions prevented all but the most dedicated from trying to find them," Graham said. "But Magdalena Bay estero action remained hot. There was plenty of pargo, corvina, and a better than average snook snap this week." Baja On The Fly guide Lance Petersen reported spotty results after fishing offshore for over 600 miles in December. "I felt we were really fishing well but the mighty Pacific was a tough egg to crack," Petersen said. "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 we really took our medicine this time!" Magdalena Bay fishing area water was overcast in the high-60s, with 13 to 17-knot winds and the water temperature at 67 to 71 degrees.

CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO: Tracy Ehrenberg of Pisces Fleet reported few vacationing anglers at Cabo San Lucas during the 2-week period before the Christmas holiday, but steady marlin action continuing for boats running north to the Pacific banks. Pisces Fleet boats released 207 striped marlin during the week, plus 1 marlin kept, with top outings including a trip to the Finger Bank about 50 miles north of Cabo for 21 striper releases aboard the charter boat Tracy Ann with anglers Tony Vancooten, Stuart Whitam, and Phil Keoch, all from the U.K. Dorado and yellowfin tuna fishing was slow, with just 2 dorado and 1 tuna landed during the week. Inshore roosterfish action produced 19 gallos for angler Dave Smith of Seattle, Wash., aboard the charter panga Sirrius. Cabo San Lucas fishing area weather was good except for rain on Monday, with the water temperature averaging 74 degrees.

CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO: Tommy Garcia of Cabo Magic Sportfishing reported on 60 boats, with a catch including released fish of: 152 striped marlin, 95 yellowfin tuna, 25 dorado, more than 20 yellowtail, 2 mako shark, and many huachinango, pargo, sierra, and amberjack.

CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO: Mike Connolly of the Pisces Fleet charter boat Falcon reported on 2 runs up the Pacific side to the Golden Gate Bank for a total of 9 striped marlin released on 16 hookups. "We leadered 7 marlin for 1 angler that had never been on the ocean before," Connolly said. "All the fish were on mackerel bait cast to feeders. It was very steady on bird schools and groups of feeders all day with good scores spread throughout the fleet. Marlin action remains fabulous and steady at the Finger Bank but reports indicate it is becoming a bit more difficult to hook them, probably the result of so many of the marlin there having been hooked before. Fluorocarbon should help. That said, a slow day on the Finger Bank will still get you 20 fish."

CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO: In a weather shortened week, Jim Dillon of Salvador's Sportfishing reported on 5 outings by the Cabo San Lucas charter boats El Budster, El Budster I, and El Budster II, with a catch including released fish of: 8 striped marlin. Dillon noted that boats were not allowed to go out fishing on Monday morning due to a spell of hard rain at Cabo San Lucas.

CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO: Larry Edwards of Cortez Yacht Charters reported on 49 outings by Gaviota Fleet and the Cabo charter boats Fish Cabo and Fish Cabo I, with a catch including released fish of: 106 striped marlin with 98 releases, 6 dorado, 4 roosterfish, and 25 yellowfin tuna. "The Cabo San Lucas billfish bonanza just keeps on going and going," Edwards said. "One can only wonder if it will ever again slow down. We saw a decline in water temperature at the Golden Gate Bank but it had no effect on the fish bite at all." Cabo San Lucas fishing area water temperatures were at 73 degrees on the Pacific-side Golden Gate Bank and 75 to 76 degrees at the Gordo Banks on the Sea of Cortez side. Most boats fished the Golden Gate Bank, but marlin action remained wide-open at the Finger Bank about 50 miles north of Cabo San Lucas. Billfish were also being seen in greater concentration around nearby Cabo Falso. Most marlin were hooked on plentiful live bait dropped back on fish raised to the spread, but mackerel colored artificials also worked well.

CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO: For the week ending Dec. 9, 2007, George Landrum of Fly Hooker Sportfishing reported continued wide-open striped marlin action on the Pacific Banks as water temperatures cooled to about 76 degrees. "I fished it on Thursday and released 4 fish out of 7 raised," Landrum said. "Quite a few boats were in combat mode, running and gunning for feeding marlin when they forced the bait balls to the surface. Without a Kevlar armored hull I was not interested. The Finger Bank was a double-digit fishery with everyone making the run and having enough bait being able to hook into as many fish as they could handle."

SAN JOSE DEL CABO, MEXICO: Eric Brictson of Gordo Banks Pangas reported on 48 combined La Playita fleet pangas fishing off San Jose del Cabo, with a catch including released fish of: 395 yellowfin tuna of 10 to 20 pounds, 18 dorado, 2 wahoo, 3 striped marlin, 18 sierra, 24 bonito, 15 cabrilla, 7 amberjack, 46 triggerfish, and 58 various snapper species. Local sportfishing pangas had a couple of slow days early in the week as San Jose del Cabo waters settled after a period of north wind, green water, and surface water temperatures of 71 to 74 degrees. "The wind created choppy conditions and stirred up the water," Brictson said. "Water clarity is now reportedly improving north of Punta Gorda. By midweek a new yellowfin tuna bite developed within 1 to 2 miles from the beaches straight out in front of San Jose del Cabo, La Playita, and Puerto Los Cabos. Pangas and cruisers alike were catching limits and more of tuna." San Jose del Cabo fishing water temperatures were at 71 to 74 degrees, with variable color.

SANTA ROSALIA, MEXICO: Jim Anderson of San Bruno reported Santa Rosalia fishing area weather with howling wind over 25 m.p.h., water temperatures at 59 to 63 degrees, and yellowtail action spotty on the Isla San Marcos bajos. Two runs north with Ed Hogan of San Bruno produced some cabrilla and bottom fish but no yellowtail. "But we did manage to see a lot of new territory," Anderson said. A run to the Isla San Marcos bajos on Wednesday found spotty action. "We managed to find fish deeper as well as on the surface but it was a slow bite all day long," Anderson said. Inshore fishing remained strong for bass, cabrilla, and a "white meated bonito" species. "On light tackle these are really scrappy fish and provide some very tasty fillets," Anderson said.

SAN CARLOS, MEXICO: Sportfishing articles, maps, and fishing report archives for San Carlos.

MAZATLAN, MEXICO: Larry Edwards of Cortez Yacht Charters reported on 29 Aries Fleet offshore charter boats fishing out of Mazatlan's Marina El Cid, with a catch including released fish of: 10 striped marlin, 16 sailfish, 34 dorado to 45 pounds, and 55 yellowfin tuna to 90 pounds. One inshore super panga had a catch of: 14 sierra of 4 to 8 pounds. Mazatlan fishing area weather was sunny in the low-80s, with inshore water temperatures at 68 to 69 degrees rising to 77 to 78 degrees about 15 miles out. Offshore Aries Fleet boats fished 24 to 30 miles southwest of Mazatlan with feathers for tuna and slow-trolled mullet for billfish.

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO: Danny Quinonez of PV Marlin Sportfishing reported on 4 late November and early December outings by the charter boat Lorena, with a catch including released fish of: 2 yellowfin tuna of 80 to 90 pounds, 1 tuna lost after 45 minutes, 1 other tuna, 1 blue marlin of about 300 pounds, 4 sailfish, and 21 dorado. Anglers fishing out of Puerto Vallarta aboard the Lorena included Liel Hudson, Steve Bever, Morris Hollings, Ken Olsen, and Jack Fritz. "Things have started to slow down a bit now but there are still tuna out there and there are plenty of skipjack for bait," Quinonez said. "As the water gets a little cooler, we will be targeting some of the big pargo out at Roca Corbeteña." Quinonez also noted that PV Marlin Sportfishing is an official IGFA weigh station for Puerto Vallarta. "If you think you have a record or want to get into the 300-pound tuna club, we can make it official," he said. "We also have tag sticks and tags for sale in our office in the marina. We will sell them at our cost to any boat captain that wants to start tagging fish."

IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO: Ed Kunze, reporting for Baja On The Fly, said sailfish action picked up for Ixtapa sportfishing boats last week as 6 outings by the charter boats Gaby and Isamar and 1 fly tackle trip with Capt. Cali guided by Kunze produced a catch including released fish of: 2 striped marlin, 15 sailfish, 7 dorado, and 13 sailfish teased but none hooked during the fly fishing trip. "We have been having an exceptional week with no slowdown in sight," Kunze said. "We are going into our annual mass migration of sailfish and we should be able to expect this action to continue through February." Inshore fishing produced larger sierra to 15 pounds. Ixtapa fishing area blue water was 2 miles off shore.

IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO: Keith Paul of St. Paul, Minn., reported on 3 days of fishing with Capt. Luis Maciel of the Zihuatanejo charter panga Gringo Loco, for a catch including released fish of: 2 "mackerel tuna," 2 barrilete, 7 dorado to 40 pounds, 2 sailfish, and 1 blue marlin of about 180 pounds. "All the bills were caught in the morning within an hour-and-a-half of each other," Paul said. "The first sail bit at 7:55 a.m." One sailfish and the blue marlin could not be released, Paul said, and the catches included a first-ever sailfish for him and a first-ever blue marlin for Jeff Rooney.

IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO: Paul Phillips of the Fintastic Total Tag & Release Tournament reported the results of Flip Himmelreich's family Over the Hill Gang Tournament, with 7 boats fishing 2 days and a catch including released fish of: 1 blue marlin, 15 dorado, and 33 sailfish. On the day before the tournament, team "Team Shut Up & Fish" scored a practice fishing catch of 9 sailfish and 1 striped marlin on the charter boat Gitana II with Capt. Adan.

IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO: Larry Edwards of Cortez Yacht Charters reported steady improvements in Ixtapa fish counts during the week as catches included a 350-pound blue marlin and 4 roosterfish to 55 pounds landed by Capts. Adolofo and Cheva. Two inshore outings at La Saladitas by Capt. Adolofo produced release action for 90 sierra and 25 jack crevalle on lures. Ixtapa fishing area weather was mostly calm in the high-80s, with sunny skies, blue water inside 7 miles, and water temperatures at 83 degrees inshore to 87 degrees offshore.

HUATULCO, MEXICO: Sportfishing articles, maps, and fishing report archives for Huatulco.