PLENTIFUL STRIPED MARLIN OFF PUNTA GORDA ARE NOT ACTIVELY FEEDING

May 23-29, 2004, by Capt. George Landrum, Fly Hooker Sportfishing, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

Our day time highs here in town were in the mid-90s this week and the night time lows got down to the mid-60s. A friend reported that out at his place on the Pacific side the thermometer got down to 56 degrees one night. Out on the water it was at least 10 degrees cooler for most of the week and windy as well. The wind started blowing at around 10 or 11 in the morning and did not stop until just before sunrise. We had partly cloudy skies and no rain was reported.

Cabo San Lucas fishing water conditions: As of the end of the week the water temperatures on the Sea of Cortez were seen as high as 76 degrees while the Pacific remained cooler at 62 to 65 degrees out almost as far as you could go. The cold water extended to the south about 30 miles and wrapped around the Cape as well. At the end of the week there was a fairly distinct temperature break running east/west from Cabo San Lucas, but the off color green water normally associated with the cold side extended up almost to the Red Hill area. The water at the San Jaime and the Golden Gate banks was reported to be blue, but cold, while the water close to the shore on the Pacific was reported as green.

Cabo San Lucas fishing bait supply: Almost all caballitos this week with some mullet available. The normal $2 per bait. Sardinas are available at $20 a bucket.

Cabo San Lucas billfish fishing: This week there was no change in the Cabo San Lucas striped marlin situation. It was still a long run to get to where the fish have been concentrated. The area from 2 miles outside of the Outer Gorda Banks to the area off of Punta Gorda has been holding lots of Striped Marlin but they have been lazy fish and most of them have not been actively feeding. Some fish were showing 30 miles to the south of Cabo San Lucas as well, but they were fewer in number. Lures were getting a lot of attention from the fish, but the hook up ratio was poor. I am sure there were a few blue marlin hooked this week but did not hear of any.

Cabo San Lucas yellowfin tuna fishing: Open water fish, not associated with porpoise, were reported at 30 miles to the south. The largest of these weighed 40 pounds with most of them in the 12-15 pound class. Cedar plugs were working well and so were small feathers in both dark and light colors. The boats that made it out to the San Jaime and the Golden Gate hoping for Tuna were disappointed with the results, but they did find a few fish.

Cabo San Lucas dorado fishing: No change from last week on the Cabo San Lucas dorado front, again, scattered Dorado, with smaller fish being found inshore and the larger ones off shore. The bigger fish have been up the Sea of Cortez, around the Punta Gorda area, and they have been nice fish, mostly in the 30 pound and over range. Marlin lures in bright colors have been the ticket.

Cabo San Lucas wahoo fishing: Fewer Cabo San Lucas Wahoo were reported this week than last week, and again most of them were incidental fish. They ranged in size from 20 to 50 pounds and most were taken on Marlin lures.

Cabo San Lucas inshore fishing: Most of the Cabo San Lucas inshore catch this week was small roosterfish and jack crevalle, but there were not a lot of those found except for the area between El Tulle and Red Hill. There were Skipjack and Bonita found as well as small Dorado, and these fish were off the beach to 3 miles, but the bite was off, probably due to the green water close to home.

Cabo San Lucas fishing notes: You had to go a long way this week to get into any fish unless you were very lucky, so there were not as many flags flying at the end of the day as there have been. At the end of the week it looks as if there is warmer water moving into the area and as it comes in the water close to home should blue up and the fishing should improve.

Fly Hooker, Cabo San Lucas fishing for May 23, 2004:

CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO--This was the second day of Cabo San Lucas fishing for Jason Thompson and his buddies Rory and Bill. Again, we had to fish another boat as the “Fly Hooker” was still down (will be ready by tomorrow). Today we headed to the 95 spot where the surface temperature was 72 degrees and the water was reported as nice and blue. It was! There were about 6 boats working the area and we did see fish, in fact, I almost ran over two Marlin during the trip! We had a couple of strikes that did not hook up and tried to slow troll live bait in the area, but the bait pump had stopped working for a while and the baits were in pretty sad shape. It was almost a the end of the trip, after working the area very hard, that we had a good hit. It was a Wahoo of about 35 pounds and there was fish for dinner once again! Thanks again guys, I am sorry we could not get you hooked up to a Marlin, but perhaps next time.

Fly Hooker, Cabo San Lucas fishing for May 27, 2004:

CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO--Bo Whitehead and friends Ryan and Adam are fishing with us today and tomorrow. Bo is a fly fisherman and wants to get a shot at a Cabo San Lucas Roosterfish on the fly. My fingers are crossed since the wind has been blowing so hard, but they also want a day of regular offshore fishing. We decided this morning that today would be the offshore day in the hope that the wind lays down for tomorrow. Juan and Manuel ran inside up the Sea of Cortez to the Red Hill area then worked out to the Outer Gorda, the 1150 then to the 95 spot. The wind was howling almost the whole time but they did hook up to a Sailfish for a short while, and had a few shots at Marlin, none of which really wanted to eat. Rough water, one guy sick; let’s keep our fingers crossed for tomorrow!

Fly Hooker, Cabo San Lucas fishing for May 28, 2004:

CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO--Today it was just Bo and Adam on the boat, as Ryan was still recovering from yesterday. The wind had not died down this morning, but they still gave the Roosterfish a shot for about 20 minutes. Bo decided that there was no way he was going to be able to cast a fly in the wind so they went ahead and headed off shore. I am not sure they actually got there, but the intention was to go to the San Jaime. I think that the water was rough enough that the idea was cancelled and they just headed south. Anyway, they ended up getting a nice Dorado of about 25 pounds, Adam’s first. Fish for dinner! Bo, when the time is right, it will happen, just keep trying.