MORE BLUE MARLIN AND SAILFISH SEEN OFFSHORE
AS WATER TEMPERATURES CREEP UP OFF SOUTH BAJA COAST

July 10, 2004, Gary Graham, Baja On The Fly, East Cape fly fishing, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

Dave Kuykendall of Mill Creek, Wash., along with Linda Patterson finished up their whirlwind trip from the Pacific Northwest. Sorry, no East Cape “bubba” event on their ATV day, but fighting a strong east wind they did manage to catch jacks and a halibut. Dave did have one take from a mid-teen rooster that just didn’t work out. On their last panga day they redeemed themselves nicely with double digit East Cape dorado within spitting distance of Rancho Leonero. The dorado were so close that Rancho Leonero manager Gary Barnes-Webb jumped into a panga and came out to join in the fray. Billfish, tuna, dorado, and a few quality roosters made for another memorable week at East Cape.

AIR & SEA - East Cape water temperature 74-88 Air temperature 78-98. East Cape Conditions: Scattered Clouds Visibility 15 miles.

OFFSHORE: East Cape fishing for Blue marlin and sails began to pick up as summer gets rolling and the water temps continue to creep up. Stripes fell off a bit, while the tuna were back on a roll. It was a fine line between offshore and inshore with dorado only a few miles off the beach.

INSHORE: Sardina seems to have taken up residence between Punta Colorada and the Lighthouse. Roosters, quality jacks, pompano all seem to be in on the secret and the early morning bite at East Cape has been great and consistent.

BEACH: Ladyfish, jacks and roosters dominated East Cape beach action this week. Find the sardina or mullet schools and your rods bound to be bent sooner than later.

BILLFISH – Want a blue on the fly? More shots coming every day if you have the patience. Enough stripes and sails to fill in the gaps.

YELLOWFIN TUNA – We even found a few football-sized Charlies under the shark buoys. Outside Punta Pescadero toward the 88 produced some fatties. The other area is out from the Lighthouse 10+ miles.

DORADO – The larger fish are outside in much smaller schools. Back closer to shore, bigger schools contained more fish, but not quite as large. Esaul Valdez, manager of Buenavista Beach Resort, three caught outside the Lighthouse that weighed between 40 and 50-pounds.

ROOSTERFISH\JACK CREVALLE – Roosters showed in front of the hotel as the boats came in. Discarded chum got them all excited and I did see a couple of near misses on the fly.

BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK – Just a few miles off the beach mixed in with the dorado.

PARGO AND CABRILLA – Punta Colorada point was holding a few smaller ones this week.

SIERRA –Only an incidental catch these days.