FLY FISHING THE BEACHES HARD FOR SCATTERED ACTION
THIS WEEK AT BAJA'S EAST CAPE AREA

April 30, 2005, Lance Petersen, Baja On The Fly, East Cape, Baja fly fishing, Mexico:

East Cape weather over the last couple of days has been great. The wind and waves subsided for the most part and the inshore fishing water is looking as good as it has for quite some time.

I fished the beach hard yesterday (4/29), starting to the south and working my way back to La Capilla. I walked a few miles of East Cape beach and found few if any game fish and very little bait for the most part, only small scattered schools of mullet and some decent gatherings of ballyhoo. I eventually spotted a pair of small jack crevalle on the prowl near La Salina. While I did not get them to eat, I was stoked to take a couple of casts at cruising fish. Hopefully, the game fish will soon be on beach patrol and the spring season can finally kick in!

Baja On The Fly guide, Josh, and Captain Juan on the panga Mosca have been working the inshore East Cape water with clients Phil Bryna and Al Tiggert, visiting from Anchorage. They have had a few roosters come up to the teasers and put on a good show. While the fish have not been numerous, they were enough fire up these hard fishing Alaskans. Both guys have hit the beach until sundown after their boat trips every day this week. Phil was even rewarded with his first rooster on the fly not far from the hotel. Yes, persistence pays off when it comes to roosterfish. They are already talking about a return trip in June to continue their quest for the elusive pez gallo.

Offshore at East Cape there continues to be striped marlin on the bite. Captain Ramon of the cruiser Tres Hermanos even reported a few sailfish in the spread yesterday along with the marlin. Sounds like a great time to try for billfish on the fly. A few of the Palmas boats could be seen flying tuna flags yesterday. A sign of things to come? The timing is right for the offshore fishing to really take off at East Cape, let's hope it goes wide open!

However, on a sour note, by yesterday afternoon the wind had ramped up once again causing plenty of white caps and wind waves along the East Cape shore. Here's hoping it flattens out this morning.

East Cape water temperature 69-78. Air temperature 62-89. Conditions: Scattered Clouds.