MEXICO SPORTFISHING ACTION SLOWS DOWN FOR AUGUST AT EAST CAPE

Aug. 12-18, 2005, Chris Moyers, East Cape Smoke House, East Cape, Baja California Sur, Mexico Fishing:

Fleets including Hotel Palmas de Cortez, Hotel Playa del Sol, Rancho Leonero, Hotel Buena Vista, and Hotel Rancho Buena Vista. Charters 375. Anglers 1,086. Total Fish 912. Fish/Charter 2.43. Fish/Angler .84. Catch including released fish: Blue Marlin 55. Striped Marlin 110. Sailfish 162. Dorado 62. Yellowfin Tuna 509. Pargo/Snapper 3. Wahoo 5. Roosterfish 6. Water Temperature 82-90. Air Temperature 100-76. Seas calm in the a.m. with mild seas developing in the p.m.

Things are slowing down a bit in southern Baja and East Cape, as is customary in August. The fishing is generally pretty good, but there simply aren't that many hooks in the water over the second half of August. The all-important fish per numbers indicate that the fishing did indeed slow down just a bit.

The billfish bite is slightly down in comparison to the the previous week.

Likewise for the Yellowfin bite although anglers are landing some pretty nice Tuna as of now.

The Dorado bite is just dismal as we saw yet another drop in the overall catch rate from bad to worse. There just aren't too many Dodo swimming the waters of the East Cape, and there hasn't been for quite some time.

We're keeping a close eye on Tropical Depression Eight-E, which is currently located way on down south off the mainland of Mexico. According to predictions, the storm may strengthen to hurricane force in a few days as it moves in a N-NW direction towards the Baja Peninsula.

This past week saw air temps range between 76-100 so it cooled off just a tad. There's been plenty of rain in the areas surrounding Los Barriles and Buena Vista although we haven't seen any first hand. Terrafin informed us of a water temp range of 82-90 this past week with the warmer temps being reached in the vicinity just East of the 88. The moon spent the better part of the waxing its way from first quarter to full.

Bait-wise, we've got mackerel, sardines, and limited ballyhoo, jurelito and caballito, so there's a plethora of food for the fish to feed on about now.

East Cape Smokehouse is proud to announce that we are an official sponsor of the Lynn Rose East Cape Classic, one of the year's biggest tournaments here on the East Cape each year! This year's tourney will be hosted by the Van Wormer Family at Palmas de Cortez October 12-16th. For tourney info, please contact Lynn Rose Tours at 800-525-9527 or e-mail info@lynnrosetours.com.

The official flagship of the East Cape Smoke House, the "Senorita Bonita" is now available for your chartering pleasure. For chartering info, just drop me a line at bajasmokedogg@msn.com. This past week the clients aboard the "Senorita Bonita" enjoyed a fish per charter ratio of 4.42 and a fish per angler ratio of 1.48.

This past week, Sailfish led the way with anglers reporting decent action to the north off Punta Pescadero, as well as off Los Relices. Anglers also reported action to the south off Punta Colorada, Cabo Pulmo, and Los Frailes.

Striped Marlin also made a decent showing this past week with anglers reporting success to the north off Punta Pescadero out towards the shark buoy stops, and Los Relices. Anglers also reported hookups straight off Los Barriles, and to the south off Rancho Leonero, Punta Colorada, Punta Arena, Las Barracas, Las Tachuelas, Cabo Pulmo, and Los Frailes.

Blue Marlin brought up the rear with anglers reporting action to the north off Punta Pescadero, and Los Relices, straight off Los Barriles, as well as to the south off Rancho Leonero, Los Cerritos, Cabo Pulmo, Los Frailes, and El Faro. Everything from mackerel, ballyhoo, jurelito, caballito, and various lures did the trick.

The Yellowfin Tuna bite carried the week once again. Overall, we haven't seen the poundage that we would have liked but the numbers are certainly there. Anglers are reporting success in finding the porpoise to the north off Punta Pescadero, straight off Los Barriles, as well as to the south off Buena Vista, La Ribera, Las Tachuelas, Cabo Pulmo, Los Frailes, El Faro, and all the way down off Punta Gordo.

Rounding out the report were several Wahoo reportedly landed to the north off Punta Pescadero, and Los Relices, as well as to the south off Cabo Pulmo , and Destiladeras. Marauders, Rapalas, and the like did the trick there.

Also landed were several Roosterfish, inshore at La Ribera on sardines, and 3 Pargo, inshore at Rancho Leonero on sardines as well.