EAST CAPE FISHING FOR TUNA BREAKS WIDE-OPEN FOR HOTEL BOATS

June 24, 2006, John Ireland, Rancho Leonero, East Cape, Baja, Mexico:

On Saturday the fishing broke wide open, with 30-60 pound yellowfin tuna, and 20-50 pound wahoo mixed in, concentrated about 26 miles straight out from Leonero, with all boats limiting out.

East Cape water temperatures continue steady at 83-85 degrees throughout the bay, with clear, flat conditions, and more great fishing weather.

We have typical June weather conditions for the East Cape sportfishing area, with warm highs in the low 90's and morning lows in the mid 70's, calm mornings, and some afternoon breezes from the southeast.

The offshore bite remains close in, spread throughout the bay, all within 2-3 miles of the beaches from Punta Pescadero, south to Los Frailes. There is lots of strong live bait in the water. Marlin, dorado and tuna are all biting well.

Striped marlin are close in, 2-5 miles off the beaches, from Rancho Leonero south to Los Frailes, taking mostly lures. Several blue marlin were also taken in the same area, the largest estimated at 500 pounds. We are averaging more than 1 marlin per boat.

Fewer dorado were caught, as most fishing boats were targeting marlin, but dorado were a bit larger, with fish to 45 pounds, and averaging 15 pounds taking mostly live sardinas and cedar plugs. The dorado are concentrated in 2 areas, north at the buoys off Punta Pescadero and south off Cabo Pulmo. We are averaging about 2 dorado per boat.

Yellowfin tuna continue to be concentrated at the tuna hole off Cabo Pulmo, with fish to 70 pounds, but mostly 10-15 pounds, taking exclusively live sardinas. We are averaging 2 tuna per boat.

The wide open inshore bite continues, with many roosterfish to 60 pounds, and with amberjack and cabrilla mixed in. Lots of big roosterfish are biting off all beaches from La Ribera to Las Barracas, taking live sardinas and mullet.

In the Little One Marlin Tournament led by Ron Dulin of Long Beach, Calif., 10 boats fishing for 4 days released 50 marlin, including 2 blue marlin to 500 pounds.

(See "Mexico Fishing News" online for current fishing reports, photos, weather, and water temperatures from East Cape and other major Mexican sportfishing areas. Vacation travel articles, fishing maps and seasonal calendars, and fishing related information for East Cape may be found at Mexfish.com's main East Cape page.