EAST CAPE FISHING RESULTS FOR RANCHO LEONERO FLEET

July 1, 2006, John Ireland, Rancho Leonero, East Cape, Baja Sur, Mexico:

East Cape sportfishing area water temperatures are very warm, 87-88 degrees throughout the bay, with clear, flat, blue water and great fishing conditions. We have typical early summer East Cape weather, with warm highs in the mid 90's, morning lows in the mid 70's, calm mornings, and some afternoon southeast breezes.

The warm fishing water has spread the bite throughout the bay, with huge schools of bait holding the billfish within 2 to 3 miles off East Cape beaches, from Punta Pescadero south to Los Frailes. Marlin and tuna are biting well, with some nice dorado mixed in. The wide-open inshore bite continues, with many big roosterfish, with jacks and pompano mixed in.

Striped marlin are close in and they are biting aggressively 2 to 3 miles off the beaches from Rancho Leonero south to Los Frailes. Striped marlin are taking mostly lures and mackerel. We even had a marlin hookup this week at the Rancho Leonero mooring buoys.

Three blue marlin were also released this week, the largest estimated at 500 pounds. We are averaging more than 2 marlin per boat.

Tuna are in a hot bite, with fish concentrated under porpoise about 20 to 25 miles off Cabo Pulmo. Larger yellowfin tuna this week, averaging 20 to 25 pounds, and the largest at 80 pounds, are taking sardinas, hoochies and cedar plugs. We are averaging 5 yellowfin tuna per boat.

Fewer dorado were caught the last few days, but there were some nice fish to 50 pounds in the same area as the tuna, taking mostly live sardinas.

A few wahoo to 50 pounds came in. Wahoo were taken mostly on trolled Rapalas.

The exceptional inshore fishing bite continues, with lots of big roosterfish to 60 pounds, and averaging 20 pounds, biting off all East Cape beaches from La Ribera to Las Barracas. The roosterfish are taking live sardinas and mullet. Kayaker anglers are all smiles as lots of jacks, pompano and roosterfish are keeping rods bent.

(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.