WARM WEATHER AND SUMMER FISHING WATER TEMPERATURES AT EAST CAPE

July 9, 2006, John Ireland, Rancho Leonero, East Cape, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

The water temperature in the East Cape sportfishing area is very warm, 86-90 degrees, throughout the bay, with clear, flat, blue water. We have great fishing conditions.

East Cape fishing weather was typical for early summer, with warm highs in the mid 90's, morning lows in the mid 70's, calm mornings and some afternoon southeast breezes.

The hot bite of the last several weeks has tapered off a bit, but there are still lots of fish being taken with happy anglers at the dock. The strong marlin bite continues unabated, while yellowfin tuna have mostly moved outside, along with the occasional bull dorado. The kayak angler crowd is doing well inside, taking roosterfish, pargo, pompano and some small dorado.

Striped marlin are close in, biting aggressively, 2-3 miles off East Cape beaches from Rancho Leonero south to Los Frailes. Striped marlin are taking mostly lures and mackerel. Blue-white and green-white lures are producing best. Rancho Leonero sportfishing boats are averaging 2-3 marlin per day.

Yellowfin tuna are on an erratic bite, with some boats limiting out, while others in the same area are getting skunked. Yellowfin tuna are concentrated under porpoise, about 25-45 miles off Cabo Pulmo, averaging 20 pounds, the largest at 60 pounds. The tuna are taking sardinas and hoochies. Smaller fish are at the tuna hole off Cabo Pulmo.

East Cape had an off week for dorado, with the occasional bull to 50 pounds caught outside mixed in with the tuna, taking mostly live sardinas.

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

Inshore, we had a strong bite, with fewer roosterfish, but lots of jacks, pompano, pargo and some dorado biting off all East Cape beaches from La Ribera to Las Barracas, taking live sardinas and mullet.

(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.