SAILFISH AND DORADO MIXED OFF ISLA CORONADO AND ISLA CARMEN

Oct. 22, 2004, Pam Bolles, Baja Big Fish Company, Loreto, Mexico Fishing:

Since the last report, not very much has changed. We still have dorado and sailfish off Coronado Island and to the north of Punta Lobos (on Carmen Island). These Loreto areas are where we've been fishing because they're relatively close and producing fish for us.

With the exception of yesterday, the Dorado have been in the 10 to 18 pound size range. Loreto fishing area Dorado have been feeding in pretty good numbers. The conventional anglers have been saying that they are shy to eat at their trolled bait but they have all been reporting that there is a lot of natural bait out there so they may just be being picky eaters. I am hearing reports of larger Dorado in the 40 pound size range, but those are few and far between and NOT the norm despite what you may have heard. Our conventional anglers have all been getting the Dorado on trolled live mackerel.

Sailfish have also been taking these trolled live mackerel that have been meant for Dorado. The Sailfish have been just about 100 pounds. A few Striped Marlin in the 60-80 pound range have also been caught. Just like the Sailfish they bit on mackerel that were destined for Dorado.

Fly anglers have been pleased with the dorado fishing. On Wednesday we sent out four fly anglers who described getting into a school of schoolie sized (under 20 pounds) Dorado north of Punta Lobos. They were on the same school for three hours. Perfect 10WT fish and perfect weather and sea surface conditions - Nice!

Anglers Joel & Josh of Puerto Rico and Philadelphia respectively described the Dorado as taking a long time to get to the surface but once they were there the fish were larger than they had been in several days (over 20 pounds). Usually overcast skies causes the Dorado to feed deeper, they prefer the hot sun when at the surface.

We have been managing to get lots of Cabrilla and Pargo out of the rocks and along the reefy shorelines.

We have Roosterfish right off the launch ramp at Nopolo. Last Saturday Captain Francisco Munoz landed a 10 pounder there and lost an estimated 40 pounder.

Even though Francisco found nice Yellowtail over the cinquenta spot last week, I'm not getting these same reports this week. I sent Captain Eulogio Davis Sanchez out on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. His folks were mainly interested in Dorado but tried to pull on some Yellowtail on Tuesday. Against my advice, Eulogio went north almost to Punta Pulpito. His report came back "there isn't anything up north, not Yellowtail, not Dorado, nada". Captain Fidel Alcaide Garcia, who has been fishing the north end of Carmen Island has been knocking the Dorado and Sailfish dead but came up skunked on the Yellowtail.

I noticed three Loreto boats still jigging for bait at 8:30 this morning. They were over where we had been catching squid before. Captain Fidel Alcaide Garcia took his clients to jig for squid before fishing on Wednesday. They dropped lines in several locations but came up empty. We have been having no trouble buying mackerel by the local baitsellers.

I don't know exactly where this fits in, but its worth mentioning: there is a new boss at the PESCA office and she's a lady. I know this because she called me on Wednesday afternoon to tell me I was busted! I sent four anglers out fishing without a license. They were caught at the beach at Isla Coronado where the new jefa and Marine Park personnel were checking for licenses, fish limits and Marine Park passes. I sent the clients out after they had informed me they were going fishing the evening before. PESCA office was closed but that was no excuse as I could have obtained them that morning. She's right. Well my boat wasn't the only one busted as they had done the same to several other boats there. In speaking about the incident to a few captains, the response is "well we just won't bring our clients to the beach after fishing anymore". This response is more in reference to the 20 peso per day Marine Park passes than about the fishing licenses. Another boat that I had sent out that day got checked on the water. They had caught Dorado and had two persons with licenses, and six dorado. The captain who also possesses a current fishing license was made to go to his home and take it to the office to show the new boss. So the lessons are: 1). get a fishing license, and 2). if you want to go to the beach at Isla Coronado after fishing, buy a Marine Park pass as well, and 3). the limit on Dorado is TWO per person (no matter what size the fish happen to be).

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