MANY SPORTFISHING BOATS GETTING SKUNKED

April 22, 2005, Pam Bolles, Baja Big Fish Company, Loreto, Mexico Fishing Report:

Its been a slow week of fishing for Yellowtail at Loreto. Only a few Loreto sportfishing boats are getting good numbers of them, three fish or more per boat. Most are getting one or two if they're lucky, and many are getting skunked.

On Monday, at Isla Catalana, amberjack were caught by four of Arturo's Sportfishing's boats. They returned to Loreto on Tuesday with similar results. Word got around and more boats went out there on Wednesday, but the results were pretty dismal with most boats getting skunked there and some seeing "no sign of life whatsoever".

Capt. Francisco Munoz fished off La Cholla last Sunday, and brought home one 30-something pound Yellowtail. When we filleted her she was heavy with eggs and about to spawn. He went back to that same spot again on Tuesday but had no takers. On Wednesday he fished light tackle inside Puerto Escondido and besides a dozen or so inshore species, got one small Yellowtail inside the port and hooked into a much larger Yellowtail that broke off.

This year's Loreto surface Yellowtail sportfishing bite has yet to materialize, if it ever does. The water temperatures are unseasonably warm, which is why more action is taking place below the surface this year.

Loreto inshore fishing is really good now if you're happy with quality Cabrilla and Pargo. Roosterfish are being reported right inside Puerto Escondido where on Tuesday 10 were caught right off the dock.

Last weekend, since the Yellowtail fishing left something to be desired, lots of Loreto sportfishing captains bet the farm on getting into Dorado. The last day that it was good enough to write home about was Saturday the 16th where about 35 miles due east from port was a line of blue water and sargasso which held schools of Dorado consisting of at least 300 fish each. Captains who got on this action limited out within minutes. Marlin were also spotted and caught in the same location.

Loreto sportfishing boats with aggressive captains like Captain Andres Cota have been venturing to the area in search of sargasso, blue water and Dorado with little luck this week. Andres has been trying as far as 55 miles off port in hopes of finding them and striking out. The water surface is heating up nicely and the wave action is calming. The Dorado will move in soon. The Dorado that have been caught are gorged full with squid.

Water Surface Temperature Range: 68-75 degrees.

(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.