WARM WATER GAME FISH STILL PRESENT AT NORTHERN FISHING LOCATIONS

Oct. 24, 2006, Pam Bolles, Baja Big Fish Company, Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

Although it is now late October, Loreto's offshore sea surface temperatures are still nearly at summertime highs. This is the reason that there are still plenty of Dorado, Pacific Sailfish, and Marlin out there. In the Loreto area, these game fish are being found mixed together on the surface offshore from San Bruno near Bajo de las Boyas and well to the north over Bajo de Mercenarios. Today's rains and subsequent rough seas, however are expected to bring down those offshore water temperatures so Loreto may be nearing the end of its offshore pelagic season.

Although we may be nearing the end of the billfish season off Loreto, we still have several weeks of opportunities to catch Dorado. This is because as surface water temperatures fall offshore, the dorado will move in closer to our shorelines and inside the channel where the warm water will remain for a few more weeks. I expect this will start happening very soon. Today's rains will also no doubt send plenty of debris out of flooding arroyos which will help to attract and hold the Dorado much closer to port then they had been lately. This, I really look forward to!

Some Yellowfin Tuna have been caught, 30-plus miles offshore of Loreto at about 030 degrees, but the bite has not been consistent probably due to rough offshore conditions and commercial fishing activity. Fishing reports were that a commercial seiner with spotter plane was present among the schools of Tuna. Seeing this would literally make me ill especially inside of the 50 mile zone. I guess they were fishing for sharks, right?

With tourism at a slack period at Loreto right now, there are few boats going out fishing. Typically during October, water temperatures along the shorelines is starting to cool down from the summertime highs. High shoreline water temperatures in September often put the fish off their bite but by now things are starting to cool off again.

We expect to see more Roosterfish soon, also Snapper or Pargo, Seabass or Cabrilla, and other inshore fish species such as Triggerfish, giant Wrasse, Ladyfish, and Sierra Mackerel.

The sardina bait schools are still thick inside and outside the protective seawalls of the Loreto marina. You can also jig up squid and mackerel less than a mile off the mouth of the marina. Look for the other boats.

Water Surface Temperature: 77-85 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.