WINDY WINTER FISHING CONDITIONS FOR YELLOWTAIL AND SIERRA

Jan. 15, 2007, Baja Big Fish Company, Pam Bolles, Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

We would be fishing inshore, if we could fish. The winds and sea surface conditions in the Loreto vacation area have been bad for the past six and a half weeks. Four days were not windy, and none of them back-to-back. I don't remember being blown off the water this many days in a row. We're huddled up waiting for the winds to pass. Last night was the coldest night at Loreto in years. The winds this afternoon were the most severe off Punta Lobos with winds at 21 to 28 knots and waves at 8 feet high at 6 second intervals. You wouldn't want to be out in that in any boat. Other reported winds are El Pulpito winds 20 to 27 knots, and San Bruno and Isla Coronado at 19 to 25 knots. Not a good fishing day.

We're hoping a January "thaw" will come pretty soon. This is a fairly long break in the Norte wind pattern that can last from 4 to 10 days. We usually get one even if it actually happens in February.

We see no reason why there aren't lots of fish out there in our usual spots. The nasty weather that's been preventing us from going out has also been stopping the commercials from fishing. So at least the fish are getting bigger. Once we can get out there, we'll find them.

One of the last fishing trips we made was the 29th of December. It was less than half as bad as today. If we give fair warning and they still want to go out, well we'll go out unless its not safe. Usually its merely uncomfortable and difficult. If we go out on a day like that, we try to duck out of the wind and stick near the shore.

The sea surface water temperatures inshore indicate there's enough warm water to keep holding some dorado. In 2006 we had dense populations of dorado come through. When that happens some dorado stick around to the next summer.

Yellowtail have been reported off Baja fishing locations such as Punta Pulpito, Puerto Almejas, Isla Danzante, San Bruno, Punta Perico, and the east side of Isla Coronado.

Loreto sportfishing boats are mainly fishing off Isla Coronado because the winds have prevented us from going further. It sounds as though the Yellowtail populations are healthy and they are at around 20 pounds. Boats off Isla Coronado have been able to land 3 to 5 yellowtail per day, baiting at the bottom on mackerel or bigeye weighted with lead.

Sierra Mackerel can be caught inside Puerto Escondido. There are also Barracuda, Sandbass, and the occasional Yellowtail. With the arrival and vigilance of Singlar, the Port Authority at Puerto Escondido, commercial netting is no longer taking place inside this natural harbor. This is probably why this year's inshore fishing has improved quantity, size and types of fish species. The Sierra Mackerel this year are very numerous, while they have been scarce for the past three years in a row. I don't think this is a mere coincidence.

Puerto Escondido is a special place that could be restricted to catch and release. Its fishable often when other locations are not. I would love to see this become a protected fishing area open only to catch and release sport fishing.

The Loreto bait catching union is having a difficult time catching bait at night, so most mornings they won't have any. The winds have scattered the sardinas along the shorelines. Look for diving seagulls and pelicans. They are entering the Loreto marina and can be netted first thing in the morning

Loreto fishing area water surface temperature range offshore 62 to 69 degrees, inshore 61 to 70 degrees.