MAG BAY FLY FISHING REPORT

Aug. 20, 2006, Gary Graham, Baja On The Fly, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

In Magdalena Bay offshore fly fishing, our client, Richard Negley Gill from San Antonio, Texas, checked out the Thetis Bank with us early in the week where we found off-color water and only raised one billfish.

The highlight of the week was on Tuesday. When we worked south of the bank, we found classic Magdalena Bay conditions, with diving frigates, marlin feeders, tuna and porpoise everywhere. While there was plenty to look at, nothing wanted to bite, however. For the remainder of the week we found marlin every day, but unfortunately, they seemed to have lockjaw and would barely come into the pattern, let alone get close enough for Richard to present the fly.

On our last fishing day, Saturday, we opted to fish the esteros and had excellent action for leopard grouper and spotted bay bass. The Chartreuse Baja Deepdiver was definitely the hot fly for the morning.

We were back in by 11 a.m., loaded up the van, and headed back for the border. Magdalena Bay water temperature, 64 to 78; Air temperature, 72 to 84; Conditions, scattered clouds.

On Saturday, Aug. 12, 2006, Puerto Lopez Mateos at Magdalena Bay held its 4th Annual Turtle Festival, with a crowd estimated to be at least 1,500 people.

The governor of Baja California Sur, Narciso Agundez, along with other government dignitaries and staff were in attendance as the town's people celebrated their successes and considered the challenges for the upcoming year. The festivities included crowning a new queen for the Turtle Festival, along with food, music and speeches.

On Sunday, Governor Agundez and his staff traveled out 8 miles into the Pacific Ocean to assist graduate student, Hoyt Peckham, and his team in releasing a large turtle with an electronic tracking tag on its back into the wild.

By chance, later in the morning one of the local Magdalena Bay fisherman delivered a turtle that had been tangled in a net to the Proyecto Caguama. The governor had the opportunity to assist the team in cleaning, measuring and tagging the animal. It was then placed in a pen to allow it to recuperate from its ordeal before being released back into the ocean.

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