WINTER WHALE WATCHING AND YELLOWTAIL FOR LOCAL BOATS

Jan. 27, 2007, Baja On The Fly, Gary Graham, Magdalena Bay (Bahia Magdalena), Baja California Sur, Mexico:

The California gray whale and tourist migration at Baja's Magdalena Bay seemed to have peaked simultaneously this week.

More Magdalena Bay vacationers continue to flock into both Puerto San Carlos and Puerto Lopez Mateos to take advantage of the opportunity to pet, kiss or just get up close and personal with some of the largest sea creatures in the world’s oceans.

The few boats that fished off the Baja coast outside of Magdalena Bay this week found the same kind of action that Capt. Peter Groesbeck on the boat Stealing Time reported last week.

However, better weather allowed the boat Southern Comfort and the other few sportfishing boats around to cash in on the consistent striped marlin action under the bird schools.

The marlin were found mostly in multiples strung along the 100 fathom curve from Bahia Santa Maria to the San Carlos entrada.

The marlin fishing action seems to be slowly sliding southwards, following the warm water currents that compress down toward the tip of Mexico's southern Baja peninsula.

Although there were fewer striped marlin caught than last week, the dorado bite remained decent.

Fishing back inside Magdalena Bay itself, the best inshore fishing action is for firecracker yellowtail mixed in with the bonito under the bird schools at the San Carlos Entrada.

With most of the boats at Magdalena Bay are whale watching this week. The San Carlos estero had little if any fishing pressure this week.

Magdalena Bay water temperature was 69 to 72 degrees; air temperature 57 to 75 degrees; conditions clear.