Sparky jumped
times
before he retired.
Good job, Sparky!
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Mexico Fishing News, April 26, 2004
LORETO FISHING REPORTS
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LORETO, MEXICO: Yellowtail counts, marlin and sailfish hookups, and general sea life activity lit up the waters just south of Loreto last week, as the town also saw the first signs of what looks like an early dorado season.
Don Bear of Loreto ran his boat 52 miles and fished at the north end of Isla Catalan with Capt. Paulino Martinez, finding six yellowtail of 25 to 35 pounds, and losing about the same number after solid strikes, with all fish hooked on flylined mackerel. “The majority of the activity occurred before 9:30 a.m., with a pick-bite thereafter,” Bear said. “The water was extremely rough in the rip over the high spot, aided by a stiff north wind and a raging current from the south.”
Bear and Capt. Martinez fished two more days with Mike Maxwell of Lakeside and Jim and John Oestreich of Carlsbad, at Baja Seco, 5 miles south of Isla Catalan, and at Isla Monserrat, for seven yellowtail to 36 pounds, also losing about that many, plus 12 cabrilla to 10 pounds, one sierra, and about a dozen miscellaneous species, on mackerel, iron, and plastic.
Bear also reported Capt. Francisco Martinez catching 22 cabrilla for clients at the south end of Isla Catalan on Saturday.
Water temperatures in the area were warming at the end of the week to 71 to 75 degrees. Mackerel bait at the marina was small and selling out early, but larger mackerel were caught at Punta Baja on Isla Carmen.
Bear noted that he saw seven sailfish to the south and west of Isla Catalan, hooked one briefly, and had another strike that did not connect. Another group was found working a bait ball.
Bear said there are huge concentrations of sardina bait between town and Islas Carmen and Monserrat. “I've never seen as many working seabirds,” he said, “in the tens of thousands, literally, covering an area of at least several square miles. This abundance of bait is turning the water black at times.” An unconfirmed report said that Capt. Tino caught five dorado on Saturday, south of Isla Carmen. “I presume it is true,” Bear said. “It was all the buzz as we arrived back at the marina yesterday.”
LORETO, MEXICO: At Puerto Escondido, Ty Miller of El Fuerte Sportfishing said the huge yellowtail bite at Isla Catalan continued on fish to about 30 pounds, plus huachinango to 12 pounds. Miller said he also leadered three striped marlin, from a school of about 15, on a bait ball in the same area: “The stripers pushed the bait ball under the boat and were circling.” Weather at Puerto Escondido was fair in the low-80s, with water temperatures averaging 74 degrees.
LORETO, MEXICO: Mitchell Rose of Mitch’s Sportfishing said the cruiser Helena made some windy runs to Punta Pulpito but found the yellowtail bite there worth it: “It’s a long ride out there but on Helena less then an hour. Helena is becoming more and more popular because of its speed and comfort in Loreto.”
LORETO, MEXICO: Arturo Susarrey of Arturo’s Sportfishing said his boats returned to the north side of Isla Catalan once the winds let up, and they found very good action on yellowtail of 26 to 30 pounds. Capt. Manuel Davis found eight big ones for Serge Fragione and his group from San Luis Obispo, and Capt. Talpa and Capt. Jesus caught 23 for their clients. Fishing at San Bruno produced only two to three yellowtail per boat of 15 to 20 pounds. Capt. Leonel reported good cabrilla fishing at Isla Coronado.
LORETO, MEXICO: Jeff Petersen of Loreto said he caught his first giant jawfish, or bigmouth bastard, on a chrome jig, 150 feet deep at Punta Tintorera on Isla Carmen, in a water temperature of 70.4 degrees. Petersen also reported good action for cabrilla, on sardina at Isla Coronado.
LORETO, MEXICO: Kristian Pallesen of Loreto said he fished north and scored on surface yellowtail to 25 pounds by casting mackerel at boils. Water temperatures were at 73 degrees, and Pallesen noted the sailfish spotted to the south: “Looks to be an early season for dorado this year, with all signs showing paddies and water temps.”
LORETO, MEXICO: At Baja Big Fish Company, Pam Bolles said yellowtail action was “on fuego” at Isla Catalan, with boats coming back loaded with 30 pounders: “My guess is that the first spawners may have finished and are now a little hungry. It’s about to bust loose down here, the grand finale of the yellowtail season. If you're coming in the next three weeks, you may be in for both dorado and yellowtail.”
In other mainland Mexico and Baja fishing action this week:
ENSENADA FISHING REPORTS
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ENSENADA, MEXICO: At Lily Fleet, Sammy Susarrey said the Tamara and Melody out of Marina Coral returned with 15-pound albacore and 10-pound kelp paddy yellowtail from GPS numbers 31.40 117.16. The Tamara had 12 albacore and 18 yellowtail, and the Melody had 15 albacore and limits of yellowtail. Another boat reported a 20-pound bluefin tuna. Water temperatures in the fishing area averaged 61 degrees.
ENSENADA, MEXICO: Ivan Villarino of Vonny’s Fleet said pangas at the tip of Punta Banda had slow morning fishing over the weekend, but generally bottom fishing was good on rockcod and lingcod all week long. Punta Banda weather was sunny and mostly calm in the low-70s, with water temperatures averaging 60 degrees.
Villarino also noted that he has finally fixed the sign he put up on the Punta Banda road many years ago, which now has his business name on it.
ENSENADA, MEXICO: Gerardo Sanchez Córdova of KCHTS Sportfishing said the 47-pound halibut landed by John Sherwood of Elko, Nev., hit a sardine on a 125-foot bottom, about 2.5 miles off the Isla Todos Santos lighthouse.
PUERTO SANTO TOMAS FISHING REPORTS
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PUERTO SANTO TOMAS, MEXICO: Sam Saenz of Puerto Santo Tomas Resort said wind and high swells knocked out the fishing early in the week, but calmed down by Friday. Surface fishing was slow except for calico bass around the kelp beds. Bottom fishing continued excellent, with the best action just north of the Bahia de Soledad islote. Anglers Chuck Rodriguez and his group from Fresno scored on full limits of lingcod, whitefish, and rockcod.
ERENDIRA FISHING REPORTS
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ERENDIRA, MEXICO: Fernando Castro of Castro’s Camp said 14 pangas fished during the week, for very good counts of red rockfish, lingcod, and barracuda, in light blue water at 56 to 57 degrees. Conditions were windy until Thursday, but flat over the weekend. Bottom fishing was excellent overall.
SAN QUINTIN FISHING REPORTS
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SAN QUINTIN, MEXICO: Pete Hillis of Pedro’s Pangas sent out six boats during a week that had six straight days of wind. “The winds kept most boats in, or fishing close to the point, or in the bay for smaller reds and bass,” Hillis said. Larger lingcod and rockcod were caught at the 240 and 6 spots. One boat fished Isla San Martin for sandbass, calico bass, and two white seabass of 25 and 32 pounds. San Quintin weather was warming, in the high-70, with water temperatures pegged at 58 degrees.
SAN QUINTIN, MEXICO: Peter Johnson of Long Beach got blown out from Tuesday through Thursday, but said he still enjoyed exploring the area, and got a set of inside channel GPS numbers from Capt. Hector of Pedro’s Pangas. Johnson said his pickup and camper also got stuck in windblown sand on the 3-mile access road going into the Old Mill.
SAN QUINTIN, MEXICO: Earlier, Norman Don of Tucson and his group including Alan Rogers and Michael Don, stayed at Don Eddie’s Landing and fished out of the Old Mill on the Ana with Capt. Alfredo in windy conditions: “It was too much of a ride. We were blown around while trying to drop our live baits down. We were still able to catch limits of lingcod and many rockcod, on iron tipped with a little bait.” On Saturday, Don’s group worked at a Flying Samaritans clinic in El Rosario.
SAN QUINTIN, MEXICO: Kelly Catian of El Capitan Sportfishing reported a couple of great catches at Isla San Martin: “We were drifting for halibut with slider rigs when I saw Oscar backing down towards the kelp. Then we heard the hoots and shouts. A huge yellowtail! Thirty-seven pounds. They got a big halibut about half an hour later, 21 pounds.” Catian said they finished the day by limiting on lingcod, rockcod, bass, and “cords” of barracuda, in water temperatures of 57 to 59 degrees.
SAN QUINTIN, MEXICO: Julio Meza of San Quintin said he’s about done with his successful strawberry crop for 2004. Meza fished with Ramses Villegas of Ensenada, Enrique Melero of Spain, and Conrrado Gonzalez of San Quintin, on Meza’s boat the Santa Monica: “Made bait in mid-channel around several whales. Hit north San Martin Island, where we scored with Fish Trap lures on big calicos, 13 small white seabass, all released, at San Ramon, hitting mostly Krocodiles.”
Meza said they also found plenty of bottom sandbass, olive rockfish, and barracuda, while trying for halibut in 58-degree water.
MAGDALENA BAY FISHING REPORTS
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MAGDALENA BAY, MEXICO: Gary Graham of Baja On The Fly said San Carlos weather was clear in the mid-70s, with local water temperatures of 64 to 70 degrees. The entrada produced a few yellowtail in deeper water, and the bay and mangroves were generally slow on all species.
CABO SAN LUCAS FISHING REPORTS
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CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO: At Pisces Fleet, Tracy Ehrenberg said billfish reports suddenly turned on at midweek, with some boats reports four or five strikes on up to ten shots per day, and one unconfirmed report of a 730-pound blue marlin landed. Pisces also scored on another broadbill swordfish. “It looks like the striper bite is about to take off in a very positive way,” Ehrenberg said, although up to midweek, the biggest numbers were still on football yellowfin tuna, plus a few fish to about 65 pounds.
Ehrenberg also mentioned the commercial tuna boats working the area: “A disheartening sight is five modern tuna seiners, a couple with fancy helicopters, right here in Cabo.”
Dorado were scattered, but included some quality fish to about 50 pounds, and eleven percent of Pisces boats also caught wahoo. Pisces boats fished in all directions, in water temperatures averaging 71 to 72 degrees.
CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO: Tommy Garcia of Cabo Magic reported on 50 boats with a catch including released fish of: 11 striped marlin, one blue shark, four wahoo, eight dorado, and 357 yellowfin tuna, of which nearly 100 were released. Two boats were skunked. Garcia also reported plentiful amberjack, jack crevalle, and skipjack in the area, and added that Jovan Vasquez, a newlywed and first-time visitor to Cabo, caught and released his first marlin with Capt. Hector, a huge striper estimated at 200 pounds.
CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO: Capt. George Landrum of Fly Hooker Sportfishing reported on six boats, with a catch including released fish of: two striped marlin, 15 yellowfin tuna, 10 bonito, and one dorado. Many yellowfin tuna and bonito were released.
Cabo weather was generally sunny, with some afternoon wind, in the low-90s, and water temperatures still as low as 63 degrees on the Pacific side, and as warm as 77 degrees on the Cortez side.
Billfish action jumped up several notches at midweek, Landrum said, with at least three blue marlin caught, and some boats getting shots at as many as 20 striped marlin in a day. The bite was in warm water out to about 10 miles, from the arch up the Cortez side to about Punta Gorda. Landrum also reported several purse seiners working the area.
CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO: Larry Edwards of Cortez Yacht Charters said 36 Gaviota fleet boats had a catch including released fish of: four dorado, seven striped marlin, and 422 yellowfin tuna, mostly of 15 to 30 pounds. Top boats included the Fish Cabo, with two striped marlin, 10 dorado, two wahoo, and 12 yellowfin tuna for three outings, and the Juanita VII with three striped marlin, four wahoo, seven dorado, and eight yellowfin tuna for four outings. Gaviota Fleet fished in all directions, but ended the week on the Cortez side, Edwards said.
CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO: Benjamin Ortega Rodriguez said Solmar Fleet had a catch including released fish of: five striped marlin, one broadbill swordfish, 228 yellowfin tuna, five dorado, 11 sierra, 14 skipjack, and 12 snappers. The top boat for the week was the Solmar II with Capt. Javier Abaroa: 18 yellowfin tuna, the broadbill swordfish, and three dorado.
CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO: Bill Owens reported the passing of longtime Solmar Capt. Fabian Castillo of the Galeon, who died of a ruptured appendix early Thursday morning. “I fished with Fabian many times on his Galeon,” Owens said. “Baja has lost another good one.”
SAN JOSE DEL CABO (LOS CABOS) FISHING REPORTS
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SAN JOSE DEL CABO, MEXICO: Eric Brictson of Gordo Banks Pangas said water temperatures warmed to 73 to 74 degrees, with generally good sea conditions, although some high surf made launching tricky a couple of days for the La Playita panga fleet. Brictson said the tuna seiner fleet put a stop to the good tuna action by midweek: “It is a shame that the government does not restrict these ships from setting their gear so close to sportfishing interests.”
Offshore fishing produced scattered dorado, a steady pick on wahoo, and big numbers of striped marlin off San Jose del Cabo: “Over the weekend the billfish could be seen feeding on balled up schools of bait.” Inshore, rough surf scattered the bait, and fishing was slower on all species.
EAST CAPE FISHING REPORTS
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EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Axel Valdez of Buena Vista Beach Resort reported on 57 boats with a catch including released fish of: 11 striped marlin, five sailfish, 64 dorado, 72 tuna, 33 roosterfish, 23 snapper, 22 jack crevalle, 14 amberjack, five bonito, two ladyfish, five pompano, 10 triggerfish, 12 cabrilla, 27 skipjack, and 43 sierra. Valdez said that for the fourth year, legendary East Cape skipper Jesus Araiza has announced his retirement at the end of the season: “We will always be happy to have him. He still is the one of the best captains in the whole area.”
East Cape weather was in the low-80s, with water temperatures of 69 to 75 degrees, and most boats continued to fish north, 25 to 40 miles out from Ensenada de los Muertos.
EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Tami Mouyeos of Rancho Buena Vista said 16 boats had a catch including released fish of: three striped marlin, 12 roosterfish, 17 dorado, 39 tuna, and three pargo. RBV boats worked in water temperatures averaging 70 degrees.
EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Marisol Verdugo-George of Martin Verdugo’s Beach Resort said the big early-week wind died on Wednesday and hotel cruisers were scoring on dorado to 46 pounds, quite a few marlin, and some tuna averaging 20 to 30 pounds. “On Saturday, the fishing was particularly good,” Verdugo-George said, “It was a good week. Fishermen were happy.”
EAST CAPE, MEXICO: At Verdugo’s, Randy Dale said on Saturday, “A cruddy week of fishing, until today.” Dale reported 73-degree water over the weekend, and Verdugo’s boats finding large dorado, scattered tuna, and marlin, unusually large and hard-fighting. Boats averaged three or four dorado, and same number of tuna, and about one marlin each. Inside fishing was very poor, with very few roosterfish, a few jacks, and some cabrilla, Dale said.
EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Also at Verdugo’s, Gary Leeper said boats started catching fish consistently on Wednesday. Many whales were in the area, and Leeper said water temperatures were climbing. He recorded 76.5 degrees 18 miles off Verdugo's on Saturday: “Maybe the blue marlin are around the corner.”
EAST CAPE, MEXICO: At Rancho Leonero, John Ireland said four Leonero outings had a catch including released fish of: 23 roosterfish, 16 pargo, 12 sierra, one cabrilla, 20 jack crevalle, 34 yellowfin tuna, 23 dorado, four sailfish, four striped marlin, and one wahoo.
“The bite picked up as the week progressed. The fishing has moved in closer, with all boats getting bit within 10 miles of Leonero,” Ireland said. Many tailing marlin were seen, but they were still not really on the bite.
EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Dennis Spike of Coastal Kayak Fishing returned from leading a group of anglers to Rancho Leonero: “We battled the wind on and off, but had excellent fishing and fine days nonetheless. As usual, the kayak fishermen released more than we retained. Rancho Leonero is rocking. It doesn't get any better!”
Over several days, Spike’s kayakers scored on snappers, amberjack, pargo, dorado, an estimated 250-pound manta ray, sierra, roosterfish, pompano, cabrilla, triggerfish, jack crevalle, and miscellaneous species.
EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Gary Graham of Baja On The Fly said the beaches produced plenty of roosterfish of 7 to 15 pounds, plus a few jacks and ladyfish. Panga anglers scored on pargo and sierra until winds came up about 11 a.m.
EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Mark Rayor of the Vista Sea Sport Dive Service said he got a double marlin hookup, but missed another broadbill last week, as diving conditions at Cabo Pulmo improved to “couldn’t be gooder!” Water temperatures at depth on the reef were 73 to 75 degrees, and sea life sightings included huge grouper, dog snapper, cabrilla, amberjack, clouds of yellow pargo, and a large whale shark off Pulmo: “It was about 25 feet long and a little boat shy. What a beautiful creature!”
EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Pepe Murrieta of Pepe’s Dive Service at Cabo Pulmo said six nurse sharks were seen and even petted on the reef, in visibility of about 30 feet.
EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Earlier, Jim Long of Mill Valley and his family fished out of Buena Vista Beach Resort with Capt. Felipe and deckhand Ricky, for a multi-day catch including striped marlin, 10 tuna to 30 pounds, a large dorado, cabrilla, pargo, sierra, and snapper to 30 pounds:
“Saw many whales and porpoises, dorado, and turtles. Bait was plentiful.
“We moved to just north of Punta Colorada for cabrilla and snapper. My wife and I used 4/0 reels to hit them hard on the bite and pull them away from the rocks. The cabrilla went for live sardines on #1 Owner hooks. The pargo were taken by using 2/0 and 3/0 hooks and nose hooking mackerel or caballito. Some needlefish and trumpetfish were released that were over 3 feet long. We were in 25 to 30 feet of water, at anchor less than a half-mile from shore.”
Long added that they got excellent results when they had some of their fish smoked by East Cape Smoke House.
EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Bob Grimes of San Jose del Cabo reported increased inshore gill netting at East Cape: “Approximately seven high-speed boats are coming in at night and making gill net sets as close as 100 meters from the beach in areas including Los Barriles and Buena Vista.”
LA PAZ FISHING REPORTS
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LA PAZ, MEXICO: Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing said the weather on the Las Arenas side was in the high-80s, with water temperatures averaging 72 degrees at Punta Perico and the south end of Isla Cerralvo. Southeast winds were calming by Friday and the fishing was good on tuna and dorado of good size, and lots of inshore fish, led by big numbers of roosterfish in larger sizes. “Punta Arena is just full of these fish,” Hernandez said.
LA PAZ, MEXICO: Jonathan Roldan of Tail Hunter International said it was windy on the La Paz side, but his pangas at Las Arenas scored on at least 16 species, mostly on light tackle: “The majority of the fish were roosters from 5 to 45 pounds and taken from the Arenas lighthouse down to almost Boca de Alamo.” Roldan reported schools of up to several dozen roosterfish hitting bait and lures, plus cabrilla, mullet snapper, dog snapper, and other species, including quality yellowtail.
LA PAZ, MEXICO: Earlier, Eugene Bernosky of El Sargento said fishing turned hot at Isla Cerralvo as anglers came back with yellowtail, cabrilla, amberjack, jack crevalle, roosterfish to 15 pounds, and sierra. Bernosky said schools of jacks were active at Punta Arena and one couple at the Ventana Bay Resort reported a 50 pounder caught by shore casting on Saturday. Capt. Favio Lucero of El Sargento reported tuna and dorado caught one kilometer off Ensenada de los Muertos.
MULEGE FISHING REPORTS
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MULEGE, MEXICO: Charlie Plott of Pasadena and his family fished his Boston Whaler out of the Hotel Serenidad and missed on yellowtail, but had fun catching cabrilla locally: “We scored with small metal on large cabrilla. The next four days were very windy with no bird stacks and nothing on top. The last day, we saw one yellowtail landed at about 30 pounds by Alex of Serenidad, and ourselves again did well on cabrilla. Lots of fun.”
Plott reported the food still excellent at Profesora Angelina’s, and also a scary incident during the drive home: “We had a near problem when an oncoming big rig and a big rig that we were following got so close to the center line that the mirrors collided and showered us with metal and glass.”
MULEGE, MEXICO: Jose Ugarteche of Garden Grove kayak-fished out of his camp at Playa Requeson on Bahia Concepción, for good action with jigs on spotted bay bass, pargo, and triggerfish, ladyfish at San Sebastian, and later, sierra, triggerfish, barracuda, and ladyfish at Punta Chivato.
“I fished with at least 1,000 pelicans in the most amazing frenzy I have ever seen,” Ugarteche said. “The concentrations of fish were so thick I could not get deeper than 20 feet with a 9X iron to get to the yellowtail, which were there as well.
“I fished the open water, off Isla Requeson. I ventured over to San Sebastian, paddled out about 1 mile, and the north wind kicked up. I yo-yoed back toward Punta Pulpito until I'd had enough. Wasn't too long, since the wind was blowing 25 knots at least.
“At Punta Chivato I used the same irons. I fished north of the point, about 2 miles out.”
Water temperatures were 70 to 73 degrees at Requeson, and 68 to 71 degrees outside. The Punta Chivato campground was operational at $10 per night, with only two other cars there. Ugarteche also reported a digital camera stolen at a military checkpoint on the way home, either at Rosarito or Maneadero.
MULEGE, MEXICO: Fly-in angler Ron Grant said the Hotel Serenidad runway was in good condition with many planes parked, and fishing was good in warming water temperatures with lots of sargassum weed forming. Cabrilla were caught on plugs south of town, and yellowtail in all directions, including south between Punta Rosa and Punta Teresa, on jigs and live bait. Mulege weather was sometimes windy in the mid-80s.
MULEGE, MEXICO: At the Hotel Serenidad in Mulege, Diana Johnson said the weather has been perfect, about 80 degrees, and dorado were not around yet, but fishing was better on yellowtail and cabrilla.
SANTA ROSALIA FISHING REPORTS
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SANTA ROSALIA, MEXICO: Mike Kanzler of Isla San Marcos said the weather was unfishable some days, and okay on others, in the mid-80s, with water temperatures consistent at 70 degrees, and visibility at 15 to 25 feet.
Kanzler said the best catches locally were by Bill “Old Crab” Hall of Myrtle Point, Ore., who’s been at Camp Camacho since winter and fishes daily in his 17-foot Bayrunner: “He got five nice yellowtail this week of 22 to 25 pounds, the only good day to speak of.”
Kanzler fished over the weekend at Isla Tortuga for an excellent catch on live mackerel of six yellowtail, three cabrilla, one yellow snapper, and three barred pargo including a 17 pounder. “I got hammered by seven I don’t know what and never will. Cut us off on the bottom,” Kanzler said.
Kanzler also reported that the turnoff to San Lucas Cove, always difficult to find when driving south, has been moved north about a quarter-mile, due to a conflict with a squid processing area. The new entrance is back by the showers, and Kanzler said, “Actually the road is a little better than the old one, smoother, but if I miss it one more time...!”
Kanzler added that the 2004 commercial squid season has been slow so far: “One night they catch maybe 200 kilos, then the next just a few. A lot of boats aren't even fishing. They think the water’s too cool. That could be. It hasn't changed much in over a month. Today while fishing Tortuga Island, water was 68 to 69 degrees. That’s 4 degrees cooler than last week.”
BAHIA DE LOS ANGELES (L.A. BAY) FISHING REPORTS
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BAHIA DE LOS ANGELES, MEXICO: John Carroll of Bonita had a great trip to L.A. Bay: “Fished at Isla La Guarda with Vereno and found a good load of ten-plus pound yellows and all the cabrilla you wanted on the Fish Traps.
“Big tide shift, so the currents were in their glory and just ripping like I have never seen. Fished the next few days from the kayaks just out front of Larry and Raquel's and also at La Gringa. The spotted bay bass fishing was all-time, hitting both Fish Traps and just the leadhead when we ran out of the traps. Incredible!”
Carroll said the weather was perfect in the low-80s, until Thursday, when he left town in forty knots. The road was in good condition except for the usual last few miles.
BAHIA DE LOS ANGELES, MEXICO: At Bahia de los Angeles, Abraham Vazquez of Camp Gecko said fishing improved last week, with good-sized yellowtail of 15 to 20 pounds caught at Los Machos on the big island, “but you have to have a nice day to get there,” due to strong winds that kept boats off the water for most of the week.
The winds lightened over the weekend, and Vazquez said there were big schools of bait around the islands, and sierra in the bay. L.A. Bay weather was beautiful and clear in the low-80s, with water temperatures of 63 degrees out in the channel and in the upper-60s inside the bay. Gasoline from drums was selling at 150 pesos for 5 gallons.
BAHIA DE LOS ANGELES, MEXICO: Earlier, Steve McGill of Morro Bay found slow going with no yellowtail in sight and only a few grouper around shore, as a heavy red tide filled the water from Isla Smith south to Roca Bernabe: “The water is red. Lots of bait, with birds crashing everywhere, and water temps to 69 degrees inside the bay. This was the largest red tide that I have ever seen down there.”
SAN FELIPE FISHING REPORTS
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SAN FELIPE, MEXICO: Catalina Meders of the Title Company Bookstore overlooking the bay said the weather was hot and humid in the low-90s, and the highlight of the week was a performance of dances by students from schools all over northern Baja: “The costumes were spectacular, as was the music. There were some Aztec dancers who were truly fascinating. I really got a sense, watching them, of what the ancient dances must have been like, very mysterious and ‘dark.’”
Visitors and residents from Puertecitos to Punta Final reported steady poaching of tonnage of totoaba and “machorro” juveniles being taken throughout the area.
SAN FELIPE, MEXICO: Eric Friedrichsen of Carlsbad noted that he still hasn’t been able to identify several fish that he speared near San Francisquito during his recent trip. The grouper-like fish were very similar to leopard grouper, but with different coloration, and weighed about 28 pounds: “They seemed to be more of a golden-brown color, and the rear of the dorsal fin appears to be higher and more rounded than on a typical leopard grouper. Also, the dark markings appear to be smaller, and the light patches larger.”
SAN CARLOS (SONORA) FISHING REPORTS
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SAN CARLOS, MEXICO: Bill Molden of San Carlos said rough seas and cooler temperatures slowed the fishing. “Yellowtail are still the only bite in town, with everyone looking offshore for the dodo bite to start.” Near shore water temperatures averaged 68 degrees, with 70 degrees found 11 to 15 miles out.
MAZATLAN FISHING REPORTS
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MAZATLAN, MEXICO: Larry Edwards of Cortez Yacht Charters said Aries Fleet boats out of Marina el Cid averaged more than a billfish per day. Troy Godbout of North Carolina landed a 158-pound broadbill swordfish on the Aries IV with Capt. Rene Raygoza. Thirty-five offshore boats had a catch including released fish of: one swordfish, 34 striped marlin, six sailfish, and six dorado. Inshore boats caught: 68 barracuda, 21 pargo, 90 triggerfish, and 65 sierra. Mazatlan weather was clear in the high-80s, with water temperatures of 72 to 74 degrees, and the best fishing was 18 to 22 miles southwest of Marina el Cid.
IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO FISHING REPORTS
ALL ARTICLES, REPORTS AND FISHING INFORMATION FOR IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO
IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO: Ed Kunze of Zihuatanejo said sailfish action was good, and other offshore species were inconsistent, as blue, 78-degree water held at about 6 miles off the beach. The panga Dos Hermanos released four sailfish and landed two 40-pound dorado, and Capt. Santiago released five sailfish in the same area on the Gitana.
IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO: Fly angler Ross Taylor switched to light conventional casting tackle in wind and caught some 25-pound jacks and a needlefish off the beach, using Krocodiles and a surface popper. “He had braided line on his 6500C, and it was a good thing,” Kunze said. “The jack's first run would peel off 200 yards, and then slug it out until he got it all back.”
IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO: Larry Edwards of Cortez Yacht Charters said the fishing was improving each day. Capt. Adolfo on the Dos Hermanos reported landing over 500 pounds of yellowfin tuna, nine sailfish, one dorado, four jack crevalle, and a handful of bonito during four fishing days. Edwards said the tuna were located 40 to 47 miles offshore, requiring an extended day to reach them.
IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO: Stan Lushinsky of Ixtapa Sportfishing Charters said inshore angler Steve Carinotis fished on the Leydy for a variety catch including one amberjack, three rainbow runners, three bigeye jacks, four yellowtail jacks, and three bonita, but “the roosterfish were nowhere to be found.”
IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO: Paul Phillips of the Fintastic Total Tag & Release Tournament said most boats averaged three to five sailfish per day, and boats were hunting for marlin and tuna up to 50 miles out. No roosterfish were present on the beaches.
IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO: Gary Graham of Baja On The Fly reported Zihuatanejo weather as calm in the mid-80s, with water temperatures of 72 to 78 degrees.
BEAUTIFUL LORETO DAY--Making bait at the “mackerel hole” off the Isla Coronado lighthouse. Photo courtesy Kristian Pallesen.
WINDY HELENA CATCH--Capt. Pablo Martinez of the Loreto cruiser Helena outran the pangas in wind to San Bruno for a catch of huachinango and yellowtail. Photo courtesy Mitchell Rose.
WINDY HELENA CATCH--Capt. Pablo Martinez of the Loreto cruiser Helena outran the pangas in wind to San Bruno for a catch of huachinango and yellowtail. Photo courtesy Mitchell Rose.
HUGE ENSENADA FLATTIE--John Sherwood scored on a 47-pound halibut with Ensenada’s KCHTS Sportfishing. The big fish hit a sardine, 125 feet deep, about 2.5 miles off Isla Todos Santos. Photo courtesy Capt. Gerardo Sanchez Cordova.
SAN QUINTIN CALICOS--Conrrado Gonzalez fished on Julio Meza’s boat Santa Monica for these nice calico bass, plus white seabass, sandbass, olive rockfish, and barracuda. Photo courtesy Julio Meza.
FISHED WITH THE LEGEND--Ken Taylor’s group from Pullman, Wash., fished with East Cape’s legendary Capt. Jesus Araiza out of Buena Vista Beach Resort. Araiza, who fished with Ray Cannon, is threatening to retire this season, for the fourth year in a row, the hotel reported. Photo courtesy Axel Valdez.
EAST CAPE CATCH--Jim Long of Mill Valley and his son Chris with a nice catch of yellowfin tuna and a nice dorado out of Buena Vista Beach Resort. Photo courtesy Jim Long.
FIRST YELLOWTAIL--Justin Jackson of San Diego fished at La Paz with his dad, Robert Jackson, and caught his first yellowtail with Tail Hunter International. Photo courtesy Jonathan Roldan.
BIG BARRED ONE--Mike Kanzler of Isla San Marcos ran out to Isla Tortuga for a great catch of mixed species, including this massive 17-pound barred pargo. Photo courtesy Mike Kanzler.
L.A. BAY BASS RUN--John Carroll and his family had “all-time” spotted bay bass fishing in front of Raquel and Larry’s Beach Motel at Bahia de los Angeles. Photo courtesy John Carroll.
WHAT IS IT?--Eric Friedrichsen speared several of these “leopard grouper” with strange markings south of Bahia de los Angeles. Photo courtesy Eric Friedrichsen.
SIGN OF THE TIMES--After many years of anonymity on the Punta Banda Road, Ivan Villarino of Vonny’s Fleet recently added a piece to his sign that tells people the name of his business. Bueno! Photo courtesy Ivan Villarino.
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Ixtapa Zihuatanejo fishing reports and articles.
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