GOOD YELLOWFIN TUNA ACTION BETWEEN SPELLS OF UNFAVORABLE SEAS

Sept. 12, 2004, Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo sport fishing, Baja, Mexico:

As Tropical Storm Howard dissipated off to the west of the Baja peninsula there is now a new storm named Javier that has developed near Acapulco and at this time the projected track has it heading in the direction of Cabo San Lucas.

San Jose del Cabo weather for the past week has been clear and sunny, as well as very hot and humid, ocean conditions have been ideal, very calm, water temperature has been 85 degrees, but these tranquil conditions are most likely going to change by the middle of this next week, of course everyone has their fingers crossed that Tropical Storm Javier changes direction and does not directly impact the Los Cabos area. Up until now the summer season at San Jose del Cabo has been relatively uneventful as far as storms goes and it would be great if it stayed the way, but mother nature will run its own course and only time will tell what Javier decides to do.

Crowds of anglers have been light as is usual during the month of September, but for the few that are going fishing at San Jose del Cabo they have not been disappointed and have enjoyed some of the most consistent action of the whole summer.

San Jose del Cabo yellowfin tuna action has been wide open in the area of Iman Bank, most of the fish are weighing in the 15 to 30 pound class, but the same area is holding tuna up to 80 lb. There are large schools of skipjack and bolito on the fishing grounds and this has attracted a variety of game fish, including wahoo, dorado, sailfish, black and blue marlin.

Supplies of sardinas have been adequate off of La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, and they have proved to be the most affective bait for the yellowfin tuna, though anglers have also been successful using chunk bait. San Jose del Cabo tuna have preferred bait over lures, but there are wahoo in the same area that are striking on trolled lures such as Yo-Zuri, Marauder and Rapalas.

Wahoo have been caught in ones and twos and many other non biters are being seen free swimming under the pangas, the size of the fish landed was averaging 20 to 40 pounds, a handful of 'hoo were hooked on cast and retrieve lures and even on chunk bait.

Dorado have not been numerous, but are being found scattered throughout the San Jose del Cabo fishing area, most of the ones found were medium sized, averaging 8 to 15 pounds.

Anglers were hooking into some large dogtooth snapper to over 30 pounds on the Iman Bank, using both larger whole baits and chunk bait, though many more of these brute snapper are being lost to the rocks than are actually being brought to gaff.

A few quality sized amberjack and cabrilla were rounding out the bottom fish catches. Several large marlin were accounted for by the La Playita panga fleet, including one 500-pound class black marlin that hit on a trolled five pound yellowfin tuna and was hauled aboard the 22 ft. boat after a two-hour battle.

Early in the week a local San Jose del Cabo beach angler reported catching a snook that weighed in at a whopping 23 kilos or 50 pounds, it was hooked while using a live mullet for bait off of the Estuary area. The hard-core regular local beach fishermen also reported several other snook to 30 pounds.

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