SURF AND PANGA OUTINGS SCORE 29 FISH SPECIES

Oct. 14, 2004, John Snow, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja, Mexico Fishing Trip Report:

Executive Summary: Fourteen, one to three hour, surf trips with exceptional results on most of the trips maxing out at six species and 10 fish on one early morning trip. However there was a little “feast or bust” involved. Catch was the usual cast of characters with a few omissions with a huge Roncador (Burrito Grunt), of approximately 8 pounds, and a 23 inches Leopard Grouper caught from shore. Sally Light foots remain the bait of choice and the juveniles are available by the zillions but uncatchable as my favorite rock for crab collection was barren being left high and dry due to sand build up.

Four, five to seven hour, San Jose del Cabo panga trips with Captain Pata which had three very strong days from “a big game” perspective and one slow day. There were more Gringos fishing as tourist season has begun.

The highlight of the San Jose del Cabo fishing week was the one day that we came back with a 60 pound Dog Snapper, a 10 pound Dorado, a 20 pound Yellowtail Tuna and a 25 pound Wahoo (and all the other Pangas on this day caught nada!).

Overall came in contact with 29 individual species with one new species - a Longfin Drum or Longfin Croaker, which I had to get help from Ross Robertson to identify.

San Jose del Cabo weather from a temperature perspective was improved with temperatures maxing out in the mid-90’s. Wind was not a significant factor until the last day as the wind was up to significant levels in the early morning. The water temperature was an excellent 83 degrees and the bait guys provided high quality sardines but little else for a species guru.

Major targeted game species count from four days of San Jose del Cabo Panga fishing: Dorado – 11; Grouper – 2; Dog Snapper – 1; Red Snapper – 1; Yellow Snapper – 1; Yellowfin Tuna – 2; and Wahoo - 1. I would rate this week as well above average from a sportsfishing perspective but well below average from a species perspective.

October 5 - 14, 2004

Species, Executive Summary – 29, 28 known and 1 new

Croaker, Longfin (Fish Number 147) – NEW! *Croaker, Yellowfin (Fish Number 35) Dorado (Fish Number 82) Guineafowl Puffer (Fish Number 20) Green Jack (Fish Number 65) Grouper, Leopard (Fish Number 58) Grunt, Burrito (Fish Number 1) Hamlet, Pacifc Mutton (Fish Number 72) HawkFish, Giant (Fish Number 47) *Herring, Flatiron (Fish Number 19) Longnose Pufferfish (Fish Number 38) NeedleFish, Giant Mexican (Fish Number 87) Pacific Creole Fish (Fish Number 62) Gafftopsail Pompano (Fish Number xx) Pacific Porgy (Fish Number 2) Sally Lightfoots (Fish Number 124) Sergeant Major (Fish Number 41) Sierra (Fish Number 60) Skipjack, Black (Fish Number 79) Snapper, Dog (Fish Number 52) Snapper, Red (Fish Number 16) Snapper, Yellow (Fish Number 4) Spotfin PorcupineFish (Fish Number 46) SquirrelFish, Tinsel (Fish Number 113) TriggerFish, Finescale (Fish Number 9) TriggerFish, Orangeside (Fish Number 26) Tuna, Yellowfin (Fish Number 89) Wahoo (Fish Number 85) Wrasse, Sunset (Fish Number 105)

*Collected in the bait tank.

Part I, San Jose del Cabo Surf Fishing Report, 100% Catch and Release.

Day 1, October 5, 2004

Fishing at Km 21, Cabo Real, one and half hours before sunset, nominal surf, high tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4, Mustad 92553 hook with frozen Lightfoot Sallys and cut Squid. Catch summary: one Sergeant Major, six inches, one Giant Hawkfish, 5 pounds, one Spotfin Porcupinefish, 12 inches, and one Orangeside Triggerfish, 12 inches.

Day 2, October 6, 2004

San Jose del Cabo Surf Fishing at Km 21, Cabo Real, one and half hours at sunrise, nominal surf, rising high tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4, Mustad 92553 hook with cut frozen Light Foot Sallys and cut Squid. Catch summary: one Burrito Grunt, one pound, four Gafftopsail Pompano, to 2 pounds, one Green Jack, 1 pound, two Spotfin Porcupinefish, to 4 pounds, and one Yellow Snapper, 3 pounds.

Fishing at Km 21, Cabo Real, one and half hours at sunset, nominal surf, rising high tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4, Mustad 92553 hook with cut Squid. Catch summary: one Dog Snapper, 10 inches, two Sergeant Majors, 6 inches, one Tinsel Squirrelfish, 6 inches, and three Longfin Croakers, 4-inch models.

Day 3, October 7, 2004

San Jose del Cabo Surf Fishing at Km 21, Cabo Real, one and half hours at sunset, occasional crashing surf, rising high tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4, Mustad 92553 hook with cut Squid. Catch summary: three Green Jacks, to 2 pounds, one Orangeside Triggerfish, 8-inches, and two Sergeant Majors, 6 inches. Noteworthy: one big time line peeling varmint that broke off and a briefly hooked needlefish that came off.

Day 4, October 8, 2004

Fishing at Km 21, Cabo Real, one and half hours at sunrise, occasional crashing surf, falling high tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4, Mustad 92553 hook with and cut Squid. Catch summary after a phenomenal bite the previous two days in the same location a scratched out three Rainbow Wrasses, to 8 inches.

Fishing at Km 14, Twin Dolphins, one and half hours at sunset, with six amigos, nominal surf, falling high tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4, Mustad 92553 hook with cut Squid. Catch summary: zilch, everyone got skunked.

Day 5, October 9, 2004

Fishing at Km 16, El Tule, one hour at sunset, nominal surf, falling high tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4, Mustad 92553 hook with cut Squid. Catch summary: zilch. Note: water turbid brown and full of rocks.

Day 6, October 10, 2004

Fishing at Km 21, Cabo Real, two hours at sunrise, nominal surf, rising high tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4, Mustad 92553 hook with cut Squid. Catch summary: two Burrito Grunt, to 1 pound, three Gafftopsail Pompano, to 1 pound, one Orangeside Triggerfish, 1 pound, two Spotfin Porcupinefish, to 4 pounds, one Yellow Snapper, 1 pound, one Rainbow Wrasse, 6 inches. Note: amigo down the beach caught a Barred Mexican Pargo out of the surf!

Fishing at Km 21, Cabo Real, one and half hours at sunset, nominal surf, rising high tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4, Mustad 92553 hook with cut Squid. Catch summary: two Gafftopsail Pompano, to 2 pounds, one Guineafowl Puffer, 6 inches, and one Sergeant Major, 4 inches.

Day 7, October 11, 2004

Fishing at Km 21, Cabo Real, one hour at sunset, nominal surf, rising high tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4 and 10, Mustad 92553 hook with cut Squid. Catch summary: five Sergeant Majors, to 6 inches.

Day 8, October 12, 2004

Fishing at Km 21, Cabo Real, one and half hours at sunrise, nominal surf, rising high tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4, Mustad 92553 hook with cut frozen Squid. Catch summary: one Burrito Grunt, six pounds, one Gafftopsail Pompano, 1 pound, one Guineafowl Puffer, 1 pound, and one Spotfin Porcupinefish, 2 pounds. Note: multiple cut offs at the hook by Botete Sp.

Fishing at 5 miles up the East Cape road just short of the Gordo Point, two hours at late afternoon, nominal surf, bottoming out tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4, Mustad 92553 hook with cut frozen Squid. Catch summary: four Burrito Grunt, to 8 inches, and one Sergeant Major, 7 inches.

Day 9, October 13, 2004

Fishing at Km 21, Cabo Real, one hour at sunset, nominal surf, rising high tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4, Mustad 92553 hook with cut frozen Squid. Catch summary: skunked.

Day 10, October 14, 2004

Fishing at Km 21, Cabo Real, one and half hours at sunrise, nominal surf, rising high tide, water temperature 83-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 4, Mustad 92553 hook with cut frozen Squid. San Jose del Cabo fishing catch summary: one Leopard Grouper, 23 inches perhaps 10 pounds. Note: my friend Charlie had about 15 fish laid out on the beach when I arrived all caught with Light Foot Sally’s. Missing from my catch list for the week were one Mexican Hogfish, a Cortez Grunt, and a Panamic Porkfish, which would have been a new species for me. He also had a Tinsel Squirrefish and warned me of dealing with this customer; an experience that I have previously endured the hard way!

Part II. San Jose del Cabo panga fishing with Captain Pata, Panga Solome, La Playita. La Playita Sport Fishing was slow with about 25% of the boats launched. The road had been washed downstream in three places but had been restored to its historical dirt condition. Only a handful of Gringos present.

Day 1, October 7, 2004.

Fishing for six hours with Captain Pata. Ocean was flat calm. Excellent supply of live bait consisting of large sardines. Water a quality 83-degrees of pristine blue color. Fished an area 10 to 25 miles north of La Playita. Style was a blend of trolled jigs (non-productive), flylined sardines or bottom fishing with yo-yo iron (non-productive), or live sardines, cut squid or cut clams (five dropper loop, commercial Sand Dab Rig with size 1/0 with 30-pound main line and 8-oz sinker). Catch can be summarized as follows: three Dorado, to 15 pounds, two Giant Mexican Needlefish, to 20 inches, one Pacific Porgy, 2 pounds, four Black Skipjack, to 12 pounds, two Fine Scale Triggerfish, to 8 pounds, one Orangeside Triggerfish, 1 pound (catch and release) and two Yellowfin Tuna, to 35 pounds. Miscellaneous: we were buzzed within 10 feet of the boat by a sailfish the waved its sail at us for about 2 minutes.

Day 2, October 9, 2004.

San Jose del Cabo fishing for six hours with Captain Pata. Ocean was flat calm. Excellent supply of live bait consisting of large sardines. Water a quality 83-degrees of pristine blue color. Fished an area 10 to 25 miles north of La Playita. Style was a blend of trolled jigs (one dorado), flylined sardines or bottom fishing with yo-yo iron (two grouper), or live sardines, cut squid or cut clams (five dropper loop, commercial Sand Dab Rig with size 1/0 with 30-pound main line and 8-oz sinker). Catch can be summarized as follows: seven Dorado, to 20 pounds, three Green Jacks, to 2 pounds, two Leopard Groupers, to 15 pounds, one Pacific Mutton Hamlet, 8 inches, and six Orangeside Triggerfish, to 2 pounds (catch and release). Miscellaneous: adjacent Pangas hooked (outcome unknown) a Stripped Marlin and a Sailfish which put on aerial displays.

Day 3, October 11, 2004.

San Jose del Cabo fishing for six hours with Captain Pata. Ocean was flat calm. Excellent supply of live bait consisting of large sardines, however it arrived, mid-morning some 25 miles for the normal place delivered by the usual individuals. Water a quality 83-degrees of pristine blue color. Fished an area 10 to 25 miles north of La Playita. Style was a blend of trolled jigs (one wahoo), flylined sardines or bottom fishing with yo-yo iron (two grouper), or live sardines, cut squid or cut clams (five dropper loop, commercial Sand Dab Rig with size 1/0 with 30-pound main line and 8-oz sinker) or strip Bonito. Catch can be summarized as follows: one Dorado, 10 pounds, one Green Jack, 2 pounds, one Pacific Porgy, 2 pounds, four Skip Jacks, to 15 pounds, one Dog Snapper, 60 pounds, twelve Orangeside Triggerfish, to 2 pounds (catch and release), one Wahoo, 25 pounds, and one Yellowtail Tuna, 25 pounds. Miscellaneous: one briefly hooked Sailfish which put on aerial display while it lasted.

Day 4, October 13, 2004.

Fishing for six hours with Captain Pata. Ocean was with heavy seas and a brisk wind early and then dissipated mid-morning to a modest chop. Excellent supply of live bait consisting of large sardines, however it arrived, mid-morning some 25 miles for the normal place delivered by the usual individuals. Water a quality 83-degrees of pristine blue color. Fished an area 10 to 25 miles north of La Playita. Style was a blend of trolled jigs (nothing), flylined sardines (nothing) or bottom fishing with yo-yo iron (nothing), or live sardines, cut squid, cut clams, cut bonito, cut green jack (five dropper loop, commercial Sand Dab Rig with size 1/0 with 30-pound main line and 8-oz sinker). Catch can be summarized as follows: one Green Jack, 2 pounds, two Skip Jacks, to 8 pounds, one Longnose Puffer, 2 pounds, one Sierra, 2 pounds, one Red Snapper, 2 pounds, ten Finescale Triggerfish, to 6 pounds, and three Orangeside Triggerfish, to 2 pounds (catch and release). Miscellaneous: one high flying striped marlin and one sea lion passed bye. Adjacent Panga had a large hooked Sailfish that was towing them around.

(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.