LA PLAYITA PANGAS FISHING MOSTLY CLOSER TO SHORE

Dec. 26, 2005, Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico sportfishing report:

The combined San Jose del Cabo panga sportfishing fleets off of La Playita for the week sent out approximately 59 charters that accounted for a catch of 14 wahoo, 160 dorado, 205 yellowfin tuna, 125 skipjack, 60 red snapper (huachinango, or pargo), 40 triggerfish, 12 rainbow runner, 3 striped marlin, 6 amberjack and 15 cabrilla. This averages out to over ten fish per charter.

The majority of the San Jose del Cabo panga charters are now concentrating closer to shore for medium sized game fish, but the cruisers fishing out on the Pacific are finding striped marlin action, as well as respectable numbers of yellowfin tuna and dorado.

Off of San Jose del Cabo, the most consistent fishing has been for yellowfin tuna and dorado off of Punta Gorda. Fishing action was best on sardina or chihuil, both of which were readily available throughout most of the week at San Jose del Cabo, though with the water temperatures now falling the chihuil will most certainly be harder to catch.

The average sized San Jose del Cabo tuna caught was in the 15 to 20-pound class, and the dorado ranged up to 25 pounds.

On Wednesday, San Jose del Cabo charter fishing fleets encountered a large pod of schooling porpoise within a couple of miles straight out of La Playita beach, and there were hungry schools of yellowfin tuna moving with them, all nice fish of 20 to 25 pounds. Anglers were able to load up in a hurry on basically all of the tuna they wanted, but on most days the tuna were schooling closer to shore without any signs of porpoise.

Wahoo action fell off as the San Jose del Cabo fishing week progressed, though early in the week there were a handful of them accounted for, striking on both chihuil and sardinas.

The problem with sea gulls and swarms of needlefish continued inshore, and there were also the roaming pesky sea lions to deal with. This is the time of year when traditionally the pangueros start to set their inshore gill nets, but so far we have seen no signs of this at San Jose del Cabo, and hopefully the negative pressure will encourage them to think twice before setting their indiscriminate nets.

There were a small number larger yellowfin tuna to 80 pounds caught on Outer Gordo Bank, but this was a hit-or-miss bite, depending on winds, currents and bait availability.

Striped marlin were also seen moving into the area of the Gordo Banks. Commercial pangueros were catching fair quantities of the serving-sized huachinango red snapper (pargo) which the local restaurants prefer, but overall there was not much else going on off the bottom besides some of the always hungry triggerfish.

In inshore fishing off of Palmilla point there were reports of more sierra moving in and as the water temperature continues to drop we expect more of these aggressive mackerel family speedsters to migrate into local waters.

Crowds of families arrived in Los Cabos to celebrate the holiday season, but the numbers of anglers were light. Hopefully the coming New Year will bring more fishermen to the area.

Wintertime has now officially started and over the weekend San Jose del Cabo felt like it, as the early morning temperatures were quite chilly, though the days were mostly sunny and reaching high temperatures in the mid-70s. Northern winds continued to be persistent and somewhat unpredictable, but overall there were minimal swells and ocean conditions were favorable at San Jose del Cabo, though the water temperature is starting to drop more rapidly, with the average now ranging from 72 to 74 degrees. Water clarity has continued to be very clear and blue within one mile of the shoreline.

(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.