ROSE THREADFIN BASS AMONG 21 SPECIES CAUGHT AT LOS CABOS

Jan. 19-26, 2005, John Snow, San Jose del Cabo fishing, Baja California Sur, Mexico Species Fishing Report:

Executive Summary: Three, one to two hour, San Jose del Cabo surf fishing trips with below average results in general. Catch was a limited number of characters with several omissions.

Four, six hour, San Jose del Cabo Panga fishing trips with Captain Pata which had one strong day, one modest days and two miserable days.

There continue to be significantly more Gringos fishing at San Jose del Cabo as tourist season continues.

Overall came in contact with only 21 individual species with one new species for me – the Rose Threadfin Bass.

The bait guys were far to the south and we elected to “make bait” killing time with Sabiki Rigs down very deep over sandy bottom.

The San Jose del Cabo fishing weather from a temperature perspective continued about as bad as it gets with no sun at all most days. Wind was a significant factor on two of the four days of San Jose del Cabo Panga fishing and contributed significant wind chill factor.

The ocean water temperature was a frigid 70 degrees. Major targeted game species count from four days of San Jose del Cabo Panga fishing: dorado (mahi-mahi) – 11; yellowfin tuna - 4.

I would rate this week as below average from a sportfishing perspective and poor from a species perspective since I only went surf fishing three times and the bait guys only provided one species.

Species, Executive Summary – 21 20 known and 1 new: Bass, Rose Threadfin (Fish Number 8) – NEW!; Creole Fish, Pacific (Fish Number 62); Dorado (Fish Number 82); Graysby, Panamic (Fish Number 3); Green Jack (Fish Number 65); *Herring, Flatiron (Fish Number 19); Jack Crevalle (Fish Number 37); Mackerel, Pacific (Fish Number XX); Needlefish, Flat (Fish Number 44); Scad, Shortfin (Fish Number 116); Sergeant Major, Panamic (Fish Number 41); Serrano, Deepwater (Fish Number 141); Snapper, Dog (Fish Number 52); Snapper, Red (Fish Number 16); Snapper, Rose (Fish Number 97); TriggerFish, Finescale (Fish Number 9); TriggerFish, Orangeside (Fish Number 26); Tuna, Black Skipjack (Fish Number 79); Tuna, Bullet (Fish Number 93); Tuna, Yellowfin (Fish Number 89); Wrasse, Sunset (Fish Number 105).

*Collected in the bait tank.

Part I, Surf Report, 100% Catch and Release.

Day 1, January 19, 2005:

Fishing at San Jose del Cabo, Km 21, Cabo Real, one and half hours at sunrise, nominal surf, falling tide, water temperature 70-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 10, Mustad 92553 hook with frozen Sardinas. Catch summary: three Jack Crevalle, to 2 pounds, one Dog Snapper, 4 pounds, and one Yellowside Triggerfish, 2 pounds.

Day 2, January 23, 2005:

Fishing at San Jose del Cabo, 6 Km north of La Playita on the East Cape Road, two hours late afternoon, nominal surf, rising tide, water temperature 70-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 10, Mustad 92553 hook with frozen Sardinas. Catch summary: one Green Jack, 3 pounds, one Jack Crevalle, 1.5 pounds, and one Dog Snapper, 3 pounds. Day 3, January 25, 2005

Fishing at San Jose del Cabo, Km 14, Twin Dolphins, one hour before sunset, nominal surf, rising tide, water temperature 70-degrees, utilizing a fish finder rig – 15-pound test, 0.5-oz barrel sinker, bead, swivel, 15 pound test and size 6, Mustad 92553 hook with frozen Sardinas and cut Squid. Catch summary: one Panamic Sergeant Major, 7 inches, and two Sunset Wrasse, to 7 inches.

Part II. Fishing with Captain Pata, Panga Salome, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo. La Playita Sport Fishing activity was extensive.

Day 1, January 20, 2005:

San Jose del Cabo fishing for six hours with Captain Pata. Ocean was quite friendly being more or less flat calm but it was cold and overcast all day. Excellent supply of live bait available but had to wait one full hour. Water a quality 70-degrees of pristine blue color. Fished an area 10 to 25 miles north of La Playita adjacent to multiple boats. Style was a blend of flylined sardines, sardines down deep, or yo-yo iron down deep. Catch can be summarized as very slow: two Rosefin Bass, to 6 inches, two Bonito, to 10 pounds, two Dorado, to 9 pounds, one Panamic Graysby, 12 inches, one Flat Needlefish,6 pounds, one Red Snapper, 8 pounds, two Rose Spotted Snappers, to 4 pounds, and one Orangeside Triggerfish (catch and release). Miscellaneous: one Marlin buzzed us.

Day 2, January 22, 2005:

San Jose del Cabo fishing for six hours with Captain Pata. Ocean was quite friendly being more or less flat calm with quality sun most of the day. Excellent supply of live bait available but had to wait one full hour so we went Mackerel fishing. Water a quality 70-degrees of pristine blue color. Fished an area 10 to 25 miles north of La Playita adjacent to multiple boats. Approach One: Makin’ bait with Sabiki Rigs. Catch can be summarized as good: seven Pacific Mackerel to 12 inches, three Shortfin Scads to 12 inches, one Bullet Tuna, 10 inches. Approach Two: traditional flylined sardines and cut Bonito, and sardines or yo-yo iron down deep (nonproductive). Catch can be summarized as good to excellent: four Bonito, to 10 pounds, six Dorado, to 10 pounds, one Flat Needlefish,6 pounds, one Finescale Triggerfish, 4 pounds, one Orangeside Triggerfish (catch and release), and two Yellowtail Tuna, to 15 pounds. Miscellaneous: three Sea Lions in residence but did not take any of our fish and about 10 whales passed bye some as close as 50 yards.

Day 3, January 24, 2005

San Jose del Cabo fishing for six hours with Captain Pata. Ocean was brutally unfriendly with strong El Norte with some sun late morning and diminishing winds at quitting time. Excellent supply of live bait available but had to wait one full hour so we went Mackerel fishing. Water a quality 70-degrees of pristine blue color. Fished the Inner Gordo Bank and a brief unproductive stop at the Gordo Point on the way in. Approach One: Makin’ bait with Sabiki Rigs. Catch can be summarized as poor: five Pacific Mackerel to 12 inches, one Shortfin Scad, 12 inches, two Deepwater Serranos, to 7 inches. Approach Two: traditional flylined sardines and cut Bonito, and sardines down deep (nonproductive). Catch can be summarized as poor: two Bonito, to 5 pounds, three Dorado, to 10 pounds, one Finescale Triggerfish, 4 pounds, and four Orangeside Triggerfish (catch and release). Miscellaneous: three Sea Lions in residence but did not take any of our fish and about 10 whales passed bye some as close as 50 yards. Only 7 Pangas went out for the day (out of about 40).

Day 4, January 26, 2005:

San Jose del Cabo fishing for six hours with Captain Pata. Ocean was brutally unfriendly with strong El Norte with some sun late morning and diminishing winds at quitting time. Excellent supply of live bait available but had to wait one full hour so we went Mackerel fishing. Water a quality 70-degrees of pristine blue color. Fished an area 10 to 25 miles north of La Playita. Approach One: Makin’ bait with Sabiki Rigs. Catch can be summarized as strong: more than ten Pacific Mackerel to 12 inches, four Shortfin Scad, 12 inches, three Deepwater Serranos, to 7 inches. Approach Two: traditional flylined sardines and cut Bonito, and sardines down deep (nonproductive). Catch can be summarized as poor: eight Bonitos, to 7 pounds, two Pacific Creole Fish, to 13 inches, more than ten Orangeside Triggerfish (catch and release), and two Yellowfin, one 25 pounds and one football. Miscellaneous: a zillion Dolphins, three Sea Lions in residence but did not take any of our fish, one Turtle and about four Whales passed bye some as close as 50 yards.

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