COOL, OFF-COLORED WATER AND
SCATTERED FISH AROUND LOS CABOS

March 20, 2005, Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo sport fishing, Baja, Mexico:

Anglers have not been as numerous at San Jose del Cabo (Los Cabos), possibly due to weaker fish counts the past couple of weeks. San Jose del Cabo sportfishing fleets are searching throughout the region for the best possible action. From the Pacific and into the Sea of Cortez, there has been no particular fishing hot spot.

The main factor for the decline in the fishing in waters around San Jose del Cabo has been attributed to cooler and off-colored dirty water conditions. The average water temperatures were ranging from 66 to 69 degrees in the San Jose del Cabo fishing areas. Supplies of mackerel and sardinas were adequate, but the main problem was finding cooperative fish.

It is now Spring Break time and crowds of college students and families are flooding into our popular Los Cabos area. Despite the early mornings still being a bit chilly the days have been sunny with high temperatures reaching 80 degrees.

With the lack of offshore action, many charters and particularly the La Playita panga fleets of San Jose del Cabo, have been fishing closer to shore for a mix of smaller fish, including sierra, jack crevalle, roosterfish, amberjack, yellowtail, pompano and pargo. The most numerous inshore fish have been the sierra, striking best early in the morning on live sardinas, with Palmilla Point being one of the more consistent spots in recent days. Sizes were typical, ranging from 2 to 7 pounds. On some days anglers accounted for quality amberjack and a few yellowtail while using yo-yo jigs off the rock piles, on fish weighed in the 15 to 30 pound range, but this bite was not consistent from day to day, as was pretty much the story for all species this week.

The combined La Playita sportfishing panga fleets for the week sent out 58 charters and anglers accounted for 40 amberjack, 8 yellowtail, 24 pompano, 32 cabrilla, 92 pargo, 10 roosterfish, 220 sierra, 26 dorado and 6 yellowfin tuna.

(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.