STRIPED MARLIN LEAD OFFSHORE ACTION
FOR GORDO BANKS PANGAS FLEET

May 15, 2005, Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja sport fishing, Mexico Report:

The La Playita panga fleet at San Jose del Cabo sent out approximately 92 charters for the week and anglers produced a fish count of about: 48 striped marlin, 22 dorado, 44 yellowfin tuna, 110 sierra, 22 pompano, 18 amberjack, 190 pargo, 76 cabrilla and 9 wahoo.

Vacationers in the San Jose del Cabo (Los Cabos) sportfishing area are continuing to enjoy idyllic weather conditions, and clear sunny skies, with high temperatures in the 80s. There was a bit of wind from the north, but overall the ocean was relatively calm and was comfortable for anglers. Swells are now starting to increase from the south as is normal during the month of May, but still it was not a problem for launching panga fishing charters from the beach of La Playita.

The fishing at San Jose del Cabo was not wide open this week, and was changing from day to day, but there was good variety, and the striped marlin fishing was the highlight for anglers targeting the blue water offshore action.

All of the fishing activity is now taking place in the direction of the Sea of Cortez. This is where the water temperatures have been averaging 74 to 76 degrees. The fishing grounds from the Gordo Banks to Destiladeras was most consistent, with lots of baitfish in the area, particularly mackerel and bolito. Sardinas were available off of the beach of La Playita.

Striped marlin were striking best on bait. Fishing methods included slow trolling on the surface, casting to tailing or feeding fish, and drift fishing bait down deep. The average marlin caught weighed 100 to 130 pounds and many sportfishing charters targeting billfish accounted for multiple catches per day.

Dorado fishing continued to be scattered, with every few charters encountering one or two of them while trolling lures or bait. No specific fishing area was better than the other. There just were not many of the do-dos around yet, but with the water on a warming trend that should bring in more fish. Of the dorado found the majority weighed in the 10 to 20 pound class.

Yellowfin tuna fishing was also slow off San Jose del Cabo. A few more of them were caught than were dorado, most found with schools of porpoise, but each day they seemed to be in a different spot and the few anglers that were lucky enough to be in the right place had a few tuna up to 30 pounds. The big showing of yellowfin on the Gordo Banks slacked this past week, though on one day a few 200 to 300-pound class tuna were seen on a quick surface feeding frenzy by Playita panguero Chame Pino, though he was not able to hook up.

Wahoo were the surprise of the week at San Jose del Cabo, as they went on the first real bite of the year around the Iman to Vinorama areas. They were hitting on trolled lures such as Yo-Zuris, Marauders and skirted lead heads, as well as on live and dead baits. Some San Jose del Cabo charter fishing boats landed up to two or three, but it was still lucky if you landed one of them. Many hookups were lost for some reason or another. This seems to be typical for wahoo fishing. Some days you can go 0 for 5 on strikes and then the next you can land a few in a row. The wahoo that were brought in were quality fish of 40 to 50 pounds on average.

Other sportfishing action at San Jose del Cabo included shallow water rock pile fishing for various species of pargo, pompano, cabrilla and amberjack. Most of them were striking on bait and were medium sized 5 to 12 pounds, producing some very tasty fillets. Sierra and jack crevalle provided the bulk of the inshore action at San Jose del Cabo, though a few large roosterfish are starting to be seen feeding along the local beaches and schools of their preferred bait mullet are now moving in close to shore. We look for the roosterfish action to real pick up in the coming weeks.

San Jose del Cabo shore fishermen are catching lots of small croakers, and a few jack crevalle, sierra and halibut.

(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.