A WINDY WEEK FOR LA PLAYITA CHARTER SPORTFISHING PANGAS

Jan. 22, 2006, Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo sportfishing, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

The San Jose del Cabo sportfishing panga fleets launching from La Playita sent out approximately 48 combined charters for the week, for a fish count of: 1 striped marlin, 8 yellowfin tuna, 8 dorado, 11 yellowtail, 8 amberjack, 12 pompano, 13 cabrilla, 260 red snapper or huachinango, 32 croaker and 22 triggerfish.

This week San Jose del Cabo early morning temperatures dropped into the mid to upper 40s and the wind blowing from the north made it feel colder.

Most of the week there was wind blowing from 10 to 30 miles per hour. On Tuesday and Wednesday most San Jose del Cabo sportfishing fleets.

Fishing water temperatures also plummeted to 65 degrees in areas. The warmest band of water was located straight out from Cabo San Lucas, where it was up to 70 or 72 degrees.

Ocean conditions became stirred up, with a greenish current pushing its way onto the fishing grounds north of Punta Gorda.

Live bait supplies were adequate most days, and on local fishing grounds there were also red crabs surfacing, being used to catch red snapper.

Fishing action for yellowfin tuna, striped marlin and dorado became very slow, almost to a standstill. Most San Jose del Cabo charter fishing boats were working close to shore targeting sierra and snapper.

On Monday there was a surprise on the Inner Gordo Bank for a handful of San Jose del Cabo panga anglers, as the red crabs swarmed on the surface and were netted as use for bait for catching huachinango (red snapper) which were also coming up top chasing their favorite food. The fish ranged up to 10 pounds, very fun on light tackle. The few pangas that got into this hot action accounted for 10 to 30 snapper per boat.

This was the hot action for the week. It spread out to the rock piles to the north, such as Cardon, La Fortuna and Iman, though the north wind also made it very tough to even get to the better fishing grounds. Often the boats were fishing close inshore for smaller snapper averaging less than one kilo, plate sized fish which the local restaurants prefer, but usually are not the type that anglers travel such distances to target. With rapidly changing water conditions there were only limited options available at this time.

(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.