STRONG WINDS, COOLING WATER TEMPERATURES AT LOS CABOS

June 18, 2006, Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja, Mexico fishing:

San Jose del Cabo sportfishing area weather made a dramatic turn on Thursday when an unusually strong front from the southwest pushed cooler Pacific water all the way to Los Frailes and lowered air temperatures substantially. Winds gusted violently through Friday. Water temperatures, which had been as high as 83 degrees on the Sea of Cortez side of the peninsula, plummeted to 67 degrees. You can imagine what this 15-degree drop did to the fish counts. Along with the cold water came dirty green currents and this combination virtually shut down the action that had been so promising during the first part of the week. We expect the water conditions to quickly improve.

San Jose del Cabo fishing water had been warming to a point where most of the striped marlin had become sluggish and were on the verge of starting their northerly migration, and a few of the larger blue and black marlin were reported. Plenty of bolito were on the offshore fishing grounds, always a favorable sign, although is still a lack of any consistent yellowfin tuna throughout the San Jose del Cabo fishing area.

Up until the big blow from the south, larger dorado had made a strong appearance for the first time this season. San Jose del Cabo sport fishing charters were averaging anywhere from 3 or 4 and on up to 10 dorado per trip, with several bulls up to 50 pounds accounted for. With the influx of cold water this hot bite vanished overnight.

Other action included fair counts of Mexican bonito striking on trolled jigs and yo-yos and Dogtooth snapper patrolled the shoreline and could be seen in sizable schools at times.

Some roosterfish were also found along San Jose del Cabo beaches, and trolling with mullet was best bet for these fish. Fish to fifty pounds were caught and released.

San Jose del Cabo surf fishermen have reported limited success on roosters, though at least several fish in the 30 to 40 pound were reported by anglers who were snagging mullet and casting them out.

The La Playita panga fleet at San Jose del Cabo sent out approximately 76 panga charters for the week and anglers accounted for a fish count of: 11 striped marlin, 5 hammerhead sharks, 220 dorado, 14 yellowfin tuna, 15 roosterfish, 12 jack crevalle, 11 amberjack, 7 pompano, 12 sierra, 22 dogtooth snapper, 110 yellowtail snapper, 18 cabrilla, 185 Mexican bonito and 1 wahoo.

(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.