LA PLAYITA PANGA FLEET REPORT

Aug. 6, 2006, Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas, Panga fishing at La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico sportfishing:

The La Playita panga sportfishing fleets at San Jose del Cabo sent out approximately 51 panga charters for the week and accounted for a fish count of: 4 striped marlin, 225 yellowfin tuna, 6 sailfish, 4 wahoo, 92 dorado, 6 roosterfish, 29 amberjack, 6 cabrilla, 12 huachinango, 22 yellowtail snapper, 22 jack crevalle, and 38 bonito.

The Los Cabos fishing area enjoyed calm conditions, although with water temperatures averaging 80 to 85 degrees, tropical systems are ripe to form on short notice.

With the calmer swells, sardina are once again plentiful off of the San Jose de Cabo Estuary area. Schools of bolito and skipjack were found on the offshore fishing grounds, but they proved hard to catch after the early morning hours. The water clarity became off colored and greenish and this slowed down the billfish action, but cleaner water is being reported with each passing day. We expect the billfish action to improve shortly.

The most consistent bite for La Playita pangas was for yellowfin tuna. Schools of fish could be seen feeding, ranging in sizes to well over 100 pounds, although most of the fish were in the 15 to 50 pound range. Live sardinas were the most consistent bait, though bolito were still working well for a chance at larger fish.

Dorado counts dropped of but some fish as large as 40 pounds were scattered throughout the area where the yellowfin tuna were schooling. More of the dorado landed were in the 8 to 18 pound class. The average catch was one, two or three.

Overall there was not much to report for bottom fish action, and there was strong current to deal with as well. Likewise the report for inshore fishing was very slow, just a few stray medium sized jack crevalle and roosterfish.

San Jose del Cabo surf fishermen also had very little to report this past week. A few off season sierra, jacks and manta rays highlighted the action.

(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.