IMPROVED TUNA FISHING AT LOS CABOS AND ANOTHER WIN FOR TONY MIRANDA

Jan. 14, 2007, Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas, La Playita Beach, San Jose del Cabo, Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

The combined sportfishing panga fleets launching from La Playita sent out approximately 48 charters at San Jose del Cabo for the week, for a fish count of: 12 striped marlin, 105 yellowfin tuna, 18 pompano, 10 cabrilla, 36 pargo, 11 amberjack, 66 sierra, 45 bonito, 112 dorado, and 1 wahoo.

On Saturday, January 13, 2007, there was another Baja California Sur state Governor's Cup local fishing tournament held out of Cabo San Lucas at the tip of Mexico's Baja peninsula. La Playita panguero Capt. Tony Miranda on his super panga “Hooker” was not to be denied and pulled off his second Governor's Cup victory in a row with a 141 pound yellowfin tuna that he caught on the Outer Gordo Bank using chunk bait. Tony's fishing team once again took home the first place prize of a 22 foot panga with motor. Congratulations Tony and crew for a well deserved victory.

The San Jose del Cabo vacation fishing area is bustling, although there were not many anglers at this time.

The Los Cabos fishing area weather this last week was a bit crazy. There were cool days and winds out of the north, then calm and unseasonably warm days, before turning chilly with drizzling rain over the weekend. The air temperature varied from 55 to 80 degrees and the water temperature was in the 72 to 75 degree range, slightly warmer than the previous week.

The La Playita sportfishing panga fleets were not very busy this week, but it was not because of the slower fishing that had plagued the area last week.

A cleaner and warmer current pushed into Mexico's lower Sea of Cortez and this helped the fishing action off San Jose del Cabo.

The Gordo Banks once again came to life, and anglers found great action on yellowfin tuna on both the Inner and Outer Gordo Banks. These yellowfin tuna were averaging 20 to 40 pounds and there were several caught to over 140 pounds. The skipjack were so thick it was impossible to fish for tuna with live sardinas. Drift fishing with chunk skipjack bait proved the best technique. Anglers also had some success using whole small skipjacks for bait for the larger tuna.

Live bait supplies were inconsistent, but on most days sufficient supplies of mackerel and sardinas were available.

Striped marlin fishing has now spread out, with the marlin being found from the Pacific Ocean into the Sea of Cortez. Many charter boats were accounting for multiple billfish days. Striped marlin were striking trolled lures, live mackerel and even sardinas. They were tailing on the surface, riding swells, or lighting up in the lure spread. Schools of mackerel are now being found in the normal holding areas and this should only attract more game fish in the coming weeks.

Dorado appeared in greater numbers, scattered throughout the area. Most of the dorado were in the 5 to 20 pound class, but some impressive bulls to 50 pounds were also caught. The Pacific Ocean off the tip of Baja produced big numbers of dorado, but many were also found off of San Jose del Cabo where the warmer water had moved in.

Strong currents made it more difficult to fish the bottom rock piles, but there was a mix of pargo, amberjack, cabrilla and pompano caught by San Jose del Cabo pangas. However, there was no consistency to this fishing this week.

Fishing along the San Jose del Cabo shoreline there were some sierra and roosterfish found while trolling lures and bait. The fish counts were not huge but it provided an option on days when it was too windy to fish further offshore. Some of the roosterfish were as large as 15 pounds, for fun fishing on light tackle.