IMPROVED TUNA FISHING FOR LA PLAYITA PANGAS

Jan. 12, 2007, Bob Lewis, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

I fished Thursday out of La Playita.

The wind at San Jose del Cabo has been strong lately from both the south and then the north, but this week has been calm.

That has allowed the San Jose del Cabo sportfishing charter fleet to get out and yellowfin tuna counts are way up. The tuna bite is not wide open but we were able to scratch up 3 tuna from 18 to 40-ish pounds.

Also boated a 20 plus pound Dorado.

We broke off 2 other large tuna, and also boated a half-dozen skipjack which we used for chunk and chum bait.

All our fish were caught on dead bait, by the way, but I shouldn't give up my secrets. So as long as the wind stays down we have fish.

I am booking some Baja sportfishing trips for some local panga and cruiser guys now, so if anyone wants to go I can plug them in. There are some new generation super pangas showing up here that are really nice. They are center console with 2 bait tanks, live bait tubes and 4-stroke 225 horse Hondas. They are fast, comfortable and fish really well, but of course cost more too.

The work has really accelerated on the new marina at San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. They pumped out all the water and have dozens of trucks and backhoes digging out and moving sand and dirt.

They also moved all the palapas used by the panga co-ops further down the sand and are digging out the area around the entrance. I am told the target is April for the marina opening. That may be a bit ambitious but if they keep up the pace it should be open soon. There is a big Mexican fishing tournament out of Cabo San Lucas this weekend that everyone is buzzing about.