Santa Rosalia, Mexico:
Yellowtail Fishing Is Steady At 25 To 30 Pounds On The 110 Bajo

July 7, 2005, John Gilkerson, San Lucas Cove, Baja Calfornia Sur, Mexico Fishing Trip Report:

We just returned from San Lucas Cove after fishing for six straight days starting June 26. I fished with my brother Dean Gilkerson from Eureka, California, and my son Mark Williamson from Anaheim Hills, California. The three of us fished aboard my 21-foot Bayrunner A-SALT-WEAPON. Also along on the trip was the Bentley family with their boat the BATTLEWAGON.

Bait was easy to make, and we filled the tank with bigeye and mackerel before dawn every morning in about 35 feet of water outside of San Lucas Cove.

We started fishing each day by drifting outside the 110 at the north end of San Marcos Island in about 175 feet of water for a very steady Yellowtail bite. The yellowtail were there every day of the trip and were averaging about 25 pounds with a few over 30. These were great fighting fish! The north end of the island was more crowded than I have ever seen it in over 20 years, and on one day I counted 16 boats, not counting pangas, all making the same drift and catching fish.

Each morning, after the Yellowtail bite tapered off, we tried different things during the trip.The first day we headed out about 5 miles off the back side of San Marcos Island and found a scum line. Here we located some hungry Dorado and I got a really nice Bull that was measured at over five feet long and estimated at well over 40 pounds.

We also spotted a pod of five Striped Marlin, and I gave my son Mark and brother Dean first shot at them. They baited up, tossed their live mack's at the Marlin, and both of them were immediately hooked up. However, the fights did not last long as the big fish jumped a couple of times and one broke the line while the other came unbuttoned. On the way back in, I spotted another fin and this time it was my turn. I boated and released a huge Sailfish that had to be close to ten feet long including it's bill. It was the largest Sailfish I have ever caught and it put up a great fight on 40 pound test.

A trip to Isla Tortuga the following day produced more Yellowtail, some nice Cabrilla and pargo.

The water temperature was 81 degrees and the visibility crystal clear. We spent some time snorkeling around and I found some jellyfish tentacles with my legs. I don't know what kind it was, but it created a welt pattern like I have never seen that lasted the rest of the trip. Watch out for the jellyfish!

We also spent a day fishing the coast north of Santa Rosalia all the way past Punta Baja. The water inside close to shore was cooler and off color, and the fishing slower than we have experienced in the past. We managed a few Cabrilla and Pargo and some giant triggerfish we saved for ceviche.

On the way back to San Lucas Cove we came across an area about two miles off the gypsum mine that was full of life. Here we got into a wide open sight cast to the biggest fish Dorado bite. Everyone caught and released their fill of fish in the 15 to 25 pound range. We also saw at least five Sea Turtles and a couple of Sailfish.

Overall, it was another great trip and everyone had a whole lot of fun. The weather was as good as we have ever experienced in the area at this time of the year with reasonably cool nights and not too much humidity. The seas seas were flat except for our last day when a moderate wind came up out of the south. With the south wind came the humidity.

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