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Fishing Report Archives |
Fishing Report Archives -
2005
2006
2007
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Fishing Report! 12-1-05
The fishing right now on
Baja's East Cape is nothing short of
incredible. Usually, December is a peaceful
month, with the resorts full of holiday
travelers who are enjoying the relaxing
tranquility of this region of Mexico,
sipping cool drinks, soaking up the sun by
the pool, or admiring the vistas of the Sea
of Cortez. For many folks who visit in
December, fishing is secondary to the
overall experience.
This
year, however, many folks are adding charter
days to their vacations to take advantage of
the "wide open" fishing. For those not in
the know, WIDE OPEN refers to a scenario
when the sportfishing simply can't be any
better. This is often the case on the East
Cape, but typically not in December.
Currently, the dorado are so numerous it's
hard to fathom. Boats are getting shots at
30 or more fish in a single day. That's
THIRTY, folks. These mahi mahi are all over
the size range, from little 10-15 pound
"chickens" right up to bruiser 35-45 pound
fish. And what excellent eating! Many
anglers are practicing catch-and-release on
the cows (females, easily identifiable by
their sloped brow) and savoring some fillets
from the bulls (males, featuring a
squared-off head). Whether you're enjoying
some ceviche as an evening hors d'oeuvre,
grilled mahi steaks, breaded fillets as an
appetizer or main course (all prepared by
the hotel chef just for you), or packing
some meat in your coolers for the trip home,
you simply can't beat the dorado fishing
right now on the East Cape. Indications
point to these fish hanging around all
winter, too, so these angling opportunities
should sustain right through the upcoming
months and into Spring.
Striped marlin remain very common. 2005 has
been a fantastic year for the stripeys and
now it seems even more fish are arriving.
Stripers spawn in the Sea of Cortez in the
Spring, when literally thousands of fish
show up in February, March, April, and May,
and this year it appears the fish are
returning early. Typically, the stripeys
drop off in size from 150-200 pounds down to
100-150 pounders (younger fish) that reside
year-round in the area. In 2005, we saw a
size drop-off in late summer, but now the
bigger adult fish are returning already here
in December. Between the huge numbers of
dorado, plus aggressive striped marlin (4-8
shots per boat most days), it's hard to keep
a line in the water without hooking up! A
few bonus sailfish also are showing up in
catches. For both the dorado and the
billfish, boats traveling north, east, and
south are all contacting fish. Dropping a
line in the water anywhere from 4-20 miles
offshore does the trick. A combination of
trolled lures, hootchies, and pitched live
baits are the preferred tactics. Plenty of
mackerel are available for bait each
morning.
As if this wasn't enough, a huge tuna school
also is roaming the waters about 30 miles
offshore. While the fish aren't the typical
summer run of huge yellowfin, incredible
numbers of fish are biting, ranging in size
from 10-40 pounds. Occasional 50-70 pounders
are in the mix.
Inshore opportunities abound for sierra
mackerel. Fish are numerous near Punta
Colorada, La Rivera, and Punta Arena, biting
on live bait as well as lures presented on
wire leaders.
All in all, it's a fine time to find
yourself on Baja's East Cape. With WIDE OPEN
fishing right now, beautiful weather, and
the excellent service at our hotels, come on
down for a visit!
Fishing Report! 12-1-05
Just when we thought the fishing couldn't be
more fun, worthwhile, and consistent, the
dorado have suddenly appeared! In an amazing
turn of events, dorado are everywhere. The
thing about pelagic species is, you never
know when they are going to come and go, but
2005 has gone down in the books as one of
the poorest dorado years on record. Granted,
here on the East Cape we are spoiled by
consistent, tremendous dorado fishing every
year. We are blessed both by significant
numbers of fish practically year-round, as
well as excellent average size 30-50 pounds.
Anglers travel here from the world over to
experience our mahi-mahi. Yet, 2005 was "muy
malo" (very bad), with few fish available,
albeit the dorado caught were of good size.
Thus far in 2005, a boat might expect to
catch a dorado or two over several days of
fishing, if lucky. This is compared to 5-10
shots PER DAY in a normal year.
Last
week, the dorado arrived in huge numbers.
Boats are contacting fish in all directions:
to the north off Punta Pescadero, straight
east within 6 miles of the resorts, near La
Rivera, off Punta Arena, and to all points
south. Fish are of a variety of sizes from
15-50 pounds. Many fish are being spotted on
the surface and mates are either casting
chunk squid bait (to the smaller dorado) or
a live/dead mackerel (to bruiser bulls) to
these fish. Mahi-mahi also are attacking
lure spreads meant for striped marlin and
sailfish. Captains/mates have changed
tactics accordingly, with many running
smaller lures in the spread--especially on
the flat lines--to trigger strikes from
dorado while still trolling the deep blue
for billfish.
Overall striped marlin numbers remain
consistent, with boats getting 2-6 shots per
day along with a few sailfish mixed in. A
few blue marlin are still showing up as
well. No black marlin have been seen in the
past two weeks.
Inshore angling opportunities are
consistent. Sierra mackerel are available in
good numbers from Rancho Leonero all the way
around Punta Arena and south past Las
Barracas. This puts fish within casting
distance of anglers from Punta Colorada, and
some sierra are being caught in front of the
resort as well as from the charter boats.
Plenty of snapper are mixed into the inshore
catches as well, plus a few jack crevalle.
The weather is beautiful, with daytime temps
in the mid-80's, cooling to 70 at night. Sea
of Cortez surface temps range from 72-80,
depending on the currents. All in all, it's
a great time to find yourself relaxing on
the East Cape! |
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Fishing
Report! 11-15-05
One of the most consistent fishing years in
recent memory continues. Striped marlin and
sailfish are still leading the way with
boats reporting 2-8 shots per day on
average. One boat out of Palmas had a great
day with eight striped marlin caught and
released, plus a half-dozen yellowfin tuna
30-50 pounds. Striped marlin are being found
just a few miles offshore, and boats heading
north, east, and south all are finding fish.
A combination of trolled lures and mackerel
pitched to tailing fish are both producing
strikes. Most of the stripers are in the
100-140 pound range. Sailfish catches are
mixed in with the stripers, with fish around
100 pounds common. Some boats are
encountering pods of sails further east,
while searching for tuna schools 25-40 miles
out.
Yellowfin
tuna are on the small side, but consistent
numbers of fish are being caught. 10-30
pound fish are numerous, and occasional
bigger fish are also being caught. El Loco
II, from Palmas de Cortez (captained by
Julio Cota), won the Cabo tuna tournament
last week with a 199.5 pound yellowfin
caught on chunk squid near Los Frailes--a
fishing area to the south of the East Cape
hotels.
As for bait, in addition to the many large
squid in the area that boats are catching
first thing in the morning for bait, the
bait skiffs are well-stocked with live
mackerel for sale each morning at departure.
Dorado made a surprise appearance recently.
This has been a very poor year for dorado,
one of the worst on record. The waters of
the East Cape usually are thriving with
mahi-mahi, but they are unusually sparse in
2005. However, numbers of 10-20 pound dorado
have suddenly appeared. Occasionally, boats
are lucking into the odd big dorado around
40 pounds.
Blue marlin reappeared this week as well
after an absence of about two weeks, albeit
40 miles out. Boats in search of tuna caught
and released several large blues. Black
marlin are absent.
Inshore, wahoo of nice size up to about 40
pounds are susceptible to trolled Marauders
and Rapalas, while numerous pargo (snappers)
can be caught shallow. Slightly cooler water
has the sierra mackerel back in action close
to shore; fly anglers had the most luck.
Great multi-species angling continues to be
the story here on the East Cape! |
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Fishing Report! 10-25-05|
Striped marlin fishing success continues to
lead the way and surprise anglers with its
consistency on the East Cape. Boats are
enjoying 2-6 shots per day, and although the
fish are young adults averaging only 100-140
pounds, they are putting up excellent fights
on light tackle with the recent drop in
surface temperatures. A north wind for three
days moved some cooler waters into the
southern Sea of Cortez straight east of the
resorts, dropping surface temps from their
summer highs of 90 degrees to closer to 80
degrees. With the increased dissolved oxygen
in the cooler water, the stripers fight
hard. Boats are contacting fish to the
North, 4-15 miles out from Punta Pescadero,
straight east at 11-18 miles, and south off
Punta Arena and Cabo Pulmo at 4-10 miles
out.
Yellowfin
tuna are available in strong numbers, close
to shore near Cabo Pulmo, although the fish
are running small at 10-30 pounds.
Occasional tuna 30-50 pounds are mixed in. A
week ago, boats venturing out 25-40 miles
contacted tuna schools with bigger fish. One
boat brought in a monster 220-pound
yellowfin last week.
Boats trolling Marauders and Rapalas are
encountering decent wahoo fishing to the
South. Several 40-pound wahoo topped the
bragging rights, although most fish are
averaging 20-25 pounds.
Dorado fishing, unfortunately, has returned
to the ongoing slow pattern that has
prevailed for most of the 2005 season. A
good run of fish that started in early
September and continued through most of the
month has tapered off, and even though some
10-20 pound mahi mahi are being caught close
to shore along with the tuna--and
occasionally offshore by marlin trollers--the
overall fishing for dorado remains
inconsistent.
Inshore anglers are focusing on pargo and
other snapper species that are available in
huge numbers right now. One father/son
staying at Hotel Palmas de Cortez last week
capped off each fishing day out on the boat
by strolling down the beach with spinning
gear to catch a dozen pargo every afternoon
during their stay. They had quite a cooler
of fish fillets!
Hoards of mackerel are available for live
and dead bait presentations. Striped marlin
are attacking lure spreads and biting on
artificials but many also are being caught
via live bait pitched into the spread when
the marlin come up for a look. Numerous
tailing fish spotted roaming on the surface
also are beeing triggered by pitched baits.
Occasional sailfish are showing up, many
around 100 pounds in size, adding to the
excellent mixed bag available in the waters
off the East Cape right now. Blue marlin
have been rare for the past two weeks. Many
boats are angling for squid at dawn,
catching some four-foot brutes that put up a
nice tussle from deep water to start the
fishing day. Tuna anglers are chunking the
squid for bait, necessitated by the current
absence of sardines in the area.
With beautiful weather in the 70's at night
and mid-90's with moderate humidity during
the days, it's a wonderful time to visit
Baja's East Cape. The fishing is very good,
the swimming pools are magnificent, and the
cocktails are cold! Everyone is excited
about the upcoming November fishing
opportunities. |
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Fishing Report! 10-6-05
After a short hiatus, the fishing reports
are back. The East Cape Resorts took a brief
hiatus from the fishing, as well, as a
precautionary move against the approaching
Hurricane Otis last week. In general,
tropical storms and hurricanes reach the
Baja Peninsula only infrequently (1-2 storms
every couple of years), and up until last
week, the Cape was storm-free for the entire
year. A Category 3 storm, Otis was not a
severe threat to begin with, but a
northeasterly storm track suddenly veered
east, so we pulled the entire resort fleet
out of the water to be safe. This process
only takes about 8 hours (for the 80-boat
fleet). Otis then turned back North and the
eye passed some 600 miles to the North, and
the only effect from the storm were some
insignificant winds, brief stormy seas, and
some much-needed rain. In three days it was
business as usual on the Cape.
Fishing
has been excellent leading up to the storm,
and often, post-storm fishing is even better
as the storm tracks seem to "blow in" even
more fish from the Pacific. Evidence of this
can be seen in the suddenly superb dorado
bite. After an unusually poor year for
dorado, in which few fish have been caught
(although of nice size), now dorado are
everywhere. Although many of the fish are
15-20 pounders (and much welcomed table
fare!), some fish up to 40 pounds also are
showing up in catches.
Yellowfin tuna have been excellent as well.
The fish are close, with some schools only a
few miles offshore, with numerous tuna 10-30
pounds and some fish in the 40-50 pound
range. Fish are biting on a combination of
live bait and trolled lures (hootchies and
feathers).
Live bait available include numerous pods of
squid, some mackerel and caballitos, as well
as some sardines.
Striped marlin continue their summer-long
lead in the billfish catches. Fish are being
contacted on both trolled lures, and caught
with bait/switch techniques, to the north
off Punta Pescadero, straight east, and
numerous points to the South as well.
Sailfish also are common, especially north.
Blue marlin have tapered somewhat in the
past few weeks, but still are available.
Lastly, good wahoo fishing can be found
using trolled Rapalas and Marauders about 20
miles south of the resorts, close to shore
(in the area commonly known as Las
Destiladeras). |
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Fishing Report! 9-7-05
Angling opportunities for various billfish
species--including sailfish, blue marlin,
and striped marlin--remain very consistent.
There are plenty of sails and stripers
around, and blue marlin are more numerous
than most years, based on catch rates.
Around 50 hookups and releases a week for
blues are very solid numbers, not counting
the numbers of fish that strike and miss the
hooks, or shake the hooks during the fight.
Blue marlin put a notorious strain on
fishing tackle, so the number of missed fish
is easily double the 50+ catch/releases per
week. Striped marlin continue their great
showing this year, and the sailfish are as
consistent as always.
Yellowfin
tuna are available in huge numbers. In
recent days, the fish are averaging
excellent size, with many 40-50 pound fish
being caught. A 250-pound monster yellowfin
was brought to the scales last week.
Numerous tuna 100-pounds-plus are being
hooked as well. A combination of live bait
(sardines), and trolled feathers, hootchies,
and cedar plugs, are taking the fish.
Much of the fishing for billfish and tuna is
being done very close right now, within 6-15
miles of shore. A lot of tuna are just a few
miles offshore, including around La Rivera
and Punta Arena, and most marlin catches
seem to be coming from the "88" Reef (Ocho-Ocho)
and the adjacent waters of Punta Pescadero
and Isla Cerralvo.
Dorado fishing remains very slow for the
summer. The fish simply are not numerous as
per usual. However, boats are encountering
fish daily, typically 35-50 pound brutes.
Very nice quality mahimahi indeed, just not
in the schooling numbers typical for the
East Cape. As prolific as this species is,
they are sure to return in big numbers at
some point.
Inshore, the roosterfish have pulled their
annual vanishing act. Big amberjack are
being taken on sardines in shallow water as
a nice alternative.
Surface water temperatures are hovering
around 88 degrees.
Come experience the beauty of the Baja
Peninsula and great fishing on the East
Cape! |
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Fishing Report! 8/17/05
The fishing on the East Cape continues to be
excellent and consistent. Billfish are
available in good numbers, with striped
marlin still the most common species around.
Warmer water temperatures, now between 83-90
degrees, usually push the stripers out, but
this year they are hanging around and are
susceptible to both trolled lures and live
bait presentations. Some mackerel are still
being caught for bait, but caballitos
and ballyhoo are more prevalent. Sardines
also are available for bait, for tuna and
dorado. Sailfish are numerous, and catch
rates would have been higher in the past
week except for tournament anglers trying
for blue marlin who were pulling lures away
from the pestering sails. Talk about
spoiled! Blue marlin fishing also is very
good, with about 30 fish being caught (and
virtually all released) per week right now.
A few black marlin are in the Sea of Cortez
near the East Cape as well. Anglers choosing
to slow-troll live yellowfin tuna or
skipjacks are targeting the big blues and
blacks. Patience is the key, but some big
fish are showing up in catches.
Yellowfin tuna are numerous, with the big
schools and the bigger tuna hanging with the
porpoises 35-40 miles out. Some "football"
tuna can be found close to shore. Boats
making the long run to the big tuna are
scoring well with fish between 20-100
pounds.
The dorado bite is slow. Not many mahis are
in the area, but the ones being caught are
of excellent size. Most of the dorado are
bulls averaging around 40 pounds, with a few
50-pound plus fish also being hooked. Other
pelagics like wahoo are similarly infrequent
but available.
Few boats are fishing inshore, but those
that are enjoy good success for roosterfish,
pargo (snappers), and jacks.
One of the best fishing years in recent
memory continues on the East Cape. Are you
planning your vacation to this beautiful
region soon? |
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Fishing Report! 8/2/05
The fishing along Baja's East Cape is
nothing short of incredible right now. The
consistent striped marlin bites continues,
although catch rates are down just a little
bit compared to a few weeks ago. It may be
that just as many stripers are around, but
most boats aren't spending too much time
trolling for billfish because of the huge
numbers of yellowfin tuna in the vicinity.
The
tuna schools are 25-40 miles out, and are
biting on a combination of trolled cedar
plugs, hootchies, and small skirted lures,
as well as on live bait. Fish are running
from football size to over 100 pounds, with
the occasional 150#+ bruiser mixed in. Most
boats fishing tuna are limiting out.
Occasional marlin and sailfish are being
picked up on the edges of the tuna/porpoise
schools.
The blue marlin catch rate has skyrocketed.
Just a few weeks ago, fish were showing up
periodically in catches, but in the past
week alone 30 blues were caught. Thankfully,
most fish were released. Unfortunately, a
400+, 500+, and whopping 616-pounder were
brought to shore. Impressive fish, no doubt,
and better if they were still swimming. All
of these big blues are females in their
prime reproductive years. Snap some photos
in the water and let 'em live! Our captains
enjoy practicing catch-and-release for
billfish unless their charter strongly
encourages otherwise.
Dorado are uncharacteristically spotty. Some
fish are available, and they are the big
bulls from 40-60 pounds--awesome dorado for
sure, but the numbers of fish just aren't
around this year. Of course, they could
start appearing at any time. Water temps
from 78-85 degrees should have all gamefish
on a tear in this region of the Sea of
Cortez!
Few boats are targeting inshore species, but
a few roosterfish, pompano, and jacks are
showing up from La Rivera south to Los
Frailes. A few wahoo are also close to
shore, even further south.
Marlin are being contacted in all directions
out from the resorts.
As we enter the hottest months of the
year--August and September--the fishing
should continue in spectacular fashion. And
barring any tropical storm activity, this
awesome fishing year should continue right
to the end! Book early for September,
November, and December. For the month of
October, all three hotels are virtually sold
out.
2005 may turn out to be a year for the
record books! |
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Fishing Report! 7/19/05
Baja's East Cape is in the midst of one of
the strongest and most consistent striped
marlin bites in years. The fish are
everywhere; anglers are encountering fish to
the North around Punta Pescadero all the way
up to Cerralvo Island, straight east, from a
few miles offshore all the way out to the
tuna schools, and to the South near La
Rivera, Punta Arena, and down past Los
Frailes. A combination of trolled lures,
bait-and-switch tactics, and sight fishing "tailers"
all are producing strikes.
The
sailfish have started showing up more
regularly now with the warm surface temps
(water ranges from 78-86 degrees depending
on which area you find yourself fishing).
Additionally, several blue marlin have been
caught in the past week. The numbers aren't
strong, but the fish are available.
Dorado have been unusually slow this summer
thus far. This prolific gamefish usually
appears in super numbers along the Cape all
year, and fish certainly are being caught,
just not by the boatload. The bonus is,
hookups are averaging 35-40 pounds, with
some bruisers topping 50# this week. These
big bulls are tremendous fighters and, of
course, excellent table fare.
Yellowfin tuna have arrived in huge numbers.
Most boats targeting tuna are limiting out,
and although many fish are football size,
some larger specimens in the 40-60# class
also are being caught. As the frenzy
continues into August, those 100-200
pounders should start popping up in catch
rates also. Although some smaller tuna
schools are close in, the biggest numbers
are showing up 25-35 miles out from the
resorts.
A few roosterfish are being caught in the
surf near Punta Arena, and other inshore
species like snapper, jacks, and sierra are
readily available.
Summer's in full swing here on Baja's East
Cape! |
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Fishing Report! 6/30/05
After a stretch of cooler than normal water
temperatures (in the low- to mid-70's), 80
degree water has arrived in the Sea of
Cortez, and with it comes the arrival of the
yellowfin tuna schools. 23 miles out, resort
boats are finding huge pods of porpoises and
tuna, with many fish running between 40-80
pounds, with occasional bruisers over 100
pounds mixed in. Fish are taking trolled
cedar plugs, hootchies, and marlin lures, as
well as live bait.
The
striped marlin fishing this spring and
summer has been one of the best in recent
years. With the stripeys preferring mid-70
degree water, the fish have been hanging
around in big numbers for much longer than
normal. Unusual this year are the numbers of
small (juvenile) striped marlin being caught
right along with the adult fish that range
from 100-200 pounds. Virtually all Baja
stripers weighing over 140 pounds are
females that come to the area to spawn,
while the adult males are 100-150 pounds
typically. For the past few weeks, anglers
have also been hooking numbers of striped
marlin from 40-80 pounds--the young fish.
Fisheries biologists provided Hotel Palmas
de Cortez with nine "pop-up" satellite fish
tags that were implanted in young striped
marlin over the past two weeks. The tags
were targeted specifically for the juvenile
marlin, averaging about 60 pounds across the
nine fish that were caught, tagged, and
released. Currently, striped marlin are
being tagged in a number of sportfishing
locations around Mexico, as well as in some
other Pacific Ocean locales. The purpose of
the wide-ranging study is to better
understand marlin migration and reproduction
patterns. Because so many striped marlin
spawn on Baja's East Cape, the area is an
ideal spot to study.
Since billfish are a fragile part of the
marine ecosystem and an apex predator,
anglers are encouraged to release all marlin
caught in the Sea of Cortez. Prolific
spawners such as tuna, dorado, and wahoo are
available in large numbers for anglers
wishing to harvest fish.
Numbers of blue marlin have started to show
up along with the tuna and the warmer water
in the past week. An estimated 600# blue was
caught and released, in addition to other
smaller blues from 200-400 pounds. |
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Fishing Report! 6/17/05
Striped marlin are numerous in the Sea of
Cortez. Boats are getting multiple shots at
marlin each day. A few sailfish are mixed in
with the Stripers. As an added bonus, some
swordfish are being caught. Four swords have
been hooked in the past week. Occasional
blue marlin are showing up.
Dorado
are less numerous than normal for the month
of June, but some nice fish up to 40 pounds
have been caught. Dorado catches are
occurring right with the marlin up and down
the East Cape.
Yellowfin tuna are schooled with the
porpoises about 40 miles out from the
resorts. Although many tuna being caught are
football size, some nice Yellowfin in the 40
to 60 pound class are also showing up.
Roosterfish and other inshore species, like
Sierra Mackerel and Pargo can be found close
to shore, however most boats are targeting
the plentiful marlin. |
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Fishing Report! 5/25/05
The billfish bite continues to
be superb on the East Cape! Numbers of striped marlin are
being caught, in fishing grounds both to the north and to
the south of the resorts. Although some striped marlin and
sailfish are biting trolled lures over deep water straight
east, more fish are relating to the current upwellings and
huge schools of baitfish near reefs and seamounts closer to
shore. Multiple hookups for striped marlin are occurring.
The blue marlin have made an appearance in the area. Several
fish approaching 300 pounds have been caught and released in
the past week. The ample baitfish and vigorous currents
along the stretch from Punta Arena south to Los Frailes is
producing most of the blue marlin action.
Dorado remain spotty, but the fish being caught are of size.
Several 40-pound plus fish have come in during the past few
days. Likewise for the tuna, with so much billfish action
near shore and close to the resorts, few boats have ventured
out far in search of tuna.
80 degree surface temperatures in the Sea of Cortez are
bringing in more fish from the Pacific every day.
Roosterfish are not numerous, but can be found along the
surf near Punta Colorada, as well as south close to Las
Barracas. Various other inshore species such as sierra
mackerel, snapper, and jack crevalle, are also available.
Schools of jack crevalle also are being seen offshore
herding bait schools and churning the water in the process.
The main ingredient right now are the billfish. Some amazing
marlin fishing is going on right now on the East Cape. Be
sure to catch and release ALL billfish--they are a precious
resource! |
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Fishing Report! 5/16/05
The fishing--especially for
striped marlin--is nothing short of spectacular here on the
East Cape. Boats are finding schools of marlin feeding on
mackerel bait balls, and pitching live bait into the frenzy
to hook up. Although the intensity of the bite varies from
day to day, most days anglers are enjoying multiple hookups
for the stripeys. In the past few days, boats that find the
bait schools and the nearby marlin are catching and
releasing 4-8 fish per boat.
Multiple areas are producing fish. Just a mile offshore to
the north, near Punta Perico, a huge school of striped
marlin was feeding for several days nonstop. Similar success
was encountered out from Punta Pescadero, just 8 miles from
Playa del Sol and Palmas de Cortez. Similarly to the south,
where giant bait balls of mackerel are attracting feeding
marlin north of the Gordo Banks. About 40 boats were working
the schools, with half the boats hooked up
simultaneously--some with 2 and 3 marlin per boat at the
same time!
Dorado are spotty. When boats are trolling, a few dorado are
showing up in catches, and the fish are of excellent
size--usually 35 pounds plus. Several dorado over 50 pounds
have been caught in the last week. The reduced dorado catch
is due in part to the fact that most boats are pitching
baits to marlin schools instead of trolling.
With so much action elsewhere, tuna have not been located in
numbers. One boat found a school 50+ miles out a few days
ago, but the fish were small.
A 594-pound blue marlin was caught last week, the first of
the spring season to show up on the East Cape.
A few roosterfish and sierra mackerel are near Punta
Colorado and Punta Arena. |
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Fishing Report! 4/30/05
The spring billfish bite is in
fulll swing here on Baja's East Cape. Boats from Punta
Colorada, Playa del Sol, and Palmas de Cortez are averaging
4-5 billfish per day. A combination of striped marlin and
sailfish are being caught. The stripers are running
big--with a 140# average--and the sailfish seem to be
showing up in bigger numbers every day. After a
slower-than-normal week last week (probably due to the moon
phase), fishing success has been excellent. Numerous fish
are showing up in trolled lure spreads, sometimes in packs
of two, three, and more fish at one time. Most hookups are
coming to anglers pitching live bait at fish that are seen
tailing or feeding on the surface. Some boats are reporting
multiple hookups at the same time. Plenty of mackerel are
available for bait from the bait boats each morning.
Big dorado are around. Although fewer numbers overall are
being reported, the dorado that strike are of good size.
Several fish exceeding 50 pounds have been caught the past
few days.
A huge tuna school is 45 miles out. The fish are football
size up to the 30-40 pound class for the most part. With so
many marlin and sailfish closer to shore, not too many boats
are making the 2-hour run for the small tuna.
A rare treat right now are the swordfish. These are a pretty
uncommon species generally speaking in the Sea of Cortez,
but several boats have reported hookups in the past few days
and one of these hard-fighting billfish was landed. Reports
are that other swordfish have been seen on the surface but
not are not taking pitched baits.
Inshore fishing for roosterfish, sierra mackerel, and
snappers remains good, especially in the mornings. Some
bigger jack crevalle are starting to show up also.
Fantastic fishing is here on the East Cape! |
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Fishing Report! 4/14/05
Awesome numbers of striped
marlin are showing up in the Sea of Cortez near the East
Cape. A few days ago, every boat that went fishing hooked at
least four stripers, and one boat had an incredible day with
twelve hookups!
Numbers of fish are a few miles out from La Ribera, and the
seamounts near Las Barracas (which typically draw the
stripers in the spring) are also productive. In reality,
there are stripers everywhere right now! Although a longer
ride than to the south, the area around "Ocho-Ocho" to the
north also harbors stripers.
Fish are biting on both pitched live bait (plenty of
mackeral around) and trolled lures, especially green/white
and blue/white patterns.
Dorado seem to be creeping up in average size every week.
Fish are averaging 25 pounds, with a few 40-pounders in the
mix.
The tuna schools are not in the area, but with most boats
concentrating on the striped marlin and dorado that are a
short boat ride away, no boats have gone way out in search
of tuna.
Roosterfish and sierras are available in the shallows near
Punta Colorada, Punta Arena, and Las Barracas.
Great fishing is here on Baja's East Cape! |
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Fishing Report! 4/4/05
The striped marlin have
started to show up in spectacular numbers here on the East
Cape. Boats from the three hotels are averaging 4-5 marlin
per boat per day. The fish are being found throughout the
nearby Cape waters, with numbers of fish schooled about 4
miles out from La Rivera and out around Punta Arena and down
the shore of Las Barracas 2-6 miles out. Huge schools of
mackerel are in the area, and the stripers are on a
corresponding feeding frenzy on the surface. The billfish
are rrunning 120-200 pounds.
Skippers are triggering strikes on trolled lures (especially
in green patterns) and using bait-and-switch to fish that
appear in the spread but don't hook up. Mackerel is being
used for bait. Numbers of marlin are on top, thus many boats
are spotting fish and casting live bait to fish for hook-ups
as well. Almost all marlin are being released per the
encouragement of guests and captains alike.
Dorado are averaging 22 pounds, with fish up to 35 pounds in
the area. Dorado are showing up in trolled presentations
plus being caught by sight-fishing techniques using mackerel
as bait. Numbers of fish are around.
Several boats caught sailfish in the past few days, so it
appears some sumemr species are arriving on the front end of
warmer ocean currents. A finger of 75 degree-plus water
surged up the Baja Peninsula; the sails probably rode that
water in. Striped marlin enjoy water temps in the mid-70's,
while sailfish show a preference for water that is 80
degrees plus. Does the appearence of sails portend
early-arriving summer tuna schools and the blue and black
marlin?
The school of small tuna that was about 25 miles out has
disappeared, but with so many striped marlin and dorado
close to the resorts, few boats have been venturing further
out to try to relocate any tuna schools. A lot of whales are
in the area also.
Roosterfish and sierra mackerel are being caught in the surf
in front of Punta Colorada and along the Las Barracas sand
dunes, but the bite is definitely a
first-thing-in-the-morning opportunity only. The roosters
especially are super-spooky after about 9am. Surf anglers
are catching fish, and boats slow-trolling a mackerel are
pulling up the odd 30-pound rooster.
After a three-day blow last week, seas are calm and
temperatures are glorious in the mid-80's with a cloudless
sky. |
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Fishing Report! 3/21/05
Striped marlin have been
schooling to the north of the resorts, starting only two
miles out from Punta Pescadero. Here, a long shallow point
only a few hundred feet deep extends into the Sea of Cortez
for several miles offshore. Adjacent to this structure is
the deep blue, to several thousand feet deep. Although
marlin are a pelagic species (they roam the open ocean), the
spring of the year brings stripers close to shore as part of
the annual spawning migration.
In addition to Punta Pescadero, striped marlin also are
being found in the area known as "Ocho-Ocho" (Eight-Eight),
a ten-mile long seamount topping out at 600 feet, surrounded
by 6000 feet of water. This area, to the east and south of
Cerralvo Island, is a popular spring spot for stripers as
well.
Plenty of mackerel are schooled up, attracting the predators
and providing ample live bait for anglers each fishing day.
According to Joaquin Mesa Cota at Palmas de Cortez, a school
of yellowfin tuna was found about 23 miles offshore by a
boat from Playa del Sol. The lucky anglers enjoyed excellent
catches of small yellowfin to 20 pounds, from one of the
first large schools of tuna to appear so far this spring.
Hundreds of porpoises were running with the school, and
based on the huge quantities of bait in the area, the fish
should hang around for awhile.
Schoolie dorado are still showing up in some catches, with
the biggest fish approaching 20 pounds. Other than the
occasional bigger bull to 40 pounds, the big dorado haven't
shown up in numbers yet. Most of the small dorado being
caught are females (cows), so anglers are encouraged to
release a few of them. Female dorado are sexually mature at
only 22 inches, so they represent the current year's
spawning stock.
Hundreds of roosterfish have appeared along the shallow
reefs and shoreline sand areas, both along La Rivera and Las
Barracas. Fish to 50 pounds are available, but the roosters
are super-skittish and only can be caught first thing in the
morning or 2-3 from the school before spooking. Small sierra
mackerel and snappers are still readily available along
shore as well.
Some 74 degree water is in the region--great fishing is
already here and AWESOME fishing is coming! |
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Fishing Report! 3/4/05
Striped marlin are showing up
in big numbers this week, but a windy day on 3/8 slowed
fishing. Huge numbers of mackerel and skipjacks are
schooling 4 miles out from La Rivera and also in Bahia de
las Palmas. Stripers are feeding on the surface and some
boats are hooking 5-6 fish per day and missing some shots as
well. Multiple hookups are common. On 3/6 so many anglers
were hooking up on schooled marlin that some boats were
tangling lines.
Dorado are running small, less than 20 pounds, although a
42-pounder and a 35-pounder were caught this week. Schoolie
dorado are being caught very close to shore, including right
in the moored boats at Palmas de Cortez and Playa del Sol
and even some small dorado right off the dock.
Anglers at Punta Colorada are enjoying short runs to the
marlin, dorado near shore, and multiple sierra mackerel
along the inshore reefs. |
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Fishing Report! 2/25/05
Fishing has slowed down a
little from the previous week. Fewer boats were out as
compared to the week before, which meant fewer fish were
caught overall. Dorado are still showing up everywhere, in
the 10- to 35-pound range. Most boats are heading north out
of the resorts to target numbers of fish out from Punta
Pescadero (Fisherman's Point).
It's been cloudy a couple of days in the past week, and
water temperatures have cooled a degree or two, hovering
around 71-72 in the sea out from the resorts. A finger of
warm water -75 degrees and warmer-is approaching the
Peninsula, bringing with it larger fish and bigger schools.
Striped marlin are plentiful, with some boats catching 3-4 a
day, although most anglers are targeting dorado. Striped
marlin should start swarming the region within the next
couple of weeks.
Inshore species remain plentiful, with cabrilla and small
sierra mackerel in good numbers along La Rivera and around
Punta Arena. The few roosterfish that have showed up are
only biting first thing in the morning. A few wahoo are
holding south of Los Frailes and near the Gordo Banks. |
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Fishing Report! 2/16/05
There has been a pretty
consistent stretch of calm seas and beautiful weather here
in the Sea of Cortez recently. The water temps straight east
and to the north are 71 degrees, with a finger of
72-74-degree water showing up off the Gordo Banks and Los
Frailes to the south.
According to Palmas de Cortez Fishing Manager German Cosio,
plenty of dorado are being caught off Punta Pescadero
(Fisherman's Point) to the north. "The fish are running
10-35 pounds," says German. "The big bulls aren't in yet,
but the weather is getting nice and warm so the big fish
should be here soon."
Off the Gordo Banks to the south, nearer to Cabo San Lucas,
schools of 10-50 pound yellowfin tuna are available. On some
days, skippers are finding the porpoise and tuna running
together as far north as Los Frailes, about an hour run from
the resorts. Anglers are encountering striped marlin
everywhere, but the numbers aren't here yet. A typical day
is netting 1-3 shots at stripers, with occasional days of as
many as six shots. As the surface temps approach 73-75
degrees in the next few weeks, striped marlin will start
arriving in bug numbers in preparation for the spring spawn.
Inshore, anglers along Punta Colorada's shoreline and near
the town of La Ribera are finding good numbers of small
Sierra mackerel in the rocks close to shore, as well as lots
of snapper and cabrilla. A few roosterfish have been showing
up in the surf, but are only biting in the morning.
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