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Fishing Report for San Jose del Cabo, Baja
Capt. Eric Brictson
May 7, 2006
San Jose del Cabo - Saltwater Fishing Report
May 7, 2006
Anglers –
Tourists visiting the Los Cabos area are being treated with perfect weather conditions, sunny skies, little wind, highs around 85 degrees and lows in the upper 60s. The water temperature in the Sea of Cortez continue to be on a warming trend now averaging 74 to 78 degrees, though around the Pacific off of Todo Santos it has been a chilly 65 degrees. The majority of the sportfishing fleets are now concentrating their efforts on the fishing grounds from Cabo San Lucas to the Gordo Banks.
Striped marlin remained the main species found offshore, numbers were averaging one or two per boat through the weekend, live bait was best, either slow trolling, drifting them down deeper or casting to tailing fish. The stripers were averaging anywhere from 100 to 140 pounds. Dorado numbers remain limited to just a few fish scattered throughout the same marlin grounds, anywhere from 3 to 15 miles offshore, striking on trolled lures and bait, with sizes averaging 15 to 30 pounds.
Yellowfin tuna in the 12 to 20 pound class were found scattered in the open water, striking on various lures, more of them were caught by blind strikes than associated with porpoise. The Outer Gordo Banks had a good showing of larger yellowfin tuna, the first such activity in many months, fish could be seen breezing and feeding on the surface, though they proved to be shy and only a handful of them were actually landed. A couple of gorilla sized yellowfin were accounted for the La Playita panga fleet, weighing in at over 220 pounds, these fish struck on trolled bolito and skipjack that were caught closer to shore and then kept alive while motoring out to the Outer Bank where the tuna were schooling. The problem was keeping the larger baitfish alive; the trick was to have tuna tubes, which very pangas have. There was also a lack of the normal sardina baitfish, which most certainly would help to entice these fish. Skipjack were scarce on the bank as well, which made it tough to try the chum and chunk method, but we do anticipate that something might develop out of this. These are world-class yellowfin that are in very close proximity; they should stay around for a while as long as the commercial tuna boats do not interfere.
Wahoo were becoming more active with the warming currents, several anglers reported cut off baits, lure strikes and seeing free swimming ‘hoo under the boats. The Inner Gordo Banks was probably where the best chance of hooking into one of these elusive speedsters. Only a handful of them were being landed everyday, most of them early in the day before too many boats arrived, average size ranged 30 to 50 pounds, with many strikes being lost, including reports of very large wahoo in the 100 pound class being lost right as they were near the boat. High-speed lures such as Yo-Zuri Hydro Mags in purple and orange, as well as skirted lead heads accounted for the higher percentage of strikes.
Other action included various pargo species, cabrilla and miscellaneous bottomfish. Lots of red crabs on the banks, they are what the pargo are feeding on, though they have not been surfacing everyday. Close to shore there has not been much going on besides some sierra and jack crevalle and an occasional dogtooth snapper, we look for more mullet to show up along the shoreline soon and this most certainly will attract some larger gamefish.
Whale sharks have been an added attraction recently, as they are now being seen daily on the Gordo Banks.
The combined panga fleets from La Playita sent out approximately 60 charters for the week, with anglers accounting for a fish count of: 7 striped marlin, 12 yellowfin tuna, 8 wahoo, 11 dorado, 195 various pargo, 16 cabrilla, 24 bonito, 28 sierra, 6 pompano, 8 jack crevalle and 5 amberjack.
Good Fishing, Eric
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