Green is Not Good
Capt. Gary Graham
July 12, 2010
Baja Sur - Saltwater Fishing Report
Endless Season Update July 11th, 2010
REPORT #1222 "Below the Border" Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
East Cape
Caption: Congratulations to Lance Erik Peterson of Port Angeles, Washington, USA, for his new IGFA World Record Grouper, broomtail, Tippet M-10 kg (20 lb), 5 lb 0 oz, Puerto Lopez Mateos, Baja, 20-Feb-10
What had been rated as one of the best bites of the year was temporally stalled by a cold, green current, which along with the two Mexican super-seiners equipped with helicopters prowling the water, put the fish down. There were a few lucky boats that found bigger tuna but most had to settle for the smaller grade. Some smaller dorado were found closer to shore but there were none of the large bulls that had been seen recently.
The striped marlin, with an occasional blue and a few sailfish, continued to be the hot ticket for those who targeted them.
Inshore, the roosters, jacks and pargo didn't seem to be bothered by the unusual cooler water.
Lance Peterson reported tough fishing from the beach with overcast skies, coupled with the wind and larger swells making sight fishing difficult. When the roosters were found, they were in their spawning behavior and had little interest in what was offered.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTUQXpg76xQ
Current East Cape Weather http://tiny.cc/EastCapeWeather303
Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
Few folks were fishing this week but the reports from the locals continue. Marlin, dorado and tuna (including a few bluefin) added to the what is being called the 'oddest season'.
In the esteros, the grouper are quality-sized and biting well.... Bob Hoyt
Current Magdalena Bay Weather http://tiny.cc/MagBayWeather150
Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The 80° blue water is still just a couple of miles off the coast, and the sailfish bite is holding up. After last week's 15 inches of rain in a 4-day period, I am really surprised the blue water wasn't pushed out farther with the massive intrusion of fresh water from the coastal rivers and streams that are abundant on our coast.
The rain did affect the roosterfish and jack crevalle action and it will probably take another week to get back to decent fishing again. Adolfo, on the panga Dos Hermanos, told me the inshore is still too murky from the runoff and has been fishing offshore. He is releasing an average of three sailfish and getting either a shot or catching a blue marlin or striped marlin each day for his clients. Plus, due to the heavy outflow of trees, grass, etc. out of the rivers, a few dorado are showing. I heard an unconfirmed report of a 55-pound dorado being taken today (Thursday).
Neither Santiago or Adan on the Gitana pangas fished much this week, but did well fly fishing with the Steve Powers fly fishing group this last week.
Martin on his 35' cruiser had five strikes on sailfish, but managed to only catch and release two for the one day he fished.......…Ed Kunze
Current Zihuatanejo Weather http://tiny.cc/zihuatanejo582
Cabo San Lucas
Although nowhere near as hot as it should be (at least not on the Pacific side), the weather has really started to heat up here in Cabo. The Sea of Cortez though, is another question; it has been in the 90's and that is where most of the fish are being caught. It seems like the marlin bite has finally stabilized with striped marlin being the number one catch in Cabo. A a few blues are also beginning to be found.
After marlin, yellow fin tuna were the most likely catch. While a few large fish were found up in the Punta Gordo area, nearer to home, there were scattered football-sized tuna between 12 and 25 pounds.
A few small dorado were caught recently with a couple of larger fish reported as well. Most of them were in the 8 to 10 pound class with an occasional fish in the 20 to 25 pound range.
The odd wahoo were still being taken here and there up to 45 pounds.
Boats fishing inshore encountered sierra in good numbers, along with some roosterfish, jack crevalle and skipjacks.
Inshore fishing was mostly conducted on the Cortez side of the Cape due to the wind. Pangas were doing all right, but not great, on snapper and small grouper. A few nice amberjack to 60 pounds were caught. Small bonito and football yellowfin tuna were caught as well as a few striped marlin were found very close to the beach which got the panga fishermen excited. The wind and swells made the water close to the beach a bit off color.… George and Mary Landrum
Current Cabo Weather http://tiny.cc/cabo191
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