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Fishing Report for San Jose del Cabo, Baja
Capt. Eric Brictson
March 11, 2001
San Jose del Cabo - Saltwater Fishing Report
Anglers - March 11, 2001
Although the weather was not quite as crazy as last week when
there was rain and hail reported, it was unpredictable as far as which
direction the wind did come from. This is normal for March, which is a
transition period from winter to springtime patterns. One day the wind
would blow out of the north and then just as quickly it would switch
and come out of the south. Though it was a bit breezy on certain days,
the high temperatures ranged from 70 to 75 degrees and for the most
part conditions were very comfortable. Fleets are finding the most
consistent action in the areas off of San Jose and to the north. There
were abundant supplies of live sardinas available and they continued to
be the bait of choice for the mix of medium sized gamefish being
targeting. The water temperature was averaging a cool 66 to 68
degrees and has started to clear up some, but is still a bit greenish,
blue water is being found further offshore.
Most of action is now being found closer to shore, and in recent
days the bite did improve on the Inner Gordo Bank. Yellowfin tuna
have been on and off the bite but were the most common surface fish
taken offshore. On some days the pangas were reporting from six to
ten fish each, while on others they managed just one or two. The tuna
averaged about 20 pounds but over the weekend many quality fish of
40 to 75 pounds also were weighing in. They hit on both live sardinas
and chunk, with the larger fish preferring chunk bait. The fish were not
particularly line shy and anglers had success using tackle ranging from
30 to 80 pound. One problem was that at times the black skipjack
were so aggressive it made it impossible to get a chance at the
yellowfin.
Though dorado were not numerous they are being taken daily,
most of them closer to shore, with the most consistent area being
Punta Gorda. The more fortunate anglers accounted for two or three of
them, but the average was maybe one dorado for every couple of
boats. They were found in small groups or pairs and hit best on live
bait, though some were taken on lures. Sizes were ranging from 10 to
30 pounds.
On the days when conditions were not right on the offshore
Banks anglers could break up the action by trying the bottomfishing or
the shoreline. At spots like Iman and La Fortuna anglers working yo-yo
jigs off the bottom found a mix of amberjack, pargo and cabrilla, most
of them in the 10 pound class but a few of the amberjack topped 30
pounds and there were also several yellowtail found that weighed in
the 20 pound range.
The sandy stretches from the San Jose Estuary to Punta Gorda
produced some quality light tackle action for roosterfish, sierra, pargo
and the season’s first African pompano. They hit on live sardinas, most
of the fish in the two to eight pound range but a couple of the
roosterfish topped twenty pounds and there was one monster 11
pound sierra taken. The pompano were found schooling near the beach
of La Playita and ran from 6 to 12 pounds.
No good news on billfish action, and many of the cruisers are now
fishing in the same areas as are the pangas in order to find some type
of action for their clients. A couple of striped marlin were hooked on
live sardinas while fishing for tuna on the Gordo Banks, but they were
on light tackle and the battles did not last long.
Good Fishing, Eric
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