Wahoo Season Finally Gets Underway out of SJDC
Capt. Eric Brictson
November 18, 2011
San Jose del Cabo - Saltwater Fishing Report
Gordo Banks Pangas
San Jose del Cabo
November 18, 2011
Sizable crowds continue to arrive in Southern Baja, ideal weather patterns now prevalent, mostly sunny days, highs reaching the low 80s. Early in the week there was one nighttime rain flurry, did not account for much, besides making the roads muddy. Winds were strong out of the north, first real blow of the season, later in the week conditions settled. This is the time of year where day to day, weather patterns can change rapidly. Water temperatures are now averaging 79 to 81 degrees, cooling trend should continue through winter.
Anglers found limited bait options and supplies, live caballito and sardinas. Ballyhoo were available, being rigging for trolling. On the fishing grounds pangeros were catching chihuil and skipjack, using these for targeting larger gamefish. The week started off with steady action for wahoo, the best area seemed to be around the Iman Bank, anglers reported many strikes, while trolling live baits and various lures, average strike to actual landing ratio, was not high. Some charters did report multiple fish in the box, sizes ranged from 20 to 60 pounds.
The same fishing grounds of Iman produced scattered numbers of dorado, sailfish, striped marlin and some yellowfin tuna. Lots of live sardinas were necessary in order to entice the yellowfin tuna into feeding on the surface. Most action was found near the surface, not much going off the bottom now, more triggerfish than anything else.
The yellowfin tuna bite steadily slackened off since the first week of the month, but this week we did see the action get hot on the Gordo Banks, especially on Wednesday. At least six tuna in the 200 pound class were accounted for and one super cow over 300 pounds was landed. This monstrous yellowfin was weighed in unofficially, with discrepancies ranging from 365 pounds, up to 378 pounds, depending on which story you believe. This fish was taken from a 22 ft. panga by legendary La Playita pangero Hugo Pino, his son and long time friend from Greece, angler Apostolo Poulos.
After a good day all around on Wednesday, the very next day, Thursday, anglers found very scarce fishing action, in all directions, there were very few fish accounted for. Hard to say, conditions seemed favorable, bait schools were plentiful, winds and currents minimal, just the fish did not want to cooperate.
Anglers were now finding some close to shore action for sierra and medium sized roosterfish. Trolling with live baits, hoochies and rapalas all worked, this inshore action will peak in the coming months.
Billfish is now in between main seasons, no significant numbers, but it is the time when sailfish, black, blue and striped marlin are all found in local waters. This week there were several large marlin hook ups reported from the Gordo Banks, extended battles resulting in broken lines.
The combined panga fleets launching from La Playita/Puerto Los Cabos sent out approximately 178 charters for the week, with anglers accounted for, 1 blue marlin, 7 striped marlin, 17 sailfish, 66 wahoo, 205 dorado, 84 yellowfin tuna, 6 dogtooth snapper, 4 yellowtail, 24 pargo, 36 triggerfish, 25 bonito, 9 pompano, 38 sierra, 28 rooserfish and 10 hammerhead shark.
Good Fishing, Eric
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