Welcome Relief as Fall Weather Arrives for the Busy Season
Capt. Eric Brictson
October 4, 2009
San Jose del Cabo - Saltwater Fishing Report
October 4, 2009
Anglers –
With the fall season now having arrived we are quickly noticing increased crowds of visiting anglers. Tropical weather patterns have continued, though during evenings and early mornings there is definitely noticeable cooler air arriving. There is Tropical Storm Olaf now brewing off to the west now, lingering and in development stages, something to keep an eye on, but looks like it will not gain too much strength as it follows a path projected to make landfall near Magdalena Bay. There have been scattered isolated thunder showers throughout the area this past week, at times accompanied by gusty winds, though just as quickly as these squalls moved in, they would pass on through and sun would come back out. Oceans swells have been higher in recent days, tighter spacing between sets, this created some rougher seas. All this can be part of the seasonal transition period, typically by mid month tropical storms do reside for the season.
Ocean temperatures are averaging 85 degrees or higher in spots. Clean blue water is now found close to shore. Sportfishing fleets are fishing areas from the distant Banks on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas to the direction of the Sea of Cortez, areas from Chileno, Gordo Banks to Vinorama.
Fleets launching from La Playita/Puerto Los Cabos were concentrating the majority of their efforts around the Gordo Banks, Iman and San Luis Banks. Fishing action slacked off to start the week, average catches included a few medium sized dorado and yellowfin tuna per charter, using techniques of drift fishing with bait, to surface trolling lures. Also a handful of wahoo making it to the daily fish counts, most of them caught on trolled Rapala style or skirted lead heads, areas such as Red Hill, Chileno, Iman and Vinorama all produced strikes from the ‘hoo, we are all anxious for the season on these elusive species to start. Live sardinas were available, even though pangeros are now working overtime in higher surf conditions.
Towards the later part of the week, while still dealing with ocean conditions, the action showed increased surface species activity, yellowfin tuna of 30 to 60 pounds were seen feeding, as were schooling sized dorado. Larger black skipjack remain more than plentiful, cutting into anglers preferred species action. On Wednesday, local panga skipper Antonio Guluarte hooked into what was estimated to a 700 pound plus black marlin on the Gordo Banks while slow trolling a larger size skipjack. Apparently the story went that the fish battled like a gladiator for close to four and one half hours, before under extreme pressure and as it was appeared to be tiring and nearing the panga, the fish broke the line and gained its freedom.
Other options were found off the bottom rock structure, with amberjack, cabrilla, pargo and dogtooth snapper being the most prized species hooked into while drift with larger whole and cut baits, make sure you use heavy and stout tackle for this.
It is the time of year when conditions along with the fishing hot spots change rapidly, day to day, we anticipate all around action to break loose in the coming weeks. As weather patterns settle to normal fall conditions, even more schools of baitfish will move in on to the local fishing grounds and right behind this food source will be the pelagic gamefish.
The combined panga fleets launching from La Playita/Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 51 charters for the week, with anglers accounting for a fish count of:
4 sailfish, 9 wahoo, 162 dorado, 88 yellowfin tuna, 9 amberjack, 10 dogtooth snapper, 12 leopard grouper (cabrilla), 12 barred pargo, 95 triggerfish, 6 surgeon fish, 14 rainbow runners and 27 bonito.
Good Fishing, Eric
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