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Baja Mexico: Magdalena Bay, Baja Sur & East Cape.
Capt. Gary Graham
March 15, 2003
Baja Sur - Saltwater Fishing Report
REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY:
PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR IN BAJA
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: [email protected]; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252;
Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
Sat., March 15, 2003
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY AND ZIHUATANEJO CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: The pangas were definitely on target this week with great
fishing for all of our clients who ventured out on one. Bob Zeller, along
with his wife Judy, Scottsdale, Ariz., got into the football-size tuna and
some of those big-shouldered dorado we have been babbling about for a few
weeks. Mike Boyd, Wichita, Kan., along with his daughter Katie taking an
early spring break, had the same kind of action and it was sashimi all
around at cocktail time. Back on the beachfront, the fishing was a little
tougher. Plenty of quality roosters were found down towards Punta Colorada.
They are feeding on ballyhoo
and mullet so you better bring some larger patterns. See:
http://www.bajafly.com
It is our "roostie" that fooled quite a few of the big guys last year.
The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) announced their decision
regarding the proposed Heavy Fly Category this week. Following the wishes
of a strong majority of members, the IGFA trustees rejected the concept of
creating a new and separate world record division for fly-fishers. IGFA had
received petitions to create a separate record category to create using
3-feet long, 30-pound tippet, rod harnesses and flying gaffs. The allowed
species were to include marlin, sailfish, tuna, tarpon and sharks. A
worldwide survey of fly anglers was conducted over several month by IGFA
with an overwhelming majority of participants opposed to the idea. Those
not in favor of easing the rules for flyrod records included many of the
best known names in the world of fly-fishing. Included were several anglers
who currently target large game fish on flies for world records. They enjoy
the extreme challenge of capturing marlin and the others of the largest game
fish on tackle that requires the utmost skill to be successful.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 72-78
Air temperature 63°-90°
Humidity about 60%
Wind WSW at 5 mph
Conditions Clear
Visibility 15 miles
Sunrise 6:24 a.m. MST
Sunset 6:27 p.m. MST
Mar. 18 Full Mar. 24 Last Quarter Apr. 1 New Apr. 9 First Quarter
· OFFSHORE: They just keep coming! Dorado, marlin and even a good supply
of football-sized tuna.
· INSHORE: Plenty of quality fish feeding on ballyhoo and mullet. There
were some also some serious pargo mixed in just a few hundred yards from the
shore.
· BEACH: Lots to look at all the way from Rancho Leonero to Punta Arena.
BILLFISH - A little slower this week. It may be that fewer boats targeted
them
with the dorado and tuna going off. .
YELLOWFIN TUNA - Find the right porpoise schools and look out.
DORADO - Look out, here they come. Hide the 8-weights, these are the
12-weight variety.
ROOSTERFISH - Early to be getting so many shots at the bigger guys.
JACK CREVALLE - Plenty of smaller ones.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - Not exactly the first choice right now.
PARGO AND CABRILLA - mixed in with everything else feeding on the bait
schools.
SIERRA - Still hanging in there, but no one wants to use wire with all the
rooster action
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
Sat., March 15, 2003
IN GENERAL: Esteros or Entrada? Tough decision right now with plenty of
spotted
bay bass, grouper and halibut out toward the entrada. Back up in the
esteros, the snook are beginning to stir along with the pargo, grouper and
corvina. Want a world record? With the snook stirring I think I would chose
the esteros this week.
Water Temperature 65-70
Air Temperature 60-°73°
Humidity 71%
Wind NW at 4 mph
Conditions Foggy early and some wind after about 1 in the afternoon.
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 6:33 a.m. MST
Sunset 6:34 p.m. MST
Mar. 18 Full Mar. 24 Last Quarter Apr. 1 New Apr.9 First Quarter
YELLOWTAIL - Should happen any day; so far it has been slow this spring.
CORVINA - On again off again. This week was on.
SNOOK - Right place, right time, right fish, fish of a lifetime.
HALIBUT - Not Alaska-sized, but big enough to have the locals buzzing.
SIERRA - Spread out throughout the open bay.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
Sat., March 15, 2003
IN GENERAL: The fishing would still have to be considered on the slow side,
but when the boats get a fish, it is going to be a beaut. Inshore, we have a
very large influx of mackerel and black skipjack tuna. The captains are
trolling a small hootchie to get a few of these and immediately bridling
them on a large hook to be used as a slow troll live bait.
The smaller mackerel are ideal bait for a large tuna, marlin, sailfish, or
large dorado. Several boats each day are getting hookups on a blue marlin,
25- to 35-pound dorado, or 100- to 250-pound tuna. The interesting thing
about it is that when the boats are trolling 7- to 10-miles offshore, they
have run past the fish. Most of the fish are being taken in the vicinity of
the bait schools and are only 1 to 3 miles out. All the fish are being taken
on blind strikes and even the tuna are not showing themselves.
A few of the captains, like Santiago on the panga “Gitana,” have chosen to
not go around in circles all day only a mile or two off the beach and have
been running 45 miles to the 80º water. He has been consistently getting 1
or 2 sailfish and at least one tuna in the 100-pound class every day this
week.
Besides the skipjack, there are also a few sierra, chulas and jack crevalle
being taken inshore.
Water Temperature 78º
Air Temperature 66°-84º
Humidity 94%
Wind Calm
Conditions Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:51 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:55 p.m. CST
Mar. 18 Full Mar. 24 Last Quarter Apr. 1 New Apr.9 First Quarter
For more Information on Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo trips, go to:
http://www.bajafly.com
-- Zihuatanejo Report by Baja on the Fly's Ed Kunze
International Game Fish Association needs your support. If you are not
already a member, please take the time to JOIN TODAY!
http://www.bajafly.com/igfaapplication.htm
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