Baja Mexico: Magdalena Bay, Baja Sur & East Cape.
Capt. Gary Graham
November 13, 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
Thurs., Nov. 13, 2003 Report covers the period Sat.-Thurs. (11/06 - 11/13 )
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND IZTAPA, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Skip Smith, Toronto, Ont., Canada, and Walter Johns, from Seattle, Wash., had a couple of good days pitting their flyrod skills against dorado hiding under some flotsam. The golden ones ranged from small to 40 pounds. Toss in a few small tuna and the guys were grinning from ear-to-ear back at the hotel bar. Not bad for a windy week at East Cape.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 78°-84°
Air temperature 77° - 82°
Humidity about 83%
Wind WNW at 8 mph
Conditions clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:31 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:34 p.m. MST
Nov. 16 Last Quarter, Nov 23 New, Nov. 30 First Quarter, Dec.8 Full
o OFFSHORE: A few blues and stripes to go along with the sails still hanging
around. Tuna were a little tougher this week.
o INSHORE: Mooring buoys in front of all the hotels are a good place to look
for small dorado, jacks and, if you are lucky, a small rooster or two.
o BEACH: Ladyfish at Rancho Leonero, jacks and pompano near Punta Colorada.
BILLFISH - Sailfish still the most consistent.
YELLOWFIN TUNA - Slowed down somewhat.
DORADO - Right place, right time can make you smile.
ROOSTERFISH - Pretty tough except for a few small guys.
JACK CREVALLE - Both La Ribera and Punta Colorada.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - Same as the tuna . . . stop the wind and they
bite.
PARGO AND CABRILLA - A few of the reefs producing good catches.
SIERRA - They're back.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: By all reports, the outside action slowed way down this week. Yachts began arriving for a tournament this week and I suspect someone will find the herd. Yellowtail are at both the entrada and entrance to Santa Maria Bay closer to Punta Hughes on the north side. Esteros are still on fire for corvina and pompano. Snook continue to be their elusive selves and a few leopard groupers to round out the catch list.
Water Temperature 67°-78°
Air Temperature 67°- 80°
Humidity 82%
Wind NW at 2 mph
Conditions Haze
Visibility 6 miles
Sunrise 6:31 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:39 p.m. MST
Nov. 16 Last Quarter, Nov 23 New, Nov. 30 First Quarter, Dec.8 Full
YELLOWTAIL - Either bay entrance producing good catches under the bird
schools.
CORVINA - Still on the chew, eating practically anything that hits the water.
SNOOK - They are ready to play, are you?
HALIBUT - Flat rascals rule if you have a chartreuse fly.
SIERRA - Under the bird schools in the open water of the bay if you care.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: If the full moon is affecting our fishing, I can't wait to see how good it is going to be in another week as the cycle ends. The 82º cobalt blue water is at 9 miles and we are finding fish at 11 miles.
Most every boat fishing conventional gear is averaging about 3 to 4 sailfish a day. Today, fly-fishing client Norman Turgeon of Seattle, Wash., fished with Martin and me on the panga “Isamar.” He hooked two sailfish, both released. We estimated one of the fish at 100 pounds, or perhaps 5- or 10-pounds larger. I wrote 100-pounds and 10-feet long on the tag release card.
About 12 miles south of Zihuatanejo Bay, inshore fishing for jack crevalle has really gotten hot. These fish are averaging 15-pounds and are in huge numbers. We are also still getting very good numbers of 30- to 40-pound roosterfish in the back edge of the surf lines.
Water Temperature 75º-86º
Air Temperature 78°-93º
Humidity 66%
Wind Calm
Conditions Partly Cloudy (FEW) : 10,000 ft
Visibility 9 miles
Sunrise 6:50 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:10 p.m. CST
Nov. 16 Last Quarter, Nov 23 New, Nov. 30 First Quarter, Dec.8 Full
For more Information on Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo trips, go to:
http://www.bajafly.com
Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
IZTAPA, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: The run to the fishing grounds is still a long trip, averaging 40 miles, but the distance gets shorter each day. In the last week only 3 of the local fleet were out. Results were fairly good despite the weather which was not very cooperative in the afternoons. The boats fly-fishing were able to raise 44 sails and release 23, and the conventional gear boat released 6 out of 10 in one day. In addition, all the boats had some good action on dorado. Once again this week there was no one out trying the inshore waters, but every time someone does, they have great results with roosters in the 30- to 40-pound class.
If you are headed down to Guatemala, be sure to ask about a half day inshore trip on the day you arrive. You will not be disappointed. At the end of this week the wrap-up event of the 2003 Presidential Challenge will be run in Guatemala, so there will be a lot more boats out and the report next week should be interesting! Guatemala will also host the ILTTA tournament in the spring, March 14 -20, 2004.
Water Temperature 80º-85º
Air Temperature 82°-84º
Humidity 84%
Wind Calm
Conditions Clear
Visibility
Sunrise 6:02 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:32 p.m. CST
Nov. 16 Last Quarter, Nov 23 New, Nov. 30 First Quarter, Dec.8 Full
For more Information on Baja on the Fly's Guatemala trips, go to:
http://www.guatemalafly.com
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy
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