Baja Mexico: Magdalena Bay, Baja Sur & East Cape.
Capt. Gary Graham
February 21, 2004
Baja Sur - Saltwater Fishing Report
Dorado, Whales and Sails
REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY:
PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR SOUTH OF THE BORDER. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: [email protected]; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
Fri., Feb. 20, 2004. Report covers the period Sat.-Thurs. (2/14 – 2/20)
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND SAN JOSE, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: A few dorado were found from the slide up to the Punta Pescadero shark buoys. Other than that, it was a long boat ride. This week finally brought some respite from the relentless North wind and raised the locals’ spirits.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 66-68
Air temperature 62 - 71
Humidity about 46%
Wind Calm
Conditions Partly Clear
Visibility 15 miles
Sunrise 6:48 a.m. MST
Sunset 6:17 p.m. MST
Feb. 20 New, Feb. 27 First Quarter, Mar. 6 Full, Mar. 13 Last Quarter
o OFFSHORE: With the exception of a few dorado, it was pretty slow going this week in spite of improved weather.
o INSHORE: A few jacks and the usual early morning sierra.
o BEACH: Get out early and use wire for the sierra.
BILLFISH – A few boats went a looking with no luck.
YELLOWFIN TUNA – Need the water to warm up a tad.
DORADO – Close in near the pyramids (slides) produced the best results.
ROOSTERFISH – Even the small ones were hiding this week.
JACK CREVALLE – Only few found inshore early morning.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK – A few bonito was about it.
PARGO AND CABRILLA – A few around the rocky points.
SIERRA - Gray light just at dawn is best before the sun gets too high.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
Puerto San Carlos:
IN GENERAL: More whale watching than fishing this week. Nice weather brought out the whale watchers big time. There was one report of several nice grouper at Devil’s Curve earlier in the week. I will be heading down mid-week to spend a few days exploring the esteros. I can’t wait.
Water Temperature 66-74
Air Temperature 60 - 71
Humidity 100%
Wind Calm
Conditions Clear
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 6:57 a.m. MST
Sunset 6:23 p.m. MST
Feb. 20 New, Feb. 27 First Quarter, Mar. 6 Full, Mar. 13 Last Quarter
YELLOWTAIL – Entrada is still the best bet.
CORVINA – Devil’s Curve or the pier still producing.
SNOOK – None to be found this week.
HALIBUT – The bite continues on almost any sandy beach.
SIERRA – Bird schools, but remember wire.
Lopez Mateos:
IN GENERAL: There’s a wide-open corvina bite in the esteros, but big swells prevented any of the boats from venturing offshore this week. Biggest news is probably the numbers of gray whales cavorting and yes, you can even watch the babies from shore.
Lopez Mateos report by Diana Hoyt
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: The fishing has been in a holding pattern this last week. Everything is fairly slow.
The 78º blue water is still at 12 miles, but the fleet is averaging only 1 or 2 sailfish per day per boat. The tuna have also disappeared. A few dorado are being taken as an incidental catch while trolling for the sailfish. They are mature fish of 25- to 35-pounds and not schooled up.
The roosterfish bite has picked up. Several nice fish between 30- and 45-pounds are being taken about 25 miles south, in an area called “the antennas.”
Water Temperature 72 - 78
Air Temperature 71 - 87
Humidity 83%
Wind WSW 8 mph
Conditions Mostly Cloudy (BKN) : 15,000 ft
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 7:10 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:49 p.m. CST
Feb. 20 New, Feb. 27 First Quarter, Mar. 6 Full, Mar. 13 Last Quarter
Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
SAN JOSE, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: A balky communications system out of San Jose and a cell phone that sounds like it’s under water make things difficult. To the best of our knowledge, things are about the same as last week when we encountered a sailfish blitz, raising multiple pez vela behind the boat 142 times or 38 times a day, 91 fish were hooked and 36 released. No matter how you spell it, it still comes out wow.
I am already looking forward to my Flyrod Sailfish 101 Series in April. We have a few slots left if you want to crank up your 12-weight to cash in on the Sailfish Bonanza in Guatemala.
Air and water temperatures remain the same +/- a degree or two either way.
http://www.guatemalaflyfishing.com
Water Temperature 80-83
Air Temperature 78-82
Humidity 94 %
Wind Wind South 4 mph
Conditions Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:24 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:09 p.m. CST
Feb. 20 New, Feb. 27 First Quarter, Mar. 6 Full, Mar. 13 Last Quarter
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report (such as it is) by Brian Barragy and Lissa M. McFarlin.
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