Baja Mexico: Magdalena Bay, Baja Sur & East Cape.
Capt. Gary Graham
May 1, 2004
Baja Sur - Saltwater Fishing Report
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND SAN JOSE, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Beach fishing continues to heat up with lots of shots for quality roosters up to 35 pounds. Several fish in the 20 pound class were landed by clients as well as the guides on their days off. Panga action has been good with numerous roosterfish, jacks, and sierra. Sierra action was very hot yesterday (4/30) morning. Craig Barrette, Chicago, caught the largest sierra we have seen this spring, a wahoo-like monster of 10 pounds! Joe Turano, Houston, produced stellar action for both huge sierra and lots of roosters. He hooked over a dozen during the action-packed morning. The marlin also showed only a few miles off La Ribera late this week. We tried to get one close enough to cast a fly by trolling hookless teasers, but nothing got interested. But they’re out there . . .
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 66-57
Air temperature 69-77
Humidity about 50%
Wind: Calm
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 12 miles
Sunrise 6:45 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:46 p.m. MST
May 4, Full, May 11 Last Quarter, May 18 New, May 27 First Quarter
• OFFSHORE: Hard to tell where offshore begins and inshore ends with striped marlin found only 3 to 5 miles off of La Ribera.
• INSHORE: Continues to be the better choice for the fly-rodder.
• BEACH: Hard to ignore, with more bubbas appearing every day.
BILLFISH – Close enough, just need more volume to make it interesting.
YELLOWFIN TUNA – Up north producing a few, but it is a long time in between.
DORADO – Still waiting for the herds to show up.
ROOSTERFISH\ JACK CREVALLE – Here we go. By later this month it could be really good.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK – Almost the go-to species if nothing else is going on.
PARGO AND CABRILLA – Take your pick, the sticks, La Ribera or Punta Colorado rocks.
SIERRA – Hmm, winter fish? Don’t think so.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
Puerto San Carlos:
IN GENERAL: Pretty much a mixed bag this week. Out at the entrada, the yellowtail played more hide than seek. There were plenty of barracuda, cabrilla and even a few halibut to make the ride out worthwhile. Up in the esteros, a few grouper, corvina and pompano rounded out the catch.
Water Temperature 64-70
Air Temperature 66-77
Humidity 97%
Wind West 15 mph
Conditions Scattered Clouds
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 6:50 a.m. MST
Sunset 7:57 p.m. MST
May 4, Full, May 11 Last Quarter, May 18 New, May 27 First Quarter
YELLOWTAIL – Among the missing this week.
CORVINA – Poppers will do the trick for pompano as well.
SNOOK – Few and far between
HALIBUT – A few throughout the bay on the sandy beaches.
SIERRA – Couldn’t even find them this week.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: We are in the second of the three day annual International May Billfish Tournament. As of this writing, the boats just left the dock, and yesterday’s numbers are not yet posted. However, reports from all the captains indicate a lot of fish have been caught.
It appears the 100 boats entered are averaging a little less than three sailfish a day. This should hold up for the two upcoming days of the tournament, with a total of about 800 to 900 sailfish hooked.
Even though this a kill tournament, it is fortunate most of the captains have been practicing catch and release on a regular basis, and only a small number of the larger sized fish will make it to the dock.
Among some of yesterday's notable catches were three blue marlin weighed, with the largest over 300 pounds. Adolpho, on the panga “Dos Hermanos,” had an incredible day with 6 sailfish caught, one small striped marlin, and two very small blue marlin. All but one sailfish was released.
Other action during the week was rated fair, as some of the captains located yellowfin tuna out beyond the 1,000 fathom curve line. Santiago, on the panga “Gitana,” took one fished that weighed exactly 100 pounds, and on a second day, took four more tuna of about 50 pounds each.
Water Temperature 72-78
Air Temperature 77-91
Humidity 83%
Wind Calm
Conditions Scattered Clouds (SCT) : 25,000 ft
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:19 a.m. CST
Sunset 8:06 p.m. CST
May 4, Full, May 11 Last Quarter, May 18 New, May 27 First Quarter
Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
SAN JOSE, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: Squirrelly weather contributed to tough conditions this week. The fly guys could only manage catches in the high single digits. While there were several blue marlin hooked up none were landed.
Water Temperature 79-85
Air Temperature 80-84
Humidity 94 %
Wind NNE 6 mph.
Conditions Scattered Clouds
Visibility 6 miles
Sunrise 5:41 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:19 p.m. CST
May 4, Full, May 11 Last Quarter, May 18 New, May 27 First Quarter
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa M. McFarlin.
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