Baja Mexico: Magdalena Bay, Baja Sur & East Cape.
Capt. Gary Graham
October 30, 2004
Baja Sur - Saltwater Fishing Report
Ho Hum, More of the Same
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
Sat., Oct. 30, 2004. Report covers the period Sat.-Fri. (10/23-10/29)
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND SAN JOSE, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE
IN GENERAL: Heavy rains early in the week and the ensuing runoff created plenty of off- color water close to shore. By Thurs., Jim McBrien from Manahawkin, NJ, found excellent fishing out in front of La Ribera. Here is the report from our guide Lance Peterson: “Everyone went to Pulmo, but we went to La Ribera. Before long, we had tuna and dorado boiling big time. Jim nailed some nice ones on the fly. A sailfish came in and was busting bait so close to the boat Jim could cast to it. All-in-all we caught numerous tuna, a few dorado, and 2 big red snapper deep. Inshore is still off-color, but the weather is good right now so hopefully it clears up. The beach is still settling back into shape. Josh (another Baja on the Fly guide) beach-fished and caught some ladyfish right in front of the house. Water color made sight fishing tough.”
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 79-85
Air temperature 70-80
Humidity about 57%
Wind: NNW 11 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 7:23 a.m. MDT
Sunset 6:41 p.m. MDT
Nov. 4, Last Quarter; Nov. 12, New, Nov. 18, First Quarter; Nov. 26, Full.
+ OFFSHORE: A few billfish with more sails then stripeys; the best action is out about 30 miles.
+ INSHORE: Once the water began to clear up later in the week, La Ribera was the place to be.
+ BEACH: Wind waves and off color water made it tough to sight cast.
BILLFISH – Still a fair number of sailfish around until the water cools off in the next few weeks.
YELLOWFIN TUNA – Good action for football-sized a few miles off of La Ribera. If you can be one of the first boats to find the porpoise schools you will do well.
DORADO – Still holding up well considering it is almost Halloween.
ROOSTERFISH\JACK CREVALLE – Tough to find along the beach, though a few showed up in the chum at La Ribera.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK – Breezing schools in front of La Ribera.
PARGO AND CABRILLA – Rocky points and pinnacles in front of La Ribera best bet.
SIERRA – Bring wire or lots of flies!
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: What a difference a week makes! Offshore, the dorado are thick with a enough wahoo to put your teasers in peril. While far from wide open, the complaint this week was that it was difficult to get past the dorado and wahoo to catch the marlin. Strong currents at the entrada slowed things down this week and the esteros continued to bump along with only fair fishing for corvina, cabrilla and an occasional grouper.
Water Temperature 72-79
Air Temperature 71-77
Humidity 87%
Wind Calm
Conditions: Scattered Clouds
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 7:33 a.m. MDT
Sunset 6:47 p.m. MDT
Nov. 4, Last Quarter; Nov. 12, New, Nov. 18, First Quarter; Nov. 26, Full.
YELLOWTAIL – As the current subsides they began to bite again.
CORVINA – The high spot in a slow week.
SNOOK – A few smaller ones.
HALIBUT – You can always find a few in the shallow water near sandy beaches.
SIERRA – Watch under the bird schools throughout the bay.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: What’s that song, “Seems Like Old Times?” Roosters, sails, tuna, great weather and love in the air. Nate and Carmen Gills on their honeymoon from North Carolina caught six roosters on poppers yesterday (10/29). Wait until they tell their grandchildren that one in about 40 years.
Other than that remarkable achievement by Nate and Carmen, things were pretty much business as usual. The 82º blue water remains close, 20- to 25-pound dorado are being frisky and the boats are averaging somewhere around 2.5 sailfish a day. Top it off with a smattering of yellowfin tuna and it all spells Zihuatanejo (which sometimes isn’t easy to spell.)
Oh, almost forgot, sierra mackerel (aka as ceviche on the hoof) are in great schools and as close to a sure thing as there is when saltwater fly fishing. Wire tippet? You bet!
Water Temperature 80-83
Air Temperature 80-84
Humidity 89%
Wind Calm
Conditions: Scattered Clouds 25,000 ft
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:44 a.m. CDT
Sunset 7:14 p.m. CDT
Nov. 4, Last Quarter; Nov. 12, New, Nov. 18, First Quarter; Nov. 26, Full.
Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
SAN JOSE, GUATEMALA
Weather has been great, very calm and still hot! We're back to double digit releases which are usually the norm. A couple of boats went out this week averaging 18-20 sailfish releases, with at least twice as many raised. These great numbers were during the full moon. Blue water is about 30-32 miles offshore. We had one boat go inshore for a day, our one and only "Chispudo," they caught one big rooster and some other inshore varieties. Fishing is rapidly approaching the peak months of Dec., Jan. and Feb., but if it keeps up this way we’ll have to add Nov. to that hot time-frame. We still have some availability between now and mid-Dec. if anyone wants to take a last minute trip.
Water Temperature 78-82
Air Temperature 80-84
Humidity 94 %
Wind SW 6 mph
Conditions: T-storms
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 5:57 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:36 p.m. CST
Nov. 4, Last Quarter; Nov. 12, New, Nov. 18, First Quarter; Nov. 26, Full.
San Jose, Guatemala report by Brian Baragy and Lissa McFarland
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