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Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Capt. George Landrum
May 27, 2002
Cabo San Lucas - Saltwater Fishing Report
CABO SAN LUCAS FISH REPORT FOR MAY 20-26, 2002
Capt George Landrum
Fly Hooker Sportfishing
[email protected]
www.flyhooker.com
CABO SAN LUCAS FISH REPORT FOR MAY 20-26, 2002
WEATHER: Great weather all week long with our daytime highs in the upper 90’s and the
nighttime lows in the high 70’s. No rain and scattered cloud cover during the early part of the
week. We had occasional gusty winds throughout the week and it started out westerly, shifted
easterly mid week and is now from the standard northwest direction.
WATER: Surface conditions ranged from very rough to almost flat calm, depending on where
you were. When the wind shifted the Sea of Cortez became very choppy and the Pacific had
swells but no wind chop close in. Later it reverted to the normal choppy conditions on the
Pacific. On the Pacific side the surfaces temperatures are in the mid 70’s, mostly 74-75 degrees
while on the Sea of Cortez we are having indications of things to come with a very strong warm
current coming down from the northeast. This warm water is 82-83 degrees, perfect Blue Marlin
temperature. Right now we have an eddy of cooler water that has formed between the 95 and
1150 spots and it is about 13 miles wide and 15 miles long with 72-74 degree water in the core,
surrounded by 82-83 degree water on the south, north and west and 77-78 degree water on the
east. It looks like strong Pacific currents have caused the warm water flowing down the coast on
the Sea of Cortez to loop around, trapping this cooler water. Gorda Banks is 83 degrees as is the
all the water on the Cortez side in a line due east from Cabo and up to Los Frailes.
BAIT: Mostly Mackerel this week with a few Caballito mixed in and the price has been the usual
$2 per bait.
FISHING:
BILLFISH: I guess this is a good week to get a fairly accurate estimate of the success rate on
Marlin as we just had the Rolex International Invitational Tournament, a catch and release
tournament with 58 teams participating for four days. Everyone found fish, mostly Striped Marlin
with just a few Blues mixed in. The rules were only 30 pound line and IGFA requirements.
Most of the Striped Marlin were reported to be between 80 and 140 pounds and the Blues that
were released were between 250 and 300 pounds, with larger fish lost. Most of the effort was
concentrated in three areas. The first was that cool water eddy outside the Chileno area, the
second was an area 15 to 20 miles south of the Cape and the third was the area between the
lighthouse and Golden Gate Banks on the Pacific side. Lures were accounting for most of the fish
in the Tournament since most of the anglers were inexperienced with tossing live baits at tailing
fish and using circle hooks. Those that had some experience with the live baiting techniques had a
definite advantage since most of the fish had little hesitation in eating a properly presented bait.
YELLOWFIN TUNA: Few Yellowfin were reported in the catch this week and those that were
caught seemed to be football fish in the 15-25 pound range. These fish were Dolphin associated
but there were few larger fish found. Feathers and cedar plugs were what worked. The former
hotspot at the San Jaime Banks has been dead ever since 9 purse Seiners showed up to work it
over several weeks ago and the Gorda Banks area has not yet tossed out and fish to speak of.
DORADO: On a good note, the Dorado are showing up in the catch on a regular basis and most
of the fish are of nice size. Ranging from 15 to 45 pounds, most boats have been able to catch a
few every trip and some have done very well. The Dorado have been concentrated in the same
areas as the Striped Marlin, and for the same reasons. Smaller Marlin lures in the 9” range have
worked well and the best ones have been in the brighter colors. Tossing bait to following fish has
accounted for quite a few of the larger fish caught.
WAHOO: There have been red flags scattered throughout the fleet this week and the fish have
been scattered as well. No one was working concentrations and most of the fish were incidental
catches, but ranges in size from 20 to 50 pounds with an occasional larger fish in the box. Most
of these were caught on Marlin lures.
INSHORE: There have been good reports concerning the Roosterfishing off the Pacific side and
apparently there have been a few Yellowtail caught as well. Jacks have been keeping anglers busy
and those trying the bottom fishing have been catching Triggerfish and Grouper.
NOTES: Looks like an El Nino year for sure and the bite on the Blue Marlin should happen
soon! This weeks report has been written to the very mellow piano of Keith Jarret in his 1975
classic “The Koln Concert”, preformed at The Opera in Koln, Germany. Four parts, Part 1, Part
IIa, IIb and IIc. Put it on, crank it up and let the concert begin! Until next week, tight lines
where ever you are fishing.
"Fly Hooker" Daily Catch Report
“FLY HOOKER” FISH REPORT FOR 20 MAY, 2002
Today is the second day of fishing on the “Fly Hooker” for Allen and Chris and today they have
the groom to be, Tom, along with them. It was an interesting day, but one with no fish in the
boat. Early in the trip, on the Pacific side, they guys spotted a Swordfish lazing along on the
surface. Now a Swordfish is a rare catch almost anywhere and every time I have had a shot at
one they have refused to eat. Today they worked the fish for a while and eventually got it to eat a
live bait. The fish pulled line for about 10 seconds and then was gone. So far that has been the
best shot we have had in a year at one of these fish on the surface. As they day continued they
had strikes from 2 different Striped Marlin, both of which came off very quickly and also from
two Dorado, which did the same thing. What are we running out there, Rubbermaid hooks? The
last fish proved that the fishhooks are not rubber, but there is a Wahoo swimming around out
there missing one eye to prove it. When the Wahoo hit Juan thought it was a Marlin at first.
Later as the fish was worked to the boat they were able to determine what it was, and as the fish
pulled loose about 25 yards away and the lure came back with just an eye, they were able to
confirm it’s identity. That was it for the day, plenty of short, quick action, but no fish to go home
with.
“FLY HOOKER” FISH REPORT FOR 21 MAY, 2002
Rod, a friend of a friend, fished with us last year and this year he picked up three guys at the
resort who wanted to go fishing to share the expenses with him. Jared and Todd are father and
son and I didn’t get the name of the third guy, he comes to Cabo for a month a year but does not
normally fish. Well, the wind was blowing pretty good last night and it let up a bit this morning.
Juan and Juan headed out about 20 miles south since some of the boats yesterday had excellent
luck in that area. The water was very rough and no one except Juan and Juan saw any fish all
day. At one time the crew spotted a Marlin and tossed out a live bait but the fish went down and
that was all the action for the day.
“FLY HOOKER” FISH REPORT FOR 22 MAY, 2002
Tom, Dick and Harry fished on the “Fly Hooker” today. Those are not their real names, but at
their request these are the ones I am using. They were supposed to be working today, not fishing!
These guys catch plenty of Dorado and Wahoo where they are from so the target of the days trip
was to be Striped Marlin. The area Juan and Juan decided to work was about 12 miles out from
Chileno Beach where there is a slight temperature break starting to form. The water had calmed
down a bit from yesterday. Early in the trip Juan said three Dorado came charging into the lures
but put on the brakes and swam away when they got close to the spread. Later they saw one
Marlin on the surface and tossed a bait to it but the fish had gone down by the time to bait was
hooked up and delivered. A Mako shark of about 100 pounds bit on one of the lures and it was
brought to the boat and released. Another Striped Marlin was sighted and this time the bait was
delivered quickly and the Marlin ate it but came unbuttoned quickly. The last fish for the day was
a very nice Wahoo of about 60 pounds. A few fish but nothing outstanding, just a nice day on the
water!
“FLY HOOKER” FISH REPORT FOR 26 MAY, 2002
Chris Hernandez booked the “Fly Hooker” some time ago for today’s trip and upon the shuttle
ride from the airport to the resort he got into a conversation with another person and got
company for the trip. Later that day at the resort it happened again and this morning he came to
the dock with his wife, Jovita, and four other people. I was introduced to them all but for the life
of me can’t remember their names. Sigh, I’ll never be a politician (yeah!). Jovita was high rod for
the day as Juan and Juan worked water on the Pacific side of the Cape from 8 to 10 miles out.
Action was very slow to begin with and it was not until they started coming back towards the tip
of the Cape that they found fish. All the fish were on lures and Jovita reeled in 2 Dorado, one
about 30 pounds and one about 25 pounds, plus one football tuna. Five other Yellowfin Tuna
were caught, all of them between 12 and 20 pounds, plus they fought, and released, a Mako shark
about 6’ long that bit on a lure! That is the second Mako this week! No one got sick, everyone
had a good time and they are going to have fresh fish for dinner either tonight or tomorrow night.
Until next week, tight lines form George, Mary, Juan, Juan and Manuel, The “Fly Hooker” Crew
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