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Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Capt. George Landrum
April 12, 2004
Cabo San Lucas - Saltwater Fishing Report
Cabo Bite Report
Capt George Landrum
Fly Hooker Sportfishing
[email protected]
www.flyhooker.com
CABO SAN LUCAS FISH REPORT APRIL 4-10, 2004
WEATHER: I swear to you that I am not making this up, but once again we have an almost
identical repeat of last weeks weather. Maybe I am starting to sound like a broken record, but
hear me out. The week started with wonderful calm weather, sunny and warm with not a cloud in
the sky. On Tuesday the wind started to blow as cloud cover moved in. It started to blow hard
on Wednesday and on Friday a lot of boats cancelled their trips. On Saturday the wind started to
die back down and the clouds moved away. Sigh. Night time lows were in the area of 60 degrees
while the daytime highs ranged from 82 to 98 degrees, depending on where you were and the day
of the week!
WATER: Down to a low of 59 degrees right at the Cape at the end of the week, the water close
to home has been very, very cold! Thank goodness the water warms up as you get offshore, or
we might just be looking at another Albacore bite (not that would be a bad thing). One you got
around 15 miles out the water started to warm up and on the Sea of Cortez side that meant that
you were looking at temperatures that may have hit the low 70’s. Directly to the south the water
continued to stay cold as the currents carried that chilly stuff almost thirty miles out before it
began to dissipate. Out on the Pacific side the normal temperature break area, between the
Golden Gate and the San Jaime Banks continued to run true to form. Once you reached the rise
the water started to warm up, but for most of the week it was just so rough out there that no one
was going. Up the Cortez the water inshore began to warm up as well and it was a good thing, as
that was almost the only area the smaller boats could concentrate on without getting slammed
around.
BAIT: The normal $2 per bait for Caballito with very few small Mackerel available. I did not
hear of any Sardines making it down to Cabo from San Jose.
FISHING:
BILLFISH: Heck, I have no idea what to say about the Bill fish this week except that some
boats were lucky and caught some. I would have to venture a guess that for most of the week
one in twenty boats were lucky to get hooked up, and of them, maybe half got the fish to the boat.
A lot of it had to do with the full moon, but the water temperature and surface conditions
contributed as well. Some of the boats that did catch fish were catching them on lures, bait was
not working real well. After banging heads around after a few beers, we have come up with a
pretty good reason (at least it sounds like it after a couple!), too much squid around for the
Marlin to be interested in Mackerel or Caballito. Why should they work hard at chasing small fish
when they can eat squid candy. That also migh explain why most of the fish caught on lures were
caught on ones that were in squid colors! Most of the fish found were at the temperature breaks
and that was almost the only place.
YELLOWFIN TUNA: A repeat of last weeks report on the Tuna. Almost all the Yellowfin I saw
or heard about this week were football fish and many of them were not found with Porpoise, but
instead found in free swimming schools. Small feathers in dark colors worked well as did larger
lures in Petrelero (sure must be a lot of squid out there now). The Sea of Cortez side, out to 15
miles while the wind blew, and out a bit farther after it stopped on the weekend had the majority
of the fish, perhaps due to the small temperature break there. There were a few larger fish found
and caught, but they were around the San Jaime and for most of the week the water was too
rough to get to them.
DORADO: Same as last week! Scattered fish, and good sized ones, were the order for the week.
Many of the Dorado found and caught were in the 25-50 pound class. Marlin lures in Petrelero
go the first ones and live bait on the drop back usually hooked up another. Warmer water, out
past the temperature break was where most of the fish were found, though there were a few found
close to shore on the Cortez side up around the Palmilla Hotel.
WAHOO: Even with the full moon there were not many Wahoo found this week. Cold water
may have been the reason because I did hear that there was a bit of a bite happening up around
the north end of Punta Gorda, and the water was warmer up there.
INSHORE: Slow fishing in rough water, but those that could handle it found fair fishing up
around the lighthouse on the Pacific side for Yellowtail to 25 pounds on live bait dropped deep.
There were also Sierra in the 4 to 8 pound range in the same area as well as right in the Cabo San
Lucas Bay. Elsewhere the inshore action was slow with only a few fish found.
NOTES: Not a red banner week on the fishing front, nor on the weather front! (that was a
repeat of the first line from last weeks report!) We need warm water, no wind and then things
will take off! Around the town, things are busy as it is Semana Santa, or Holy Week, and
everyone is on Holiday! Lots of people out and about but the fun police are out as well. Sigh, a
couple of live music sets at the beach and the fun police shut down Brian Flynn’s indoor/outdoor
gig at the beach. Heck, if I wanted this I would have moved to southern California (the state, that
is!)! No music this week as it is late at my house, Mary is asleep and I have to get up early and
fish on Easter Sunday! Until next week, tight lines!
Fly Hooker Daily Reports
Capt. George Landrum
"Fly Hooker" Sportfishing
[email protected]
www.flyhooker.com
WEEKLY FISH COUNT
STRIPED MARLIN: ONE TAGGED AND RELEASED (#130)
YELLOWFIN TUNA: 25 CAUGHT, 10 RELEASED (#4-#45)
DORADO: ONE CAUGHT (#10)
BONITA: 3 CAUGHT (#15-#20)
“FLY HOOKER” FISH REPORT FOR 5 APRIL, 2004
Jeff Zielinski, his sister and her husband were referred to us by a client of ours and
were looking forward to a chance to get into some big fish on this trip. Well, the best
laid plans and all that stuff. The water was just beautiful yesterday and today it was
nice as well, but the fish have not yet moved in closer. Juan and Manuel took the boat
26 miles to the southwest, just off the San Jaime Banks, and they were able to get into
the porpoise. Into the porpoise, but not into the Yellowfin. Instead they hooked into
some bomber sized Bonita and were able to get three of the 20 pound fish into the
boat. Not bad, but not exactly what they were looking for. I just wish the water had
been a little warmer, maybe they would have had better luck. At least there was fish for
dinner! Thanks guys, and Joe, thank you as well for the referral!
“FLY HOOKER” FISH REPORT FOR 6 APRIL, 2004
Our buddies Nick and Carol Fedorka were here for the Easter weekend with their
kids Nick and Carleigh and their friend Mijoy Milby. The wind had started to pickup a
bit yesterday but was not bad for today, at least no one got sick! The boat went the
same area as yesterday and were able to find the Porpoise again. Again they were
able to get into fish but today it was the right kind! Three nice Yellowfin were brought
into the boat, the largest of which Juan told me may have gone around 35 pounds, the
other two at around 20 pounds. Nice fish, and nice fillets! The kids all had a chance to
reel in fish and a few more were lost as well, but a good time was had by everyone on
board! Thanks Nick!
“FLY HOOKER” FISH REPORT FOR 7 APRIL, 2004
Jon Whimpney, his brother Stacy and their friend Derek Keen are down here for
Easter break and this is their first time to Cabo. They are students and work in the
summer as fishing guides in Canada while in the winter they study for degrees in
biology. They really want a chance to get a Marlin, or at least a really big fish, but
Marlin are the main target. These guys don’t have a lot of money but they have
booked the “Fly Hooker” for three days, today, tomorrow and Saturday. Today Juan
and Manuel went to the south of the 95 spot looking for the Marlin that the guys want to
focus on. Well, there were three Marlin sighted and bait was tossed to one of them, but
as sometimes happens the fish was not interested. They did not get skunked however,
as the guys were able to get into a school of Tuna that were biting. With all the action
happening it was difficult to keep accurate track, but Juan said that they had let at least
8 Yellowfin go and he and Manuel had filleted an even dozen. The largest of the Tuna
that they filleted would have gone an easy 45 pounds and the guys told me that the big
fish of the day had been lost below the boat. I asked Juan about it and he said that the
fish would have gone an easy 80 pounds, but the hook pulled loose. Maybe that was
because the length of the fight allowed the fish to wear a hole in it’s mouth, but
regardless they had a great day on the water. Of course the wind started to blow pretty
good late yesterday and the water was rough, but they did get into the fish! Let’s keep
our fingers crossed for tomorrow!
“FLY HOOKER” FISH REPORT FOR 8 APRIL, 2004
Jon, Stacy and Derek were out today on the second of their three days and today
they were finally able to get a Marlin to the boat. They were fishing 21 miles to the
southeast and there was a pretty nice temperature break there. On the way out they
picked up two small Yellowfin of about 15 pounds each, plus a small 10 pound Dorado.
When they reached the temp break they found a small group of Striped Marlin that
came in and attacked the lures. Juan said that there were five fish on the surface and
that three of them whacked at the lures. One of them was hooked up good and Juan
tossed out a bait that was totally ignored. Stacy was the lucky angler and it took him
about 25 minutes to subdue the feisty #130 Striped Marlin. After the fight the fish was
released and everyone started on the beer! Not a bad day and they were able to pick
up one more of the #15 Yellowfin on the way back in. A good day and some nice flags
flying when they entered the Marina!
“FLY HOOKER” FISH REPORT FOR 10 APRIL, 2004
The last of three days of fishing for our Canadian fishing guides/students and the
water was much rougher today than the first two days they fished. We were supposed
to have a trip yesterday but the wind was blowing so hard in the morning that we
postponed until Easter Sunday. At least it calmed down in the afternoon and this
morning ‘twas just a slight breeze. Of course that did not change the set of the swells
any, and it was still blowing pretty good off shore by all accounts. With the rough water
they were not able to get as far off shore and with the fact that one of the guys was
feeling a bit “disabled”, the fishing left a bit to be desired. Two very small Yellowfin
were all that happened today, and the fish were small enough that they might have
been put back out as live bait had the water temps been right for Blue Marlin! Well, the
guys had two great days of fishing and they were able to get one Marlin to the boat and
released so the trip was a success. I just hope that the next time they are all able to
get a fish to the boat and released! Thanks guys, and have fun for the rest of the
vacation!
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