Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Capt. Tracy Ehrenberg
February 12, 2004
Cabo San Lucas - Saltwater Fishing Report

JANUARY 31ST TO FEBRUARY 5TH, 2004

BILLFISH: We had a big moon all week this period, which could have been a factor in low catch rates for billfish – in fact just twenty-two percent were lucky enough to hook up to striped marlin. Bait was a little hard to find too, though it was usually available from the bait barge as a last resort. Our total number of marlin caught this week was a measly twelve, which when compared to last year at this time (one hundred and three for the same week in 2003), was a huge difference. However, fishing does change from year to year and perhaps the excellent catches we have seen over the last few weeks were a little earlier this year. Once the moon wanes we should start to see catches pick up again. Usually at this time of year we start to see a transition from the Pacific side into the Sea of Cortez, this certainly seemed proved by “La Brisa” who released two striped marlin for Ralph Paling from Cambridge, Ontario and Joel Reeves from Anchorage – both pretty chilly places - twelve miles off of Santa Maria. Ron Colligan from Willawston, Michigan, was one of the other lucky two fish anglers, this time aboard “Tracy Ann” on February 4th, also off of Santa Maria. A few other marlin were released on the Pacific between the Old Lighthouse and the Arch, ten miles out and still others were further a field off of San Jose. Nearly all of the marlin caught took live bait, with about twenty percent biting on lures. Pisces anglers caught a total of twelve striped marlin this week of which eleven were released. Average weight is 130 lbs.

OTHER SPECIES: Yellowfin tuna were a saving grace this week, with a little over half of the boats finding football size fish, 15 to 25 lbs. Most of the tuna were on the Pacific with one of the better days being February 2nd, thirteen to twenty-three miles off the lighthouse – this day boats caught from three to sixteen fish apiece. Cedar plugs and small feathers worked well for these. Dorado catches were slower than marlin this week, with just about ten percent of boats landing this species, with weights being around the 20 lb mark. They were picked up whilst trolling in one’ and two’s. “Tracy Ann” was fortunate to get six off of Chileno, as well as a striped marlin on January 31st. As we close this report, “Libre” reported a good day on dorado, far out on the Pacific where they found 72 F water. Inshore lots of sierra and skipjack now starting to appear, as well as some amberjack.

LOCATION: Boats fished a lot on the Pacific as they wanted the tuna, which was their best shot at game fish this week; they also fished Santa Maria, Chileno, San Jose and Punta Gorda.

WEATHER CONDITIONS: Partly cloudy, windy in the afternoons, air-temps in the low to mid 70’s, seas on the rough side.

AVERAGE WATER TEMP: 69-70F

BEST LURES: live bait, green/yellow, assorted feathers, cedar plugs.

BASED ON THE CATCHES OF PISCES FLEET BY TRACY EHRENBERG

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