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Fishing Report for San Jose del Cabo, Baja
Capt. Eric Brictson
May 4, 2003
San Jose del Cabo - Saltwater Fishing Report
Anglers -
May 4, 2003
The spring tourist season has been below normal levels, but with the start of May we have noticed an increased number of people making the trip. The weather has been on a warming trend, and is now very pleasant, the skies are sunny and high temperatures are hovering about 90 degrees. There were a few windy days mid week, but for the most part anglers found relatively calm offshore fishing conditions. The water temperatures varied from 70 to 75 degrees and there was clean blue water found within several miles of shore. There were adequate supplies of live mackerel available, but sardinas were now more scarce and hard to come by. Surf conditions were minimal, but typically by the end of this month we will start to see some larger southern swells.
The majority of the sportfishing fleets are concentrating their efforts up into the Sea of Cortez, from Chileno to Desteladera, this is where the water temperatures have been warmer, and catches proved to be more consistent. The action was spread out over a large area, anywhere from two to twenty miles offshore, most common species found were dorado, yellowfin tuna and striped marlin. Most of all the yellowfin tuna found this past week were from 15 to 25 miles from shore, associated with porpoise, striking trolled lures and live bait. Since these fish required a long run to locate, it was mainly the cruisers that were able to target the tuna, once found there was wide-open action reported, sizes were averaging 15 to 30 pounds, and there were larger fish mixed in the schools. The tuna that are now being found have been open water fish, still no yellowfin action being found on the Gordo Banks, though during the first part of the week there were a few early morning wahoo strikes reported off the Banks, the 'hoo were in the 40 to 50 pound range. Though the main wahoo bite seemed to peak for a couple days last weekend, the water is still clean and warming, and the pressure is light, so there is a very good chance that the wahoo action will pick back up.
There were greater numbers of quality sized dorado now showing up in local waters, some bulls to 40 pounds were accounted for and boats were averaging anywhere from two to five dorado per day. They were striking on various lures, but the best action was with live mackerel, with many multiple hook ups reported. The next few months is the time when the largest dorado of the year typically are caught and we look forward to having a great season for these highly prized gamefish.
Striped marlin and sailfish were being found scattered throughout the area, the numbers were not what they had been, but there still was a good chance of hooking into a billfish for the charters that targeted them. Casting live baits to tailing fish was reportedly the most successful method, though many of the fish that were cast to would not show interest and had to be enticed into striking baits.
There was one monster 40 pound snook caught from a La Playita panga, while fishing close off the San Jose Estuary, in the same area where pargo and sierra ranging 4 to 12 pounds have continued to provide action for anglers trolling sardinas or small rapalas, though it was not wide open as it had been last week, the word got out fast and everyone and their brother was on it.
Good Fishing, Eric
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