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Fishing Report for San Jose del Cabo, Baja
Capt. Eric Brictson
June 1, 2003
San Jose del Cabo - Saltwater Fishing Report
Anglers -
June 1, 2003
Though the official start of summer is several weeks away, the weather is on a progressive warming trend, highs have been reaching the upper 80s, days were mostly sunny, with the exception of an early morning marine layer that continued to cover the lower peninsula.
Mid week there were a couple days of strong southern winds that contributed to pushing cooler water from the Pacific up into the Cortez and water temperatures dipped to an average of 70 to 72 degrees, while on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas there were temperatures as low as 65 degrees reported. This overall cooling trend slowed the offshore surface action down, but it seemed to increase activity of bottom species. By the weekend conditions were settled down, the swell had virtually disappeared, the water which had turned a cloudy green color was once again clearing
and there were promising signs that action for anglers would soon return to normal. Live bait was not as abundant as it had been, but there were limited supplies of mackerel, sardinas and mullet available. Most charter boats were now concentrating efforts towards the Sea of Cortez side where water temperatures were warmer and where they found scattered action for striped marlin, dorado, yellowfin tuna, skipjack, bonita, amberjack, grouper, pargo, pompano, jack crevalle and roosterfish.
Roosterfish are making a later than normal appearance this season, but they are now starting to show up in increased numbers, and fish to over 40 pounds were accounted for by anglers trolling live bait along the shoreline. Jack crevalle were the most numerous inshore species, but there were also sierra, pargo, needlefish and pompano being accounted for. The La Playita panga fleet had a couple great days of fishing for African pompano, they were found in their favorite area near San Luis, close to shore off of Blue Rock. Trolling live bait, as well as drifting bait with small sinkers, produced results on as many as a dozen fish per panga in sizes ranging 5 to 18 pounds. This annual run of pompano typically occurs earlier in the year in March or April, but also they usually migrate on as fast as they appear, and they are one of the best eating fish available for Baja anglers.
Bottom rock piles produced this season's first real action for amberjack, as fish to over 50 pounds were accounted for on yo-yo style jigs, as well as on live mullet. Red Hill and Iman Bank were perhaps the most productive areas, for the amberjack in addition to cabrilla and grouper. Dog tooth snapper to 30 pounds have been found along the rocky shorelines and particularly near the shipwreck off of La Salinas, near Punta Gorda, and were striking best on trolled mullet, but proved to be a challenge to keep from cutting lines off on the nearby structure.
The cruiser fleet did encounter schooling yellowfin tuna further offshore, but this was in areas from Desteladera to Los Frailes, a hit or miss bite on fish in the 15 to 30 pound range, though some fish to 100 pounds were also reported. Striped marlin and dorado were being found in these same areas, though numbers were down from previous weeks. Action from the beaches included jack crevalle, pargo, parrotfish, croaker and mero chino, as water warms back up we expect a few more snook to start being caught.
Good Fishing, Eric
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