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Fishing Report for San Jose del Cabo, Baja
Capt. Eric Brictson
January 30, 2005
San Jose del Cabo - Saltwater Fishing Report
January 30, 2005
Anglers –
The month of January was for the most part very pleasant as far as the weather went, only a few days where the early mornings were chilly, despite there being a lot of cloud cover, there was still enough warm sunshine to keep most sun worshipping tourists happy, reaching into the upper 70s on most days and overall the fishing proved to be excellent. Water temperatures are now ranging from 70 to 72 degrees and swells were at a minimal, though there was a strong current running, this effected the fishing a times, especially trying to do any serious bottom stuff. Live bait supplies were sufficient for both live mackerel out of the Cabo San Lucas Marina and sardinas remained abundant at Santa Maria. Whales have made a strong showing the past couple of weeks, a mix of Humpback and Grey’s.
Striped marlin activity did taper off during the recent full moon period, though they were still be seen in decent numbers, off of the Pacific, as well as into the Sea of Cortez, from Chileno to the Gordo Banks. A handful of Mako sharks were accounted for recently, most of them by anglers targeting billfish offshore, at least one reported hit on a trolled lure.
The more consistent action for the panga fleets continued as it has for the past month, with the areas from Punta Gorda to La Fortuna producing the largest numbers of both dorado and yellowfin tuna. The bite varied from day to day, some days more tuna, others more dorado, and there were also the factors of swarming schools of needlefish that at times made if nearly impossible to keep a fresh bait in the water. Another major nuisance were roaming packs of sea lions, as many as five or six together, they would actually follow the pangas around, apparently being able to smell where the fish were and once anglers would hook up they would wait until the fish tired on the line and then make their attack, teaming up, making a game out of it. This made it tough for anglers to keep the school of fish up on the surface feeding, they would become spooked by the sea lions and then just like that the action would be over as fast as it had started. The yellowfin that were being landed from the areas of La Fortuna, Cardon to Punta Gorda averaged 15 to 20 pounds, but there were a few larger fish to 40 to 50 pounds mixed in, most of them becoming victims to the sea lion attacks.
Dorado were found throughout the same areas, more of them closer to shore now than further out, this week there were schools of dorado seen feeding right in the surf zone off the beach of La Playita, decent size fish as well, up to 30 pounds, they were moving quick though and it was not easy to get into position for a hook ups and besides they were chasing half beaks (large ballhoo). Roosterfish were also feeding along the local beaches, most of them smaller fish, under ten pounds, but there were some larger ones now showing, proof by a 40 pound roosterfish that was hooked on a dead sardina off of the ship wreck at La Salina, just south of Punta Gorda. The same spot where a whale was on spotted dragging a tangled section of commercial netting, still able to swim and no divers were able to help cut the netting away, as it was moving too fast. This event was broadcast on national television and most certainly will add pressure to the efforts to rid these types of nets from local waters.
The numbers of combined panga charters off of La Playita beach dipped to 68 total charters for the week, with panga anglers accounting for an approximate total catch of 15 roosterfish, 45 sierra, 120 pargo, 14 triggerfish, 40 bonito, 60 black skipjack, 135 dorado and170 yellowfin tuna.
Not much being reported by surf anglers off of San Jose, besides one 15 pound class halibut off of La Playita and some sierra at daybreak, Off of the Pacific there were some larger sierra being found, including one monster 16 pound specimen taken by local expert Eben Brown.
Good Fishing, Eric
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