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Fishing Report for San Jose del Cabo, Baja
Capt. Eric Brictson
August 27, 2006
San Jose del Cabo - Saltwater Fishing Report
August 27, 2006
Anglers –
The Eastern Pacific tropical storm season is just now nearing the period when historically there is the highest percentage of the Baja peninsula being struck. This week there was a bit of a scare as Hurricane Ileana developed off of Manzanillo and headed northwest on a track that brought the center of the powerful category three storm within three hundred miles of Cabo San Lucas. Besides the weather becoming very muggy with the high humidity and a few isolated thundershowers, the main effect was the high swells that were created. The surge of high surf arrived mid-morning on Wednesday, peaked on Thursday, before gradually residing by the weekend. Palmilla cruiser fleets were taken to the safe mooring in the Cabo Marina and the panga fleets off of La Playita shut down all launching on Thursday, but were able to resume operations on Friday. Once again this storm was just a sample as to what might happen when a severe storm strikes directly, the new Puerto Los Cabos rock jetties did not appear to block the waves as engineers had planned, this area is open ocean and southern swells directly hit this stretch of beach.
For the fleets out of San Jose del Cabo they continued to enjoy incredible action for yellowfin tuna in the area from La Fortuna to the Iman Bank. The schools of sardinas did not seem to scatter because of the high surf activity and the tuna bite picked up right after the storm where it had left off on Wednesday morning. Average sized fish was ranging in the 15 to 30 pound range, dropping off slightly compared to before the swell, but nevertheless the yellowfin were quality fish and very plentiful, average catch per boat was about a dozen fish, with some boats going much higher than that. Drift fishing with fly lined baits continued to be the productive method. Dorado were mixed in the same area, though they were not consistent, apparently finding it hard to compete with the aggressive frenzy of the tuna, though on some days boats were accounting for one, two or three dorado in their combined catch, most of them medium sized.
A handful of blue and striped marlin, as well as sailfish were found in similar areas as the tuna, striking on the same smaller baitfish. Also the cruiser fleet continued to find billfish outside of Cabo San Lucas. Other catches include a scattering of pargo, bonito, skipjack and cabrilla.
With the high surf conditions for much of the week there was not much reported by surf fishermen.
The combined panga fleets launching from La Playita reported approximately 78 charters for the week and anglers accounted for a fish count of: 2 striped marlin, 3 blue marlin, 6 sailfish, 56 dorado, 940 yellowfin tuna, 44 bonito, 66 skipjack, 4 cabrilla and 38 miscellaneous pargo.
Good Fishing, Eric
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