REPORT #1048 “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 02/03/07
[b][color=red]TELL THE PACIFIC COUNCIL --NO LONGLINES [/color][/b]
[url]http://www.savethefish.org/action_items_Pacific_LL.htm[/url]
Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
[img]http://www.bajafly.com/report/internationalstar.jpg[/img]
Whale watching continues to dominate the activity at both Lopez Mateo and San Carlos. Enrique reported sighting over 40 whales near the Entrada. Between whales he also managed to find the firecracker yellows under the bird schools. Here’s proof that they eventually grow up! This is a second hand report I received this week:
”Thank you for your info on white sea bass in Mag bay last week. We didn’t fish the location you sent, but found another one outside the bay after looking for an anchor spot after running from bad weather off shore.”
“The spot produced white seabass and yellow tail in the 45-52 lb range. They bit all night the evening of January 23/24, it was absolutely freezing cold with 40 knot winds. These were particularly aggressive fish that required 80-100 lb test to successfully land them. Even with International 50s and 100 lb test, we still only managed to land 8 out of 20 hook ups. The preferred technique was 16oz dropper loops and a live mackerel. Several yellowtail that were brought within site were estimated to be over 60 lbs before breaking off on 100 lb and in one case, 130 lb test.”
“The catch include personal best fish for the Captain (Mike Pritchard – 52 lb yellow tail), the deckhand/cook Dusty (45lb WSB and 50lb YT), and myself (42LB WSB).”
Mike Reader
Lance Peterson while on a recent whale watching trip at Lopez also found some time to fish (go figure) and reported that the Spotted Bay Bass bite was all you wanted.
Water temperature 65 - 72
Air temperature 46 -80
Humidity 81%
Wind: NE 6 - 8 kts
Conditions: Cloudy
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 7:09 a.m. MST
Sunset 6:13 p.m. MST
East Cape
Some of that cold snap to the north seems to have found its way all the way down the Baja Peninsula. In “shorts only” country, that is big news as everyone is digging out their one pair of long pants and jackets.
Before breakfast and before the wind gets going, sierra are the best bet. For a few lucky anglers, a small rooster now and then along with an occasional ladyfish can be added to the catch.
Not far offshore, some small dorado are still hanging around along with a sprinkling of billfish that should be wearing fur coats.
Water temperature 65-70
Air temperature 47-75
Humidity 86%
Wind: NNW at 13 - 18 knts.
Conditions: Sunny
Visibility 4 miles
Sunrise 6:59 a.m. MST
Sunset 6:09 p.m. MST
Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The fishing has been very poor this last week. And, with the full moon phase coming up, I do not see an improvement. This certainly is a dilemma. For sailfish, we should have been having one of the best weeks of the year. It is possible the El Niño affect has delayed the main body of fish getting here, or maybe they are going to by-pass us completely on their way down to Guatemala and Costa Rica.
This last week saw almost as many dorado taken as sailfish, and that was less than a one per boat average. Yesterday (Friday), Efra on the panga Tequila, was high boat in the fleet with three sailfish raised, and they hooked all three. He fished an area at 14 miles on a 180° heading out of Zihuatanejo Bay.
Mike O\\\'Keefe of England, fished with Martin on the panga “Isamar” for 4 days. To find the fish, and to cover more water, they fast trolled marlin lures. They did manage to hook three sails on the fly.
Cali made the 35 mile run down to Vicente Gro. on the panga “Zapatito Gordo”. Three days in the blue water only yielded 1 sailfish, a dorado, and a nice blue marlin. Two days inshore yielded 2 small roosters (5 to 7 pounds), and about 20 small jacks (2 to 5 pounds).
About the only decent bite going on right now are the large jack crevalle (10 to 15 pounds) hitting in the early morning inside Zihuatanejo Bay.
Ed Kunze
Water temperature 80 - 84
Air temperature 70-93
Humidity 82%
Wind: Calm.
Conditions: Mostly Cloudy
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 7:18 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:42 p.m. CST[b][/b] |
