As we start a new month there are no new storm systems on the horizon that are forecast to affect Southern Baja. At this time Hurricane Guillermo is far off to west, following a path towards Hawaii, but is supposed to weaken before impact the island chain. Locally the weather has been very warm and humid, though skies have been clear, none of the afternoon thunder storms since last weekend. Ocean swells have been moderate, with water temperatures holding in the 86/87 degree range. Light afternoon breezes made for very comfortable conditions for anglers.
The action on the Gordo Banks for past couple of weeks, which had been for mostly very small sized yellowfin tuna, has now faded out, still a few marlin being hooked into from these grounds, both black and blue marlin, a handful of striped marlin and sailfish. This past week there were marlin to over 300 lb. landed, these fish were striking on trolled skipjack or tuna.
With supplies of sardinas still maintaining fleets in the vicinity of the marina jetty the action now has switched north to the Iman Bank, using the small sized sardina baitfish anglers were finding a grade of yellowfin tuna in the 10 to 50 lb. class. No significant numbers, but most charters were accounting for two, three, four of five tuna per morning. Off the bottom this area produced some huachinango, dogtooth snapper, cabrilla and triggerfish, again no big numbers, but a few quality fish were reported.
Dorado continue to virtually nonexistent, a combination of factors likely the cause for this. Finding any action while surface trolling open waters was difficult, more action was accounted for while using baitfish, drift fishing over the structure where fish were concentrated. Just a handful of wahoo were found, most of these while trolling early in the day with Rapalas.
No inshore action to speak of either, just a few roosterfish hanging around, the season for this gamefish is nearing the end. Though there is always a chance at finding a roosterfish lingering around the marina jetty where there are concentrations of various baitfish.
Eastern Pacific appears to be on track of having a strong el Niño warm water phenomena that can cause havoc on normal fish migrations patterns. We still have over two months of tropical storm season to deal with, so we will monitored weather forecasts frequently.
The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 66 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 2 black marlin, 1 yellowtail, 5 sailfish, 4 striped marlin, 1 blue marlin, 2 wahoo, 190 yellowfin tuna, 13 dogtooth snapper, 1 gulf grouper, 4 amberjack, 8 cabrilla, 1 surgeonfish, 22 white skipjack tuna, 4 roosterfish and 32 huachinango (red snapper).