Lots of fishing action to tell you anglers, so let's get into it because the season is on and there's probably a fish or two with your name on it in Mexican waters.
First, it's really hitting stride up and down the Sea of Cortez. In fact, it's looking like one of the best years in recent memory. In the Mulege area, and all the way down the coast, schools of tuna, dorado and giant squid top the list sharing the spotlight with roosterfish and bottom scratchers like cabrilla, jacks and pargo. Anglers are staying close in for the dorado, as close as a mere half-mile offshore near Concepcion Point and between Punta Chivato and San Marcos Island.
At Loreto, Arturo's Panga's are also reporting that the dorado have sparked it up with spectacular limits on almost all the boats. With air temps running over 100 degrees, the dorado action is just about as hot. Basically, they're telling the pangeros that the fish are everywhere, "just head out 'till you find some blue water and floating weeds, then toss everything at 'em--from live bait to feathers." If you fish it, they will come. By the way, while you're pulling feathers for dorado through the blue water, don't go too light on the tackle, sailfish have also pulled into the area.
At the Midriff Islands, Tom Ward at the Longfin Tackle Shop in Orange, California just got off the Tony Reyes Boats. The Capt. Villegas racked 540 cabrilla, 120 dorado, 52 yellowtail, 6 grouper (up to 130 pounds), 8 pargo and 250 giant squid. The Jose Andres tallied 51 'tails, 6 white seabass, 470 cabrilla, 3 broomtails, 6 grouper and 5 sheephead.
In La Paz, marlin, sailfish, tuna and dorado have also kicked in with an especially killer tuna and dorado bite. Pete Benchley's Mosquito Fleet reports that some tuna are up to 90 pounds, but are super line-shy. Big fish are eating only 30 pound string so, you've really got your work cut out for you if you tie onto a big tuna. Partido Island is boiling with the tuna so head
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for Punta Coyote near Las Cruces if you want to hang a mess 'o dorado. Mosquito Fleet boats are getting as many as 25 fish per boat. However, don't forget that THERE ARE LIMITS in Mexican waters. That's right amigo. With the big influx of fish, Mexican Fish & Game are increasing their checks and several anglers have been caught over limit. It's 6 dorado per boat per day. So, catch all you want, but once you're over six, cut 'em loose. As a side note, a 253 pound sword fish was speared in the bay in 30 feet of water--while it was sunning. A panga skipper saw the fish and nailed quite a trophy broadbill.
For the rest of the East Cape, Cass Casteneda at Cass Tours, says the hotels, including Palmas de Cortez, Playa Hermosa and Punta Colorado are thick into fish with excellent billfishing. Anglers dragging lures and tossing live bait in Palmas Bay have taken sailfish every day with 95 percent of the fish getting released. Dorado and tuna action are also on the increase with tuna up to 60 pounds and dorado coming in a fish taco sized 5-15 pounds.
At San Jose del Cabo, Larry Burson reporting for Victor's Pangas checked in with an excellent mixed bag for the July 4th weekend. Boats working the Gordo Bank with live mullet are hanging amberjack to 65 pounds with up to six fish per boat. Tuna up to 40 pounds and dorado to 25 pounds are fairly typical. Roosters to 25 pounds are thick on shore. Larry says it's HOT. The water is "blue and getting warmer." By the way, wahoo have moved into the high spots. Darker lures are working in these smallish fish which are averaging 20-30 pounds. However, 'hoo teeth are 'hoo teeth and a wise man always uses wire leader on his wahoo jigs. Even the little critters have a nasty bite. Better the wire than losing a $40 dollar Marauder. 'Nuff said.
Larry Edwards for Cortez Yacht Charters and the Pisces Fleet in Cabo San Lucas tell me that one of the largest blue marlin ever taken in Cabo got put on the scales on July 3rd. Mearle Platt of Jacksonville, Florida got himself mixed up in a grueling two hour battle with a grander that put his Penn 50TW and 50 pound line to the max. The 1,060 pound billfish was so large the skipper and crew were unable to get the fish on the swim step of the 33 foot Crystaliner, Gaviota III, and the bad boy had to be bridled and towed back to the marina. All I know at press time is that Platt was dragging a bright pink marlin lure when the fish
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took a whack at it just outside Chileno Bay, about 19 miles from the harbor. More than 100 people were at the docks to watch six beefy guys haul the fish up to the scales. Temperature in Los Cabos are in the 90's. Water is 79-80.
By the time you read this, I will be in San Felipe, Mexico getting bent on some pescado. I'm helping host a new TV show called "Ocean Angler" for cable. Hopefully, we'll be taking our crew to your end of the beach real soon.
Tight lines everyone. I'm always looking for info. Just give me a tug at (805) 237-1122.
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