BAJA REPORTS

BAJA CALIFORNIA REPORT: Clean and green! Tropical Storm Olaf drops much needed rain BY ROBIN WADE/WON Staff WriterPublished: Oct 05, 2009

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But, storm also cools the water; Biggest tuna of the week a 254 pounder on the Great Escape Jr. CABO SAN LUCAS — Tropical Storm Olaf took control of the fishing this past week as it slowly worked it’s way up the pacific side of Baja, crawled across the central of the peninsula and then headed off to mainland Mexico. At the slow speed Olaf was moving, Baja Sur and the Cabo area received lots of clouds and much needed rain. With light rains every other day and an occasional one-hour drenching, Baja Sur is looking clean and green! Water temperatures cooled by a few degrees, on the pacific side down to 79 and 80 degrees while the Cortez side was down to 76 degrees inshore and out to 10 miles along most of the coast, with a plume of warm water to 82 degrees intruding across the 1150 and Cabrillo Seamount from the southeast. As news of the good tuna bite spread, seiners with their choppers showed up, causing a few days of no action, but this time, tuna returned a few days after the seiners left. “We’re still not in the numbers we saw before the seiners came through but they are being found in decent numbers farther offshore on the pacific side,” said Capt. Landrum from Fly Hooker Sportfishing. “Running 30 to 40 miles in choppy seas was not in the books for most of the boats though, and few of them made it out to the fish, therefore there were less tuna flags flying,” Landrum said. Heading out between 175 and 210 degrees for 30 miles put you in the area, but then the job was to find the porpoise, as when the chop picked up they seemed to disappear. With a 100 percent catch rate, this past week was the first time in months that the Pisces Fleet saw an increase in anglers and it worked out nicely, with an increase in fish as the season gets into high gear with tournaments and cooler weather. Among them are the Bisbee’s Black & Blue and the Cabo Tuna Jackpot, Nov. 4-7. “The top tuna story was a huge 254-pound yellowfin tuna on board the Great Escape Jr, taken on a guacayama lure 25 miles south of Cabo, no small feat to land a fish of that size under the hot September sun,” said Tracy Ehrenberg for the fleet. This was not the only big tuna as the fleet had several over 100 pounds, including a 110 pounder. Generally the weights were significantly higher, with plenty in the 50- to 90-pound class. “The Tracy Ann was on a roll this past week, releasing a sailfish and boating 3 tuna, the largest being 180 pounds,” she said. To round out the notable catches for the fleet was the Cabolero with a sailfish and 6 tuna, the largest weighing 130 pounds caught 14 miles off of the Old Lighthouse. The No. 1 catch were dorado with 64 percent of the Pisces boats focused on and finding anywhere from 1 to 15 dodos, with the average weight being 20 pounds and the largest 45 pounds. Dorado took live bait as well as green colored lures from the Old Lighthouse to the Golden Gate. “What was also very nice were the wahoo showing up, with almost 20 percent of boats catching them and for the first time in awhile some larger fish, with a 60 pounder caught on the Rebecca,” Ehrenberg said. Reporting for the Gaviota Sportfishing and Fish Cabo fleets, Larry Edwards said there was still a good mix of fish coming in and an interesting change in location for the striper action. “While only 53 percent of the boats had stripers in their counts, most of the fish were taken while drifting deep live baits at the Cabo Falso drop-off. This type of fishing is normal in December but abnormal in September an October,” Edwards said. “It’s very difficult to explain to anglers that have fished billfish before, either by trolling or live baiting a tailer, sleeper, or feeder. Anglers are just not used to fishing marlin using an 8- to 10-ounce torpedo sinker this time of year but the method is very effective at certain times of the year,” Edwards said. The overall combined fish counts for 30 charters included 29 yellowfin tuna, (the Gaviota VIII had the largest at 120 pounds) 16 released stripers, 3 wahoo, and 95 dorado. In other Baja fishing action: • BAHIA ASUNCION (Just south of Guerrero Negro): Fishing was great last week with a wide-open yellowtail bite, and more dorado and yellowfin tuna every day. Juan Arce Marron reported large schools of yellowtail six miles off Asuncion. “Anglers Ed Epifani, Mike, and Larry from Punta Chivato enjoyed triple hookups of yellowtail to 25 pounds, filling their limits quickly, with the biggest fish being caught on Mike’s spin casting rod. They enjoyed the dorado, and sashimi with the added bonus of fresh lobster as lobster season just opened this past week,” Marron said. Just before Tropical Storm Olaf dumped rain here more of the larger tuna were starting to show. Sunday boats were still out of the water but anglers hoped to get back out tomorrow (Monday.) • CAMALU: Located just 175 miles from the border Camalu is a worthy trip for any WON reader that likes great fishing and short boat rides. “Of course, that is any reader not intimidated by the overstated media threats of traveling to Baja,” said WON reader Erich Licht of Chula Vista. “I just returned and it’s sad to say that there was only one other occupied room at Pirates Cove Hotel,” Licht said. “We fished just a 5-minute panga ride from shore, soaking the ‘Camalu Special’ of proportionately sized mackerels dangling from large Krocodiles for some 2 hours in the zone, along with another half dozen pangas but the large croakers were not home. Memo noted there was much less mackerel in the water than in previous days and was probably why they had moved out again, at least for the time being. By 9:30 a.m. the crowd of other pangas dispersed to pursue other species in other areas and Memo took us first to the flats where we jigged up sand bass, calico, and other fish. From there it was out to an 8-mile bank known for lingcod. Not only did we find lings but nice reds, sculpin, chuckleheads, sheepshead, boccaccio, whitefish and other miscellaneous rockfish. We stumbled into schools of barries and bonito for some surface action and were also startled by a 300-pound sunfish just floating around on the misty surface. The point is that anglers will not be disappointed with multiple species available to haul in if you miss the croakers,” he said. SEEING RED! — WON reader Dennis Leith of Downey, Calif., sent in this great photo from a recent trip he had with Guillermo Zepeda of Memo’s Sportfishing. It only took a 5-minute panga ride to get into these fish. PHOTO COURTESY OF WON READER DENNIS LEITH “I must add that Memo was a very impressive captain on many fronts; as a boatman, fisherman, and congenial guide. He worked hard to make sure my 31⁄2-year-old son felt like he was hooking and reeling in the fish on his own. By all means bring the kids, as Memo will inspire a new generation of young fisherman with his enthusiasm. For the accommodations, I might add that the staff at the Pirates Hotel were kid friendly and the hotel grounds even included a kid’s playground,” Licht said. You will probably have the place practically to yourself this time of year. Memo’s Sportfishing can be reached via his cell in Camalu. From U.S. direct dial Memo’s cell at 011-521-616-109-8537. The Hotel number is 011521 616- 159 6575. “I just got off the phone with Capt. Memo and this is what he had to report,” said yet another WON reader, Dennis Leith of Downey, Calif. “He says they are getting many yellowtail and white seabass to 30 pounds, mostly on Krocodiles and mackerel combos with some on straight mackerel. The barracuda and bonito bite is non-stop on surface irons and both species are huge,” Leigh said. “Since all the trouble down there, many fishermen are afraid to go down and the economy there is suffering badly. I am just trying to let people know that it has improved and that if you travel during the day, and use common sense, Baja is still be a great place to be and fish. “ • CEDROS ISLAND: Located on the pacific side of Baja, about three quarters of the way down the peninsula, Cedros Island is the largest island on the west coast and only 15 miles off the Mexican coast. This time of year yellowtail and tuna are the primary targets and the following report from Jose Angel Sanchez-Pacheco of Cedros Outdoor Adventures is a good example of what can be found here now. “A slow start last Friday was the perfect build up for the great fishing to come on Saturday and Sunday. Fishing from around 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. five anglers reeled in about 70 yellowtail, with an average weight was 26 pounds. The largest fish of the trip, weighed in at 37 pounds,” Sanchez said. “Most of our biggest fish were hooked into just a few yards off the beach from the town of Cedros. The fish were not on the surface chasing bait fish; instead they were staying at the bottom and in the mid-water column. We used a variety of jigs, as well as live and dead bait, with the live bait scoring the most bites.” “The weather was magnificent all weekend, sunny with very little wind on the eastern side and the water temperature was surprisingly warm at 72 degrees. These conditions will allow us to continue our fishing season to the end of October,” he said. MEN AT WORK — It’s all in a day’s “work” here off Cedros Island as Capt. Amador of Cedros Outdoor Adventures retrieves Rick Cobian’s catch. In the back is Alfonso Hernandez, both came down from California along with three other anglers for a long weekend that included 70 yellowtail with an average weight was 26 pounds. PHOTO COURTESY OF CEDROS OUTDOOR ADVENTURES “Our fishing packages are all-inclusive, beginning in San Diego and flying down to Cedros Island from Ensenada. You will be able to fish the same day you arrive. Contact us at (619) 793-5419 for more information on Cedros Island or any other fishing destination in Baja.” • EAST CAPE: Big tuna were the top fish again this past week as every report that came in included the words “very, very good yellowfin fishing!” “We have 100-pound yellowfin coming to the beach daily,” said Hotel Rancho Leonero’s John Ireland. Ireland also reported very good dorado fishing with limits for all ranch anglers. “Literally all anglers are targeting the tuna. Billfish are around but all the anglers are after the big tuna. These 100-pound fish are powerful, and it takes two hours to land most fish on 80-pound-test. The larger tuna are outside 30 to 40 miles due east from the hotel and under small pods of porpoise. The smaller tuna in the 30- to 40-pound range are within a mile of the beach off the lighthouse south to Los Frailes,” Ireland said. Cut squid has still been the best bait. “Schooling dorado from 5 to 35 pounds are mixed in with the tuna inside and also providing limits,” he said. Remember, if you’re getting dodos and tuna, that’s 1 dorado and 5 tuna for your limit. Bob Clausen and Steve Monell caught a 220-pound yellowfin tuna the Ricky skippered by Martin and deckhand Gerardo. They fought it for two and a half hours between the four of them out of Verdugo’s Beach Resort. “The fishing has been very good for yellowfin tuna under the porpoise. Along the shore the dorado fishing has also been very good in Los Frailes, where they have been catching 6 to 8 per boat,” Marisol Verdugo said. Some striped marlin and sailfish were also caught and release. JUST ANOTHER DAY ON THE EAST CAPE — Anglers on the East Cape are getting a little spoiled, as the big cows just keep on coming. Bob Clausen and Steve Monell caught this 220-pound yellowfin tuna monster on the Ricky skippered by Martin and deckhand Gerardo. They fought it for two and a half hours between the four of them out of Verdugo’s Beach Resort. PHOTO COURTESY OF VERDUGO’S BEACH RESORT “While other fish are still around and biting, the tuna are still the hot ticket…period. For the fly guys the skipjack and football-sized tuna have been thick enough to wear out the hardiest of anglers in the blazing sun,” said Gary Graham of Baja on the Fly. “With the squid still hanging around everyone is ‘loaded for bear’ and catching enough chum to turn the head of even the most finicky tuna. When found, the chunked squid also works for the smaller fish. Those looking for the larger gorilla class are running to the leading edge of the school and casting live bait and then slow trolling. Judging by the photos I’ve seen, it looks like a street fight,” Graham said. Gray reported dorado schools still close to shore all the way to Cabo Pulmo for his fly angling guests. Also inshore, as well as from the beach, the rooster bite turned back on but may have slowed a click or two with the recent winds and waves that stirred up the water. “We had 70 dorado with 11 released, 5 wahoo, 10 tuna to 90 pounds, 20 skipjack, and 8 triggerfish, all on 15 boat with 25 anglers fishing this past week,” said Felipe Valdez fro Buena Vista Beach Resort. “Most of the fishing was done in the Los Frailes area, about 30 miles south of the hotel. The larger tuna were in the 40 mile range straight southeast of us. Singing the same tuna and dorado song as everyone else was singing, the Van Wormer Resorts reported over 400 yellowfin tuna landed this past week ranging in size from 15 to 80 pounds. “Most of the tuna are still to the south near Cabo Pulmo and Los Frailes,” said Eddie Dalmau. Friday the Señorita Bonita caught 5 tuna over 100 pounds each. “The dorado bite continued to be excellent with over 400 dorado landed ranging in size from 12 to 50 pounds. We had a really good dorado bite to the north near Bahia de Los Suenos, and near at the 88 marker. There was a drop in the number of billfish landed, or maybe less anglers targeting them, with only 15 stripe marlin, 3 blue marlin, and 9 sails landed,” he said. Some of the other species Van Wormer guests tallied included 6 wahoo, 3 pompano, 10 pargo, 3 amberjacks, and over 100 giant squid. • ENSENADA: The Vonny-I with Beto at the helm got on boiling fish early one morning tossing irons and aluminum jigs to big bonita. “Using XRap Rapalas he also got 5 yellows and assorted bottomfish on dropper loops for his clients,” said Ivan Villarino from Vonny’s Fleet. On Wednesday rough seas kept Brian Foley and Beto on the Vonny-I on the inside in safe waters but using plastics they managed some bass and on with anchovies and squid baits, some Johnny bass and whitefish. • ERENDIRA/CASTRO CAMP: Teresa Castro reported a plentiful supply of reds, lingcod, white seabass, cabrilla, some yellowtail, and bonita. “The weather has been nice too, with no high waves, no wind, a little cloudy, but nice,” Castro said. There water temperature here has been holding at 61 degrees. • LA PAZ: Hot, humid and cloudy with occasional spats of thundershowers cooling anglers off, is how Jonathan Roldan described the weather this past week before Tropical Storm Olaf stopped by. “The tuna bite at Las Arenas has been great fun for the better part of the week. It’s almost been like stop-and-go shopping. We depart our pangas near the lighthouse; turn south about 300 yards to get bait; go another 300 yards down the beach and the tuna are right there in front of the old Hotel Las Arenas,” Roldan said. The morning bite produced 15- to 30-pound fish most of the week with limits or near limits but for a pesky sea lion or two that came and went with the bite. “The fish are eating mostly live sardines that are really on the small side, requiring smallish No.1 live bait hooks, or we’re using lots of dead sardines littering the water in the drift,” he said. “In that same area dorado will come shooting through, adding some variety to the catch. No wahoo to speak of, but marlin and sails have been hooked and either lost or released. We haven’t been fishing too much on the La Paz side this past week because of strong winds, but by the time WON readers are reading this, we’ll be back on the spots hopefully on top of the dorado schools there too.” Reporting for Baja Pirates, Pedro Barroso said finally the tuna are in the La Paz area and all of his clients were hooking into 20- to 30-pound class tuna. “All were caught outside, on the north side of Cerralvo Island close to La Reina using live sardines as bait and a 1-ounce sinker with light line,” Barroso said. “Earlier in the week the winds were blowing from south in the morning and staying like that all day, and it seemed that the fish became a little more active with the breezy. The water temperature around La Reina and Cerralvo Island was about 85 degrees, making it a little cooler than other areas,” he said. “Deep fishing with a little 1-ounce sinker and a live sardine is the way we are fishing now as the tunas have been moving around La Reina and biting at about 30 feet deep. There have been some big tuna over 60 pounds there and we know this because we have had many broken lines. The problem is they don’t like to bite the heavier mono, only in the 40-pound-test or less.” • MAGDALENA BAY: On the outer banks the wahoo action has been outrageous with limits all around for the few boats heading out. “There are reports of more marlin arriving every day! Can’t imagine what that means exactly, since I am not aware of the check-in point of them. Anyway, more are being seen, they have just not been biting,” said Gary Graham for his Baja on the Fly. Back closer to the beach, the skipjack, dorado, and tuna have been thick, but everyone is has been more excited about the wahoo. “I haven’t heard much about the Esteros other than the shrimpers are out in full force throughout the bay,” Graham said. • SAN JOSE DEL CABO (LOS CABOS): With the fall season having mow arrived there has been a noticeable increase of visiting anglers. Tropical weather patterns have continued, though during evenings and early mornings there has definitely been some noticeably cooler air arriving. Tropical Storm Olaf brought scattered isolated thunder showers throughout the area this past week, at times accompanied by gusty winds, though just as quickly as these squalls moved in, they passed on through and the sun would came back out. “Oceans swells have been higher in recent days, with tighter spacing between sets. This created some rougher seas. All this can be part of the seasonal transition period, typically by mid month tropical storms reside for the season,” said Eric Brictson from Gordo Banks Pangas. Fleets launching from La Playita and Puerto Los Cabos concentrated the majority of their efforts around the Gordo Banks, Iman, and San Luis Banks. “Fishing action slacked off at the start the week, with average catches including a few medium-sized dorado, and yellowfin tuna per charter, drift fishing with bait, or surface trolling lures. Also a handful of wahoo made it into the daily fish counts, mostly on trolled Rapalas or skirted lead heads. Areas such as Red Hill, Chileno, Iman, and Vinorama all produced strikes from the ‘hoo, and we’re all anxious for the season on these elusive species to start,” Brictson said. Towards the later part of the week, while still dealing with ocean conditions, the action showed increased surface species activity. Yellowfin tuna from 30 to 60 pounds were seen feeding, as were schoolie-sized dorado. “Larger black skipjack remain more than plentiful, cutting into anglers preferred species action time.” On Wednesday local panga skipper Antonio Guluarte hooked into what was estimated to be a 700-pound-plus black marlin on the Gordo Banks while slow trolling a larger skipjack. “Apparently the story went that the fish battled like a gladiator for close to four and a half hours, before under extreme pressure, as it was appeared to be tiring and nearing the panga, the fish broke the line and gained its freedom,” Brictson said. Other options were found off the bottom rock structure, with amberjack, cabrilla, pargo, and dogtooth snapper being the most prized species hooked into while drifting with larger whole and cut baits but make sure you use heavy and stout tackle for this. TOP TUNA STORY NO EASY FEAT — The top tuna story out of Cabo was this huge 254-pound yellowfin tuna taken onboard the Great Escape Jr, with a guacayama lure 25 miles south of Cabo, no small feat under the hot September sun. Things are heating up for WON’s Tuna Jackpot on Nov. 4-7 here. PHOTO COURTESY OF PISCES FLEET The combined panga fleets launching from La Playita and Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out 51 charters, with anglers accounting for a fish count of 4 sailfish, 9 wahoo, 162 dorado, 88 yellowfin tuna, 9 amberjack, and 10 dogtooth snapper, 12 leopard grouper (cabrilla), 12 barred pargo, 95 triggerfish, 6 surgeon fish, 14 rainbow runners, and 27 bonito. • SAN QUINTIN: Reporting for K&M Offshore Sportfishing, Capt. Catian said tuna and dorado limits were plentiful over the weekend, with big bluefin as well. “It’s as good as it gets, one stop is all you need, big schools are taking anything on the drop. Fish were various in sizes from footballs all the way up to and over 40 pounds,” Catian said. “We got the bluefin on bait and lots of yellowfin tuna on irons. Dodos were taking irons as well (Tady 9 in chrome/blue.) All of our fish came from between 15 and 34 miles west of Cabo San Quintin in 70-plus-degree waters,” he said. Readers: To have your reports included in the Baja report, send photos and e-mails to baja@wonews.com.