bajafly
03-25-2006, 02:55 PM
REPORT #1003. “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update 03/25/06
East Cape
As March fades into April, East Cape slips into that transitional mode when the winds begin to lose strength and start to shift from north to east. Then there begins to be more good days than bad. Early this week, it was calm but by mid-week the north winds were churning up the Sea of Cortez leaving murky water and white caps. Then, as quickly as it started, it slacked off.
As expected, locals along with the few visitors staying at the hotels, headed out. With the unsettled conditions it is always like starting at square one after the wind backs off and with few boats looking it is tough to locate any concentrations of any usual suspects.
Oddly enough, striped marlin – along with a few sailfish – seemed to be the most dominate species with a few found scattered throughout Las Palmas Bay. There were also a few dorado (on the smallish side) found outside of Punta Pescadero a few miles as well as further offshore mixed in with the billfish. Several boats gambled that the north wind wouldn't kick up and headed down south. They were rewarded with a few tuna. Inshore, skipjack, white bonito and sierra provided the best action. The beach walkers needed to be out at zero dark hundred and were rewarded with fair sierra action until the sun climbed high enough to shut the bite off. By then, the ladyfish took over and did their baby tarpon-like leaping after being fooled by an array of very small baitfish patterns such as bonefish-sized Clousers.
As reported last week, rumors of swordfish fining attracted some interest including Mark Rayor, of Vista Sea Sports, who spent two full days searching for the illusive swordy before the wind came up and conditions deteriorated. With picture perfect weather, he would have been back out this morning, but his boat was chartered for the day.
http://www.bajafly.com/report/panga.jpg
Skipjack action on the good days close to shore
Baja on the Fly
Water temperature 62-70
Air temperature 61-82
Humidity 52%
Wind: NW 6 mph
Conditions: Scattered Clouds
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:17 a.m. MST
Sunset 6:31 p.m. MST
San Jose, Guatemala
As expected, the WFO action couldn't go on indefinitely. This week, the catches were still in the low double digits as the sailfish scattered in search of bait. The acres of small baitfish that had been reported for the past few weeks seemed to have disappeared leaving no other choice than to resort to more exploring. The fleet did find action anywhere from 15 to as far as 45 miles offshore as the boats spread out in search of herds of sailfish seen in the previous week. You can imagine how many times this week’s visitors heard, “You should have been here last week!”
Water temperature 78 - 82
Air temperature 72- 84
Humidity 94%
Wind: ENE 15 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 6 miles
Sunrise 6:03 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:14 p.m. CST
Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
As the number of whales in the bay continues to diminish, more attention is directed toward the mangroves, entrada and offshore. Offshore – out among the shark buoys – there are a few tuna to be found. Nearer the entrada, bonito and skipjack with an occasional yellow can be found under the bird schools.
Up at Devil’s Curve, Enrique Soto reported good catches of palometa in the 10 pound category along with a few smaller snook as well as a decent corvina bite on both streamers and surface poppers. With water temperatures creeping slowly upward, conditions should continue to improve over the next month.
http://www.bajafly.com/report/palometa.jpg
Palometa caught on a slow retrieve with a chartreuse Clouser
Water temperature 60 - 66
Air temperature 64-72
Humidity 100%
Wind: NNW 8 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 6:25 a.m. MST
Sunset 6:40 p.m. MST
Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The water warming up several degrees did wonders for the fishing this week. Martin, Captain of the “Isamar,” provided three memorable days for Greg Pike, visiting from Great Falls, Mont. By the end of the trip Greg had landed seven sails and a striped marlin on the fly. Santiago, Captain on the “Gitana,” had several busy days with ample action to keep everyone on the boat smiling.
Inshore at Ixtapa Island, jacks in the 15 pound class were feeding on the surface keeping the flyrods bent most of the morning.
Ed Kunze, Zihuatanejo
Water temperature 78 - 84
Air temperature 78 - 87
Humidity 83%
Wind NNE 6 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:45 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:57 p.m. CST
Endless Season Update 03/25/06
East Cape
As March fades into April, East Cape slips into that transitional mode when the winds begin to lose strength and start to shift from north to east. Then there begins to be more good days than bad. Early this week, it was calm but by mid-week the north winds were churning up the Sea of Cortez leaving murky water and white caps. Then, as quickly as it started, it slacked off.
As expected, locals along with the few visitors staying at the hotels, headed out. With the unsettled conditions it is always like starting at square one after the wind backs off and with few boats looking it is tough to locate any concentrations of any usual suspects.
Oddly enough, striped marlin – along with a few sailfish – seemed to be the most dominate species with a few found scattered throughout Las Palmas Bay. There were also a few dorado (on the smallish side) found outside of Punta Pescadero a few miles as well as further offshore mixed in with the billfish. Several boats gambled that the north wind wouldn't kick up and headed down south. They were rewarded with a few tuna. Inshore, skipjack, white bonito and sierra provided the best action. The beach walkers needed to be out at zero dark hundred and were rewarded with fair sierra action until the sun climbed high enough to shut the bite off. By then, the ladyfish took over and did their baby tarpon-like leaping after being fooled by an array of very small baitfish patterns such as bonefish-sized Clousers.
As reported last week, rumors of swordfish fining attracted some interest including Mark Rayor, of Vista Sea Sports, who spent two full days searching for the illusive swordy before the wind came up and conditions deteriorated. With picture perfect weather, he would have been back out this morning, but his boat was chartered for the day.
http://www.bajafly.com/report/panga.jpg
Skipjack action on the good days close to shore
Baja on the Fly
Water temperature 62-70
Air temperature 61-82
Humidity 52%
Wind: NW 6 mph
Conditions: Scattered Clouds
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:17 a.m. MST
Sunset 6:31 p.m. MST
San Jose, Guatemala
As expected, the WFO action couldn't go on indefinitely. This week, the catches were still in the low double digits as the sailfish scattered in search of bait. The acres of small baitfish that had been reported for the past few weeks seemed to have disappeared leaving no other choice than to resort to more exploring. The fleet did find action anywhere from 15 to as far as 45 miles offshore as the boats spread out in search of herds of sailfish seen in the previous week. You can imagine how many times this week’s visitors heard, “You should have been here last week!”
Water temperature 78 - 82
Air temperature 72- 84
Humidity 94%
Wind: ENE 15 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 6 miles
Sunrise 6:03 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:14 p.m. CST
Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
As the number of whales in the bay continues to diminish, more attention is directed toward the mangroves, entrada and offshore. Offshore – out among the shark buoys – there are a few tuna to be found. Nearer the entrada, bonito and skipjack with an occasional yellow can be found under the bird schools.
Up at Devil’s Curve, Enrique Soto reported good catches of palometa in the 10 pound category along with a few smaller snook as well as a decent corvina bite on both streamers and surface poppers. With water temperatures creeping slowly upward, conditions should continue to improve over the next month.
http://www.bajafly.com/report/palometa.jpg
Palometa caught on a slow retrieve with a chartreuse Clouser
Water temperature 60 - 66
Air temperature 64-72
Humidity 100%
Wind: NNW 8 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 6:25 a.m. MST
Sunset 6:40 p.m. MST
Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The water warming up several degrees did wonders for the fishing this week. Martin, Captain of the “Isamar,” provided three memorable days for Greg Pike, visiting from Great Falls, Mont. By the end of the trip Greg had landed seven sails and a striped marlin on the fly. Santiago, Captain on the “Gitana,” had several busy days with ample action to keep everyone on the boat smiling.
Inshore at Ixtapa Island, jacks in the 15 pound class were feeding on the surface keeping the flyrods bent most of the morning.
Ed Kunze, Zihuatanejo
Water temperature 78 - 84
Air temperature 78 - 87
Humidity 83%
Wind NNE 6 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:45 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:57 p.m. CST