Archives for May 2014

Halloween – Day of the Dead – Holidays in Los Cabos

Although it’s barely summer, it’s never too early to begin planning a Los Cabos vacation for later this year. Halloween is the ideal time to visit Cabo San Lucas and San Jose Day of The Deaddel Cabo! The weather in many parts of the United States is beginning to turn chilly, but it is one of the most gorgeous times of the year just south of the border.

While Halloween is not a traditionally Mexican holiday, it has become incredibly popular in tourist areas like Los Cabos. You should book a Los Cabos villa or a Los Cabos condominium now if you are planning a fall trip to the region. This way, you won’t have to worry about missing out on the perfect accommodations at the last minute. Depending upon what dates your vacation falls on, you may also be able some Dia de Los Muertos activities; this is a cultural event that is extremely important in the vast majority of Mexican families. It is important for tourists to recognize, though, that Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos are distinctly different events, despite a few similarities between the two.

You might be wondering exactly what there is to do in Los Cabos during Halloween. There are a variety of options available for all kinds of travelers! If you are young and unattached or simply traveling without your children, you might want to enjoy great drink specials and costume contests at major bars and clubs in Cabo. Hotspots like Baja Junkie and Squid Roe always plan massive parties for Halloween night.

If, however, your kids are going to be vacationing with you, you don’t have to miss out on the fun! The Puerto Paraiso Mall hosts an annual costume contest for youngsters. Many parents go all-out for this event, dressing their sons and daughters in elaborate outfits! Furthermore, a large number of Cabo villa and resort complexes host safe trick-or-treat events for their guests. Simply call your Los Cabos accommodations agent to learn about the Halloween plans that are being made at your resort. Remember, there is no time like the present to begin planning an autumn trip to Los Cabos! It will be here before you know it.

Los Cabos Fishing Report

May 25, 2014 204_Grouper

The month of May is always a great time, with an all around climate, steadily warming days, increasingly tropical feeling and many opportunities for anglers, from offshore, bottom structure to trolling close to shore. All this to take advantage of, crowds are now moderate, as people remain busy, finishing school semesters, graduations, not to mention that this is a very popular time for marriages.

Perfect time to head south and visit the Los Cabos area, in another month the weather is much warmer and the humidity rises. Recent daytime highs have been hovering around 90 degrees, scattered cloud cover, at times quite tropical, on Thursday we even had some rainfall, did not amount to much, but this was unseasonable and combined with the gusty winds from the southwest, resulted in many anglers canceling charters for that morning, even though by mid morning the front had moved through and the conditions ended up just fine. Crazy weather patterns this whole year, seems like a possible El Nino current has been developing, ocean temperature are now in the 80 to 82 degree range off of San José del Cabo and towards Los Frailes, even warmer outside near the Cabrillo Seamount.

Bait sources remained as they have been, live moonfish and on some days limited caballito have been available, along with ballyhoo for rigging. On the fishing grounds more schools of skipjack and bolito were reported and this will be another option opening up for anglers targeting larger sized gamefish. This is also the time we should see migrations of mullet appearing in local waters. We have heard no good news on any resources of sardinas being found anywhere in the Southern Baja, will be interesting to see if we have a fall run for these sardina baitfish.

The steady bite for striped marlin which was within a couple of miles of the marina channel entrance, slowed way down, this is where the billfish were feeding on smaller sized squid, apparently this food source must have moved elsewhere. Now the main action for striped marlin was 15 to18 miles straight outside of San Jose del Cabo, in the vicinity of the 1150 Spot. Large concentrations of marlin were found, feeding, tailing, free jumping, striking more often on baitfish, either slow trolled, or drift, with sinkers down deep, or fly lining  near the surface. Many charters Accounted for multiple billfish, even four, five or six stripers per day was not uncommon. Sizes ranged from 80 to 130 pounds. There were quite a few thrasher sharks on these same grounds, most weighing in the 70 to 150 lb. range and giving anglers their best workout for their money in battling these powerful fighters to boat side.

We have heard of the yellowfin tuna action that has developed in the Los Frailes area, tuna ranging to over 100 pounds were found associated with porpoise, finicky to bite at times, but consistent trolling has been producing decent numbers for charters based out of the East Cape. Though this action is still out of range for San Jose del Cabo charters, we are hoping this activity shifts towards the south, to our normal San Luis, Iman and Gordo Banks grounds. This is the time of year when anything could happen on any given day.

Dorado remain scattered, some days there have been a handful found on the same marlin grounds and to the north where panga fleets have been working the various high spots, there have been schooling dorado encountered, mostly smaller sized. Hard to say what is going on with the dorado, we have heard reports of larger concentrations found off the East Cape as well, this can be the typical pattern, then the action moves our direction. Some anglers found wahoo between San Luis and Vinorama, trolling ballyhoo and rapalas seem to have taken the majority of strikes, still lucky to get one of these elusive fish, sizes ranged from 15 to 40 lb. Several wahoo hit on yo-yo jigs while anglers were drifting over high spots, targeting amberjack, snapper and grouper, which proved very hit or miss, a handful of quality specimens were accounted for the anglers that were persistent.

Roosterfish action was found along the coastal inshore stretches, but with the lack of any concentrations of mullet, this meant that the roosters were scattered and the action varied from day to day where they could be found, most of the roosterfish that did strike on trolled baits weighed in the 20 to 40 pound class.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 90 charters for this past week, with anglers accounting for a fish count of: 7 thrasher shark, 4 yellowfin tuna, 52 striped marlin, 14 wahoo, 2 sailfish,12 amberjack,9 cabrilla, 4 jack crevalle, 8 sierra, 44 dorado, 2 dogtooth snapper, 75 bonito and 72 roosterfish.

Good fishing, Eric


GORDO BANKS PANGAS
Eric Brictson / Operator
619 488-1859
Los Cabos (624) 142-1147
e-mail:gordobanks@yahoo.com
WWW.GORDOBANKS.COM

Los Cabos Fishing Report

May 18, 2014 205_Chuck70_Amberjack

As we enter the later part of the spring season, we are enjoying the ideal weather conditions, still slightly cool in the evenings and early morning, though the days have been clear, with warm sunshine up near the 90 degree mark. Winds settled down this week, but continued to be somewhat unpredictable. Ocean temperature has been averaging in the upper 70s from Cabo San Lucas towards the East Cape. Clean blue water is now found within a mile or two of shore. Schools of bolito are showing on the fishing grounds towards the north of Punta Gorda, this is always a favorable sign to attract more gamefish into the area.

Though the fishing action has not been off the map red hot, there has been good variety and some quality species are being accounted for. Live bait remains limited, moonfish and limited caballito were available and ballyhoo has been another option. We expect to see more schooling mullet arriving anytime. Charters have been mixing things up with the various options now available, from inshore trolling, to working the bottom structure and then offshore, which has not meant having to travel very far out.

Inshore the roosterfish were dominating the action, with nicer sized fish to 30 and 40 pounds now being landed daily, while trolling live baits along the shore, just outside the surf zone, a few jack crevalle have also been hooked into, as well as a handful of late season sierra.

Striped marlin has been the main species found offshore, once again these fish were found very close in, within a mile or two, straight outside the Puerto Los Cabos Marina entrance. Anglers were drift fishing with the available live baits, fly ling and using sinkers to soak the baits deeper. In this same area some marlin could be seen free jumping and occasionally feeding on the surface. Striped marlin could be found throughout the region, certain grounds did have larger concentrations. There were a few marlin even hooked into while bottom fishing with yo-yo style jigs, not an everyday occurrence. Dorado were found sporadically, no hot spot to find them on a daily basis. More juvenile sized fish were now found north towards San Luis and Vinormama, lots of small females that should be released with care so that they are able to mature.

Wahoo remain on the fishing grounds, actually seen at times in fair sized schools, roaming the inshore structure, getting them to bite as always is another matter, a few were hooked on yo-yo jigs and others hit the trolled Rapalas, sizes ranged up to 35 pounds. A few more yellowfin tuna are now being accounted for, blind strikes on lures or ballyhoo on the grounds to the north, and also a few fish to 20 pounds were accounted for off of the Gordo Banks. There were sizable schools of tuna seen feeding on these same banks, but they would disappear as fast as they showed, feeding on the available food source and not much interested in anything else, the few yellowfin that were taken, hit on strips of squid.
Off the bottom there was a chance at variety, including bonito, amberjack, cabrilla, pargo, grouper and even a yellowtail or two. Though there were no big numbers of any particular species being accounted for. Amberjack to 70 pounds were landed, grouper to 40 pounds, yellowtail and dogtooth snapper to 30 pounds, all quality specimens, striking on baits or yo-yo jigs. One day a certain spot would produce action and then the next day the same spot could be dead, also sea lions continue to be present and are causing havoc for anglers.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 81 charters for this past week, with anglers accounting for a fish count of:  4 sailfish, 2 thrasher shark, 11 yellowfin tuna, 48 striped marlin, 9 wahoo, 4 yellowtail, 17 amberjack, 5 grouper, 13 cabrilla, 14 jack crevalle, 12 sierra, 29 dorado, 4 dogtooth snapper, 82 bonito and 45 roosterfish.

Good fishing, Eric


GORDO BANKS PANGAS
Eric Brictson / Operator
619 488-1859
Los Cabos (624) 142-1147
e-mail:gordobanks@yahoo.com
WWW.GORDOBANKS.COM

Los Cabos Fishing Report

May 11, 2014
206_JoeClarin
Perhaps the perfect weather conditions have attracted more crowds of tourists, as this past week we have noticed an increased number of visitors. Early in the week there were some unusually gusty winds sweeping through from the north, though after this front moved through conditions settled nicely and anglers were greeted with great ocean conditions. Air temperatures were nearing 90 degrees, some marine layer, scattered cloud cover created a semi tropical feeling. Everyone is enjoying the wonderful climate now, if only this could last through the summer. Ocean water temperatures fluctuated more, with cooler currents on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas now in the upper 60s, while outside of the Gordo Banks water ranged into the upper 70s, most of the zone where anglers were now fishing was in the 74/75 degree range.

The winds during the early week stirred up ocean conditions and dropped water temperatures by a few degrees. Striped marlin continue to be the most prevalent species found offshore, the big bite that had been going on very close to shore, off of the Puerto Los Cabos Marine entrance, within one mile of shore, this action tapered way off, though a few scattered striped marlin are still being landed each day from this area. It seems the main concentration of marlin has moved further offshore, as far as 18 miles out, scores of stripers were seen riding the surface swells, many of them not interested at all in feeding on the available bait source of moonfish, jacks or ballyhoo, though a percentage of the marlin would strike and some charters were accounting for multiple billfish days. Some charters reported seeing many marlin on the surface but not be able to draw a strike for anything, this can happen when the fish get a taste for a certain food source that is abundant at a particular time, fish just are not hungry for anything else.

Dorado were more scattered even than were the marlin, only an odd fish here of there, no schools found, maybe one dorado landed for every five charters. Weights of the few dorado accounted for ranged up to 20 pounds. Wahoo were in the area, though only a handful were actually caught, most of these were found north of Punta Gorda and towards Vinormama, various rigged baits and Rapalas both produced fish, which averaged from 20 to 30 pounds.

Mid week a significant sized school of yellowfin tuna in the 20 to 30 pound class came up and was feeding on the surface near the Outer Gordo Bank, no one reportedly could tell what type of baitfish they were attacking and all of this activity was over as fast as it appeared. It was an encouraging sign to show that these fish were at least in local waters and hopefully a bite will develop soon. There were 10 to 20 lb. yellowfin landed on trolled lures, but that was it in the way of tuna. The bonito are still prevalent on the various high spots, but not in the number they had been, striking on yo-yo jigs. A few pargo, amberjack and cabrilla rounded out the bottom action, which was basically limited, some days better than other. Most charters are doing a mix of a little bottom structure fishing before trying their luck for surface species or drifting baits offshore for marlin, which had been one of the more productive techniques recently.

Inshore we have seen some larger sized roosterfish up to forty pounds moving in, no big numbers to speak of, but a great option for anglers wishing to target these powerful gamefish. Slow trolling the caballito, jacks or moonfish was the best method to entice a strike, some large sized jack crevalle were also patrolling the shoreline.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 90 charters for this past week, with anglers accounting for a fish count of: 3 sailfish, 8 yellowfin tuna, 29 striped marlin, 11 wahoo, 2 yellowtail, 18 amberjack, 18 huachinago, 2 grouper, 11 cabrilla, 22 jack crevalle, 8 sierra, 20 dorado, 3 yellowtail, 5 dogtooth snapper,112 bonito and 26 roosterfish.

Good fishing, Eric

619 488-1859
Los Cabos (624) 142-1147
e-mail:gordobanks@yahoo.com
WWW.GORDOBANKS.COM

Cabo Fishing Report

May 4, 2014 207_GaryWahooAmber

With pristine paradise like weather now creating the ideal climate for vacationing to the Los Cabos region, we are seeing only moderate crowds, always seem to be a slack period right after spring break and IRS Tax dead lines. It is now a great time to make the trip, time to get out on the water and enjoy the perfect weather, warm sunshine in the mid 80s and also an opportunity at world class fishing action.

With ocean water temperature in the upper 70s, anything could happen at any time. Striped marlin has been the main deal offshore, spread throughout the area, particularly abundant off of San Jose del Cabo, at times within a couple miles of shore, nicer sized fish were encountered this week, with many of the stripers ranging to 150 pounds or more. Often schooling marlin were found feeding on congregated baitfish schools, mixed with monster sized jack crevalle, this produces the method of “pickup and run billfish battles”, as the scores of charter boats were racing towards feeders, first to arrive and get their baits in the water had the best percentages of hooking up. The marlin were also striking on bait being drift fishing at varying depths, fly lining or with sinkers down deeper. With the lack of caballito or mackerel available, the bait of choice as been moonfish and other jurelitos (jacks) as well as rigged ballyhoo. Many charters were accounting for multiple marlin per morning, this action became a bit more scattered during the later part of the week.

Dorado continued to be found in limited numbers, being scattered from inshore to offshore, in small groups, with sizes up to 25 pounds, anglers might catch a couple of these gamefish, or you could also not see one all day. Same with the elusive wahoo, they are in the area, but only one or two, here or there, is actually being hooked and landed. Gary Weis was visiting from Santa Monica, Ca. and caught a very impressive 66 lb. wahoo while slow trolling a moonfish for bait off of Palmilla Point, he was on a Gordo Banks super panga. Gary also caught a whooper 84 lb. amberjack, this fish hit right after the wahoo did.

Panga charters were working the San Luis Bank for bonito, and an occasional snapper, amberjack or cabrilla, but sea lions are becoming an increasing frequent problem, forgot to mention the over abundance of pesky needlefish. This is one of those crazy times, when it is actually easier to catch a marlin than it is a snapper, yellowtail, dorado or tuna. Jack crevalle showed more of a presence, found closer to shore on the roosterfish grounds, as well as further offshore, feeding with the striped marlin. Many of these jacks were in the 30 pound class. A few nicer sized roosterfish, up to 30 pounds, are now being encountered while trolling baits close to shore.

We have not heard of any local yellowfin tuna reports, should be time we start to see signs of these fish to appear, conditions are just too favorable, though more offshore baitfish activity could help to attract these pelagic species.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 74 charters for this past week, with anglers accounting for a fish count of: 56 striped marlin, 3 wahoo, 4 yellowtail, 34 amberjack, 12 huachinago, 15 cabrilla, 58 jack crevalle, 15 sierra, 28 dorado, 94 bonito and 22 roosterfish.

Good fishing, Eric


GORDO BANKS PANGAS
Eric Brictson / Operator
619 488-1859
Los Cabos (624) 142-1147
e-mail:gordobanks@yahoo.com
WWW.GORDOBANKS.COM