April 29, 2018 
The is late spring season now, weather patterns can change quickly, as we witnessed, when last week was cooler and now we are feeling the year’s heat wave of sorts. Calm winds, with warming ocean temperatures, now averaging in the 71 to 74 degree range. Still some strong currents running through the region, as one day the ocean was much bluer and then in the same area the next day it could be a little greenish. Also some serious marine layer fog to deal with north of San Jose del Cabo mid-week.
The great thing in recent days has been that the yellowfin tuna on the Iman Bank are now very active, most all of these fish have been in the 25 to 60 lb. class. Sardinas has been the bait of choice, a couple of different varieties and these bait have been available on a daily basis. Some anglers reported success on strips of squid and at times live caballito or chihuil were working. Lots of pressure on these fishing grounds now, as this is the best local action now happening and everyone wants to get in the action. Through the week charters were doing well, averaging from two to six yellowfin per boat, with many other hook ups being lost, due to various reasons, including seas lions, sharks and cut lines from having to use lighter leaders because the fish were more shy and finicky. Tuna could be seen boiling and jumping clear out of the water, very exciting action.
Besides the yellowfin tuna there was not all that much going on, except mid-week there were a couple of days of good striped marlin action being encountered on the same grounds where the tuna were schooling. Some nice sized stripers up to 140 lb. were landed.
Off the bottom there was limited action, part of the reason being that almost all charters were now targeting the tuna bite. There were a handful of yellowtail, amberjack, leopard grouper and other species accounted for when working the bottom with iron jigs and larger baits.
Inshore the main action reported were jack crevalle, some up to 25 lb. plus, a few sierra and smaller sized roosterfish. Schools of the clear type of sardinas were found just north of the Puerto Los Cabos Marina jetty and anglers fishing from the shore reported some decent action on halibut to over ten pounds, also several corvina to 25 lb.
As this summer like weather continues we expect the water temperature to warm even faster and this in turn will bring in more schools of baitfish, with a wide variety of gamefish following closely.
The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 85 charters for this week. Anglers reported a fish count of: 17 striped marlin, 245 yellowfin tuna, 16 yellow snapper, 13 cabrilla (leopard grouper), 18 huachinango (red snapper), 34 bonito, 9 amberjack, 8 yellowtail, 7 barred pargo, 8 roosterfish, 18 jack crevalle, 5 sierra, 18 flag cabrilla, 15 grunt and 30 triggerfish.
Good fishing, Eric
—
GORDO BANKS PANGAS
Eric Brictson / Operator
619 488-1859
Los Cabos (624) 142-1147
e-mail:gordobanks@yahoo.com
