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Baja’s Lords & Ladies of the Wind

December 21, 2016 by Leave a Comment

“To every thing there is a season.”

This Biblical quote may not apply to fishing in Los Cabos – where the game fish bite year round – but it certainly applies to every other Baja based water sport. Spring is the best time to swim with whale sharks; summer brings big-time surf competitions to the Sea of Cortez; autumn offers optimal diving temperatures and visibility; and winter is when whale watching and wind sports take center stage.

Each winter, from mid-November through mid-March, powerful El Norte winds blow down the Sea of Cortez, creating perfect wind and kite surfing conditions along certain coastal areas of Baja California Sur. The height of the “breezy season” occurs in January, when the world’s fastest wind and water riders flock to picturesque East Cape communities like Los Barriles and the more northerly La Ventana.

Los Barriles hosts the region’s most illustrious, and only royalty creating sporting event: The Lord of the Wind Showdown. The competition for aspiring nobles is sponsored by the local Rotary Club, and features multiple days of world-class kiteboarding in categories like slalom and big air, with the overall winners – in the interests of inclusivity, both a Lord and Lady of the Wind are now crowned – walking away with thousands of dollars in prize money.  Admission is free for spectators, who will also want to check out affiliated events like the traditional Tamales Cook-Off.

La Ventana, a small coastal community southeast of La Paz that was founded in the 1940s by a former pearl diver, hosts its own high-flying wind sports contest. The elevation-focused event promises cash and everlasting glory to the best participating windsurfers, kite boarders and stand up paddle boarders, and also raises money for local schools.

The 7th annual Lord of the Wind Showdown is scheduled for Jan. 17 – 22, 2017; the La Ventana Classic for Jan. 25 – 29. For more information, visit www.lordofthewindbaja.com or www.laventanaclassic.com.

Call 1-888-655-4548 Now for the Best Values in Los Cabos Vacation Rentals.

Photo courtesy of Lord of the Wind Baja.

 

 

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Los Cabos Fishing Report – December 18, 2016

December 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment

December 18, 2016

We are now seeing light crowds of tourists visiting, this is always the pattern during the couple of weeks before the Christmas Holiday. People are busy with preparations now, this slack time gives us all a little more freedom to take care of personal agendas, actually a relief to have a lighter schedule in order to catch up on other things that have been put aside through the busy fall season. Winds were much lighter this past week, though it was cooler early in the morning, temperatures down in the 50s, though daytime highs did reach up near 80 degrees. While most of the U.S. and Canada are enduring frigid conditions, we are enjoying the great Southern Baja climate.

There are now large concentrations of mackerel, with sardineta mixed in, being found several miles off of the San Jose del Cabo hotel zone, this is always a favorable sign that this food source will attract more gamefish, most notably striped marlin and dorado. So far we have seen a few dorado and marlin in this area, but no significant numbers. We are also coming off of a bright full moon, which can cause feeding habits of gamefish to change. Ocean water temperature has been averaging in the 75 to 77 degree range, which is still a few degrees higher than normal for this time frame. Water clarity was greenish on the grounds north of Punta Gorda, depending from day to day where you were, some areas were off colored, though blue water was also found near these same grounds, currents moving through, changing daily, a lot depends on how persistent the north winds is. The annual whale migration is behind schedule this season, same thing happened last year, we do expect to start seeing more numbers of both humpback and gray whales soon.

Anglers were using strips of squid to target the yellowfin tuna, Punta Gorda continued to be one of the more productive areas, yellowfin tuna in the 10 to 30 lb. range were schooling on these grounds. Some days the fish would not bite until later in the day. There were porpoise found a bit further from shore that were holding yellowfin tuna as well, charters were chasing these schools down and dropped strips of squid and hooked similar size tuna. There were some much larger tuna, to over 150 lb. still holding on the Gordo Banks, though the only fish that were being hooked were by local anglers fishing the twilight bite, as the sun was setting, one local panga came in with three tuna in the 150 lb. class on Thursday evening.

This week there was good action on red snapper (huahinango), found close to shore off of Punta Gorda, same place where the yellowfin tuna bite was, the snapper were hitting on the strips of squid and ranging from 4 to 10 lb., mixed in were some triggerfish to 8 lb. as well as a locally rare sheepshead of about 24 lb. A few scattered wahoo on these same grounds, though not many are being landed, an occasional fish to 40 lb. As the moon darkens and if conditions remain calm enough, we do expect for the wahoo to go on another bite.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 71 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 3 striped marlin, 285 yellowfin tuna, 19 dorado, 9 wahoo, 1 sheepshead, 6 pompano, 18 yellow snapper, 4 leopard grouper, 290 huachinango, 13 sierra, 3 barred pargo, 1 mako shark, and 180 triggerfish.

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

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Holidays and Seasonal Celebrations in Mexico

December 14, 2016 by Leave a Comment

The Christmas season is a time of both celebration and devout observances in Mexico, just as it is in the U.S and many other countries.

But Mexico has its own unique seasonal traditions and festivities, and also recognizes many secular and religious holidays throughout the year that are unknown or less celebrated elsewhere.

A passing knowledge of these major Mexican holidays is useful for visitors to Los Cabos, not only because of the opportunities for interesting glimpses into local and national culture, but because it helps to explain many things that may at first glance seem inexplicable:  like why the banks are closed on a Tuesday, for example, or why hotel rooms are suddenly in short supply in the middle of April.

December 16 – 24

The nine days prior to Christmas are known as Las Posadas in Mexico, and remember the journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem with ritual reenactments of their admittance to various inns (posada means inn in Spanish).  The final day of the Posadas, Christmas Eve, is known in Mexico as Nochebuena. Families typically attend midnight mass before enjoying a large dinner and opening Christmas gifts.

December 31

Although Champagne toasts and midnight fireworks are as common in Mexico for New Year’s Eve as they are in the U.S., some of the other traditions are quite a bit different. It is customary in Mexico, for example, to eat 12 grapes as the clock strikes midnight in order to ensure good fortune for each of the individual months in the upcoming year. Many Mexicans also wear brightly colored undergarments, with each hue representative of different desires for the New Year:  red for love, green for money, yellow for happiness, etc.

January 6

Three Kings Day (or El Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos)–which celebrates the wise men who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the infant Jesus–is  an afterthought in the U.S. for all but the most ardent Catholics. In Mexico, it’s virtually a second Christmas, with more feasting and additional presents for children. There is a special bread for this day called Rosca de Reyes, and the person who first finds the plastic figure of Jesus buried inside the bread is expcected to provide the tamales for the party on Candlemas, Februrary 2nd.

April 9 – 16

Semana Santa, known in English as Holy Week, is the week before Easter, and one of the busiest travel weeks in Mexico. Government offices close, students are on break, and families flock to all the traditional resort destinations, including Los Cabos. Easter, by the way, falls on April 16 in 2017.

May 5

Cinco de Mayo is sometimes confused with Mexican Independence Day, which is in fact the most important of Mexico’s secular celebrations. Cinco de Mayo remembers the victory of Mexicans over invading French forces as the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, and is not a major holiday in Mexico. Its major popularity, ironically, is in the U.S., where the day seems to be an excuse for tacos and margaritas. In Mexico, no excuses are needed!

September 16

Mexican Independence Day commemorates Miguel Hidalgo’s Grito de Dolores in 1810. The grito was a “cry of freedom” issued on the evening of the 15th and again the following day in the small village of Dolores in Guanajuato, and proved the instigating factor in Mexico’s successful war for independence from Spain. Public officials throughout the country reenact the grito at 11 p.m. on September 15, with festivities following throughout the next day. In Los Cabos, parades are held in cape cities Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.

November 20

The Mexican Revolution of 1910 was triggered when Porfirio Diaz, who had ruled the country with an iron fist for over 30 years, imprisoned an opponent in an upcoming presidential election named Francisco Madero. Madero’s subsequent Plan of San Luis Potosi called for Mexicans to rebel and rise up on November 20th. The rest, from Pancho Villa to Emiliano Zapata, is history.

Photo courtesy of Casa Dorada.

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM LOS CABOS VACATION RENTALS AND LOS CABOS REAL ESTATE

www.LosCabosVillas.com

www.LosCabosRealEstate.Pro

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Los Cabos Fishing Report – December 11, 2016

December 11, 2016 by Leave a Comment

December 11, 2016

Though overall we are presently not seeing any significant numbers of tourists, we actually saw quite a few anglers appearing, most of them spur of the moment, ready to try their luck and brave the elements. The most common gamefish being encountered off of the San Jose del Cabo region and towards Los Frailes has continued to be yellowfin tuna, with other species in the mix, including some lightning fast wahoo action found on Tuesday and Wednesday near Vinorama, which was on the two days when the north winds did finally lay down, enabling some local charters to reach these more distant grounds. Weather patterns definitely cooled off this week, we felt l\early morning low temperatures of 50 degrees early in the week daytime time into the 70’s, very persistent north winds, which in turn contributed to a cooling trend of the ocean water temperatures, down in the 75 to 77 degree range, with warmer currents of 80 degrees further offshore. If these north winds slack up some, we could see fall type gamefish action into the New Year, though if winds become too relentless we will certainly see species such as dorado, yellowfin tuna and wahoo vanish in the direction temperature southern waters. Spots of green water moving in were also reported, a pattern we do see during cooling times. So we are in the midst of another transitions period, waiting to see what exactly unfolds.

Anglers had choices for bait, slabs of squid, caballito and ballyhoo, we expect we will soon find some sardineta and mackerel. Wind from the north played a factor to where fleets were able to fish in reasonable comfort, most charters concentrated on grounds from the Gordo Banks to Vinorama. Yellowfin tuna were being accounted for while drift fishing with strips of squid over high spots, such as Iman, close to shore off Punta Gorda as well. Some of the more productive yellowfin action was encountered associated with fast moving porpoise, with the tuna hitting on strips of squid drifted near the concentrations of the porpoise. The tuna this past week were most commonly in the 15 to 30 lb. range. We did see one 150 lb. tuna caught mid-week from a private boat from off the Gordo Banks.

Dorado became more scattered by the day, not seeing any numbers, an occasional report of a couple of dorado here or there, more often in the direction of Cabo San Lucas, heard of at least one 25 lb. bull. On Tuesday the wahoo went on a frenzy feeding mood near Vinorama, first opportunity in a week or so that charters were able to scout out these further grounds. Slow trolling with trap hooked baits enticed most strikes, though anglers also had hook ups on trolled lures and while casting yo-yo jigs. This action really only lasted two days, as on Thursday the north winds picked up nasty once again. Wahoo ranged in sizes to 45 lb.

Billfish action was slow off of our local grounds, though early in the week we did hear of a black marlin being hooked into off of the Gordo Banks, estimated to be in the 400 lb. class, the fish eventually broke the 100 lb. leader. Should start to see some numbers of striped marlin  move in as water cools and food sources such as mackerel appear.

Not much going off the bottom, particularly with the winds creating choppy conditions. Mostly picking away at some shallow water structure species, such as triggerfish, yellow snapper, pompano, bared pargo, cabrilla and a few rainbow runner.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 87 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 4 striped marlin, 260 yellowfin tuna, 9 dorado, 49 wahoo, 12 pompano, 2 amberjack, 11 yellow snapper, 5 leopard grouper, 8 huachinango, 9 sierra, 6 rainbow runner, 8 barred pargo and 170 triggerfish.

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

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Whale Watching Season Begins in Los Cabos

December 7, 2016 by Leave a Comment

The biggest stars in Cabo aren’t the Hollywood actors and actresses that jet down each weekend for getaways in their beachfront luxury villas, but rather the enormous whales that annually leave their summer feeding grounds in polar waters for a long migration to their winter homes in Baja California Sur.

Like the movie stars and snowbirds who flock to Los Cabos around the same time, these leviathans of the deep know when to make a well-timed entrance.

Each year from mid-December to mid-March (scouts show up a little earlier, stragglers leave a little later), between 5,000 to 10,000 whales traverse vast tracts of ocean, bound for the warm water coves and lagoons of Baja Sur, where females birth babies the size of small cars. In 2014 – 2015, a gray whale dubbed Vavara made what is the longest mammalian migration ever recorded: nearly 14,000 miles round-trip, from Russia to Cabo San Lucas and back.

Maria would have been a more appropriate name, since she like so many others was originally born in Mexican waters.

Grays and humpbacks are the whales most commonly sighted by those in residence in cape cities Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, but it is not uncommon to also see blue whales, sperm whales and even orcas. The breeding grounds for gray whales are centered around Magdalena Bay on the Pacific Coast, while the other species continue on into the Sea of Cortez.

Humpbacks are the most flamboyant of the visiting cetaceans, prone to spectacular breaching. There is no single explanation for this behavior: some speculate that these acrobatic leaps are made to rid the whales of barnacles, others that it is a form of non-verbal communication.

Maybe they’re just showing off.

Whatever the reason, the high-flying humpbacks are the primary attraction during seasonal whale watching tours in Los Cabos.

Although whales can occasionally be seen from shore–golfers are occasionally startled by humpback splashdowns near seaside greens–most visitors interested in up-close looks at these gargantuan creatures sign up for one of the many local whale watching expeditions.

During the winter season, seemingly every commercial boat in San Lucas offers some sort of whale-focused excursion, from small pangas and fast inflatables to fishing boats, sailboats and luxury yachts. There are advantages and disadvantages associated with each variety of watercraft, but depending upon whether one prefers high-speed action and adventure or comfort and style, there is a tour type that will appeal to virtually every taste.

Some local adventure companies even offer hydrophones, so that in addition to the sight of these magnificent creatures, guests can also listen to their incredible “songs,” a form of language so complex scientists are still struggling to achieve an even rudimentary understanding.

Call 1-888-655-4548 for more info on Los Cabos Vacation Rentals

Photo courtesy of Gregory “Slobirdr” Smith (Wikimedia Commons).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Los Cabos Fishing Report – December 4, 2016

December 4, 2016 by Leave a Comment

December 4, 2016 69_murray_chame192lb

Easy to notice now that crowds of tourists have diminished since the passing of Thanksgiving. Normal situation for this time of year. Weather patterns have been on a general cooling trend, relentless north winds were hard to predict and eventually there will be some nicer conditions when the wind resides. Water temperature has also dropped into the 77 to 80 degree range, depending where you were, warmest areas in the direction of San Jose del Cabo.

With the weather not being favorable most days this past week we did see a decline in all around catches. Yellowfin tuna was the main species being found, various locations, early in the week the fleet found the best option to be off of Punta Gorda, within less than one mile from shore, the yellowfin were striking on strips of squid and ranged in sizes up to 30 lb. Later in the week some tuna action was found further offshore associated with fast moving porpoise, same deal with squid being the best bet. None of the large tuna were reported off of the Gordo Banks, changing conditions has put that bite to a standstill.

Dorado became very scarce once again, though we did continue to hear of more do’do’s being found on the Pacific, though with water temperatures dropping quickly in that direction we expect these fish will follow their prefer temperate currents. We were seeing only an occasional dorado for the charters based out of La Playita. Wahoo was the same story, only a fish or so per day being accounted for the combined fleet.

Billfish action was limited, a few striped marlin were reported off of the San Jose del Cabo region, where there were reports of some schooling sardineta and mackerel, also a indication of cooling currents. Most of the lingering black or blue marlin will soon be moving out of this area, searching for warmer waters. As we wait the arrival of the winter time billfish, the striped marlin.

Strong winds made it difficult to target any bottom action, though a handful of good eating pargo, triggerfish, pompano, cabrilla, amberjack and others were found, no big numbers though.  A few sierra and roosterfish were scattered along the shoreline.

We are now seeing increasing numbers of whales started to arrive to their winter calving and feeding grounds, so still a bit early in the season, in another month or so we should be in peak season for seeing these mammals

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 85 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 5 striped marlin, 245 yellowfin tuna, 13 dorado, 6 wahoo, 8 pompano, 4 amberjack, 18 yellow snapper, 8 leopard grouper, 14 huachinango, 4 roosterfish, 7 sierra, 8 rainbow runner, 8 barred pargo, 3 surgeonfish and 145 triggerfish.

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

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Why Villa Rentals are the Gold Standard for Los Cabos Getaways 2016-17

November 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment

(And Why You Don’t Have to Make A Mint to Afford Them)

Everyone who has been to Los Cabos has seen them, majestic luxury villas towering on hillsides between two seas, or shrouded by bougainvillea and palms in exclusive coastal communities…the sort of eye-popping properties that come complete with private chef and access to the nearest world-class golf course.

These sprawling, scenically situated villas may seem the sole province of the rich and famous – and honestly, some of them are – but the truth of the matter is that villa rentals are an accessible accommodation option for a great many vacation visitors. In certain cases they’re actually a more affordable option than the alternative.

This is especially true with larger groups: families traveling together, couples sharing a weekend getaway, those arriving for conventions and special events, and so on. In these circumstances, the cost per suite or bedroom often compares favorably with the average beachfront resort.

There is no comparison, however, when it comes to bang for your buck. Los Cabos’ villas are among the most spectacular properties on earth, with awe-inspiring ocean views and five-star services that range from chefs and concierges to car rental delivery.

Take Villa Land’s End, for example, a sprawling 13,000 square foot luxury villa nestled in the hillside dsc_2860enclave of Pedregal, easily the most prestigious and exclusive address in Cabo San Lucas. Breathtaking views of the half-mile Land’s End headland and the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean are available from seven bedrooms on five separate levels, not to mention from the swimming pool and jacuzzi. The place is a jaw-dropper, even by movie star standards, AND just received a two million dollar makeover.

Villa Land’s End can accommodate up to 16 guests, so even at a total price of $2560  to $3200 per night it’s more cost effective than most local hotels and resorts. Where else can you live like royalty for $200 each per night?

Estrella del Mar (Star of the Sea) is another stunner. Set in Puerto Los Cabos, a luxurious lcv-com116development located just outside San Jose del Cabo, this seven-bedroom villa features marble floors and top-of-the-line appliances, plus swimming pool and rooftop whale watching terrace, and of course easy beach access to beautiful La Playita. $2000 – $3000 per night…

Did I mention the local links, the world’s only composite design between Jack “The Golden Bear” Nicklaus and Greg “The Great White Shark” Norman? How about the yacht-friendly marina, or the sculpture garden filled with artworks from famed Mexican surrealist Leonora Carrington?

For more information about these and other incredible Los Cabos Vacation Rentals,
Call 1-888-655-4548 or email Aviani@LosCabosVillas.com.

 

 

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Los Cabos Pro-Am Golf Tournament Tees Off Again in January 2017

November 22, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Los Cabos is one of the most remarkable golfing spots on earth. A stunning three of its 14 completed cabo-del-sol-oceancourses – Querencia, The Dunes at Diamante and the Ocean Course at Cabo del Sol – are currently ranked among the 100 Best in the World by Golf Digest, and the Land’s End getaway was recently declared the 2017 Golfing Destination of the Year for Latin America and the Caribbean by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators.

But unlike other regional golf meccas such as Scotland and Northern California, Los Cabos has virtually no history and very little tradition. The first course in the area wasn’t built until 1987, and that was the nine-hole municipal course in San Jose del Cabo.

18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus kicked off the Los Cabos golf boom in the early 1990s with a trio of breathtaking coastal layouts at Palmilla, El Dorado and Cabo del Sol. But it was a Senior Slam event at Cabo Real in 1996 that really put Los Cabos on the international map, when television cameras spied humpback whales breaching spectacularly near seaside greens.

Since then fellow major champions Greg Norman, Tom Weiskopf and Davis Love III have joined Nicklaus with prestigious area loops, and new layouts are on the way from Norman, Woods and Fred Couples.

Professional tournaments appeared with some regularity during the 90s boom – including two Senior Slams, three Taylor Made Pro-Ams, and three Las Americas Tournaments – but in recent years the biggest draw has been the Los Cabos Pro-Am, the 9th annual edition of which is scheduled for January 16 – 20, 2017 at Cabo del Sol’s Ocean and Desert Courses.

The Ocean Course, the second of six Nicklaus layouts in Los Cabos, drew rave reviews from The Golden Bear, who famously called its site “the best golf property I’ve ever seen.” Take that Pebble Beach!

Fellow major champion Tom Weiskopf sculpted the neighboring Desert Course, which although less heralded, is still ranked among the best in Mexico, with dramatic views of desert, mountains and the Sea of Cortez.

Sheraton’s gorgeous Hacienda del Mar property will once again host participants in the Los Cabos Pro-Am. For registration or information about stay and play packages, email Barry Fleming at b_fleming@hargray.com, or call (843) 384-5342.

Photo of the Cabo del Sol Ocean Course courtesy of Nicklaus Design.

http://www.loscabosvillas.com/los-cabos-golfing/

Call 1-888-655-4548 or click on www.LosCabosVillas.com for more info

 

 

 

 

 

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Los Cabos Fishing Report – November 20, 2016

November 20, 2016 by Leave a Comment

November 20, 2016 71_grayhooker

The fall season is now starting to wind down, still quite busy this past week, with visiting anglers and sun worshipers, though not quite as crowded as it was the previous weeks. With Thanksgiving Holiday scheduled this next week, we will see more families arriving, though many people do prefer to stay at home for these holidays and from now until Christmas  Holidays we will see the normal slack period for tourists, this is just not the time frame that many people are traveling, as they are more preoccupied with the approaching holidays.

We felt strong north winds through the first half of the week, then we had a couple of very calm days, before the wind picked back up late in the week, crazy weather patterns, still quite warm, reaching near 90 degrees. Ideal temperatures actually, early morning lows averaging 70 degrees. Early week there was a late season Tropical Storm Tina which formed farther off to the southwest, as fast it had developed, it dissipated, as it moved over cooler water. All around  the water temperatures from Cabo Sab Lucas towards Los Frailes has been ranging from 82 to 85 degrees, three or four degrees warmer than what would be normal for this time of year. This should prove favorable for fall type fishing action to last all the way through December.

Bait options continued the same, slabs of squid, caballito, ballyhoo available from bait vendors and opportunities to catch skipjack and chihuil on the offshore grounds, for use trolling live or drift fishing as. Combined factors of swells, strong northerly winds and the full moon phase, made for several tougher days, though anglers did catch some quality fish. Most productive areas were from Chileno, Gordo Banks, 1150 Spot and Iman Bank. Most common gamefish being encountered were yellowfin tuna, wahoo, dorado, and late season black and blue marlin.

Yellowfin tuna action was good to start off the week, increased wind made it tough to drift fish on the Outer Banks, but some quality sized tuna were accounted for, quite a few fish to 100 lb. and at least a half of dozen over 200 lb. Also there was good action found a couple of days for smaller tuna found traveling with porpoise, close to shore and moving fast, strips of squid was the main method of hooking up. The larger yellowfin were striking on baits such as skipjack or chihuil, either drifting or slow troll, in the vicinity of the Outer Gordo Banks. Same grounds have been producing some billfish strikes, both black and blue marlin were hooked into. One angler had quite a story of hooking into a 40 lb. plus yellowfin tuna, then during the fight a huge black marlin inhaled the hooked up tuna and the battle was on with the marlin, as the fish was spooling off hundreds of yards of line and being chasing down by the super panga skipper, after close to 30 minutes of that the marlin heading deep, line went slack and then heavy again, but now the marlin had spit out the three and a half foot tuna, which to their amazement was still alive and continued to fight until they brought it to gaff, this whole scene took over two hours.

Wahoo was the main species being targeting closer to shore, from Cardon to the Iman Bank, good numbers of these prized fighting fish were being accounted for. Trolling with live chihuil was the most productive, ballyhoo and caballito worked as well. Also limited numbers hit on trolled lures, though far more strikes were reported on bait, versus lures. Many fish were seen following baits, but were finicky at times, other times action was fast and furious, with wahoo fishing, a good average percentage seems to be about one fish actually landed for every three strikes, many things happen, very fast fish, with hard bony jaws, slashing at baits, not just  strike and swallow like most fish. Many charters accounted for two, three and even up to five wahoo, sizes ranged from 20 to 45 lb.

Dorado numbers increased toward the end of the week out of San Jose del Cabo, still only a handful of these fish being found in this area, more number were reported from the Pacific, though reports were varied from different sources. We saw quite a few dorado in the 15 to 20 pound class, though we had more wahoo in the fish counts.

Bottom fishing was very limited, only an occasional snapper and triggerfish, wind made this even harder, water temperature still warm, more bottom action when currents cool some. Commercial pangeros did catch a few nice sized yellowtail off of the Gordo Banks, so that is encouraging, maybe something will happen on this. We do expect to be targeting the tuna, wahoo and dorado through this month and next. No inshore action to report, except for a few roosterfish and sierra.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 166 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 3 blue marlin, 4 black marlin, 4 striped marlin, 4 sailfish, 320 yellowfin tuna, 46 dorado, 165 wahoo, 11 yellow snapper,4 leopard grouper, 12 bonito, 14 huachinango, 4 roosterfish, 14 sierra,14 rainbow runner, 6 surgeonfish and 45 triggerfish.

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

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Sabor a Cabo and the Many Flavors of Baja California Sur

November 15, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Imagine a whirlwind two-week Los Cabos vacation filled with incredible food, spectacular wines, awe-inspiring surroundings, and live entertainment from world-class musicians. saborcabo

Now imagine the entire action-packed endeavor telescoped into the space of a single evening. If you can wrap your mind around that, then you’re either ready for the Sabor a Cabo food and wine festival, or you’ve already experienced one.

The 11th edition of “Sabor a Cabo (in English, “Taste of Cabo”) returns Dec. 10, and as always is organized by CANIRAC, the local restaurant association.

In keeping with recent momentum, the event just keeps getting bigger and better. This year over 50 top regional chefs will showcase their delicious dishes at the Sculpture Garden at Puerto Los Cabos, with the first-class fare paired with bottled offerings from over 20 peninsular wineries in a magnificent seaside setting.

Did I mention the most famous Mexican rock band of all-time will be performing?

That would be Maná, winner of four Grammy Awards and eight Latin Grammys, and generator of over 40 million in record sales worldwide. The Guadalajaran quartet has been called “the U2 of Spanish rock,” and regularly sells out large arenas. As such, their appearance in Los Cabos is a huge deal, and has inspired a tremendous demand for tickets to what was already the premier Land’s End culinary festival.

No wonder ticket prices this year range from $200 to $350 for V.I.P. seating.

The money goes to a good cause, however, with proceeds benefitting fire fighters in cape cities Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.

Although Sabor a Cabo is unquestionably the headliner, auxiliary to-dos are also organized by CANIRAC: most notably, a Beer Fest, a Country Food and Wine Tasting, and an Art and Wine Walk in San Jose del Cabo’s historic Distrito del Arte.

The Beer Fest is expanding to a three-day event this year, and will take place Nov. 18 – 20 on the boardwalk promenade that parallels the Cabo San Lucas Marina. The Country Food and Wine Tasting will take place on Dec. 4 at Los Tamarindos, an organic farm and restaurant that, like neighbor Flora Farms, has helped pioneer the farm-to-table movement in Los Cabos.

For ticketing or other information, phone (624) 143-3944 or email ticket@caniracloscabos.com.

 

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