Los Cabos Fishing Report – November 13, 2016

November 13, 2016 72_wahoo

This past week was one of the busiest of the entire year, large crowds of anglers continue to arrive in the Los Cabos area and the whole town is bustling with business. Weather conditions are now typical for the fall season, early mornings have a slight chill, down into the mid to upper 60’s, daytime highs have been reaching into the upper 80s. So far winds have been moderate, with the breeze picking up predominately from the north later in the day. Ocean swells have been minimal, water temperature have dropped slightly, now averaging 84 degrees, about 81 degrees on the Pacific side on Cabo San Lucas.

Local fleets have found the most productive action from the grounds off of Chileno Bay, north to the Gordo Banks and Iman, even as far as Vinorama. The overall fishing action improved this past week, the first couple of days of the week the wahoo action went wide open on the Iman Banks, charters were landing up to five of six wahoo during a morning trip, with many other strikes also being lost, fast and furious action. The wahoo were ranging in size up to 45 lb., with the majority of strikes coming on live baits, such as caballito or even better, chihuil, which can be caught early on the Inner Gordo Bank. Some anglers had success trolling rigged ballyhoo, Rapalas or even casting bombs and yo-yo’s. This action tapered off through the rest of the week, but we were still seeing a fair amount of wahoo being brought in each day.

The most common species continue to be yellowfin tuna, these schooling fish were being found mainly on the Gordo Banks and around Iman Bank. Drift fishing with strips of squid or slow trolling chihuil proved to be most successful. Sizes ranged from 10 lb. to 250 lb. Most fish were in the 20 to 30 lb. class, but this week we saw more 100 lb. and heavier fish than during previous weeks. With the largest fish coming from the Gordo Banks.

We also started to see more dorado show up in the fish counts, still no significant numbers, but at least we are finally seeing some nice dorado, we saw bulls up to 25 lb. These fish were found scattered throughout the area, sometimes not very far from shore, where ever there might be concentrations of baitfish, with frigate birds circling overhead, that was a good place to try.

Billfish were more active around the 1150 spot, though a few were also found on the Gordo Banks and further north. A mix of sailfish, blue, striped and black marlin were all accounted for. There were reports of blue marlin over 300 lb.

Not much being found off the bottom, besides triggerfish, a few miscellaneous pargo/snapper species and an occasional leopard grouper. Inshore a few more sierra showing up, though we will see more when the water temperature cools off more. An occasional roosterfish still around late into the season, including some being found on the offshore high spots.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 240 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 2 black marlin, 6 blue marlin, 4 striped marlin, 7 sailfish, 720 yellowfin tuna, 42 dorado, 140 wahoo, 14 yellow snapper, 7 leopard grouper, 15 bonito, 22 huachinango, 7 amberjack, 5 roosterfish, 31 sierra, 22 rainbow runner, 8 surgeonfish and 125 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

Art, Wine and the Beauties of San Jose del Cabo

Thanks to its big-time fishing tournaments and boisterous nightlife, Cabo San Lucas is now the more artsjdcfamous of the two cape cities that largely populate the Los Cabos municipality. But this was not always so. Until the advent of the tourist age some 50 years ago, San Jose del Cabo was far better known.

Before 1960, there was little in Cabo San Lucas save a cannery and about 300 residents. San Jose del Cabo, by contrast, has been an important regional community for almost 300 years, since the Jesuits first built a mission there in 1730. Not only is it the current seat of local government, but it boasts the sort of historic architecture unknown in San Lucas, from a beautiful old Catholic church to a stately City Hall topped with a nearly century-old old clock tower, and a courtyard filled with murals that trace the history of both the region and the country at large.

Nowhere is this colonial style city’s beauty shown to greater advantage than in its picturesque Distrito del Arte, where each week during tourist season galleries throw open their doors to celebrate the seasonal Art Walk.

The 2016 – 2017 Art Walk season kicked off on October 27:  thus visitors and residents alike are now invited to attend each Thursday from 5 – 9 p.m.; to stroll the neighborhood’s charming cobblestone streets, to sip wine, listen to local musicians, and of course explore the numerous galleries which proliferate in the downtown area.

Like Todos Santos, San Jose del Cabo has long been noted for its thriving arts community. Aficionados will find works both contemporary and classic, including high-quality painting, sculpture, pottery, glassware and jewelry.  An eye for art is hardly a prerequisite to enjoy the weekly event, however, since the Distrito del Arte is also home to a flourishing drinking and dining scene. The state’s first microbrewery, Baja Brewing Company, is located in the heart of the Art District, as is one of the region’s finest taquerias, La Lupita Tacos & Mezcal.

For more information about the event, as well as participating galleries, visit www.artcabo.com.

 

Los Cabos Fishing Report – November 6, 2016

November 6, 2016 73_198tuna

Near capacity crowds are arriving now, as this is the peak fall season for the Los Cabos area, the influx of tourists will start to taper off by the end of this month. With the WON Tuna Jackpot being the main event going on this week, with some 169 teams competing for three quarters of a million dollars in prize money and next week there is the annual Wahoo Tournament out of La Playita, in Puerto Los Cabos Marina. Weather has been feeling more like fall now, cooler mornings and also the first predominate north winds sweeping in during the latter part of the week, making tournament conditions a bit rougher that what would be ideal. Ocean temperatures have ranged from 82 to 86 degrees, we should see a cooler trend in the coming weeks.

Anglers have continued to rely on slabs of squids as the main bait sources for targeting the yellowfin tuna, which has been the most common species now being found. As dorado continue to be scarce and wahoo have not been consistent either, though are showing some more signs of becoming more active. Other bait options were small skipjack, chihuil and caballito.

Most sportfishing fleets are concentrated on the areas from the Gordo Banks to Iman, San Luis and Vinorama. In recent days the more consistent action switched from around the Iman Bank to the Gordo Banks, though heavy boat pressure and gusty winds have made efforts more challenging the past couple of days. The yellowfin tuna have ranged from 10 lb. footballs, up to 200 lb. plus cows. Most of the tuna landed were in the 15 to 30 lb. class. Action was up and down, sometimes not until later in the day, charters accounted for catches ranging from one yellowfin to a half dozen fish.

The few wahoo per day on an average that we have seen brought to the docks have been taken on slow trolled trap hooked baits, as well as on Rapalas. Fish averaged 25 to 40 lb. We expect with cooling conditions that the wahoo should start to bite more consistently, best areas recently were near Iman and to the north.

Nothing to speak of near shore now, though we did hear reports of some out of normal season roosterfish seen off of the San Jose del Cabo resort stretch. A few more sierra starting to be seen, sure would be nice if we would see signs of sardinas moving in, but we have heard of no signs at all, this limits options, especially for the winter inshore action.

The bottom has not been producing any consistent bite either, of course there are triggerfish, but only limited numbers of pargo, snapper, cabrilla or amberjack.

We did not see much billfish action this past week out of San Jose del Cabo, this is transition period now for the blues, blacks, stripers and sailfish, these fish are in the area, but numbers are now more limited..

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 168 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 2 blue marlin, 6 striped marlin, 8 sailfish, 355 yellowfin tuna, 17 dorado, 23 wahoo, 18 yellow snapper, 12 leopard grouper, 6 barred pargo, 45 bonito, 35 huachinango, 2 dogtooth snapper, 6 amberjack, 1 roosterfish, 21 sierra and 125 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

Los Cabos Rolls Out the Red Carpet – Los Cabos International Film Festival

Los Cabos Rolls Out the Red Carpet – November 9-13 jackie

The Capes Region has long been a favored destination for big-name actors and actresses, but it’s only in November that Hollywood’s brightest stars fly down for business.

Show business, that is.

Each November since 2012, Los Cabos has hosted its annual International Film Festival, with screenings and premieres, affiliated parties and events, and of course red carpet galas featuring a who’s who of Mexican and American luminaries.

Last year Star Wars film series actors Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson hammed it up for paparazzi as they walked the red carpet at Cabo San Lucas’ Pabellon Cultural de la Republica, the venue that has hosted the festival’s opening night gala since 2013.

The appearance put them in good company. Over the course of its short history, the Los Cabos International Film Festival has hosted many movie stars, including Edward Norton, Reese Witherspoon, Diego Luna, Matt Dillon, Virginia Madsen, Gael Garcia Bernal and Melissa Leo.

Who is attending this year? You’ll have to buy tickets to find out. Odds are, though, that high-profile attendees will be actors and directors whose movies are making their Mexican premieres in Los Cabos. Films like Jackie, a film from Chilean director Pablo Larrain about the challenges facing Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy in the aftermath of her first husband’s assassination; Café Society, a period piece from Woody Allen featuring Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart; American Pastoral, the directorial debut of McGregor; and Captain Fantastic, which stars Viggo Mortensen as an unconventional father of six children.

Larrain has a history with the festival. His film No, about an advertising campaign to oust Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, was a featured selection at the inaugural event (then known as the Baja International Film Festival) in 2012. Jackie is already generating Oscar buzz for its star, Natalie Portman, who previously won the coveted Best Actress statuette for Black Swan in 2010. Captain Fantastic, a critically acclaimed effort from writer and director Matt Ross (he won best director at Cannes for the comedic drama), will be the closing screening.

The 5th annual Los Cabos International Film Festival takes place Nov. 9 – 13. In addition to gala screenings at the Cultural Pavilion, films will be shown at Cinemex Theaters at marina based mall Puerto Paraiso, as well as at select outdoor sites. For more information, visit cabosfilmfestival.com.

Come to Cabo for Fun in the Sun!

Los Cabos Vacation Rentals will help you with your accommodations and anything else you may need.

Photo courtesy of Los Cabos International Film Festival.

Los Cabos Fishing Report – October 30, 2016

October 30, 2016 74_janetnorm

Large crowds of tourists and visiting anglers continue to arrive in Los Cabos. All tourist related business operators are now very busy. Weather has remained calm, earlier in the week there was major Hurricane Seymour churning some 500 plus miles off to the west of the Baja Peninsula, this system made no impact on land, except for increasing the heat index some with higher humidity. Swells were minimal, there were a couple days where we felt some north wind, these patterns are must starting, as we are transitioning towards late fall season.

Most local charter are concentrating on the fishing grounds from the Gordo Banks and north to Vinorama. Yellowfin tuna continued to be the most common species targeted. Drift fishing with strips of squid has been the main technique for having success on the yellowfin. Average size tuna was in the 15 to 30 lb. class. Other much larger tuna are lurking, particularly around the Gordo Banks, but getting them to bite is another matter. There were schools of porpoise being encountered within several miles of shores and charters were chasing down these porpoise and drifting strips of squid on lighter leaders for the tuna, these fish have become more leader shy with the increased boat pressure. Catches varied from day to day, as to which area might be a bit more productive. Charters accounted for catches ranging from one or two tuna, to over ten tuna.

Very few dorado this past week, only occasional single fish, most of them small in size. The hot action we heard about for the dorado on the Pacific also reportedly slowed to a standstill, hard to say what is going on with these gamefish. There are some good numbers of wahoo in the area, though no consistent action has been found for these fish, though one super panga early in the week did land a triple header on wahoo up to 40 lb. though on the average we are only seeing a coupled of these fish per day. Most strikes were on slow trolled baits, though others were taken on yo-yo jigs or trolled Rapalas, you never know with wahoo, you have to be ready with an arsenal, trying proven lures and baits. Anglers drift fishing with strips of squid for tuna also hooked into many wahoo, which occasional were landed without the monofilament line being cut.

Some quality dogtooth snapper were being landed from the La Fortuna region, larger baits off the bottom, with buttoned down drags needed in order to turn these fish away from the rocks. No big numbers on these fish, but more than we had been seeing. Also off the structure were an occasional amberjack, yellow snapper, cabrilla, barred pargo, surgeonfish, rainbow runner and of course the ever present triggerfish.

Billfish were not very numerous either, though one blue marlin of 500 pounds was accounted for from a small panga, it hit on a yellowfin tuna, which had just been landed, and then pinned onto a heavy leader and dropped back in the water, this after the skipper had seen the big blue marlin chasing their hooked 15/20 lb. tuna to the boat, the battle to land this big blue took some eight hours, until ten at night when the panga returned to the dock area.  We also saw black marlin to over 200 lb., sailfish and striped marlin, though in limited numbers.

With the WON Tuna Jackpot now just around the corner, we will be seeing many teams pre-fishing in hopes of gaining knowledge of where to find the monster cow tuna that will take the grand prize.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 152 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 1 black marlin,1 blue marlin, 5 striped marlin, 9 sailfish, 464 yellowfin tuna, 22 dorado, 16 wahoo, 32 yellow snapper, 8 leopard grouper, 1 broomtail, 6 barred pargo, 24 bonito, 6 surgeonfish, 22 huachinango, 21 dogtooth snapper, 11 amberjack, 1 roosterfish, 6 sierra, 28 rainbow runner 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

Get Rich or Let Fly Tryin’ – Fishing Los Cabos Tournaments 2016

Like the bumper sticker says, there are “no bad days” in Cabo San Lucas…at least where fishing is bisbees-002concerned.

But let’s face it. There are only a few times each year when it can make you a millionaire.

Don’t believe me? Ask Tampico native Julio Fernandez, whose Quiteña team took top honors in this year’s Bisbee’s Black & Blue marlin fishing tournament. Fernandez’s day-long battle with a bruising 534 lb. black marlin translated to a payout of over $2.1 million U.S. dollars at last Saturday night’s awards banquet at Puerto Paraiso Mall on the Land’s End city’s marina boardwalk.

Not bad for a day on the water, huh?

Bisbee’s, whose flagship Black & Blue is billed as “The World’s Richest Fishing Tournament,” disbursed $4,165,960 at its 2006 event, the largest overall cash payout in sport fishing history.

At this year’s affair, over $3.5 million was divvied up among the 121 boats that entered. Fernandez got the million dollar plus purse and a lifetime of bragging rights, but Capt. Frank D’Anna and the crew aboard C-Bandit didn’t fare too badly either, bagging a 416 lb. black for a second place prize of $685,000.

The Black & Blue is the third of Bisbee’s annual trio of fishing tournaments in Baja California Sur, following the East Cape and Los Cabos Offshores. The latter, affectionately referred to as “Little Bisbee’s,” is a charity focused event that traditionally takes place the week before “Big Bisbee’s.” Master-caster Rick Daab and his Wild Hooker team earned $263,591 in winning the 2016 LCO, but the big winner was the Los Cabos municipality, as thousands of pounds of fish were donated to feed children in the area’s low-income neighborhoods.

In addition to Bisbee’s two big-time October tournaments, the region also welcomed back the annual Los Cabos Billfish Tournament on Oct. 11 – 15, which angler John DeDominac won with a 378 lb. black marlin.

If you think your chances of hitting it rich fishing this year are over, though, better think again.  The world’s richest tuna fishing tournament, the WON Tuna Jackpot, will take place in Cabo San Lucas Nov. 2 – 5, with an estimated 150 teams will competing for over $700,000 in prize money.

Photo courtesy of Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin Fishing Tournament.

Get your accommodations through Los Cabos Vacation Rentals for the 2017 season

Los Cabos Fishing Report – October 23. 2016

October 23, 2016 75_310tuna

Plenty of activity going on now in Los Cabos, this is now peak fall season time, with the granddaddy of all marlin tournaments now underway, over one hundred teams from all around the world were participating for a chance at the multiple million dollar jackpot prize. The weather has been very ideal, with more wind prevalent than previous week, minimal ocean swells, water temperatures still in the mid 80 degree range.

Last Sunday a group of local San Jose del Cabo anglers fishing from a 22 ft. panga “Mako” hooked into a blue marlin while trolling a guacamaya patterned lure outside of the Cardon area that weighed in at a whopping 707 lbs. They landed the big blue on 100 lb. class tackle after a two hour battle, proved to be quite an event at the dock area for the weigh in, with this coinciding with the traditional Sunday beach crowds.

Another very impressive catch was accounted for on Thursday, angler Mike Mahoney, from San Leandro, Ca., teamed up with skipper Chame Pino on the super panga “Killer II” to land a 310 lb. yellowfin tuna off of the Gordo Banks, they were trolling a live skipjack for bait, the tuna took three and a half hour to bring to gaff. This fish weighed exactly the same as the previous largest yellowfin that Mahoney had landed some ten years ago with the same skipper.

Fleets are very busy now, most charters are fishing on the grounds from the Gordo Banks to Vinorama. The action had shifted more in the direction of Vinorama, full moon also seemed to have some impact, with the tuna bite becoming more finicky from day to day, some days early, some days late. Average size yellowfin being caught are in the 15 to 35 lb. class, but obviously there are some much larger fish in the area. Early in the week some charters encountered porpoise off of the San Jose del Cabo region and there were large concentrations of yellowfin tuna traveling with these mammals. The porpoise were traveling quickly, so the key was to get in front of them and drop down strips of squid, then repeat the process over and over, fast pace fishing, but also very productive for tuna in the 20 to 30 lb. class. This type of action can be there one day and gone the next, but has held up for about four days so far, moving in different directions daily.

Wahoo were starting to become more active, as they usually do this time of year. Best areas were from San Luis to Vinorama, slow trolling with trap hooked chihuil has been the best technique for enticing strikes, though these baits are not easy to obtain. A few fish were striking on trolled Rapalas as well. The wahoo landed ranged in sizes up to 50 lb. Lots of these fish are on the local fishing rounds now, so we are optimistic for a great season to develop on these sought after gamefish.

Dorado continue to be very limited, though we have seen a few more nicer sized specimens, bulls up to 30 lb. were brought in, no particular spot, scattered form offshore to inshore, most were taken on trolled lures, others on the same striped squid being targeting for tuna.

No inshore action to report beside a few roosterfish, jack crevalle and at least one snook, caught by shore anglers in the vicinity of the marina jetties.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 138 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 1 blue marlin, 7 striped marlin, 11 sailfish, 610 yellowfin tuna, 34 dorado, 23 wahoo, 34 yellow snapper, 16 leopard grouper, 6 barred pargo, 12 bonito, 3 surgeonfish, 32 huachinango, 6 dogtooth snapper, 14 amberjack, 65 rainbow runner and 200 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

Ironman Hosts Superheroes in Los Cabos in 10 Days – 10-30-2016

Undaunted courage and uncommon discipline meet unbelievable views next week at the 4th annual ironman-photoIronman Los Cabos triathlon.

Don’t worry. The ultimate tough guy and gal test doesn’t require much: just a teensy-weensy 2.4 mile swim, followed by a brief 112-mile bike ride, and your average everyday 26.2 mile marathon.

Lest one get bored, the grueling day-long adventure also features glimpses of some of the most spectacular coastal Los Cabos real estate in the world, from scenic detours through cape cities Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo to extended forays along the 20-mile luxury hotel studded seaside corridor which connects them.

Those who can survive until the estimated 5 p.m. sunset will be treated to a gorgeous explosion of color over Land’s End and the Sea of Cortez, with finishers entitled to a celebratory finish line fiesta in front of historic City Hall in San Jose (and a lifetime of bragging rights). Those who can’t are advised to repair to the nearest beachfront cantina for ice-cold Coronas and a few hours in a palm-shaded hammock. A massage may not be a bad idea either.  (Luckily, Los Cabos is home to four of the top ten spas in Latin America.) http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/top-10-mexico-spas

Ironman triathlons, as aficionados know, were born in the 1970s, and now take place on six continents around the globe. Los Cabos was the second site in Mexico to host the rugged competition (after Cozumel), with the inaugural race taking place in 2013.

This year the organizers have scheduled a special Halloween edition (as if the prospect of covering 140.6 miles in a single day south of the Tropic of Cancer wasn’t scary enough), plus a separate 70.3 (or half-triathlon) for “slackers.” The event takes place October 30, and promises big-time prize money (typically over $75,000 U.S.), as well as 40 coveted qualifying spots for the annual Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. For registration or additional information, visit https://www.ironman.com/im703-los-cabos.

Los Cabos Fishing Report – October 16, 2016

October 16, 2016 76_johnolson130tuna

As more crowds of visiting anglers continue to arrive in progressively increasing numbers the weather continues to cooperate, no late season storms are forecast at this time to head our direction, ocean conditions are great, light winds, minimal swells,  with clear sunny skies. Daytime temperatures are still quite warm, though the early mornings are now starting to have a slight chill. Water temperatures are still warm, should start to cool off in the next couple of weeks.

The main bite now has been centered from the Gordo Banks to Iman, San Luis, Desteladera and Vinorama. This is where anglers are targeting the yellowfin tuna, sizes have ranged from small football five pound fish to as large as 300 lb. Average yellowfin being landed have been in the 10 to 40 lb. class. Best bait for this action has been strips of squid, though some of the larger hook ups have been while trolling baits such as chihuil, bolito or skipjack. Best chance at hooking into a cow sized tuna has been from around the Gordo Banks, though numbers of these big yellowfin are very limited, the one yellowfin tuna we heard about that was over 300 lb. was caught by local anglers in the afternoon. Charters are finding more numbers of tuna on the northern grounds, also more chance at catching a variety of species from these grounds. Daily catches have ranged from a couple of fish to over a dozen, some days fish were biting early, some days late, still a very strong current to deal with.

Only an occasional wahoo being landed, up to 45 lb., striking trolled baits and Rapalas, though these elusive fish are definitely in the area, as water temperature cools some we expect they will become more active. Same deal for dorado, scattered action on mostly small sized fish, some people are killing dorado of very small size, does not really make sense, should be released to mature and reproduce. Off the bottom more triggerfish than anything else, but also a mix of cabrilla, various pargo species, rainbow runner, pompano, amberjack and others, though sporadic action off the bottom and at times not easy with the fast drift.

Billfish action has seen a mix of striped marlin, black marlin and sailfish, though no big numbers, trolling larger baitfish around the offshore high spots has produced black marlin hook ups, fish up to 380 lb. were reported, stories of larger fish lost.

No inshore action to be reported, surf anglers are catching a few jack crevalle and roosterfish in the marina channel area, also we saw the season’s first sierra.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 117 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 2 black marlin, 6 striped marlin, 7 sailfish, 565 yellowfin tuna, 58 dorado, 12 wahoo, 28 yellow snapper, 15 leopard grouper, 1 sierra, 4 barred pargo, 18 bonito, 1 pompano, 23 huachinango, 3 dogtooth snapper, 8 amberjack, 21 rainbow runner and 225 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

Los Cabos Fishing Report – October 9, 2016

October 9, 2016 77_mattcatch

While the Caribbean and the East Coast of the United States were dealing with major destruction from Hurricane Matthew, conditions have been calm in the Eastern Pacific, this week we could definitely feel the climate transition into the normal fall pattern, cooler temperatures early in the day and in the evening, though days continue to be quite warm and humid. A little more offshore breeze now being felt as well. Water temperatures have ranged 84 to 86 degrees in the direction of San Jose del Cabo, slightly cooler on the Pacific.

Crowds of anglers arrived in larger numbers this past week, busy time now for the next couple of months. The main bait being used continues to be slabs of squid, no signs of any sardinas showing up, there have been limited caballito available and on the fishing grounds there have been skipjack, chihuil and cocinero.

Most charters were fishing areas from the Gordo Banks to Iman and San Luis Banks. This is where there have been schooling yellowfin tuna concentrated. Chance at larger fish was on the Gordo Banks, a couple of tuna in the 200 to 300 lb. class were landed in recent days, late in the day by local anglers, morning action on these same grounds were sporadic. Better numbers of fish were found to the north near Iman Bank, yellowfin tuna mostly in the 10 to 40 lb. class, an occasional scattered dorado or wahoo encountered on the same vicinity. In recent days the tuna bite was better late morning. There was a strong current to running, this makes drift fishing that much more challenging. Overall the action did improve some this past week, of course it varied a bit from day to day. Average catches per charter was several tuna with a handful of other species mixed in.

Not a lot going off the bottom now, more triggerfish than anything else, but there were some days when a mix of yellow snapper, rainbow runner, amberjack, huachinango and cabrilla were landed from the same banks where the yellowfin tuna action was centered, a lot of rock piles in this area, though the more productive bottom action typically occurs during the winter and spring months.

Billfish was spotty, though we did see some sailfish and striped marlin, a couple of larger marlin reportedly lost after being hooked up on lighter tackle.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 102 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 5 striped marlin, 4 sailfish, 245 yellowfin tuna, 31 dorado, 7 wahoo, 14 yellow snapper, 11 leopard grouper, 22 bonito, 18 huachinango, 12 amberjack, 26 rainbow runner and 160 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