July 31, 2016

More tropical weather this past week, pretty much the entire week there were forecasts of thundershowers, though mostly isolated and not associated with any high winds or swell conditions. No port closures either, though there were many charter cancellations or changes due to unpredictable weather patterns. Hurricane Frank was the latest named storm, passing within several hundred miles off to the west and never amounting to any impact with land, only a couple of days with higher surf conditions early in the week and definitely an increase in humidity. Increased cloud cover has been a welcome relief, after enduring scorching days that reached up to a 110 degree heat index. Next week is forecast to be clearer, so we will hope that this helps to get the fish more active, as this past week the all-around action has been very scattered, a few nice fish here or there, no consistent numbers of any particular species.

Clean blue water is now within a couple of miles from shore, swift currents have been sweeping through the fishing grounds and water temperatures have ranged from 80 to 85 degrees. In the marina channel area bait vendors have offered mixed quantities of caballito, mullet and moonfish, with a few odd species mixed in, some slabs of squid are starting to be used again as well.

Early in the day boats have been doing okay on yo-yo jigs near the San Luis Bank, some red snapper (huachinango), cabrilla, pargo, bonito and amberjack. Though not many charters were even trying this action for various reason, one of them being late departures due to having to check weather possibilities. Local fleets found their best option within several miles of shore from Cardon to San Luis Bank. Average caches were just  handful of fish per boat this past week, highlight of these catches were wahoo, which went back on the bite in the area of La Fortuna, striking mainly on trolled Rapalas, a few on rigged baits. No huge numbers of these wahoo, though some boats accounted for up to three fish, though anglers were fortunate to land one or two, sizes ranged from 20 to 50 lbs., several nice sized ‘hoo were accounted for and of course the usual stories of other lost fish.

Offshore action was slow, occasional encounters with striped marlin, sharks and smaller sized dorado. There is more consistent billfish action now being found out of the East Cape, a mix of striped and blue marlin, one blue marlin over 600 lb. was reported, but besides finding marlin their bite has been very limited.

Yellowfin tuna were in the area, though no big numbers, the majority being smaller sized 10 to 35 lb., striking yo-yo jigs and medium sized trolling lures, some also hitting on stripped squid, no consistent action or significant numbers on a day to day basis. Some larger sized yellowfin were reported on the Pacific Banks off of Cabo San Lucas, though again a hit or miss scenario.

Getting late it he season now, though roosterfish and jack crevalle continue to be found patrolling inshore stretches, striking on slow trolled live baits. Roosterfish to 50 lb. were accounted for.

The combined panga fleets launching out of La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out approximately 60 charters for the week, with anglers reporting a fish count of: 2 striped marlin, 3 dogtooth snapper, 1 pompano, 31 yellowfin tuna, 11 bonito, 9 dorado, 11 wahoo, 8 amberjack, 1 gulf grouper, 9 leopard grouper (cabrilla), 2 pargo colorado, 24 huachinango (red snapper), 8 yellow snapper, 7 barred pargo, 14 jack crevalle and 28 roosterfish.

Good fishing, Eric

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GORDO BANKS PANGAS

Eric Brictson / Operator

619 488-1859

Los Cabos (624) 142-1147

e-mail:gordobanks@yahoo.com

WWW.GORDOBANKS.COM

July 17, 2016

With the majority of school sessions now out for summer vacation we have seen an increase in tourists arriving, they are being greeted by tropical weather conditions, though we did not receive any rain this past week, we have seen an increase in cloud activity, this is the time of year when we often have thunderstorms develop later in the afternoon over the mountainous regions just to the north of the airport. In the past ten days there has been a series of tropical storms that have developed off to the southwest of the Southern Baja peninsula, first Hurricanes Celia and Darby and presently there is another tropical depression that is forecast to gain strength and become Hurricane Estelle. So far all of these systems have headed far enough off to the west that they have had no impact on land, only some moderate increase in ocean swells, some threatening thundershowers possibly in isolate areas and winds out of the south, increasing later in the day.

Water temperatures have rapidly warmed back up into 78 to 83 degrees range, strong currents continue to push in greenish water closer to shore, though within several miles of shore we are seeing much cleaner water. Bait supplies of caballito and moonfish are remaining sufficient in

the marina channel area, offshore there are opportunities at finding skipjack, bolito, as well as smaller sized yellowfin tuna, all of which can be used for baits targeting larger gamefish.

We did not hear much going on with offshore porpoise and tuna activity this past week, though this is something that can occur at any given time this time of year. We have been finding a smaller grade of yellowfin tuna in the area from Iman to San Luis Banks, tuna in the 8 to 20 lb. class have been striking on a variety of medium sized trolling lures, as well as few of these yellowfin striking on yo-yo jigs or trolled baits. This has not been a wide open bite by any means, most charters averaging two to four tuna in their combined catch. The same grounds have produced a mix of pargo and snapper species, a handful of cabrilla and amberjack. Other options were closer to the shoreline, where anglers continue to find decent numbers of roosterfish, ranging in sizes from 10 lb., to over 60 lb. Also chances at dogtooth snapper, pargo colorado and amberjack as well, this action was found while slow trolling or drift fishing available baits. Amberjack to 75 lb. were accounted for, also a handful of quality leopard grouper to 20 lb. Early in the morning anglers found decent action on yo-yo jigs, bonito, cabrilla, huachinango, yellow snapper and others, all excellent eating table fare.

Only a scattering of dorado being reported, most of these further offshore where boats are targeting billfish, a mix of striped marlin and a few blue marlin. Most of the dorado we did see were smaller sized, less than 15 lb. A few wahoo were found just north of Vinorama, even though the water was greenish on these inshore grounds, apparently there must be something attracting the wahoo to this one small area. With the offshore fishing being more scattered, most panga charters are doing better to target the variety of species being encountered closer to shore, best spots have been from Cardon to Vinorama, within three miles of shore.

Conditions continue to be a bit sporadic, we expect later in the month conditions will stabilize and we will see more consistent action on the pelagic gamefish, such as dorado, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, sailfish, black and blue marlin.

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: 6 striped marlin, 17 dogtooth snapper, 85 yellowfin tuna, 36 bonito, 6 dorado, 4 wahoo, 19 amberjack, 28 leopard grouper (cabrilla), 6 pargo colorado, 23 huachinango (red snapper), 10 yellow snapper, 6 barred pargo, 12 jack crevalle, 3 snook and 42 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