December 8, 2019

Noticeable lighter crowds of visitors arriving, after Thanksgiving we do normally see a decline of anglers, as people now are beginning to prepare for  the Christmas Holidays, now just around the corner. Weather patterns did finally stabilize and this week we saw much calmer ocean conditions, no crazy rain fall, mostly clear sunny skies, temperatures into the low 80s, really an ideal climate for this time of year.

Ocean actually warmed back up a couple of degrees, averaging about 80 degrees now. Bait situation is that sardinas are scarce out of San Jose del Cabo, now being found schooling near Cabo San Lucas, makes it tough to have to back track so far. So local fleets are mainly relying on caballito, ballyhoo, slabs of squid and if fortunate enough to find some chihuil, they proved the best for wahoo. Some mackerel started to appear now off of the Hotel Zone, still not consistent from day to day, as water temps cool some more, we expect more of these mackerel and sardineta will move in.

Over all anglers found the bite to be tougher to start the week, mainly due to north wind, though later in the week the wind laid down, water cleared up and bite was good for yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dorado. Most of the action was from Gordo Banks, Cardon, La Fortuna and off of Punta Gorda. Best action was on bait, some having to be worked for, especially the chihuil, they proved to be the candy for wahoo. The Gordo Banks produced yellowfin tuna up over 200 lb., larger fish lost, though numbers were not great, but with patience and persistent effort there were some quality fish. Strips of squid, small skipjack, chihuil and caballito all produced.

Wahoo action picked up, trolling live baits was best, fish up to over 45 lb., though some were taken on Repalas. Dorado were mixed in on the same grounds, but scattered, up close to 20 lb. Unusual to find some roosterfish action further offshore while trolling for dorado and wahoo, nice sized fish to 30 lb. Also a couple of yellowtail, one was an impressive 38 lb. and there was a 70 lb. amberjack, they were taken while chunk fishing for tuna on the Gordo Banks. If weather holds it looks like very promising opportunities for the rest of the month. So things are improving after recent rain squalls, landscape is a lush green, plenty of warm sunshine and great fishing.

Billfish was limited off of San Jose deal Cabo, a scattering of striped marlin and a couple small blues. Still better marlin action now on the Pacific. More whales are now being seen with each passing day, it will be peak season coming up for these migrating mammals. Sea lions, manta rays, porpoise, turtles and of course some sharks, which have been taking their share of the tuna catch, have added to entertainment.

The combined sportfishing fleet launching out of the panga area from Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out an estimated 82 charters for the week and anglers reported an approximate fish count of: 2 blue marlin, 2 striped marlin, 66 dorado, 98 yellowfin tuna, 56 wahoo, 4 yellow snapper, 5 cabrilla, 16 bonito, 6 sierra, 9 roosterfish, 5 baqueta, 3 surgeonfish, 2 yellowtail, 3 amberjack, 2 pompano and 30 triggerfish.

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

November 17, 2019

Large crowds of anglers continue to arrive, as the peak fall season will be winding down in a couple of weeks. Weather patterns have been abnormally unpredictable, with winds out of the north increasing, creating choppy seas. Presently we are following development and forecast for Tropical Storm Raymond, which is expected to bring significant rainfall to Southern Baja, strong winds and has forced Port Closure for at least Sunday, most likely Monday as well. Also the annual local Wahoo tournament was canceled and rescheduled for Dec. 15. Looks as though by Monday mid-day this rare late season topical system will pass to the north and dissipate rapidly. Water temperature averaging 80 degree through much of the region.

Sportfishing fleets are covering all directions, most local fleets are now working the grounds from the Gordo Banks to Vinorama. Bait vendors are selling caballito, limited sardinas, ballyhoo and slabs of squid, on the Pacific there are schools of mackerel, the next month is when these baitfish start to move towards the sea of Cortez. Most common target species now have been yellowfin tuna, wahoo, dorado and billfish, more marlin action now towards Cabo San Lucas.

The yellowfin tuna action had vanished off of the areas north of Gordo, especially near San Luis Bank. This week there were once again a quality grade of tuna to over 100 lb, was found on local grounds, including one 240 lb. cow Friday afternoon, no big numbers, but everyday a handful are being brought in, with many others being lost. Bite was sporadic, some fish hooked early, then dead action for hours, but maybe later they go on another bite. Most all of these yellowfin were striking on strips of squid, lots of chum needed to keep making continued drifts. Some charters had as many as three or four tuna, most felt lucky to have one. Also some smaller football sized tuna found with sardinas or hoochies, scattered bite though.

This week we saw more dorado than previously, though more dorado were being found towards Cabo San Lucas and the Pacific, where we heard of some bulls to 30 lb., the dorado off of San Jose del Cabo have been mainly under ten pounds. Wahoo action continued to be more consistent near Vinorama, though this bite slowed during passing of recent full moon, fish still being seen, but more finicky, best chances have been on slow trolled baits, such as caballito, skipjack or chihuil. A few fish also striking on Rapalas, but not as many lure strikes as we traditionally would expect. In recent days charters were doing well to land a wahoo or two, the fish brought in were weighing up to 45 lb. An occasional striped marlin or sailfish were hooked on these same grounds as where the wahoo, tuna, dorado were encountered.

With the windier conditions and combined currents, not a whole lot of bottom action going on, mainly triggerfish, we did see more of the bonito showing, a few red snapper and an odd leopard grouper or barred pargo.

The combined sportfishing fleet launching out of the panga area from Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out an estimated 134 charters for the week and anglers reported an approximate fish count of: 1 blue marlin, 4 striped marlin, 28 dorado, 44 yellowfin tuna, 45 wahoo, 10 yellow snapper, 5 barred pargo, 4 leopard grouper, 3 amberjack, 48 Mexican bonito, 8 yellow snapper, 6 sierra, 12 roosterfish, 2 surgeon fish, 8 golden eyed tilefish and 35 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

November 3, 2019

Fall season is now at its peak, as scores of anglers are arriving daily, many of them now preparing for tournaments, including the WON Tuna Jackpot scheduled for this coming week. This Sunday is the Los Cabos Iron Man event, which means many streets and Hwy. closures, adding to already congested logistics or trying to get anywhere. Fall weather patterns started off calm this week, before the north winds picked back up mid-week, even had one day where there was light scattered rainfall. Ocean water temperature ranged 80 to 84 degrees with moderate swells and at times swift currents.

Always heavy pressure this time of year on local bait resources, we are now seeing a combination of sardinas, slabs of squid, caballito, ballyhoo and some skippers able to find chihuil. Surprisingly supplies are holding up better than we would imagine, will be interesting to see how supplies hold through this month.

Charters are scouting out all directions, most local sportfishing fleets are fishing grounds from the Gordo Banks, Iman, San Luis and as far north as Vinorama.  Action has been spread out and changing from day to day, as to where the bite is best. Early week the best action proved to be for wahoo near Vinorama, finding the chihuil baitfish was the secret to success, not always easy to obtain these candy baits, more of a super panga deal, on certain high spots with specialized rigs. Not many wahoo were striking the trolled lures at this time, best chances were on slow trolled trap hooked baits and early morning before too many boats congregated. The wahoo were averaged in the 25 to 35 lb. class. High boats brought in five, other one, two or three, of course many other were lost for the normal wahoo reasons.

Dorado remained scarce and scattered, only seeing one or two fish for all groups of charter’s per day, we heard of more numbers on the Pacific, but even there the dorado were not nearly as numerous as previous months. More marlin appeared, even in the direction off of San Jose del, though the billfish were much more active towards Cabo San Lucas and on the Pacific. We even had some sailfish and at least one 180 lb. class blue marlin was accounted for. With the warmer water there are still chances at the larger sized black and blue marlin.

Yellowfin tuna were elusive, being targeted on San Luis Banks, as wells as Gordo Banks, though very few were actually landed this week, most of the tuna we did see were in the 60 to 90 lb. range, a few smaller 10 to 20 lb. These yellowfin hit a wide variety pf baits, not on lures, Drift fishing with squid or using chihuil and live skipjack produced strikes. Heavy pressure, combined with lots of nature food source, swift currents, now have these fish skittish and finicky, of course on any given day they could become more aggressive, they are definitely still yellowfin through the area.

Not much off the bottom, triggerfish, bonito, smaller sized snapper and cabrilla were the most common, swift currents have not helped that action at all.

Along the shoreline there were good numbers of juvenile roosterfish, which should always be released, also some early season sierra and jack crevalle in the mix.

The combined sportfishing fleet launching out of the panga area from Puerto Los Cabos Marina sent out an estimated 140 charters for the week and anglers reported an approximate fish count of: 1 blue marlin, 2 sailfish, 14 striped marlin, 18 yellowfin tuna, 11 dorado, 52 wahoo, 4 barred pargo, 10 leopard grouper, 38 Mexican bonito, 8 yellow snapper, 2 dogtooth snapper, 8 sierra, 6 Pacific golden eyed tilefish, 4 rainbow runner, 4 jack crevalle, 24 roosterfish and 25 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