Guatemala, Zihuatanejo Sails Sizzle
REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY:
PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR SOUTH OF THE BORDER.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: bajafly@bajafly.com
USA toll-free (800) 919-2252 or 760/746-7260; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
Sat., Nov. 27, 2004. Report covers the period Sat.-Fri. (11/20-11/26)
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND SAN JOSE, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE
IN GENERAL: Winter winds continue to be the norm which should not come as a surprise since it is almost Dec. On the good days, the hotel boats are
finding a few small dorado and tuna plus a few stripers to entertain the clients.
Yvonne and Gary reached their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary on Thanksgiving Day and are celebrating the event with a Vow Renewal ceremony and party
in Escondido, Calif., this morning. Gary has convinced Yvonne that heading down for the Sails and Tales Tournament in Zihuatanejo is sort of an
anniversary trip. http://www.bajafly.com/silvercelebration.htm
AIR & SEA ?
Water temperature 75-80
Air temperature 69-75
Humidity about 58%
Wind: NNW 11 mph
Conditions: Scattered Clouds
Visibility 15 miles
Sunrise 6:40 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:32 p.m. MST
Dec. 4, Last Quarter; Dec. 11, New; Dec. 18, First Quarter; Dec. 26, Full.
+ OFFSHORE: Still a few billfish hanging around.
+ INSHORE: Wind is definitely a factor; early is best.
+ BEACH: Tough, not bad on the days that the wind backs off. Try the sticks between Rancho Leonero and La Ribera.
BILLFISH ? Still a few hangers-on.
YELLOWFIN TUNA ? Find the porpoise and you should do OK.
DORADO ? Look under anything floating.
ROOSTERFISH\JACK CREVALLE ? Still some BIG roosters hanging around the beaches.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK ? Breezing schools in front of La Ribera.
PARGO AND CABRILLA ? Rocky points and pinnacles in front of La Ribera best bet.
SIERRA ? Bring wire or lots of flies!
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: John Lyddon, Corona Del Mar, Calif., fishing with Ruben Duran landed an impressive 30-pound snook near Boca Santo Domingo. Offshore, the
best action has moved down on the Potato Bank, below Punta Tasco, with excellent stripey fishing reported. Plenty of doubles and triples for the few
boats passing through the area as well as dorado and tuna.
Water Temperature 69-75
Air Temperature 68-75
Humidity 100%
Wind Calm
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 6:52 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:36 p.m. MST
Dec. 4, Last Quarter; Dec. 11, New; Dec. 18, First Quarter; Dec. 26, Full.
YELLOWTAIL ? Slow going although a few can be found lurking about near the entrada.
CORVINA ? Seemed to have gotten smaller as the season progressed.
SNOOK ? The panhandle zone above Lopez Mateos producing the best action this week.
HALIBUT ? Thicker than sand fleas on some sandy beaches.
SIERRA ? Incidental catch and dinks at that.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: The 80 degree blue water is still just off the beach and the fishing for sailfish this last week has been excellent. This should slow
down a bit with the first few days of the new week, and then pick up again as the full moon declines.
Most boats are raising 7 to 9 fish a day and averaging about three released fish on conventional gear. First time fly-fishing client, John Mienstra of
New Jersey, fished with me and Captain Mecate on the ?Aqua Azul.? We raised 8 fish. I was able to tease four to the boat, and John hooked three.
Unfortunately, he made most of the beginner?s mistakes ? like after setting the hook, he continued holding onto the line while the fish was trying to
run, etc. But, he did manage to release one fish.
Dorado are definitely around, but are mostly incidental catches as we troll for the sails. The boats are averaging about one dorado a day each.
The inshore action is still holding up for roosters and jacks, with a few sierra thrown in.
Our Sails and Tails Sailfish on the Fly Tournament will begin on the 3rd and it should put our participants right in the thick of the bite.
Water Temperature 80-83
Air Temperature 77-89
Humidity 66%
Wind WSW 8 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 6 miles
Sunrise 6:58 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:09 p.m. CST
Dec. 4, Last Quarter; Dec. 11, New; Dec. 18, First Quarter; Dec. 26, Full.
Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
SAN JOSE, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: The action has moved in close to shore this past week with the sails holding at 8- to 14-miles. The weather has been picture perfect
with calm seas. The sails have also showed up in force with the high boat for week releasing 40 and the few other boats out able to average high teen
to low twenty releases. There are however only a few boats out and even fewer anglers around. Dorado are making a showing, but are scarce. No one
has made the much longer run out to the tuna, so there are no tuna reports. Inshore, there was one party that fished in the estero and had a lot of
fun with small robalo (snook), grouper, snapper and jacks. If you are planning a trip this season to Guatemala, be sure to pick up the Dec. issue of
Pacific Coast Sportfishing for an in-depth feature, ?Vela! Vela! Vela!? by Ray Rychnovsky on Guatemala fishing that talks about the double digit days
in the world?s best sailfish hole. If you want to get up to speed on teasing techniques, check Gary?s column, ?How to be a Tease,? in the same issue.
Water Temperature 78-82
Air Temperature 80-82
Humidity 62 %
Wind SSE 8 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 6:09 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:32 p.m. CST
Dec. 4, Last Quarter; Dec. 11, New; Dec. 18, First Quarter; Dec. 26, Full.
San Jose, Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa McFarland
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