Roosters Rule, Jacks Follow!

REPORT #1060 “Below the Border” Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
Endless Season Update April 28, 2007

East Cape

Baja on the Fly client Doug Booth a nice fly caught rooster on a flat calm East Cape Spring day.

Roosterfish action speeded up just in time for Doug Booth’s (Tustin, CA) inshore trip Saturday. The 8 to 20lb class pez gallo put on a real show tearing up bait on a flat calm sea as frigate birds dipped and dived above the frenzy. This classic East Cape action lasted a couple of days until the North wind came roaring back down the Sea of Cortez once again causing lumpy and off color inshore conditions. Back on the beach, the North wind made sight fishing tough as the wave action churned up the shore line. Nevertheless, bright sun allowed for decent fish spotting and if you were in the right spots, the jack crevalle were fairly numerous and were responding to flies with some aggression. A few good sized roosters were in the mix too. Our Guide, Lance Peterson, reported that they were picky as usual but he did manage to get some hard follows. However, getting one to eat the fly was a different story.

Offshore the north winds made for a tough week until Thursday when the wind backed off again. That is all it took for the billfish to begin to bite again. Thirty miles offshore a few boats found some pods of porpoise producing some of the best YFT action in several weeks. Hopefully, the action will continue this week if the north wind stays away.

Water temperature 65-74
Air temperature 62-82
Humidity 77%
Wind: NNW 5-7 knots
Conditions: Sunny
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 6:47 a.m. MDT
Sunset 7:45 p.m. MDT

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico

Continued cooler water temps offshore have pushed most of the fish further down the coast. Entrada action continues with sierra, yellows and bonito found feeding on the surface under the bird schools.

Corvina provided the best action inside the esteros along with a few sierra found up above Lopez Mateos. Grouper, pargo and snook seemed to be among the missing this week or maybe it was the anglers that were missing.

Water temperature 65 - 72
Air temperature 60 -82
Humidity 68 %
Wind: NW 7-9 knots
Conditions: Sunny
Visibility 12 miles
Sunrise 6:53 a.m. MDT
Sunset 7:55 p.m. MDT

Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico

The fishing this week has really turned on for the blue water. For the inshore action, the roosters are right on schedule and starting to make their migration back. There are a few showing up on the beaches again.

The biggest news is the blue marlin and sailfish. Each day, one out of every three boats are getting a shot at a blue. This is normal for the month of May, but it is late April, and they are week or so early. We have averaged at least 5 blues a day for the daily 18 to 20 boat fleet. In addition, with the arrival of the blue marlin, the big 200 pound plus yellowfin tuna will not be far behind. Most of the tuna and blue marlin action in May will be at less than the 20 mile mark.

Plus, we are averaging an incredible 5 to 6 released sailfish a day per boat this week. Some boats are posting double digit numbers of releases.

Mike Griffin, of Anchorage, told me he fished with Captain Poli on the Don Gordo II this last Wednesday. With 20 sailfish raised and striking the baits in the spread, they had run out of baits by 11:00. Two elderly couples were very satisfied with the day and their 4 sailfish releases, so their captain gave Poli his remaining baits. They finished the day with 25 strikes, of which they had two triples, two doubles, and three singles. Most of the action was within 12 miles of the lighthouse at Zihuatanejo Bay.

Mike told me there were acres of porpoise, and birds crashing on bait everywhere. There were free jumping sails in every direction, and every boat in the fleet was hooked up at the same time. They could not even get the entire compliment of trolling rods out before they were hooked up. With only two rods out, sometimes they did not make more than 50 yards before they were bit again. Two of the fish they caught were over the 100 pound mark. Mike said it he had never had a better day on the water.

Adolpho, on the panga Dos Hermanos, told me he got 5 roosters in 3 days of fishing inshore, and a few jacks are starting to show up also.

Ed Kunze
Water temperature 80 - 84
Air temperature 72-99
Humidity 88%
Wind: WSW 8 knts
Conditions: Partly Sunny
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 7:22 a.m. CDT
Sunset 8:06 p.m. CDT