BajaNomad - Enchanted Islands tidal swings

Enchanted Islands tidal swings

dizzyspots - 3-31-2013 at 07:46 PM

Headed south at the end of April...Baja Catch cautions to avoid fishing the Enchanted Islands area during big tidal swings...says it'll knock the bite off???
The last weekend in April is full moon and huge tides...any thoughts...thumbs up.....thumbs down?

Thanks in advance

Mike

Skipjack Joe - 3-31-2013 at 09:45 PM

That means that there is still no movement during high and low tides. These are not points in time. There is slack water on both sides of both the high and low.

Just fish these areas during the right hours. The rest of the time fish close to shore.

dizzyspots - 3-31-2013 at 10:27 PM

but Im told because of the specific area...between shore and the islands that the tidal bore knocks out the fishing....better to go during new moon and minimal tidal swing...bear in mind...im still a rookie at this salt water thing

Islandbuilder - 3-31-2013 at 10:53 PM

The largest tidal differences occur with the full and new moons. The higher high tides on the full moon, and the lower low tides on the new moon.
If you're looking for the slowest currents, which would be created by the smallest tidal ranges, you need to do your Enchanted Islands fishing during the quarter moons, not the new or full moons.

BajaParrothead - 3-31-2013 at 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dizzyspots
but Im told because of the specific area...between shore and the islands that the tidal bore knocks out the fishing....better to go during new moon and minimal tidal swing...bear in mind...im still a rookie at this salt water thing

The new moon will bring very large tidal movement as well. If you're looking for minimal tidal movement the weeks between full and new moons will have the least amount of tidal movement.

Skipjack Joe - 4-1-2013 at 12:40 AM

Quote:

Unless there is danger in crossing from shore to the islands then just fish around the times of great water movement. That's what I do when fishing areas of the midriff that are affected by currents. The Tony Reyes boats do the same. Each reef has a time of day when it is best visited and they wait until the currents are right.

There many spots in the midriff area where the currents rip at certain times. At such times you (a) can't fish the bottom effectively (b) can get swamped by waves generated by currents. It's like doing a float on a whitewater river, except you can't swim for shore if things go wrong. I don't think there are currents at the Enchanted Islands that are any stronger than whats encountered daily throughout the midriff area.

If you do it right you will be fine. All the local pangeros don't stop fishing on full and new moon days.

Pablito1 - 4-1-2013 at 07:02 AM

Don't worry so much about the currents but keep alert of the wind in that area in the spring time.

Regards, Pablo

bkbend - 4-1-2013 at 08:07 AM

Full/new moon tides could make boat launch/retrieval an adventure at low tide in that area.

Nantucket Sleighride

Skipjack Joe - 4-1-2013 at 03:49 PM

This comes close to the experience of riding the midriff currents.

dizzyspots - 4-1-2013 at 08:40 PM

not Midriff area...enchanted islands just south of Puertecitos and north of Gonzaga arent Midriff Islands further south..ie Tiburon and such?

4baja - 4-3-2013 at 02:48 AM

the midriff islands are la gurdia island south wich are off bola and south. yellowtail in particular love current and the faster the better. never thought that the enchanted islands were all that good fishing but have had some good bites on white seabass and tortuave there.

cbuzzetti - 4-3-2013 at 07:09 AM

My last trip there in September it was pretty tough fishing. There are large fish camps just above Gonzaga and they are fishing the area hard.
There is some great scenery at the islands, enjoy.

Islandbuilder - 4-3-2013 at 07:47 AM

I have no experience fishing in the Gulf, but in Alaska it is common practice to fish the tide rips for salmon. So, fish the rips for surface feeders during the big currents (subject to sea conditions, of course) and then for bottom fish during the slack currents.
If you don't have currrent tables for your area, my experience is that the current is slack about midway between the published tidal extremes.
So, if the low is at 0600 and the high at 1200, the slack ebb would be at about 0900.
But, as others have said, the same forces that draw the water to create tides and currents also act on the air mass. Many times I have seen the wind rise during the current peak, and then fall during the slack.
Be very careful in a small boat when the wind and current oppose one another. Steep chop and standing waves can overcome even the best open boat. I have rolled our 75', 105 ton heavy cruiser down to the rail in strong currents! Focuses the mind in an unpleasant way!

durrelllrobert - 4-3-2013 at 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 4baja
.... have had some good bites on white seabass and tortuave there.

Are you saying that you actually ALLOW illegal fish to bite?

4baja - 4-4-2013 at 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by durrelllrobert

Quote:

Originally posted by 4baja
.... have had some good bites on white seabass and tortuave there.

Are you saying that you actually ALLOW illegal fish to bite?

you cant stop a fish from biting if it wants to bite your hook, but you can release it if its illegal.

David K - 4-4-2013 at 09:24 AM

Irma made the best fish fillets at Alfonsina's (many years ago)... I didn't know what kind of fish it was until after I had it, and asked her what kind... She put her finger to her lips in the 'shhhh' fashion and whispered, "totuava".

Last time I had Totuava was at Anthony's Fish Grotto in San Diego, 40 years ago!

Papa Fernandez with an average totuava:

redhilltown - 4-5-2013 at 11:48 PM

Some of this obviously depends on the size of your boat. Gene and the Baja Catch were usually in smaller Valcos and god yes, you must be aware of the tides. That said, San Luis is really the only island with decent fishing that time of year and I agree that the winds should really be your focus. But it is a glorious island to cruise around and you can always beach it (just have some supplies) and wait out the wind. Last time at Gonzaga in October the gill netters were hammering the area...would love to hear a good report from you that they are gone.

dizzyspots - 4-6-2013 at 06:09 AM

We had a great time fishing last Fall at GB... seems like the netters had lightened up a bit...Bert cj5orion over at bloodydecks is there a lot and has much better info....we will be going back down to GB in the fall as well