Wind Again
Endless Season Update May 2, 2010
REPORT #1213 "Below the Border" Saltwater Fly-Fishing reports since 1996
East Cape
Jason Abrams of Park City, Utah landed this quality rooster on the fly from the Jen Wren.
Some reports are bubbling with optimism expressing their certainty that fishing is going to get better. The 'boots on the ground' reports offer a
little different take. The lack of sardina combined with some of the strongest winds in recent memory produced conditions that many say cannot go
anyway but up. There were a few instances of good catches but not many.
There was a least one quality roosterfish when Mark Rayor's Jen Wren came upon a huge school of roosters feeding on the surface near Punta Pescadero.
But, alas that was the exception.
The good news is the winds seem to be abating and water temperatures are rising. If the conditions continue along that path, fishing could be on track
in no time at all.
Current East Cape Weather http://tiny.cc/EastCapeWeather303
Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
Few were willing to make the long run to Cabo San Lazaro this week. Most of the focus remained closer in the Esteros. The sierra along with the
cabrilla, grouper and corvina have been the primary targets for the few anglers fishing the area.
Current Magdalena Bay Weather http://tiny.cc/MagBayWeather150
Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The 79 degree clean water is holding around 12 miles, with the deep blue water about 30 miles, and along the 1,000 fathom line. Inside 30 miles,
fishing for the offshore species has been slow, and as reported by Mike Bulkly, the owner of the super panga Huntress, many boats are not even getting
a strike. However, he did tell me that the inshore fishing for jack cravelle, chulas (a small, but excellent eating tuna with teeth), and black
skipjack tuna is still good.
Plus, this weekend, starting Friday, is the annual offshore tournament, with a new car or pickup given as the prize for the largest three sailfish,
largest marlin, and largest dorado. Fortunately, with the tournament starting on the full moon cycle, and slow conditions anyway, the normal 120 to
150 boat tournament should have poor results. I say fortunately because Zihuatanejo has yet to get out of the stone age with this 30+ year running
'kill' tournament. In years past, with just slightly more favorable conditions, I have seen as many 750 sailfish hitting the dock over the course of
the three day tournament. …Ed Kunze
Current Zihuatanejo Weather http://tiny.cc/zihuatanejo582
Cabo San Lucas
There were a few striped marlin found this week; most were caught on the Cortez side of the cape, in the slightly warmer water, and in the calmer
conditions. The area off Red Hill was once again the best area for these fish as well as the few wahoo that were caught by the early birds. One blue
marlin of approximately 500 pounds was also caught in this area.
The rough water conditions prevented boats from fishing the San Jaime bank, the area that normally produces yellowfin tuna, but there were a few fish
reported offshore around on the Cortez side.
Just a few scattered dorado were found near the Red Hill and the Punta Gordo areas on the Cortez side, but no concentrations were found. The best
results were within a mile or so of the beach, using brightly colored lures. The dorado averaged 12 pounds, but a few were in the 25-pound range.
There were some nice wahoo averaging 30 pounds caught to the north on the Sea of Cortez, but if you were not one of the first boats to the area, you
didn't have much luck. The best areas were off the ledge at Red Hill, Gordo Banks and the In-man Banks area.
For some time, inshore fishing has been the most productive. Good catches of small to medium roosterfish are found just off the beach as well as some
decent concentrations of sierra. There were some good snapper taken from the rock piles, but due to the rough conditions on the Pacific side, almost
all of this action took place on the Sea of Cortez....…George and Mary Landrum
Current Cabo Weather http://tiny.cc/cabo191
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