Cabo San Lucas
Peter Gelfand released the First Blue Marlin of the Season on the Pisces Bill Collector II!
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Wow! The first week in June delivered not one, but two blue marlin caught and released to kick off the "2024 BIG GAME FISHING SEASON" in Los Cabos.
Released in a healthy state three miles offshore in the Cerro Colorado area on Monday, seventy-six-year-old Peter Gelfand from California took just 20 minutes to release this 200-pound beauty on 60-pound test in 83-degree water on a Verde con Negro Cerro lure.
Captain Lopez and Mate Martinez ran the "BILL COLLECTOR II," a 35-foot Cabo Flybridge, during the three days that Peter Gelfand and his group released 11 striped marlin, one blue marlin, one shark, four dorado, and two roosterfish. Fishing is HOT! ….Tracy Ehrenberg
"TEJAS," a 42-foot Yellowfin with Captain Francisco at the helm, fishing with Daryl Pruski, Michelle Reynolds, and Mrs. Shannon Reynolds from Corpus Christi, Texas, never dreamed that their sportfishing trip on Wednesday would end up on the front page throughout the Baja Fishing News and beyond. Fishing on the 1150 Bank, the striped marlin hotspot, they released one healthy blue marlin, estimated to weigh 250 pounds on a Ballyhoo, and one silky shark, at 60 pounds on a Ballyhoo.
While Captain Osiel and Mates Joel and Gil set the "BBII," the 37-foot Viking Billfish 2018, up on the 1150 Spot for the day with Debby Putnam, Donald Putnam, Kendall Putnam Carr, Kennedy Putnam, Ryan Carr, and Sam Putnam all from Newport Richey, Florida. The action began soon after they arrived and continued throughout the day. They hooked multiple billfish while trolling fresh Ballyhoo – a couple here and there, and the gang had a blast!!! By the end of the day, their total released was a remarkable 13-striped marlin in the 80 to 120-pound class.
Not far away, the "HOT ROD," a 42-foot Cabo Flybridge with Captain Erick Orozco and Mate Hot Rod Jose Ramiro Ramirez with Ken Sacks from Nashville, Tennessee, also had 13 striped marlin released in the 80 to 130-pound range to his credit, using both fresh Ballyhoo and caballito for bait.
"LA BRISA," the 31-foot Bertram with Captain Ray Winkler and Mate Jesus Winkler assisting anglers Lucas Flynn and Nathaly Burny in releasing five striped marlin that weighed from 100 to 120 pounds, two dorado weighing approximately 15 pounds and a one hundred pound silky shark, all taken on Ballyhoo at the 1150 Spot.
"SPEEDWELL," a 38-foot Mediterranean with Captain Victor Piranha and Mate Sandez Fernando Castro fishing at the 1150 Spot, had a mixed bag for Gordon Pratt, including releasing three striped marlin from 100 to 120 pounds on Ballyhoo, plus one dorado and a 30-pound wahoo caught on a lure.
LOCATION: In front of the Westin Regina, 1150 Spot.
WEATHER CONDITIONS: Calm seas with some wind, 6-22kts. in the afternoon.
AVERAGE WATER TEMP: 73-84 F
BEST LURES: Mackerel, Ballyhoo and Cocinero, Cedar Plugs, Plumas, and marlin lures.
GORDO BANKS PANGAS
The main focus this week was the bottom and inshore. The tuna and wahoo bite has been almost nonexistent. We only accounted for one yellowfin and one wahoo all week, each weighing under 30 pounds. Most boats focused on different rock structures throughout La Fortuna and Cardon. Fishing bigger live bait has produced big amberjack, grouper, and dogtooth snapper. The biggest amberjack caught was a 76-pounder. Although we saw many quality fish over 40 pounds, live sardina continue to attract good numbers of yellow snapper and grouper.
We had a decent marlin bite throughout most of the week. Most boats focused closer to the inner and outer Gordos as there seemed to be plenty of bait there. There is not a lot of dorado, though some anglers were lucky to find small schools while fishing offshore for marlin or inshore for roosterfish. Most dorado are small, averaging 10 to 12 pounds. These dorado have been hitting mostly Ballyhoo and marlin lures.
Closer to shore, we are beginning to see big roosters. The biggest was over 60 pounds and caught on a live mullet. The best areas to target roosterfish continue to be La Laguna and Zacaton. We have caught a few dorado while trolling live sardina and mullet throughout these shorelines. …Good Fishing, Brian Brictson
East Cape
Fishing has continued to pick up as the yellowfin tuna are coming in a little closer to around 25 miles from the hotel. The cruiser Don Julio landed a 104-pound yellowfin, the biggest of the season so far. Just today, the Cazadora 2 landed a 200-pound yellowfin, which a shark attacked as it got close to the boat. We also saw some big dorado come to the dock, with a few in the 40 to 50-pound range. The largest was landed by the Thresher, weighing 58 pounds. There are quite a few marlin and sailfish in the area, and some boats, like the Don Julio, have landed as many as eight in one day. A few blue marlin were landed, but the majority have been striped marlin. We also saw a handful of wahoo caught, but not great numbers.
Earlier in the week, the 58th Annual International Roosterfish Tournament was held out of Hotel Playa Del Sol, the longest-running tournament in Los Barriles. This year's group had seven boats fishing for roosters for three days, and what a fantastic tournament they had. Twenty-one anglers landed 370 roosters for one of tournament history's most significant fish counts. On day one, the cruiser Jukate landed over 40 roosterfish, followed by over 30 on day two, and they never looked back to win the overall boat title for this year's event. Congratulations to all the anglers who participated in this year's tournament.
The water temperatures are in the mid-80s, with the air temperatures in the low 90s. …Van Wormers Resort
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay
WEATHER: It's getting hotter finally. The humidity hasn't hit yet, and that's a good thing! Daytime temps are in the high 90s or low 100s.
WATER: It is getting bluer and warmer, but there is an apparent thermocline about 20-30 down. So, surface temps are 75 to 79 degrees, but 5 to 10 degrees cooler below the thermocline, so we're still getting cooler water species like the yellowtail.
FISH HOOKED: I won't say it was the greatest fishing ever, but it sure was a solid week and the best week of fishing so far this season, with lots of variety! Big fish and some of the species we've been waiting for!!!
We got our first marlin, first sailfish,
first big boy 50-100 pound roosterfish, wahoo, big yellowtail (and lots of them!), and some dorado finally, too!
Plus, barred pargo, pargo liso, cubera snapper, yellow snapper, sierra, amberjack, jack crevalle, bonito, pompano, trevally, triggerfish…and more! …Jonathan Roldan, Tailhunter Sportfishing.
