Cabo San Lucas
It’s the 25th Week of 2024, and the Overall Catch Success Rate, with all Species Combined, is 81.43% … The Catch Success Rate – the Billfish, 58.57%; Dorado, 5.71%; Tuna, 17.14%; and the Other Species, 21.43%.
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Week 25 began with a species-filled day for the Pisces Fleet. That included Blue and Striped Marlin, Wahoo, Yellowfin Tuna, Dorado, Bonito, and Ladyfish. The boats found these fish on various banks and locations around Baja’s tip. This Friday and over the weekend, the number of boats fishing and the number of fish caught plunged to the lowest amount since the First of January of 2024, although the few boats fishing did have some notable catches.
The “REBECCA,” a 31-foot Bertram named after the Ehrenberg’s daughter, with Captain Jose Ramon and Mates Alucano and Jose G, with anglers Jeffrey Ernest, Mark Jensen, Jose Ramon, Vincent Purcell, and William Cowles, went the distance, 33 miles, to the 120 Spot where they caught and released another one of the early season blue marlin on a Petrolero lure.
Aboard the “TIBURON,” a 31-foot Bertram, Captain Rosendo Gomez and Mate Jorge V, the Emily Spangler, Eva Spangler, Patricia Spangler, Shelby Spangler, and Steve Spangler all enjoyed an exciting fishing day on the 110 Spot, 30 miles from the Marina. Their catch included a striped marlin on a live caballito that they safely released and a 35-pound wahoo, which they also caught on bait.
Over the weekend, the number of boats fishing dropped to a handful, including the “TEJAS,” a 42-foot yellowfin with Captain Frank Montelongo and mate Alan Silva who ran 150 degrees, 35 miles outside, where they caught and released a striper on a lure, plus a good-sized wahoo on a lure, with Mary and Sean O’Brien from California. Their Captain Frank (Francisco Arturo Montelongo) began fishing with his father at age seven. He moved to Cabo from Guerrero Negro at age 12 and has been in love with sportfishing ever since. He’s a great captain – outgoing and fun.
Starting the week off right, Captain Alan, Mates Yiki and Mel, and angler Timothy from Idaho – ran 63 miles on a 60-degree heading on information shared by another Captain on the “REELS N DIRT,” a tricked-out 72-foot Viking Skybridge and was rewarded for their efforts with a released blue marlin and 20 yellowfin tuna weighing from 20 to 162 pounds, which they caught on flying fish and cedar lures.
Captain Juan C. Lopez and Mate JC Martinez on the “BILL COLLECTOR II,” a 35-foot Cabo Flybridge with anglers Adam Gardner, Andrew Roydhouse, Cody Cossick, Kari Gastel, and Paul Roydhouse, landed an impressive 50-pound yellowfin tuna along with releasing two striped marlin hooked on Ballyhoo.
While the “BILL COLLECTOR,” the 32-foot Cabo Express with Captain Niko and Mate Erick, Jr., and anglers Benjamin Newman, Glen Pearson, Ian Newman, Joshua Payne, Nathan Smith, and Nicole Payne from Gulf Breeze, Florida, had a great day catching and releasing four trophy-sized roosters ranging from 20 to 40 pounds.
Angler Jordán from Dana Point, California, fishing outside the Lighthouse, caught and released four roosterfish estimated to weigh 20 to 40 pounds on live mullet while fishing on the “ADRIANA,” a 28-foot Uniflite with Captain Bruce and Mate Mario.
GORDO BANKS PANGAS
The village fiestas at La Playa, which usually start the last couple of days in May and extend towards the first days of June, were delayed a week this year, which means work activities will remain slow throughout these upcoming weeks of June. Only moderate numbers of anglers are now in town, taking advantage of calmer weather patterns, sunny skies, and temperatures in the high 80s. Bait supplies include caballito, jurelito, Ballyhoo, mullet, Moonface, and sardina.
The main fishing focus recently has been the bottom and inshore. The tuna and wahoo bite is almost nonexistent. We only accounted for one yellowfin and one wahoo under 30 pounds. Most boats have focused on different rock structures throughout La Fortuna and Cardon. Fishing bigger live bait has produced big amberjack, grouper, and dogtooth snapper. The largest amberjack caught has been a 76-pounder, although we have seen many quality fish over 40 pounds. The favorite bait seems to be caballito and Moonface if we can purchase some from the bait guys, which is not guaranteed. Live sardina continues to attract good numbers of yellow snapper and grouper.
We had a decent marlin bite. However, most boats focus on areas closer to the inner and outer Gordo, where there seems to be plenty of bait. There are not a lot of dorado, though some boats were lucky to find small schools while fishing offshore for marlin or inshore for roosterfish. Most of these dorado are small, averaging 10 to 12 pounds, and have been mainly hitting Ballyhoo and marlin lures.
Closer to shore, we are starting to see big roosterfish. The biggest one has been well over 60 pounds, caught on a live mullet. The best areas to target continue to be La Laguna and Zacaton. We picked up a few dorado while trolling live sardina and mullet throughout these shorelines.
Good Fishing. …Brian Brictson.
East Cape
Fishing has continued to pick up this week, with the yellowfin tuna coming as close as 25 miles to the hotel. Earlier, the cruiser, “DON JULIO,” landed a 104-pound yellowfin, which was the largest 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 a few 40 to 50-pound dorado come to the dock. The largest of the week was landed by the “THRESHER,” weighing in at 58 pounds. There are also quite a few stripe marlin and sailfish in the area, with some boats like the “DON JULIO” landing eight stripers in one day. A few blue marlin landed, but most have been stripe marlin. We also saw a handful of wahoo landed.
Earlier, twenty-one anglers landed 370 roosters for one of the most significant fish counts in the history of the 58th Annual International Roosterfish Tournament! This year’s tournament had seven boats fishing for roosters for three days out of Hotel Playa Del Sol.
FIFTY-EIGHT YEARS!!! It is the longest-running tournament in Los Barriles! What a fantastic tournament they had! On Day One, the cruiser “JUKATE” landed over 40 Roosters, followed by over 30 on Day Two, and they never looked back, “JUKATE” won 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, and the air temperatures are in the low 90s. …Van Wormer Resort
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay
Weather: No doubt summer is here! It’s WARM to HOT in the daytime. The high 90s to low 100s, although not as much humidity as expected. Mornings can be cool. When I put folks on the boats, I have to wear a sweatshirt some mornings; some evenings are in the mid-70s, so bring a light windbreaker or sweatshirt!
Water: Water: Mostly blue and warming. We have some surface temps in the low 80s now, but about 20 to 30 down, there is a cooler thermocline, and that’s why I think we’re getting fish like yellowtail and amberjack and other cold-water species still hanging around.
Fish Hooked This Week: Roosterfish (up to 90+ pounds), jack crevalle, yellowtail (20 to 25 pounds), marlin, sailfish, amberjack, bonito, dorado, pargo, trevally, pompano, sierra, cabrilla, needlefish, triggerfish, and rainbow runners. …Jonathan Roldan, Tailhunter Sportfishing
Caption: Another great day of Tuna fishing on the Cazadora 2 with Captain Damian and deckhand Rigo fishing in the East Cape.
