Cabo San Lucas
Summer has settled in for our Pisces fleet. Although fishing has seemed sluggish, and numbers are dropping slightly, the variety remains consistent, and the fish move around the banks surrounding Baja’s tip. Even so, our Teams are up to the challenge.
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Captain Antonio Bojorquez, on the “LA CHINGONA,” hooked and released 11 Striped Marlin weighing from 80 to 100 pounds and caught Five Dorado weighing 15 to 40 pounds on Ballyhoo at the 1150 Spot.
The “HOT ROD,” a 42-foot Cabo Flybridge with Captain Erick Orozco and Mate Hot Rod Jose Ramiro Ramirez and their group, Chris S. Cameron, Julie B. Cameron, and McClain M. Cameron, headed three miles off Whale’s Head, where they released Two Striped Marlin weighing 90 to 100 pounds—the marlin bit on caballito and curry. Then, moving to the 1150 Spot, they had even better luck. They released Six Striped Marlin from 80 to 120 pounds that bit on Ballyhoo, and Three 10 to 15-pound Dorado that also took Ballyhoo.
“BILL COLLECTOR II,” a 35-foot Cabo Flybridge run by Captain Juan C. Lopez and Mate JC Martinez 5, took anglers Laura Ramon, Mitchell, Stephanie Hale, and Tristan Hale outside Punta Gorda where they caught Five Yellowfin Tuna in the 10 to 25-pound range with Palos and lures.
“FRIDAY BANK,” a 66-foot Viking, with Captain Alex at the helm and Mates Saul and Beto overseeing the cockpit, headed straight to the 1150 Spot with their angler Guy Howard Evans, from California, where they were able to catch and release Four Striped Marlin in the 80 to 120-pound range on Ballyhoo and curry.
“ADRIANA,” a 28-foot Uniflite, with Captain Bruce at the helm and Mate Victor G. overseeing the cockpit, also ran to the 1150 Spot, where anglers Christian Denning and Lance Denning caught and released Five Striped Marlin in the 80 to 110-pound range on caballito and Ballyhoo.
WEATHER CONDITIONS: Calm seas with some wind, 4-7 kts in the afternoon.
AVERAGE WATER TEMP: 79-80 F
BEST BAITS & LURES: Mackerel, Ballyhoo, Lisa and Cocinero, Cedar Plugs, Plumas, and various marlin lures.
Gordo Banks
Big Marlin at the Gordo and Yellowfin Offshore!
We continue to see small crowds of anglers at our marina. This time of year, many visiting tourists opt out of fishing due to the heat and humidity that can be experienced on the water. We are monitoring weather forecasts for tropical storm development during this peak season. We have had no issues with the weather, and the forecast is for clear weather for the upcoming few weeks.
The highlight was a 447-pound Black Marlin caught on one of our 26-foot super pangas, “The Killer II,” with Captain Maury. The fish was hooked on a small live skipjack at around 7:30 a.m. at the inner Gordo. The anglers were fishing on the bottom, targeting a dogtooth snapper. They first thought they had hooked a large shark or yellowfin since it didn’t jump for the first two hours. We encourage catch and release for all billfish; unfortunately, this fish tired out and died after a long battle at around 11:30 a.m. This marlin fed a big part of the community. Besides this marlin, we heard reports of two other Black Marlin hooked and lost between the inner and outer Gordo.
We continue to hook into striped and small Blue Marlin throughout the surrounding areas of the two Gordos, the 1150 Bank, and Cabrillo—most Blue Marlin average between 150 and 200 pounds. Within the exact location, there is a chance of hooking into a few dorado. Only a few dorado were taken. However, you might get lucky enough to catch a couple.
Many local pangeros and private boats focused on chasing porpoise offshore. There were reports of schools of porpoise 30 to 45 miles out within the surrounding areas of the 1150 and Cabrillo. We did hear of a few schools coming closer to outer Gordo. A few lucky boats could catch their tuna limits, but others were not so lucky, putting in long days for one or two fish. Most of these yellowfin are averaging 25 to 35 pounds, with a handful of 50 to 80-pounders in the mix.
There was little action at Vinorama, Iman, and La Fortuna. Some boats have tried jigging and drifting bait on different rock structures, though the current and green waters have not been favorable. A few yellow and red snappers were caught on the jigs early in the morning. Most of the boats that tried this area transitioned into trolling lures offshore. …Good Fishing, Brian Brictson.
East Cape
Bisbee Tournaments, presented by HDI Marine, began their 2024 season, 7/31/2024 – 8/2/2024, with a total Jackpot of $1,674,675 at the Bisbee East Cape Offshore at East Cape in Baja California Sur!
For the second year in a row, the winning team, “Wild Hooker,” with angler Jeff O’Bryant, caught the 549-pound Blue Marlin on Day Two of the three-day event earning them $937,162 of the total Jackpot of $1,674,675. Their award was paid out on Saturday night on the sand beneath the stars at the picturesque Buena Vista Oceanfront & Hot Springs Resort, owned and managed by the Valdez Family since 1976.
The 25th East Cape Offshore (B.C.S., MX) is one of three events the Bisbee family operates in Baja Sur. This year’s Seventy-Nine Teams in the East Cape Offshore competed for a $1,674,675 cash prize.
Targeted species were Black Marlin, Blue Marlin, Dorado, Sailfish, Spearfish, and Striped Marlin, caught and released, with daily jackpots and overall trophies and cash prizes.
In the East Cape, we experienced some excellent fishing overall. The main species caught was yellowfin tuna. The tuna was between twenty-five and fifty miles from the hotel. They have been very good-sized fish, with the average fish being between thirty and forty pounds, with lots of fish in the one hundred to one thirty range being caught.
We also continue to see a decent bite of blue marlin and sailfish mixed in with a few striped marlin. They have been a little “on and off,” but they are here. The best spots were about twenty-three miles off Leonero, or to the South, about the same distance off Cabo Pulmo.
As far as dorado, they are few and far between. I know of only a small one caught, and we have not seen the numbers of dorado this year as we did last year.
The water is improving daily onshore after a few days of green water. I spent a day on the beach, and although we only saw two roosterfish all day, I think the beach fishing will improve.
Overall, the fishing is good currently. Jeff DeBrown, Owner/Guide, The Reel Baja
La Paz
THE STRUGGLE IS REAL!
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report’
The weather is cooler than average, but the humidity is way up. We had a crazy “Torito” (baby hurricane) blow-in that came out of nowhere and dropped about 15 minutes of rain on us. It delivered some big swells. Aside from that, our fleets could still fish through the week.
Our crazy water! Warm blue water patches and cold-water patches that are dirty, green, and dark. Surface temps are 85 in the blue water and the 70s in the green water, plus it is moving and changing daily!
THE SPECIES HOOKED THIS WEEK: Yellowtail, dorado, jack crevalle, bonito, rainbow runners, pompano, trevally, pargo, sailfish, marlin, roosterfish, baby tuna, amberjack, and sierra.
NOTE: It has been an unpredictable and unseasonable bite recently.
