Sport fishing State Championship “PESCA LA BAJA” 2015 edition
http://www.pescalabaja.com/p-pescalabaja2015english.php
2. Tournament San Luis Gonzaga, B.C. June 26 and 27
3. Tournament Bahía de los Ángeles, B.C. July 24 and 25
4. Tournament San Quintín, B.C. August 21 and 22
5. Tournament Ensenada, B.C. GRAND FINALE September 18 and 19
The first of these five events was held in San Felipe on May 22 and 23. Not only was there a good turnout, but there were a remarkable number of fish caught as well.
The four remaining events, including the Finale in Ensenada, are always fun, grass-roots-style events held in Baja Norte.
The weather seems to be more of the same as it was last month – exactly where we left it — a thick marine layer on the Pacific side of Baja Norte resulting in windbreakers at the very least. On my drive down the Peninsula earlier this month, every place I stopped the locals were complaining about how cool it had been! I’m sure it won’t last long…
It’s all about bird schools, bait balls and meter marks at the Coronado Islands, as well as off of Ensenada. If you aren’t seeing at least one of those items, keep moving until you do. Then fling the surface iron, slow troll the liveys if you have ‘em or drop heavier lures down to the bottom. There is a good grade of yellows and some nice lingcod for your trouble.
Farther down the Pacific side, it must be good at San Quintin since most of owners are taking out their charter boat themselves … in their own words the fishing is as good as it gets! They all say the labor dust-up has cut their bookings down to a trickle.
At Ascension, everyone has been focused on the short abalone season that has just finished and they have little to say about the sportfishing.
Photo credit — Mike McKay: Filmmaker
Offshore at Cedros Island, the yellows, calicos and halibut are chewing practically anything hitting the water according to The Kayak Fishing Show with Jim Sammons.
La Bocana is all about the corvina in the estero.
As the wind subsides, the yellowtail action at Bahia Los Angeles is heating up. Latest reports were of yellowtail from 25 to 38 pounds — all caught casting 6x Salas Jr. blue/white or trolling rapalas.
Mulege is having their annual Bomberos Tournament on the 29th and 30th of May and there have been reports of dorado sightings all week as there have in the Loreto area; not many reports of caught fish though.
Speaking of Loreto, Rick Hill shot me an email earlier this week: “Our fishing trip found a few big yellowtail out at the 50 Spot, north of Carmen’s Punta Lobo. No dorado ’cause we were working the high spots.”
photo Tailhunter International
“Wahoo like crazy! Wahoo became WOW-hooo at Los Arenas. Whatever happened was epic. Two areas: One at the south end of Cerralvo Island on the high spot and then the other right outside Bahia de Los Muertos just off the rocks at a hundred yards! Small mackerel…baby sardines…trolled Rapalas…they all got bit. A few days were better than others, but there were wahoo every day.” Jonathan Roldan bragged.
photo Tailhunter International
Not to be outdone, the “bubba-class” rooster fish turned back on as well.
photo JenWren Sportfishing
East Cape, the yellowfin tuna finally showed up. Quite a ways offshore, but they were a welcome sight after a spring drought. In addition, a few bull dorado also showed up on anglers’ score cards.
In the billfish department not only have the striped marlin picked back up, but blue marlin began filtering back into the area with several landed and more spotted or lost.
San Jose del Cabo, Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas, reported the striped marlin dominated the action punctuated by a few dorado, wahoo and YFT’s.
photo JenWren Sportfishing
While at the tip, Cabo anglers are enjoying the billfish and wahoo bite confirmed by all the flags flying in the IGY Marina. This prompted Captain George Landrum to comment: “Finally! We have been sitting here with our fingers crossed for the past several months waiting for the fishing in Cabo San Lucas to improve, and this week it finally happened! From striped marlin to wahoo, the fishing has improved so much that I have a hard time containing my excitement.”
After proofing this report, all I can say is this; if you’re not fishin’, you are missing some of the best Baja offers! Just sayin’…
Questions or comments are welcome. garyg@garycgraham.com
With more than five decades of fishing experience – from light tackle and fly to offshore billfish – Gary Graham has experienced all aspects of fishing in the Southern California and Baja waters. His observations of species behavior, tackle and techniques are always from his unique perspective, earning him the respect of his peers as well as anglers who eagerly follow his Baja reports and features.
Gary maintained a home at East Cape in Baja Sur for more than 18 years and still spends nearly half of each year exploring the entire peninsula in his self-contained Roadtrek van. He observes everything Baja, from the mysteries of a tide pool on a deserted Baja beach filled with tiny sea creatures to the largest billfish in the sea.
Contact Gary at garyg@garycgraham.com