Fishing in August was good, but it left us wanting more, and it sounds like September will be the real winner. To begin with, if you have tuna on your mind, you are in luck! Bluefin are found offshore from the border to San Quintín and beyond, and in Baja Sur, there are yellowfin to the tip and up into the Sea of Cortez.
Coronado Islands / Rockpile
Anchovies are located just below the 425/101, and in this same zone, there are signs of 15 to 30-pound yellowfin running with dolphin, especially those that are tail slapping or flipping (a behavior known as “talking”). The dolphin often display this behavior when yellowfin are with them.
Boats are getting jig stops on yellowfin, including on dolphin. There is also yellowfin with whales, so check them out. In addition to the yellowfin, there is an outside shot at a 30 to 60-pound bluefin in this same zone. All that said, most are not seeing or finding much of anything.
You are more likely to catch a tuna in the Coronados than offshore. Of course, that could change at any moment.
There have been some kelp paddy yellowtail and dorado, but the numbers have been low. Most kelp is dry but always check them. The next one might be the gold mine you are looking for.
Ensenada
Local pangas out of Ensenada are starting to do well with 30 to 70-pound bluefin. Most of them bit fast-trolled Mad Macs but some also come on poppers and colt snipers cast to foamers. They say the best signs of these tuna are on the Banda Bank and inshore from there to the beach. Some lesser signs are seen west of Todo Santos Island and in the 238 area.
San Quintín
The most recent report was all about flat rascals (halibut). However, there are also reports of bluefin tuna farther offshore. Another report included some good-sized white seabass and yellowtail. The weather recently has been foggy in the morning, though the fog should be gone by the time you read this report.
Bahía de Los Ángeles
Anglers have plenty to choose from this month! The dorado should stick around if the sea temps remain in the seventies. The yellowtail and some medium to giant grouper have been in the catches.
Cedros Island
How good is the fishing at Cedros? Could you check this out? They weighed in at 35, 36, 37, 38 & 39! Catches have been varied, with the focus on yellowtail, but also targeting halibut, sheepshead, and catch and release calicos. From time to time a white seabass bite, and some barracudas among these putting a good fight before sending them back.
Guerrero Negro
Yellowtail, Sierra, and grouper fishing have been exceptional, according to local guide Chema Medina, who can be located on Facebook.
Bahía Asunción
“The tuna are here in Bahía Asunción! We have never had them here so early in the season, but we’ll take it! My guests filled their coolers and gifted fresh tuna to me, the masseuse, workers, and friends. Thanks, Van! All the anglers are so stoked!” -Shari Bondy
Loreto
Fishing has focused on the quick trip to the close by spots for bottom creatures. Good pintos and whitefish for the summer rookies with yellowtail and a few baqueta for the more serious crowd. Still marlin and big dorado outside of Punta Lobo (10 miles outside!) Great weather with a glassy ocean as the sun rises.
Magdalena Bay (López Mateos)
Offshore yellowfin tuna fishing is off the charts, and later in September, the striped marlin will begin to appear. Local anglers from Lopez Mateos reported the limits of yellowfin and a few ambitious yellowtail that inhaled a Yozuri Bonita trolled at around 8 knots. Above is an angler with the largest of the day, a 64-pounder. Wahoo are a little late this year and recently began to appear in the fish counts. Meanwhile, back in the mangroves, action includedsnook, croaker, bonefish, spotted bass, snapper, golden trevally, broomtail grouper, Sierra, Cortez halibut, leather jacks, as well as roosterfish, and many other species.
La Paz and Muertos Bay
WEATHER: Cooler than usual, but the humidity is way up. We had a crazy “Torito” (baby hurricane) blow-in that came out of nowhere, and it dropped about 15 minutes of rain on us and some big swells.
WATER: Crazy water, with warm blue water patches and cold-water patches that were dirty, green, and dark. Surface temperatures were 85 in the blue water and 70s in the green water, moving and changing daily!
SPECIES HOOKED THIS WEEK: Yellowtail, dorado, jack crevalle, bonito, rainbow runners, pompano, trevally, pargo, sailfish, marlin, roosterfish, baby tuna, amberjack, Sierra.
NOTE: Very unpredictable and unseasonable bite.
East Cape
It is a decent bite for blue marlin and sailfish with a few striped marlin mixed in. Billfish have been a little “on and off,” but they are here. The best spots recently are off Leonero, about twenty-three miles, or to the South off Cabo Pulmo, about the same distance.
As far as dorado, they are few and far between. We have not seen many this year.
Inshore, the green water extended offshore a couple of miles but is improving. Reports from locals fishing from the shore were disappointing, with only a few roosters, jacks, and ladyfish caught. However, as the water cleared up, sight fishing improved.
Gordo Banks
The main highlight this week was an unexpected wahoo bite. Some boats landed 2 or 3 and a handful of dorado. Anglers hooked these wahoo while looking for marlin a bit closer to shore on marlin lures and rigged ballyhoo. Most strikes came around Cerro Colorado and The Westin Regina area, 3 to 5 miles from shore. This group of wahoo were nice-sized and weighed more than 30 pounds. Within the same location, there was a good chance of running into some schools of dorado. Most of the dorado seen were small juveniles, with an occasional 20 to 30-pounder in the mix.
Towards Gordo Banks, Cabrillo, and 1150, we continue to see good numbers of striped and blue marlin. There is a good chance of running into a few porpoise schools this far out. Many local guys have specifically targeted yellowfin tuna with these porpoise schools. Most of the tuna caught averaged 30 to 40 pounds, though we did see one closer to 200 pounds and heard reports of a handful of big ones lost after long battles.
Boats also caught a couple of Black Marlin in-between the inner and outer Gordo on live skipjacks. One of the local boats landed a 350-pound Black Marlin, a long four-hour battle on a 50-pound test and 120# fluoro leader.
There is a chance of catching a few bottom fish earlier in the morning while jigging. There was a 65+ pound amberjack caught at Iman. Some small dorado were also caught on live caballito.
Cabo San Lucas
The larger yellowfin tuna and dorado were on the prowl this last week of August! Those seeking billfish were delighted with the choices, including blue, black, striped marlin, and some feisty sailfish. All in all, it was a fun and productive week. And it appears to continue during the upcoming month.
Recently, all species Combined Catch Success Rate 78.57% Billfish, 46.45%, Dorado 19.64%, Tuna 23.21%, Other Species 7.14%.
Gary Graham
That Baja Guy
thatbajaguy@gmail.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.