As we usher in the new year, it’s a time not just for reflection, but also for anticipation. The possibilities for the upcoming fishing season are endless, and this sense of anticipation keeps us hooked on the sport!
Looking back, in the mid-70s, I had the good fortune to be introduced to Tom Miller, a writer and photographer for Western Outdoor News, one of the columnists who followed Ray Canon. From then until his passing in 1993, we explored the Baja Peninsula together and independently. Another Baja Buddy was Baja Author and WON columnist Gene Kira, a frequent visitor at our home away from home at East Cape, “Rancho Deluxe.” Not long ago, I stumbled across his website, “MEXFISH,” filled with many original stories of his adventures in Baja. I could not have imagined that 40 or 50 years later, I would be sitting at my desk, a full-time writer and photographer myself, following in their footsteps.
During January, the odds are that the closer one fishes to the northern border, the less likely conditions will be ideal. Beginning with the Coronado Islands to Guerrero Negro, weather-driven conditions are likely to influence fishing conditions inshore, which will be consistent down the west coast of Baja Norte, including Ensenada and San Quintín.
San Felipe offers an ideal climate with various fishing opportunities ranging from shore to panga or multi-day trips with the Tony Reyes Fleet from April through November. There is also a rich culture and history to be found in the area.
Gonzaga Bay is another treasure of Baja California, located just under three hours (100 miles) south of San Felipe along Highway 5. During January, anglers can expect grouper, corbina, croaker, sargo, and maybe small roosterfish for an exciting catch using light tackle, shrimp, or squid strips for bait. The mild January weather is a plus, but those occasional winds can stir things up.
Fishing in Bahía de Los Ángeles, 325 miles below Mexicali, is another January option, especially with yellowtail being the targeted species! The diverse species you can catch include white sea bass, sheepshead, grouper, cabrilla, and bonito, making it a worthwhile trip.
Deep jigs and bait in the winter, medium trolling plugs, trolling feathers, a high-ratio reel for jigging, and an 80 to 100-pound outfit for heavy bait and jig fishing are essential for success.
Guerrero Negro
At Guerrero Negro, Chema Medina, a friend who runs a family-owned fishing business in Guerrero Negro, reported good tuna fishing recently with no end in sight.
2024 FISHING TOURNAMENTS CONCLUDE WITH BAHÍA ASUNCIÓN, MULEGÉ, BCS
The fishing Cooperativa California de San Ignacio and FONMAR had a fantastic tournament in mid-December at Bahia Asunción with 34 teams and 200,000 pesos in prize money.
The Bahia Asunción’s phenomenal tuna bite finally ran its course in mid-December. However, there is still the home guard yellowtail to pursue. …Shari Bondi – Owner-Operator at La Bufadora Inn
Loreto
According to local anglers, only a few boats were heading out recently. The yellowtail and cabrilla were biting live bait and various lures. Surface action along the shoreline cranked out roosterfish of all sizes (up to 25 pounds). Yellowtail at the high spots were biting mackerel, traditional iron, and newer knife-blade jigs. Most yellows were under 18 pounds, and they have only had some visual sightings of “toad” yellows.
The winter winds have started to throw the schedules off for the fishermen, but the wintergreen water hasn’t moved in. Once the green water arrives (along with the whales), the recent hot bite will slip and become spotty.
Bahía Magdalena
At Magdalena Bay, Jeff DeBrown reported that marlin fishing is still happening in the Tosca area. There is not much except a few tuna between Thetis and Tosca. The water is cold and green until near Tosca, and even there, the water is 68 and green, but there is bait and a lot of fish. He thinks some are starting to move south towards Cabo. There is plenty of action in Magdalena Bay. Inside, the mangroves are producing snapper, snook, and golden trevally.
La Paz and Muertos Bay
The weather is mostly sunny, with daytime highs of 78 to 82 degrees and night temps dropping to the low 50s.
If the wind blows, it usually blows outside the bay, and it’s rough, so check forecasts before going out. Usually, however, the water is cold and off-color at this time of year, though there are still warm patches of water holding pelagic species.
FISH HOOKED RECENTLY: Dorado, snapper, amberjack, cabrilla, roosterfish, bonito, jack crevalle, and Sierra.
East Cape
There is still bait in front of Palmas de Cortez, holding a few small dorado, roosterfish and Sierra. Sardina has been in front of Los Barriles and along the beaches to the north.
Gordo Banks
Recently most of the fleet concentrated on Iman and hooked nicer yellowfin on squid strips. The tuna bite was spotty, with most being footballs. They saw four or five fish in the 60 to 100-pound range and landed a few nice dorado while drifting squid strips. The sardina supply remains an issue, and the few netted are small.
They saw a couple of 40 to 45-pound wahoo at Iman that were caught with live skipjack. Captains reported the wahoo as being finicky as they followed the bait for long periods. The marlin bite at Gordo also slowed down. Only a few marlin were caught. Reports are more marlin action is towards Cabo.
Cabo San Lucas
Catch success rate 94%. All species combined comprise 87% Billfish, 68% Dorado 14%, Tuna 14%, and Other 36%.
Scott Elsa from Georgia was fishing aboard the “CHASIN TAIL,” a 62-foot Viking, with Captain Pepe and Mates Ulises, Ramon, and Dulce. The atmosphere was electric as they celebrated the catches and the day on the water! Scott caught and released four 90 to 100-pound striped marlin on mackerel, one 35-pound wahoo on ballyhoo, and five grouper from 15 to 40 pounds on squid at the Golden Bank.
There have been many double-digit striped marlin releases, yellowfin tuna catches in the double digits with weights reaching as high as 200 pounds, and the wahoo has been up to 87 pounds…quite sizeable, and there have also been multiple catches. Remarkably, the dorado have been shy, and have hung back, so they haven’t been as plentiful. But their absence was hardly noticeable.
So, many successful fishing trips have occurred in the area, setting a promising tone for the upcoming year.
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.