By That Baja Guy-Gary Graham
Apr 22, 2020 at 7:20 AM
4/20/20: Road update: We made it fine to San Ignacio from Rancho Leonero in 9 1/2 hours. Roads empty. Gas stations were open everywhere. No more health inspection stops after Constitucion! Mulege was wide open and no one was in masks.
4/21/20: Five hours from San Ignacio to San Felipe. Road construction with one lane open in a couple of spots at km 142 and 260 (that one is north of the turn off for LA Bay). The Hwy. Five sign is down, so be alert. There are tons of new pavement, the wildflowers are in full bloom, with a few rocks to watch for on the road; gas is plentiful – everywhere, and takeout food is readily available all the way to the border.
Que Pasa
There are 198 currently active cases reported in Baja California Sur and 159 suspected cases with 8 deaths. In Baja California, there are 619 suspected cases and 786 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus.
The death toll on the peninsula now stands at 8 in Baja California Sur and 83 in Baja California
The stay at home (Quedate en Casa) directives scheduled for April have been extended through May 30, 2020. This includes the closure of hotels, theaters, and public gatherings, restaurants, tours, sportfishing, and charters. There are now 8261 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mexico with 684 deaths. The number of new cases in Mexico rose by 10% while deaths rose by 10% in the last 24hr…Baja Insider
Tijuana
https://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/pst-4-16.743084/
Ensenada
Mara’s Sportfishing Ensenada
Locals on their boats may fish to provide food for their families.
San Quintin
Bahía Asunción
Imagine trying your best to isolate yourself AND your family and your house catches on fire! That happened in Asunción this week. Because there is no fire department and no fire-fighting equipment (as is usually the case), the house and all possessions were a total loss. This is the info I got on the house fire. I have and will be dropping off my donations at the DIF office. I’ll try to get some other options for you out of the residents.
Dif Bahia Asuncion is with Bahía Asunción Branch Bcs and Martina Ojeda Castillo .
“We request your support for Javier Mendivil, better known as “El Mocho.”
His house was burned, and he lost all his belongings. Whoever wants to contact him, to support him, he needs all kinds of construction materials, as well as furniture, clothes, and pantry items. His property is next to the Espinoza Tire Company, and he is staying right there on his land for the time being. Thank you in advance…Ross Zoerhof
Mulege
Recent reports are that the residents in the town of Mulege are no longer quarantined.
Loreto
Not a lot of fishing to report as most people are still staying home waiting out the conclusion of the pandemic. Hopefully, that will happen soon. Down at the Marina, the chain is back up, blocking the boat ramp. A few boats have been launching over the beach in Zaragosa and “Negrita.”
Another week has passed, and we should see more anglers out fishing to put food on the table. Most businesses are closed, putting a halt on income and paychecks.
The seasonal changes seem to be on schedule as far as we can see from shore. Water temperatures seem to be rising, judging from the piles of sargasso that the recent north winds blew up on our beaches.
The sea birds are diving into bait schools, making me eager to get back to socializing with some hungry fish…Rick Hill, Pinchy Sportfishing
Magdalena Bay
Okay, now for the fish report – cannery sardina fishing 24-hours a day for
sardina fish oil and burning sardina for fertilizer. With no limits, and trying to keep the economy going, I don’t know what impact 400 tons per day will have.
There are nice school-size tuna on the ridge along with big yellowtail.
The grouper fishing, just okay. All of this means the families are eating nicely.
I hope this thing ends soon!
On a positive note, there are no reports of coronavirus in Lopez Mateos or San Carlos…
https://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/mag-bay-latest-report.743255/
La Paz
Not many, if anyone at all, has been fishing except the gringos who live in the area or the locals. And even then, very few were out, and there were no fish taken – the waters were mostly empty.
All of the hotels are still closed until at least May 30. The police and military are enforcing the closure of the Malecón and all of the beaches, although many of the people are still ignoring the shelter-in-place laws.
Authorities are now posting signs, but the local population has also started unilaterally blocking entrances into their towns for tourists, visitors, and even some of their own residents if they have been out of the area.
To prevent the spread of the virus, Loreto, San Xavier, Todos Santos, Los Barriles, and other towns have blocked their roads in and out. Around La Paz, the road to Las Arenas/Muertos Bay, with entrances to the pueblitos where many of the fishermen and their families live, including, Aguamarga, San Pedro, Bahia Muertos, Punta Arenas, and Los Alamos have blocked their roads. They’re asking everyone to please stay away, and if you leave, they might not let you back in.
We wish things were better, but no one has been out on the water. Even the locals are having an issue with fishing for personal consumption. The ports have been closed for several weeks now to all traffic, but there’s quite a bit of confusion over whether local anglers can even fish for their families. Some think that it’s no problem, and they go out, but others have been stopped and told they can only be out if they have permits, and the paper process is lengthy and confusing.
From the few reports received from local anglers, there have been some schools of 25-pound class yellowtail around both Espirito Santo Island and Cerralvo Island. Tuna up to 70-pounds were seen at the north end of Cerralvo with scattered schools of dorado moving in as the water warms up. There are tons of bait, but no fishermen.
East Cape
Water – 72 to 73 degrees – and it has been clear and flat.
Air – It has been spring weather, with clear skies, and cool mornings. The highs have been in the 70s to the low 80s with light afternoon breezes.
A sign of the times: In front of the Van Wormer’s Resorts, that has the largest fleet in the area, there wasn’t one of their boats in the water – the fact that even the oldest of old-timers can never remember being the case in April, one of the most popular months of the year at East Cape.
Mark Rayor, sea trialing his “Jen Wren III,” ran across some striped marlin and they went zero for nine. The fish would tail up, see the live fin bait and turn away. A few of them came charging from a long way away, then put on the brakes when they saw what was offered wasn’t what they wanted. Mark had a feeling that the squid that he found on the beach early that morning might have been what would have turned them on.
Puerto Los Cabos
Puerto Los Cabos Marina fleet remains, for the most part, “Marina Bound,” even though a few of the privately-owned boats have been out and located some wahoo, and yellowfin tuna, along with some bottom action for cabrilla, amberjack, and red snapper, as well as a few dorado. The yellowfin have also been found farther offshore, ranging up to 100-pounds in size, while the wahoo weighed up to 50-pounds.
Cabo San Lucas
Mid-April 2020 in the Los Cabos region, the weather is relatively typical, the same as it usually is each year with highs in the low-80s and the lows in the mid-60s. Beyond that, like almost everywhere in the world, everything seems upside down. There are no International flights at the San Jose Airport. Only a few airlines are being allowed to fly in or out of Baja.
There are “Sheltering at Home” directives in place by the authorities, who insist that they remain in place until at least May 30, maybe longer. This, of course, also includes the closures of hotels, theaters, restaurants, tours, and other public gatherings. Sportfishing and charters have been put on hold, and the only fishing is for families to put food on the table.
Mainland México
San Carlos
Costa Rica
Ecotourism in Costa Rica’s natural splendor has always been a part of a successful visit to the Osa Peninsula and Crocodile Bay Resort, but the lodge has expanded its reach into the natural world offering a wide range of nature-based adventures.
https://www.bdoutdoors.com/crocodile-bay-resort-great-fishing/
Guatemala
It’s going to be a 🌟G R E A T 🌟 Week!
(305) 854-4665
Kirsten@CasaViejaLodge.com