Baja Bytes – May 10, 2022
Que Pasa
BAJA (Norte)
“There is a limit of two bluefin tuna per angler for sport fishing”…published on 05/04/22 in the Official Gazette of the Federation, the AGREEMENT that establishes the permissible catch number of bluefin tuna (Thunnus Orientalis) in waters under the federal jurisdiction of the Pacific Ocean of the United Mexican States and in marine waters in the regulatory area of the Commission Interamerican Tropical Tuna Fund for the year 2022.
FOURTH ARTICLE. Catches of bluefin tuna (Thunnus Orientalis) during sport/recreational fishing activities with Mexican-flagged vessels that operate under a permit to carry out sport/recreational fishing in marine waters under the federal jurisdiction of the United Mexican States in the Pacific Ocean will have a maximum limit of two daily specimens per fisherman, in accordance with the catch limit for marine organisms of the same species established in the Modification to the Official Mexican Standard NOM-017-PESC-1994, to regulate fishing activities (sport/recreational) in the waters of the federal jurisdiction of the United Mexican States, published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on November 25, 2013’…Provided by Victor Mendez , IGFA Representative
Tijuana Bull Ring Anglers fishing small bait and plastics have been getting both short and legal-sized bass. Some talk of little pencil barracuda, too, but no legal-size fish. …Fishdope.com
Coronado Islands / Rockpile It has been pretty slow lately, with just a sample of yellows along the weather side of North Island.
Fish Dope Member William Casey was out on the Minesweeper yesterday and scored a yellowtail and a barracuda on fly-lined sardine late in the morning. All this wind will NOT help! We expect the water will roll over and drop several degrees back into the mid to upper 50s. …Fishdope.com
Upper 500 / Double 220 / 295 / Hidden Bank
The Small Craft Advisory is up through Wednesday. “ALMOST” the entire fleet is on hold until better weather arrives. I said “almost” because at least one boat braved the conditions/forecast and was out fishing last night and today. The New Lo-An, out on a 1.75-day trip, is reported to have caught 30 bluefin last night in the 90 to 200-pound class! They were down in that same zone between the 238 and the Banda Bank in a 4 to 5-mile block.
Most of the fleet is ready to run, departing on Wednesday night and fishing on Thursday. The tuna might need to be relocated, but, likely, they will not be far from where they were last found before the wind started. …Fishdope.com
Ensenada
San Quintin
Another great day with a 92-pound bluefin! It was a great crew with Don Girskis.…Oscar Catian
Baja Sur
2022 EDITION SCHEDULE FOR
THE MARINA PUERTO ESCONDIDO FISHING TOURNAMENT.
With more than 45 confirmed pre-registered teams, an accumulated purse of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS will be distributed among the first places in this THIRD EDITION of the fishing tournament! This weekend, everything is ready to celebrate the Marina Puerto Escondido Fishing Tournament 2022.
Framed by the Sierra de la Giganta and the Sea of Cortez, there is no better setting for this great event than the excellent facilities of the Marina Puerto Escondido in Loreto. The tournament will take place this weekend from the 13th to the 15th of May.
Ascensión Bay
Another chilly, overcast, foggy morning here in Ascensión. I had every intention of splashing the boat this morning when I went to bed last night. However, seeing and feeling the conditions this morning, whatever motivation and good intentions, I had last night quickly dissipated. I was out on Thursday, and when I launched at the ramp, the water temperature was 53 degrees, and when I got to Isla San Roque, I was reading 50.3 degrees. In checking my Terafin Sea Surface Temperature App, I find that one would have to travel to Vancouver Island to find colder water.
On a positive note, I did have an excellent pick on some chunky calico bass and sheepshead in some of the ugliest dirty green water.
We are experiencing a pretty good South swell generated by a storm in the Southern hemisphere. The local surfers are digging it. I’ve never been on a surfboard, but I can’t imagine any rush from riding those waves that would be enough to get in that water, regardless of what garb I wore to lessen the shock– including a cold-water survival suit. …Ross Zoerhof
Bahía Concepción
@firesail112 (Bret Mitchell) took me sailing on his 45 Hunter for over a month around the Sea of Cortez many moons ago. I had the pleasure of picking him up at his anchorage today to do a little diving. Bret scored his “Bucket Fish” off the gun and caught a released a trophy Roosterfish…Nathan Burbey
Loreto
It’s been a kick-back week out on the waters around Loreto. The weather has been clear and heading to summer temperatures between 85 and 90 most days. The yellowtail count averages 2 to 4 fish per boat, with most fish in the “near 20-pound class.” Following Coronado’s north side, La Cholla was one of the most fished destinations. The Coronado-Candeleros boats caught a mixed bag, while La Cholla was mostly YT’s. The Mother’s Day weekend may have had something to do with the limited interest. The bait supply of live mackerel has been solid, and I saw one panga in front of the public beach casting a net for sardina this afternoon! May is usually the month when things begin to accelerate when the blue water touches Punta Lobo!...Rick
1st. “Pink Promise” Women’s Fishing Tournament.
The tournament features 60 teams and 230 anglers.
1st Place went to LAS BITING CABLES with 81.2-pounds of jurel (accumulated weight). $50,000 insured.
2nd Place SEA-ÑORITAS won with 70.00- pounds accumulated weight in jurel. $30,000
3rd Place – NAUTILUS GIRLS with accumulated jurel, weight 78.00-pounds. $20,000
Jury Jackpot $1,000, $2,000, and $3,000 went to Team PEARL CUTS with 28.8-pounds of jurel $ 101,000.
The jackpot of Gold $1,000 ARGUENDERS. With 15.6-pounds of Gold with a bag of $5,100. Jackpot of gold, $2,000 and $3,000.
Team Sea-ñoritas took 2nd Place at the first all-women’s fishing tournament in Baja California Sur, Pink Promise Torneo Pesca Femenil Loreto! Sula Vanderplank, Elizabeth Garcia, Caryl Cantrell, and a great Captain, Paco Collins, caught six yellowtail south of Danzante yesterday and one heading back just south of Carmen Island. Only 5 or 10 other boats headed south, so we all took advantage of what the area offered! A combined weight of the three biggest came in at 79.0 pounds, and the heaviest fish came in at 26-plus pounds, which was close but did not make the win for the jackpot!!
The tournament benefits Onco Loreto, an organization that helps people and families affected by cancer. Felicidad to all who participated! Let’s do it again!
La Paz
Early season roosterfish bite excites both fly fishers and conventional anglers. Many boasting that they caught their personal best bucket fish
THE MEXICAN MINUTE LA PAZ FISHING REPORT from Tailhunter Sportfishing for the Week of May 3-9, 2022
East Cape
…Matt Clifton Scorpion Sportfishing
Puerto Los Cabos
The climate is perfect now in Southern Baja with a warming trend, clear sunny skies, lighter winds, average highs, and lows of from 65 to 80 degrees. There are light crowds of anglers, so it is an ideal time to plan a trip. Anglers use various bait, including sardina, anchoveta, caballito, and squid strips. The main action was centered around La Fortuna, Iman, and San Luis Banks.
The water temperature is warming, ranging from a chilly 67 on the Pacific side to 75 degrees near Vinorama. Warmer water is found closer to shore to about five miles out, where cooler currents are sweeping through. Overall, the conditions were good. I was visiting Los Cabos, and I managed to steal away and fish with Eric’s Gordo Banks Pangas. Great weather, water temps were 74-78 (we were told), pretty clear water, few birds, a couple of porpoise, and eventually, a 600-pound sea lion joined the party. It was a little chilly during the ride, but it was a great day overall. Our skipper, Freddie, was terrific! We boarded, stopped around the corner for $20 worth of live bait, then headed toward the San Luis Bank. Drifted that area for near limits of bonito and were soon joined by several other boats. It seemed Freddie was ahead of the game, and others followed. Then we switched gears and headed for some bottom fishing, where we managed a few nice groupers and released a “glass eye.” A 6-foot shark cruised through and bit off a couple of our lines as we worked the area. Overall, it was a nice day; we got to pull on some Baja fish and have some fish stories. Now back to the pool! Tight lines! …Angling Allen
https://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/gordo-banks-5-3.794412/
Many of the same patterns! It was great all-around weather; the days were becoming progressively warmer, with clear sunny skies and lots of tourists in town, although there seemed to be more people attending weddings than anglers are looking to fish. As a result, there are only light crowds of charter activity. Ocean water temperatures are quickly warming up into the mid-70s or more, though on the grounds to the north, anglers are encountering off-colored greenish waters. The main fishing action is off the various high spots, particularly from Iman to San Luis Banks.
Anglers have been using a combination of anchoveta, sardina, and caballito for bait and dropping yo-yo style jigs. There are chances at yellowfin tuna on these same grounds where squid strips are used, although we saw less yellowfin action this week than in previous weeks. Only a few tuna were caught, mainly in the 15 to 20-pound range.
Most numerous fish have been the Pacific Bonito, schooling on the high rocky spots and readily striking on the yo-yo jigs, sizes up to about 8-pounds. They are excellent fish to eat, unlike their cousins in SoCal waters. Also, on the same grounds, there were red snapper, yellow snapper, barred pargo, leopard grouper, whitefish, amberjack, triggerfish, and others; though the action was hit or miss for these species,
No dorado or wahoo action to report. Ocean currents are quickly warming the waters. As the water cleans up some, the surface action should improve. Some striped marlin are moving back into range, and a handful of these billfish was hooked into and landed this past week from areas straight off San Jose del Cabo and north to the outside of the Gordo Banks and San Luis.
No roosterfish were found close to shore. There were, however, sierra and jack crevalle. Surf anglers reported a few nice snook and lots of jack crevalle on the beach north of Puerto Los Cabos jetty. …Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas
Cabo San Lucas
Weekend fun on the Pisces 35′ and 32′ Bill Collectors! Yesterday angler Donna Candioti landed this bull dorado aboard Pisces 35′ Bill Collector, and her group also released striped marlin. The day prior, Pisces 32′ Bill Collector targeted yellowfin on a half-day trip and made it happen! Then the guys finished up with some bonito (Yes. We know how to cook ’em up good in Cabo!)
READ THIS CAPTION! “Cannonball” Jack May has been fishing with us since 1981! We always say we have the best and most loyal anglers here at Pisces, but Jack has to take the cake for his 41 years of fishing with us — almost since the inception of the fleet in 1978.
Jack’s nickname comes from his race-car driving days. He still holds the Cannonball World Record (from the original Cannonball Baker Sea to Shining Sea Trophy Dash) with an impressive 35-hour and 53-minute drive from New York City to California. He is always happy to be on the water with us, and again today, he released his second Striped Marlin!
I can’t say this enough, but this is why we love what we do! Incredible times with even more incredible people!!! … Pisces Sportfishing Fleet
That Baja Guy-Gary Graham
