The Mexican Sports Fishing Team will be made up of sport fishermen from Ensenada
The Head of the Secretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Government of the State of B.C., Dr. Alma Rosa García Juárez, in coordination with the National Federation of Sport Fishing, AC, and the State Association of Fishing Clubs of Baja California, made the delivery of appointments and official flag to the members of the Mexican Sport Fishing team made up of two teams with eight sport fishermen from Ensenada, Baja California, who were the winners of the Gold and Silver Medal within the “XVI NATIONAL FISHING CHAMPIONSHIP OF SPORTS “BIG GAME TROLLING 2021” held in Huatulco, Oaxaca, giving them the opportunity to represent Mexico in said world event to be held in Pescara, Italy from September 10 to 17, 2022. In this world event, the participation of 12 countries is estimated (Spain, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Germany, Senegal, Croatia, Switzerland, England, Brazil, Panama and Mexico).
The selection is made up of the renowned fishermen of the entity: Marco Ornelas Sr., Pablo Ornelas Jr., Guillermo Pimentel, Ernesto Carrillo, Juan Martínez, Manuel Espinoza, Jacob López, and Jacinto Sánchez. These are some of the achievements obtained by Baja Californian fishermen in national and international Sport Fishing fairs:
National Sub championship “BIG GAME TROLLING 2020” in Mazatlan, Sin. 2020
National Beach Fishing Sub championship in Mazatlan, Sin. 2021
Bronze Medal in the Pan American Beach Championship in Costa Rica 2021
Gold and Silver Medal at the BIG GAME TROLLING National Championship, Huatulco, Oax., 2022
Tijuana Bull Ring Spotty hit-and-miss bass fishing in the kelp line recently. A lack of anchovy for bait didn’t help. Oversized, half-dead sardines were the only available bait. They worked better as mashed-up chum for fishing with plastics than they did as hook bait.
Some boats spotted very short barracuda in the kelp line, around 18″ to 24″. However, none are legal-sized.
The last couple of days have been quiet. The yellows are following and working big spots of anchovy and are stuffed full of them out in the flats toward South Island. They are super boat shy! A few are jumping on mint-colored surface iron if you set up away from the school and allow them to come to you. However, the boats that drive right up to the fish spook them and are not catching any. …Fishdope.com
Coronado Islands / Rockpile
The Vendetta scored a whopping 55 triggerfish at the Islands on Saturday. They didn’t report where exactly, but WOW!!
Barracuda fishing is seeing improvement. Some legal-size fish are now showing at Ribbon Kelp and on the Middle Grounds.
Some boats spotted signs of yellowtail at the Middle Grounds with good sonar marks on the ridge, but the fish didn’t want to bite.
Calico bass are also biting okay in the Middle Grounds, the Boiler Rocks at Middle Island, South Kelp, and SKR. The water is clean and warm at 64 to 66 degrees.
The Mexican Navy was out and about checking boats, so be sure and have all your paperwork. …Fishdope.com
Corner / 226-302 / 230 / San Salvador Knoll
Not much to report from this Zone today. The anglers are saying they do not see many signs of fish.
Still, stay observant! Just one little bird can make your entire trip. So, keep that in mind.
Also, be sure to check kelps if you are out this way. They have been holding a few yellows lately – not in a large volume, but enough to be worth it if you catch one or two.
Evening Report from Frank Flores;
I was out today five miles west of the 226 and hooked up a bluefin on the troll. It hit a pink spreader bar.…Fishdope.com
Ensenada
I had a chance to get away for a couple of days and do some panga fishing in Ensenada on 5/31 and 6/1. My friend Steve took an extended Memorial Day weekend to make the trip with me. We fished inshore the first day and offshore the second. …mrmdubb
https://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/ensenada-2-days-2-pangas.796655/
West of Ensenada / Hidden Bank / Upper 500 / 295 / 238
The boats saw some bluefin but not in big numbers. They may take a little time to re-locate to some good schools.
The local panga fleet out of Ensenada has been fishing this Zone and doing quite well. Most of them are dragging Nomad Mad-Macs around and getting a surprising number of stops on 30 to 100-lb. bluefin during the day.
For everyone else, it is sinker rig sardine fished on 60 to 80-lb. test fluorocarbon and a 2/0 circle hook during the day. It is 100% on the knife jigs on sonar marks from 50 to 300 feet deep at night.
There is decent kelp paddy yellowtail fishing down this way. Many of the boats did well on those the last several days.
BFT POPOTLA A Beach Launch Panga to the tuna grounds 20 miles from the border.
https://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/bft-popotla.796709/#post-5564040
San Quintin
My dad returned to San Quintin Thursday to fish on Friday before the wind picked up. While the weather was good today, the tuna fishing was down. My dad didn’t get any bites, and the bulk of the fleet didn’t get tuna either. I’m not sure if they moved from a week ago or are just not biting. …Fullclip
https://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/san-quintin-6-3.796820/
Bay of Los Angeles
The first day of fishing was at the big island. One word — EPIC! It was the best surface iron bite I’ve experienced down there. It didn’t matter what you threw; they ate it! The average size was mid-teens. We got our fill of yellows, then started the campaign for cabrilla. After about 20 minutes, we find a spot where they’re stacked up and motivated. It was EPIC fishing and all on stick bait! …SDWaterman
https://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/bdla-5-31-6-2.796884/
Baja Sur
Cedros Island
Yellowtail are in full spawn mode at Cedros island right now. Several boats getting limits a very good grade of fish. All action is on the front side right near town. Water temp is 64. Surface iron and stickbaits are working very well Calico bass are in pre-spawn mode.
Any bait is working. Fish are from 1’ to 50’ all around the island…Jeff Mariani
Cedros island fishing has started for some of the local companies for a few weeks now. As seen in their own reports, there is good amount of fish already, with some reported yellowtail limits reached just after a couple hours of fishing. It seems the range of sizes go between high 20’s, but mostly are in the high 30’s…..and this is just the beginning of the season. So, we anticipate a daily action filled fishing days for every angler at the island, not only for the main attraction of feisty yellowtail, but also the other regulars such as the abundant calicos and the always welcome #30 halibut.
As we move into the season, we expect to be able to report catches of dorado starting in August, and the attempts for ”ghosts” and grouper all over the lee side and the dense kelp forests of Cedros. Last week we received a video from our crew fishing yellowtail from the beach in town that seems incredible fun.
With the looming, and exhausting COVID-19 still present in less than before fashion, we are not expecting any restrictions or requirements from the island or travel authorities, but we highly recommend to be cautious and wear a mask when in company of others in closed quarters. If necessary, use a quick test for your own peace of mind, and respect for others. On that matter, our crew still sanitize your rooms and the common grounds of the lodge as a precaution.
The local companies, including ourselves (Cedros Outdoor Adventures) seems to be having mostly full groups of anglers to capacity, with scattered seats available all over the calendar of trips. We will have our season between July 8th and late October, fishing every day of your trip on our Premium package. By starting in July we think that every one of our guests will start with much expected non-stop action. Check the webpage www.cedrosoutdooradventures.com or call 619.793.5419 if interested in booking your trip, or general questions about the island and fishing gear required.
Loreto
It’s a cortez hake. They can be pretty wormy. They’re also very oily and can have effects like an escolar if too much is consumed. Cool catch.
Pacific hake, Merluccius productus! Ranges from Gulf of California to Bering Sea …Charles Mitchell
How close to town are the dorado? This question has been on many minds and seeing that we are into June, it is time for an answer. We have recently discussed the readiness of the Loreto mango crop and connected that item with the also natural changes in water temperature and clarity. That brings us back to what’s up with the dorado? So many answers about that and fishing, in general, have pointed to a busy season. Dorado are out in the blue water to the east of Punta Lobo, quite a distance to run. That’s great, but “who will pay for all that gas?”
Stuck back fishing close to town are the boats that still enjoy the excellent yellowtail season. Cabrilla and many of the shallow water rockfish-type are working the surface. Firecrackers, yellow snapper, and pargo are hitting chummed sardina and trolled hard bait along the coastline north of town. This past weekend, the best yellowtail hotspot was off the Lagrimas Point on Coronado Island! (So close! How do you like that, you folks who are a little tight on the gas situation?)
The average YT has been pulling down the scales at 15pounds. However, cabrilla come in at all sizes, from 2 pounds to 14 pounds. Sardina are here in force, and mackerel have been available every day. …Rick Hill, Click Here
La Paz
MEXICAN MINUTE LA PAZ FISHING REPORT from Tailhunter Sportfishing for the Week of May 18-25, 2022
East Cape
The water temperature is about the same as last week –- 78 to 81 degrees. It has been clear and clean, with some afternoon breezes.
The weather has been excellent, with highs in the 80s and cool mornings and evenings.
The yellowfin have arrived. This season, the tuna have gotten a slow start, with large pods of porpoise holding medium-sized yellowfin. The tuna started early in the week, 50 miles offshore. The schools moved closer inshore as the week progressed and are now about 25 miles off. The striped marlin are biting consistently. In addition, some big dorado are mixed in with the marlin.
Inshore, boats are catching nice yellowtail in the 30-pound range, along with pompano, pargo, grouper, and some nice amberjack. The rooster fishing has improved this week as well. The water and air temps are much cooler than average for this time of year. Anglers need jackets for the first morning hour of fishing.
The yellowfin bite has been slow, with the much cooler than normal water early in the season. However, it picked up this week with porpoise holding large schools of 15-pound average tuna quite a distance outside. The fish have moved closer and are now 20 to 25 miles offshore. They are taking hoochies, cedar plugs, and tuna feathers.
Striped marlin are found from 3 to 10 miles offshore. The bite is best off the Lighthouse and south. They are taking slow-trolled ballyhoo. Boats targeting them are usually releasing at least one.
The cooler than normal water inshore has some nice yellowtail in the 20 to 40-pound class being caught and brought to the cleaning table – pompano, nice-sized pargo, grouper, and amberjack. The bait of choice are squid and caballito.
Some excellent 40 to 50-pound class wahoo were taken directly in front of the hotel, two to three hundred yards off the hotel boat mooring, almost all on Rapalas.
Every week the roosterfish bite is improving. As the water warms, the fishing will continue to improve. The larger roosters are biting live caballito. …John Ireland, Rancho Leonero
Puerto Los Cabos
i
Not as many tourists are in town now. Perhaps with school semesters finishing up soon, we will see more families traveling in the coming weeks. However, people seem to be watching their money more with the ever-increasing costs of fuel, groceries, and everything else. We will see what happens this summer.
Since this was the first week of the new month, it was busy locally with the annual Dia de la Marina fiesta in La Playita, Puerto Los Cabos Marina. What a mess of congestion! This area is not as large as it used to be, and the fiesta makes it very difficult for the everyday work routine.
The Pelagic Tournament was held June 3 and 4 out of Cabo San Lucas. The team of Juan Castro of Carpinteria, Calif., won Second Day overall with a 148-pound yellowfin tuna. Captain Chame Pino and his brother Jesus, along with Chuy Banaga, are all long-time panga guides for Gordo Banks Pangas and were all part of this team. So a big congratulations to them!
Weather patterns are still in transition. It is still quite comfortable, not too hot, considering we are nearing the official start of summer. However, we are experiencing the crazy, unpredictable currents and winds from both the north and the south. As a result, the ocean is slightly more stirred up, off-colored to the north, and the ocean temperature averages 72 to 78-degrees – cooler towards the Pacific.
Most local sportfishing charters are fishing areas from Red Hill to La Fortuna, Iman, and San Luis. They mainly concentrated on the bottom, where action has been more productive than the surface. Bait supplies consisted of caballito, anchoveta, and sardina. Unfortunately, there are still not many mullet showing up. Therefore, anglers used a combination of bait and yo-yo jigs. Boats did land quality-sized red snapper (huachinango) (up to 15-pounds) and a handful of amberjack (a few up to 50-lbs.). In addition, they caught leopard grouper, bonito, triggerfish, yellow snapper, barred pargo, and others, all excellent eating fish.
The yellowfin tuna action was limited, just a few seen all week for our charters. There was no wahoo to speak of, although, later in the week, we did see a handful of dorado. During the Pelagic Tournament, teams accounted for a couple of bulls over 50 pounds. Schooling bolito are now congregating on offshore grounds. They are always a promising sign and make excellent baits.
Billfish action was found farther offshore, though the panga charters hooked into several striped marlin on the same grounds where the bottom action was going on.
Not much to report close to shore. More jack crevalle, a few sierra, and limited scattered roosterfish. Schools of mullet have not shown in significant numbers yet. They are behind schedule this season. Lots of jumping manta rays for added entertainment. …Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas
Cabo San Lucas
Pelagic Triple Crown Tourney Results
There was some epic fishing this year with 37 Teams releasing 304 marlin, a few dorado over 50-pounds, 40-pound wahoo, and tuna over 200 pounds! This tourney was tough! Here are the winners and earnings: Happy to see Pisces boats sweep the Dorado Division.
*1st Place Dorado and Day One Jackpots – 56.3 pounds –
Pisces 48-foot Listo – Earned them $20,668 U.S.
*2nd Place Dorado – 53 pounds – Team Laguna Madre aboard
Pisces 66-foot Friday Bank – Earned them $5,180 U.S.
*3rd Place Dorado – 49.5 pounds – Marlin Release
Pisces 38-foot C Rod – Earned them $6,272 U.S.
*1st Place Marlin Release and Day 2 Jackpots – 38 Marlin total – Team Stella June – and an impressive 26 Marlin Released on Day 2 Only! – Earned them $153,336 U.S.
*2nd Place Marlin Release and Day 1 Daily Jackpots with 36 Marlin – Team Cloud Nine – Earned them $136,760 U.S. They had one engine fail two hours before lines out that put them back, but they were neck and neck until the end!
*3rd Place Marlin Release With 35 Marlin – Team Tail Chaser – Earned them $4,144 U.S.
TUNA DIVISION
*1st Place Tuna Division – 226-lb. Tuna – Defending Tuna Div Champs! Team Lets Go – Earned them $52,868 U.S.
*2nd Place Tuna Division – 148-lb. Tuna – Team Castros – Earned them $22,180 U.S.
*3rd Place Tuna Division – 28-lb Tuna – Team Crudo – Earned them $10,072 U.S.
WAHOO DIVISION
*1st Place Wahoo + Dailies – 42.9 pounds – Team Captiva 3 – Earned them $27,468 U.S.
*2nd Place Wahoo – 24.8 pounds – Team Carpe Diem – Earned them $9,180 U.S.
*3rd Place Wahoo + Dailies – 23.7 pounds – Team Los Lobos – Earned them $14,072 US.. …www.piscessportfishing.con
LOCATION: The best fishing locations have been the Herradura Bank, three miles from the Point, Cabrillo, Sol Mar, the 1150 Spot, the 95 Spot, Chawita, and Cerro Colorado, and 25 miles outside the old Lighthouse.
WEATHER CONDITIONS: The sea temps run from 69 to 73-degrees. The ocean has been calm, with three to five-foot swells and 5 to 9.5-knot winds. Air temps have been from 73 to 83-degrees with clear skies.
BEST LURES: The best bait has been alive or dead mackerel, flying fish, sardina, ballyhoo, caballito, and red and white plunger style marlin lures, in addition to deep-running plugs like Rapalas and Marauders.
That Baja Guy-Gary Graham
Baja Bytes Sportfishing 