Bajabytes Sport Fishing Update May 24, 2023
South (Baja Sur)
The Third Edition of “Pescando Residuos” collects 1.7 tons of waste in El Dátil, Mulege.
Marine Resources (FONMAR) in conjunction with groups of ecological conservation and recycling centers in the state.
The event achieved the participation of ninety-five people from the community, which in a tournament dynamic, competed to gather the most considerable possible amount of waste in the established perimeter, achieving the collection of 1.7 tons of waste, of which 468 kilos were sent to a recycling center, and 1,270 kilos of non-recyclable waste was destined for a sanitary landfill to be disposed of correctly.
The Director of FONMAR, Martín Inzunza Tamayo, and the Coordinator in Mulegé, Diana Higuera Villavicencio, gave the starting signal for the competition. The Teams “Villas,” “Las López,” and “Dinamita” would compete for the First, Second, and Third Place Awards, respectively, for the $3 thousand, $2 thousand, and $1 thousand (pesos), for the equivalency in waste they collected. In addition, all children who attended also participated in a raffle for gifts.
Through these initiatives, FONMAR seeks to promote from the State Administration, headed by Prof. Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío, a greater awareness for the care of the environment and conservation, tasks that especially involve the communities’ coastal areas to avoid pollution of the seas and the consequent affectation of marine species.
Loreto
The 4th Annual MPE Loreto Tournament dazzled as the attendance and prize money broke records for the 4th year in a row as fifty-eight teams competed for over $802,100 in cash prizes over the past weekend.
Cloaked in ideal weather, the fishing conditions in the Sea of Cortez were excellent. The event’s boundary consisted of fishing 65 miles up and down the coast + 50 miles off the coast from the Marina for notable catches in the Dorado and Yellowtail Categories or Catch and Release in the Billfish Category.
Congratulations to Team Bullrider in the Dorado Division for their 44.1-pound fish, earning them $118,550.
In the Yellowtail Division, First Place went to Team Los Cazadores (Fins Up) for the largest fish, weighing in at 41.2 pounds.
“Another historical achievement never considered before was establishing the Loreto area as a billfish hotspot. Once again, for the 4th year in a row, the number of billfish caught and released by the fleet exceeded triple digits,” Director Enrique Salcedo commented.
In that Division, adding their second Jackpot win over the past three events was Team La Chingona, participating in the event for the third time this year.
Martha McNab shared, “We love this tournament. Everything about it is top-rate – the competition, the facility, and the beautiful location. Everyone at MPE goes out of their way to accommodate the participants. The camaraderie on the docks among the owners, captains, and crew makes this event unique. I hope it maintains its quality and attempts are not made to grow it beyond the facility’s capacity. A big thank you to Enrique, Wendy, and all the staff for all their hard work! There is no other tournament like this one in Baja, and we will return next year!”
Team Count 58
Angler Count 191
Billfish Count 159
Dorado Count 27
Yellowtail Count 33
TOP CATCH/RELEASE TEAMS
Team La Chingona had 20 catches for $31,100.
Day 2 C & R Jackpot ALL 12 catches $130,500.
The Total Payout is $161,600.
Sneak Attack 15
2nd Place Overall 15 catches $11,200.
Day 1 Catch & Release Jackpot ALL 13 catches $131,000.
Total $142,200.
HEAVIEST TOURNAMENT YELLOWTAIL
Los Cazadores (Fins Up) John Grubb 41.2 lbs.
1st Place YT 41.2 lbs. $15,550.
Day 1 500 1K JP 41.2 lbs. $25,500.
Day 2 500 1K JP 41.2 lbs. $23,000.
Total $64,050.
Team MILF (Baja Dream) Kenny Golden 33.33 lbs.
2nd Place YT OVERALL 33.3 lbs. $5,850.
Total $5,850.
Los Ken (Chica Italina) Arturo Cosio
3rd Place YT 32.3 lbs.
EL DIABLO
DAY 1 Yellowtail JACKPOT 3K 5K 31.1 LBS $41,000.
DON JULIO
DAY 2 Yellowtail JACKPOT 3K 5K 30.2 LBS $41,000. $41,000.
HEAVIEST TOURNAMENT DORADO
Bull Rider, Trenton Twamley 44.1 lbs.
1st Place DORADO OVERALL 44.1 lbs. $15,550.
Day 2 $500 1K 3K DORADO JACKPOT $103,000.
Total $118,550.
Retriever Martha Macnab 43.2 lbs.
2nd Place DORADO Overall 43.2 lbs. $5,850.
Total $167,850.
The Mora (Team Jackpot) Francisco Astiazaran 41.5 lbs.
3rd Place DORADO 41.5 lbs.
OVERTIME
DAY 2 DORADO 5K Jackpot 36.9 lbs. $60,000.
Total $60,000.
Total Payout for the event $802,100.
For overall results, visit https://mpe23.catchstat.com/
Next year’s event is scheduled for May 17-19, 2024.
Lopez Mateos
Still very slow inside. Grouper, halibut, and corvina for Ray and Dave fishing four days inside last week.
Reports of some nice sierra outside.
Windy and marine layer keeping it cool here…Cheri King
La Paz
MEXICAN MINUTE LA PAZ FISHING REPORT from Tailhunter Sportfishing for the Week of May 11-18, 2023
East Cape
The summer action is really heating up on the Sea of Cortez! The usual suspects – roosterfish, yellowfin tuna, striped marlin, and the occasional dorado and wahoo – are all starting to show, and it will only get better from here on out! …Matt Clifton, Scorpion Sportfishing
Puerto Los Cabos
It is late spring, and weather patterns remain somewhat in transition and unpredictable. We have seen increased southern ocean swells, which are expected this time of year, and the ocean is progressively warming. It’s now in the 74 to 76-degree range. However, we are still dealing with north winds, and breezes are swirling around from the south on the same days, making for chopped-up ocean conditions and crazy currents.
Most fishing action is on the grounds from La Fortuna, Iman, San Luis, and towards Vinorama. Billfish have been centered around the 1150 Spot and toward Desteladera. Striped marlin are still the targeted deal, with a few scattered dorado mixed in. North of Los Frailes, there are reports of yellowfin tuna traveling with porpoise, but this is more of a commercial or private boat situation because of such long-range and fuel expenses.
The primary bait source has been caballito and jurelito. The boats are not seeing sardina, but ballyhoo and slabs of squid have been other options. A few yellowfin are being taken off San Luis Bank. Drift-fishing while fly-lining live caballito was the most successful. Anglers were lucky to hook up, but some boats even had a couple of nice-size tuna accounted for, ranging from 20 to 80 pounds.
On these same grounds, we saw mixed success from off the bottom, using a combination of bait, Rapalas, or yo-yo jigs. The species included bonito, red snapper, barred pargo, yellow snapper, amberjack, leopard grouper, and others. All were delicious eating fish, although none were found in significant numbers except for the larger white bonito, which seemed to prefer the trolled Rapala or caballito bait.
Limited charters were going out again this past week. They did see some roosterfish and jack crevalle action close in off the beach. Roosterfish to over 40 pounds were landed and released, though there were not many anglers targeting these fish. However, it is an excellent sign to see larger-sized roosterfish in our area already this early in the season, as the peak action for numbers of larger roosterfish is typically from mid-June to mid-July. …Good Fishing, Eric–
Cabo San Lucas
Based on the catches of Pisces Sportfishing Fleet.
SPECIES: Striped marlin, skipjack, yellowfin tuna, dorado, grouper, needlefish, ladyfish, sheepshead, jack crevalle, roosterfish, and yellowfin tuna.
WEATHER CONDITIONS: Clear with calm seas and waves to
three feet. The conditions are clear, with wind from 8 to 14 kt.
WATER TEMP: 75 – 77 degrees F.
AIR TEMP: 65-75 F.
BEST LURES: Paloslures, tigrillo, live and dead makarela, caballito, ballyhoo, lisa, and hoochies.
BEST LOCATIONS: The 1150 Spot, Punta Gorda, Cabrillo Mt. …Pisces Sportfishing Fleet
Baja Norte (North)
Bull Ring
There have been some yellows and bonito in the area.
Big bonito have been found at the North 9, and the barracuda watch is also on here. Time for the skinnies to show up. Get those jig sticks out and sling some surface iron.
The water has cleaned up a bit; the barracuda are starting to pop at the Coronados, and it is only a matter of time before they jump on anchovy bait balls in the IB area and move up to the La Jolla area.
Sandbass are beginning to bite again in IB and on the Pipe. In addition, they have been biting fresh, dead squid on the knocker rig.
Guys focusing on halibut are doing good in the IB area, working bounce ball rigs. Some of the best halibut fishing seen in years is happening right now.
However, most boats are still focused on rockfish at the 9 Mile Bank, where guys are scoring some nice quality reds and lingcod plus Mexican rockfish, chilies, bocaccio, barber poles, etc. …Fishdope.com
Coronado Islands / Rockpile
Fishing is unchanged. The Islands got looked at recently by a couple of boats, and the results were not encouraging. Clean 63-degree water but no gamefish there. North Island was devoid of life. Some spots of breezing bait in the Middle Grounds and just below South Island but no sign of gamefish on it.
Barracuda was on this last week, but they appear to be gone now.
Plenty of rockfish along with some lingcod at the Rockpile, so you won’t go home emptyhanded.…Fishdope.com
**** ATTENTION ****
You must stay at least 250 meters (820 feet) away from tuna pens. If you don’t, you are at risk of losing your boat and landing in a Mexican jail! …Fishdope.com
Ensenada
West of Todo Santo Island / Banda Bank / 238 / Peanut Bank / 60 Spot
Local pangas out of Ensenada have been fishing in this general area and scoring bluefin ranging from 20 to about 120 pounds.
Most are coming on 200-240mm MadMacs. …Fishdope.com
San Quintin
So, I left Baja Malibu MEX Monday morning at 6-am. Before the Ensenada Salsipuedes area, there is a major Detour – single lane each way for a long time, South of Ensenada Maneadero. There was major construction from just past the military base all the way to the Bufadora turn-off. I made it around 7-am. Southbound or just a bit past, I was through in about a 1/2 hour … the rest of the way was okay.
I left San Quintin today at 6-am and arrived at Maneadero at 8:30-am. It took me 1 and 1/2 hours to travel 13 miles (I can only imagine how long it will take after 12 noon) to take the free road back to avoid the nightmare on the toll road. The free road was fast and cool. (Plan carefully) or you will regret it.
OH yeah…and all the jerks that decide to try to get around on the dirt, and then they only want to cut in! Bring something to pee into because if you pull off the road, they will do their best to not let you back in. And if you have girls, figure it out ahead of time. Happy trails! …Apple Harbor PINCHE GUERO
Gonzaga Bay
Here’s why we should limit our leopard grouper (aka cabrilla) sardinera; they are all full of eggs. We need to practice what we preach – catch and release – and we will have a healthy fishery. Of course, we all know the consequences of loading up on these pregnant fish! …
Steve Pazol & John Sedgwick – double guys on the troll! …fishonnn&onnn…Captain Juan Cook
Bahia de Los Angeles
Just returned from my house in LA Bay. The fishing AND the weather were incredible! I got back on the 18th after a full week of fishing. The yellows are working micro-bait 42 miles from the boat ramp north end of the big island, plus there were lots of birds and bait. All the fish were caught on surface irons Tady 45 mint, Oct 10 white. Beautiful fish, from 22 to 28 pounds, and without pressure, since most boats are fishing cabrilla or bottom fish. The water temp in the bay was 69 degrees, and where we were fishing, 65 ‘5, with a little wind that morning for the crossing and glass on the way home, There was lots of bait in the bay and channel! I’m hoping to head back down around June 8th or 9th. … Michael e. Bingham
