Baja Bytes update January 29, 2025.
The new Potential All-Tackle World Record Landed in San Diego on September 29, 2024.
A potential all-tackle world record yellowfin tuna has been caught in California. Angler Earl Gill IV was fishing aboard the long-range. Sportfishing vessel. Keep Reading »
November 15, 2024: As of this writing, a potential all-tackle World
Record Yellowfin Tuna has been caught in California. Angler Earl Gill
IV, fishing aboard the long-range sportfishing vessel, the “The Excel,” on a
10-day trip out of San Diego, hooked and landed the massive yellowfin
That tipped the scales at 442.5 pounds. If certified, this will be a
new IGFA all-tackle world record, breaking the prior record by almost 20
Pounds! Gill caught the fish on an Okuma Makaira 20, a two-speed.
The lever-drag reel was spooled with a 100-pound test line using chunk bait.
The existing (all-tackle) World Record for Yellowfin Tuna was set in 2012 by Guy Yocom, who holds the all-tackle yellowfin record weighing 427 pounds in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
More info
Do you need a Mexican Fishing License?
https://app.sportfishingbcs.gob.mx
——— Mexican Waters ————
Mexican Permits AVAILABLE here: https://www.californiasportfishing.org/
FMM link here: https://www.gob.mx/inm/acciones-y-programas/sport-fishing-and-nautical-tourism If having trouble with FMM here is an email for assistance: bc_pescadeportiva@inami.gob.mx
When bringing fish back to the US from Mexico make sure to have your Declaration Forms filled out for everyone on the boat. Forms Here
Most of the fish you’ll find off Imperial Beach Pier are the same sandy beach species you’ll find up and down the SoCal coast, such as yellowtail, halibut, spotted bass, and croaker. However, if you head out to the end of the pier you can fish several artificial fish attractants and reefs in the deeper water where you’ll find grouper species and sharks. Eight-foot thresher sharks have been pulled in from the pier as well as leopard sharks.
Most newbies head straight out to the end of the pier, and don’t get me wrong there’s good fishing to be had, but from my experience, the best fishing is just beyond the surf line, which is about halfway down the pier. You’ll find barred surfperch here, as well as corbina, sargo, croaker, and the occasional bonefish…https://norrik.com/
A maintenance project is underway on the Imperial Beach Pier until the summer of 2025. Partial or complete pier closure (brief) may be necessary. For more information, go to portofsandiego.org/IBPierProject. Some sections may need to be closed temporarily, either partially or entirely.
Fishing conditions have been quite variable lately. Keeping an eye out
for any surface action and sonar marks around La Jolla could certainly
help spot any yellowtail. It’s good to know there’s still a lot of
anchovy and mackerel in the area. For those targeting bass, it may be slow, but it’s worth trying your luck for halibut, sculpin, and whitefish. Imperial Beach seems
promising for sand bass, sculpin, and halibut. The Yukon Wreck near
Mission Bay is a potential spot for halibut. Whitefish being consistent biters at Buoy #3 is a great tip. Using a Two-hook dropper loop rig with “small hooks and strips of squid” sounds
like the way to go.
Also, private boaters must be aware of the “Bait Barges” in Mission
Bay and San Diego Bay only have anchovy available. The sardine are
Reserved for the long-range fleet. Remember to bring light 10 to 12-pound
gear along with small, #4 hooks for the best results!…Fish Dope
Ensenada is truly an angler’s paradise!
A satellite image shows smoke from a large fire near Ensenada, Mexico, January 23, 2025. Photo credit: NASA Earth Observatory
A few reports of success for salmon grouper, calico bass, rockfish, and
whitefish.
My first charter on Grady White: She ran well and is a good stable fishing boat with plenty of room to move around on and fish comfortably on the water with my friends, Daniel Powell and Woody and Ross from Cielito Lindo.
Nice crispy morning in Quintin Bay, with nice flat seas offshore. Unfortunately, there was zero current, and winter yellowtail did not want to eat the Jigs, but it’s been a very good winter tails season so far. We caught nice reds, big white fish, and various other bottom dwellers while deep-dropping. Openings are available on the Grady White for fishing in San Quintín until the end of February. …Captain Juan Cook.
No Report
Gonzaga Bay offers an angler’s paradise with its rich diversity of inshore sportfish.
Cabrilla: A favorite among anglers, prized for their delicious taste.
Yellowtail: Fast and strong, making them a thrilling catch.
Mackerel: Abundant, a great bait fish, but fun to catch, too.
Calico Bass: Known for their aggressive nature and beautiful patterns.
Rock Cod: Perfect for those who enjoy bottom fishing.
Red Snapper: Delicious and often found near rocky structures.
Whitefish: Mild-flavored and a joy to catch.
Bonito: Fast and challenging, great for experienced anglers.
Barracuda: Their speed and sharp teeth make them a thrilling target.
Salmon Grouper: Known for their large size and strength.
Shoreline fishing is ideal for both experienced and beginning anglers. Gonzaga Bay’s calm waters and diverse marine life ensure a fantastic fishing experience.
Bahía de Los Ángeles Bay: Nestled in the Sea of Cortez, known for its excellent fishing and stunning scenery. The diverse marine life and strategic location make Bahía de Los Ángeles Bay a top spot for anglers.
Bahía de Los Ángeles Bay offers an outstanding fishing experience. The variety of fish you can catch here is quite impressive. Here’s a quick guide:
Popular Species: Yellowtail, White Sea Bass, Sheepshead, Grouper, Cabrilla, Spotted Cabrilla, Dorado (seasonal), Marlin (seasonal), and Sailfish (seasonal).
Best Bait/Techniques: Scrambled-Egg Yoyo Jigs: Particularly effective for trophy-sized yellowtail and grouper. Seasonal Considerations: Summer Months: Prime time for larger pelagic fish, like dorado and marlin, providing thrilling fishing opportunities.
When fishing at Cedros Island, expect to target large schools of yellowtail, primarily, as they are considered the main attraction, with the possibility of catching other species like calico bass, white sea bass, halibut, and occasional pelagic fish like yellowfin tuna, all while experiencing fast-paced, “run-and-gun” surface iron fishing in small pangas, often with visible feeding frenzies near the island’s rocky structures and kelp beds; most anglers will catch significant numbers of yellowtail ranging from 15 to 30 pounds each day, with the potential for even larger fish.
Species: Yellowtail – considered the “King” of Cedros Island fishing, often caught in large schools through surface iron techniques.
Fishing style: Primarily “run-and-gun” surface iron fishing, you actively search for visible bait schools and feeding frenzies.
Other potential catches are the Calico bass, white sea bass, halibut, barracuda, bonito, and occasionally pelagic fish like dorado, depending on the season.
Boat type: Small pangas with experienced local captains, adept at finding fish.
The best time to visit is in the summer (June – September) for the most consistent yellowtail action.
Shari Bondy is at Whale Magic Tours.
Today in Laguna Ojo de Liebre, we met a new, sweet baby whale we named Whal-O after one of our passengers who is crazy for whales, and that is his name! The Mama brought the baby over several times to our panga and Weilon got to touch the baby! We also enjoyed watching a juvenile breach several times. We probably
saw about 15 whales near us. …Shari Bondy
For reservations, visit the Package tour page on www.whalemagictours.com
Adolfo Ramirez Zing The Mazatlan deer thrower enjoying a day of fishing in its Asuncion Bay. Come and discover Asuncion Bay the heart of the North Pacific……Shari Bondy
La Bocana offers Inshore, Offshore, and Estuary fishing. Fish in the area are grouper, calico bass, spotted bay bass, sand bass, halibut, snook, triggerfish, yellowtail, sheepshead, white sea bass, black sea bass, tuna, wahoo, dorado, marlin, sailfish, rock cod, ling cod, whitefish, and Sierra macs.
Santa Rosalía offers a unique diversity and abundance of fish species. It’s incredible to think you can encounter everything from an acrobatic blue marlin to the powerful wahoo – each fish has its unique challenge, which makes every trip incredibly exciting. Do you have any favorite spots or stories from fishing in Santa Rosalía to share?
Punta Chivato
Good morning. Have not talked to my friends in Chivato for 2 weeks. I will text them for a report, when I left it was good yellowtail almost everywhere, surface boils, and deep local spots. You had to have Big Macs they swam away from small ones. The normal knife jigs were good at the deep holes. Wilber’s was good also. Santa Rosa too. Craig…
No Report
Casa Concepción
9 Yellowtail with Late bite all on MILF Jigs. Young Boy is Hooked for Life. Couldn’t get a smile off his face…Nathan Burbey
The wind has calmed, and the boats are out looking for Yellowtail! So far, we’ve seen yellows to 20 pounds being landed out at “Lobo” and the “50” spot. Pintos and whitefish have been thick for fishermen at the closer spots around Coronado. In the coming days, we’ll explore more distant high spots. Stay tuned, and hope for calm winds!…Rick Hill
Fishing has been good around Mag Bay out of Lopez Mateos.!
The Grouper Rocks outside Soledad Boca is producing some great Grouper, Sheepshead, and Pargos with live bait shrimp.
And inside Mag Bay, to the south, the Palometa (Golden Trevalle) have been their usual sporadic, but boy if you get there when they are there it is lots of fun.
They range from 15 to 20 lbs and put up a good fight.
And to the north the Grouper, Pargo and yesterday Mark Rayor brought in some of the biggest Corvina I have seen.
The weather is kinda cold and windy but we are having some action. Hard to make good bait! Took us til 10:30…Mark Rayor is formally of “Vista Sea Sport”.
The Yellowtail has arrived!!! Come visit to get in on the action.… Scorpion Sportfishing
GORDO BANKS PANGAS
Another slow week of fishing. This week, we saw colder water than in previous weeks throughout most of our fishing grounds. Earlier in the week, the fleet reported temperatures around 65-66 at Vinorama, San Luis, Iman, and Gordo, with a combination of green water. Temperatures towards the end of the week were at the 67-68 mark. We did not see much production from these grounds throughout the week, but a few nice bottom fish – grouper, amberjack, snapper, and yellowtail, were the highlights, though the numbers were not good. A handful of small football tuna were also caught at Vinorama this week on squid strips, and a couple were caught on the jigs. We only saw a couple of small dorado at the fillet table while trolling ballyhoo or lures, looking for clear water.
The main highlight this week was Palmilla Point. More quality fish were seen at Palmilla while jigging than at any other spot. The numbers were not great either, but you had a good chance of landing a few quality fish if you put in the work with the jig. We saw a variety of yellowtail, amberjack, grouper, snapper, white bonito, and Sierra. On Friday, one of our boats landed three yellowtail, one grouper, five bonito, and one Sierra while jigging most of the morning. They also lost a couple of fish while trolling live caballito.
The bait guys continue to struggle to find live sardines consistently. They have been getting some small caballito on most days. A couple of days this week, they found a nice-sized school of sardina next to the Bocana, near our marina. If sardina are available, we have seen good Sierra action throughout our shoreline, with the best action coming from Cerro Colorado and Palmilla. A few small roosterfish have also been caught. One of the local guys caught ten big Sierra at Cerro Colorado in a couple of hours on Thursday, all on jigs. Most of these Sierra were 8 to 12 pounds, plus, they lost over 15 more fish. Many boats tried for Sierra the next day but were only able to land a couple. The bite has been spotty, though there is a good chance of landing a few good-eating fish…Good Fishing, Brian
Pisces Fleet enjoys a week filled with Sportfishing adventures
Catch success rate 94.90%.
All species combined comprise 23.47%; Billfish, 33%; Dorado, 7.32%; Tuna, 66.67%, and; Other 31.57%; Including striped marlin, yellowfin tuna, wahoo, thresher shark, yellowtail, roosterfish, Sierra, bonito, and dorado.
The “TIBURON,” a 31-foot Bertram, with Captain Jesus Romero and Mate Carlos Santos, headed to the Golden Bank where their anglers, Ángel David, Elizabeth Galvez, and Ruth Magpoc, caught and released Two 80 to 100-pound Striped Marlinon mackerel. The fight was intense, the marlins putting up a good struggle before being released back into the ocean. What a day! They came into the dock with smiles, recounting the thrilling experience.
Eric Schroff, Kelly Harper, Tom Laitala, and Tyler Collins embarked on the “TRACY ANN” with Captain Julio Castro and Mate TracyAnn Raul Leal to the San Jaime Bank. Their day was filled with laughter and enjoyment as they caught Eight 15-pound Yellowfin Tuna on lures and bait. They had a successful day of fishing and a great time on the boat with their crew, Captain Julio and Mate Raul Leal. They were eager to return for more fun-filled fishing trips.
The “LA CHINGONA 2,” a 64-foot Viking with Captain Tony and Mates Tony, Jr. and Luis, headed straight to the Golden Bank with their group, Ken Luce, Madison Alexander, Nancy Luce, and Robert Luce, where they caught and released Three Striped Marlin in the 90 to 100-pound range on bait, and One 30-pound Wahoo on Ballyhoo.
On the “BILL COLLECTOR II,” a 35-foot Cabo Flybridge, Captain Juan C. Lopez and Mate JC Martinez enjoyed meeting their group from Lakeville, Minnesota, and the Lakeville group liked their crew immediately. Brent Buumlex, Greg Diblik, Jay Piper, Jeff Bafir, Scott Meyer, and Tom Gonzales were thrilled to catch Six 10 to 14-pound Yellowfin Tuna on bait as they ran 12 miles outside the Lighthouse. Those tuna never stood a chance. The Minnesota anglers had the tuna into the boat in moments, laughing while they pulled on them. It was a fun day.
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