Baja Bytes update February 12,
SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Mexico has sent 1,000 members of its National Guard to the border in Northern Baja California, but up until Thursday, the soldiers’ role has not been defined.
Baja California’s head of public safety, Brig. Gen. Laureano Carrillo Rodríguez said a total of 3,100 troops will focus their efforts in areas along the border barrier and will support Mexican Customs at border crossings.
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
The water temperature is running cold, well under 60 degrees. Lots of anchovies are around, but nothing is on them except for some large green mackerel.
Bass fishing has been slow for a while now, although sculpin and whitefish continue to be consistent.
For those targeting halibut, there have been some shows in the Imperial Beach area. The IB area will be your best shot at sand bass, sculpin, and halibut. Look along the Pipe and the Flats near the Pipe.
Whitefish have been your best bet for a solid bite in this area. There have been good scores coming from the Buoy #3 area. A two-hook dropper loop rig with small hooks and squid strips is the way to go.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…Fish Dope
Lower 9 Mile Bank
There has been no report for this area in quite some time. The conditions have been poor here with cold, dirty water and that will need to improve before any gamefish move into the area. The local sports boats have not been coming down here for quite some time, either. Most of the sports boats are now offline until March 1st for normal winter maintenance.
With rockfish season closed in US waters, the Rockpile might be a good option for rockfish and lingcod, just make sure to have all of the appropriate paperwork.….Fish Dope
BAJA CALIFORNIA SPORT FISHING CALENDAR 2025
READY TO START WITH THE EXCITEMENT OF THE ROD AND REEL WITH THE NEW “OFFICIAL CALENDAR OF BAJA CALIFORNIA SPORT FISHING TOURNAMENTS 2025.”
This program consists of events from February to December, so you can participate in #beachtournaments, in #kayak in inland waters (dams), and in the open seas. Find out and participate: https://bajasport.fishing/torneos/
22feb231ST STAGE LOW BASS CHALLENGE STATE SELECTIVE Carrizo Dam, Tecate, BC
March 29-30
2ND STAGE OF THE STATE SELECTIVE BASS CHALLENGE Carrizo Dam, Tecate, BC
March 30th
BEACH TOURNAMENT, BEACH EL BEBÉ, STATE SELECTIVE – STAGE 1 Baby Beach, Rosarito BC
Cristian Catian’s Family enjoyed a Great Calico Bass Bite last week!
In February, fishing in San Felipe is excellent but beware of the wind. The best Reef is the Golden Reef, where you can find Great White Sea Bass, Black Sea Bass, and sometimes Yellowtail. Be sure to check the weather. Rocky Point has great Grouper fishing in early March and April, around 25 miles out, and fishing Bay Bass with mac for bait to fish the Grouper, using no less than 80# test line.
Gonzaga Bay is an angler’s paradise with its rich diversity of inshore sports fish and stunning scenery. Here’s what you can expect:
Popular Species:
Cabrilla: A favorite among anglers, prized for its delicious taste.
Yellowtail: Fast and strong, making them an exciting catch
Mackerel: Abundant and great as bait fish, plus fun to catch
Rock Cod: Perfect for those who enjoy bottom fishing.
Red Snapper: Delicious, often found near rocky structures.
Whitefish: Mild-flavored and a joy to catch.
Bonito: Fast and challenging, great for experienced anglers.
Barracuda: Speedy with sharp teeth, a thrilling target.
Salmon Grouper: Known for their large size and strength.
Shoreline Fishing: Ideal for both experienced and beginner 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.
We also got to fish together, all of us together which we can only do during the off-season. I had lots of fun and as usual, caught plenty of fish. Going back down in April… Igor Galvan Jimenez, and Carson Criner
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
Yellowtail continues to dazzle local and visiting anglers…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
Got a report from Fishhead the Yellowtail King. Slow fishing he went to Tortuga for nothing, got one Tail, local. That’s all I know now…Craig Cove…
No Report
Casa Concepción
Weather: Improvement in weather with signs of returning to the “winter wind cycle,” with windy and rough days followed by incredible days with blue skies and flatter seas…Rick, We have been blessed with great weather the past week allowing more possibilities for hitting more hotspots for yellowtail.
Yellowtail is being found at almost every rock pile and the busiest has been Candeleros followed by San Bruno.
The biggest thing to consider has more to do with finding a boat and captain that isn’t occupied with “whale watching”. This looks to be a fantastic year for blue whales and humpbacks!
I was snooping out info on where the hottest yellowtail spots were and was unable to get solid answers. All I got was everyone showing me their videos of whales and dolphins.
I am not sure how the dolphin assault will affect the fishing. They have to be eating some baitfish but will there be anything left for the resident fish to eat? The dolphin are thick and everyone is commenting that they have never seen so many…foaming water everywhere you look! Stay tuned!… Rick Hill
Weather: Cold and windy, with heavy fog most mornings, clearing up by 8 to 9 a.m.
- Mangroves: Live bait action has been excellent for Corvina, Grouper, and occasional Pargo, though results can vary daily.
- Grouper Rocks: Productive when winds and Boca are down, with live bait shrimp or Rapala yielding great Grouper catches.
- Yellowfin Tuna: Still believed to be around 14 miles offshore.
- Town Activities: The Grey Whale Festival has kept the town busy, impacting fishing efforts.
Outlook: Optimism for better fishing conditions next week as festival activities wind down…CHERI
The lighthouse area reportedly has large schools of small to medium-sized roosters, feeding near shore. While other anglers found good yellowtail action 10-14 miles offshore…Jeff DeBrown
GORDO BANKS PANGAS
As the previous week showed improvement in the fishing, we expected this one to be more productive. However, we could not drift for tuna or efficiently jig as the wind and currents were not ideal towards La Fortuna, and the fleet was forced to fish closer to shore or towards the Palmilla area to avoid some wind.
Action towards Palmilla/Cerro Colorado this week was significantly slower. The boats landed a few nice bottom fish, but you had to work on the jig for a chance at a few fish. They saw a few nice Yellowtail, Amberjack, Grouper, and Snapper among the mix caught in this area. Closer to shore, they also saw some Sierra on jigs and some Roosterfish if you have live sardina or caballito. Most Roosters are small (around 5 pounds), though they did see a handful in the 15 to 25-pound range. The bait guys continue to struggle with the sardina supply on most days. They are netting a few throughout the shorelines of Cabo Real, though not enough to supply most pangas.
This weekend was much better in terms of wind. Our fleet focused on the areas of Vinorama and San Luis. The captains reported nice, clear water, averaging temperatures of 70 degrees. While jigging, one of the boats landed a nice 25-pound Grouper on a strip of Skipjack while losing another quality fish. They also caught two nice Yellowtail and a handful of Red Snapper throughout the weekend. Most of these fish came on jigs and live sardina early in the morning. A few small Tuna were caught this week on live and dead sardina and squid strips at La Fortuna. The only big Tuna came in on Monday, weighing 97 pounds on a dead sardina.…Good Fishing, Brian
Pisces week begins with 235-pound Tuna
Author: Gary Graham
Pisces Fleet Weekly update from January 24 – 30, 2025
Catch success rate 90.67 %
All species combined Billfish, 25.33% Dorado 17.33%, Tuna 37.33%, Wahoo 5.33% Roosterfish 6.67% and Other 323.33%
What a week the Pisces Fleet has had, braving the swells and reeling in impressive catches. They fished under clear skies, with various species deciding if they wanted to take a bite of the anglers’ bait and chum, making it an exciting fishing trip for every fisherman aboard. It was thrilling to see so many different fish in action. The air was warm, the sun shone brightly, and most returned to the dock with that Cabo tan. Most days, the water temperature was around 72 to 74 degrees, and the air temperature was close, from 70 to 75. This was heaven for all the visitors from different parts of the US and Canada who were thrilled to arrive in Mexico.
Captain Arturo and Mates on the 48-foot Viking, “MY WAY,” had his Oakland, California guest and single angler, Mike Glenn caught a 235-POUND YELLOWFIN TUNA on BAIT AT THE SAN JAIME!!! Congratulations, Marshall Cromer and Captain Arturo! That was one big fish and one gigantic feat!
Fishing Highlight:
Captain Orlando M. and Salvador Flores on the 35-foot Bertram, “VALERIE,” hosted anglers Dennis Heir and Gerard Rojas from League, Texas. Their trip to Herradura resulted in the following: One outstanding 40-pound Dorado on curry and eighteen Yellowfin Tuna on bait They had a fantastic day, staying busy and enjoying their successful catches.
Captain Abel and Mate Ninja took One 199-pound Striped Marlin caught and released on a Caballito at the Herradura, plus Twenty Yellowfin Tuna and a FORTY-POUND WAHOO taken on a Ballyhoo on the 35-foot Cabo Flybridge, “RIPPER,” all on bait at the Herradura.
The 38-foot Blackfin, C ROD, ‘from The Villages, Florida, hosted Andrea, Jeffrey Pyle, Natalie Knightly, and Terry Pyle. They successfully traveled to the Cerro del Golden Orilla, catching Four Grouper, Five Ladyfish, One Sheepshead on chum, and Two Yellowtail on cuchi.
Fishing Highlight: LA BRISA
Captain Ray Winkler and Jorge Velez aboard the 31-foot Bertram, “LA BRISA,” hosted two anglers from Beulah, Michigan: Barbara Smith and Mike Kramer. Their adventure to the La Palamita Site resulted in: Ten Sierra up to 10 pounds on cuchis and Rapala, One Grouper, and Four Ladyfish on chum. A memorable day indeed!
For more Cabo Fishing News, click here