Baja Bytes Sportfishing Reports and Features
Baja Peninsula Sportfishing
As many of you already know, Tropical Storm Norma has formed in the Eastern Pacific and is currently located approximately 1000 miles to our south-southeast. Norma is currently moving north-northwest at 9 knots.
While we are watching this system very closely, as of now, all tournament systems are a “GO” and the Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore tournament is expected to run as scheduled.
The yellowfin tuna caught throughout the week were the attention-getters in size and quantity, and adding a little variety were the skipjack that were tagging along with the larger tuna. The skipjack were content to feast on the scraps of bait that the tuna missed.
Along the beach however we have been seeing some decent activity for rooster fish. We are seeing good bait schools and the fish have been chasing them. The beach is a patience game and as long as you’re willing to hunt and wait, you may have a shot.
Winners of the Bluefin Tuna Sport Fishing Tournament “BAJA BLUEFIN TUNA TOURNAMENT” 2023, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
1st Breaking Tuna Bluefin Tuna 148.0 pounds. Boat or choice of cash $20,600 +
2nd Aria Sportfishing Bluefin Tuna 140.2 pounds Boat with a value of $13,300
3rd Maria Bonita Bluefin Tuna 91.8 Fishing equipment with a value of $3,500
TOTAL $37,400
Plus Jackpot
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.
Mid-May fishing met its expectations regardless of the visiting angler’s anticipations. For the big game addicts, there were striped marlin, yellowfin tuna, skipjack, and nice-sized dorado, all offshore.
For those choosing to remain closer to shore, near the surface, there were roosterfish, jack crevalle, and ladyfish to make for a fun day of PISCES sport fishing.
The week’s highlight was the wahoo that anglers hooked into while trolling closer to Punta Gorda or Cardon. Not the typical season for these highly prized pelagics, but it proves that you can never really know what might happen. These fish prefer warmer waters, but the bite was sporadic daily, and slow trolling live bait was the best bet, particularly the elusive chihuil. We saw one monster 79-pound wahoo landed and several others over 50 pounds, so of the handful brought in, they were of impressive size.
Bajabytes Sport Fishing Update February 28, 2023 Baja (Norte) J.D.’s Big Game Tackle – Fish Reporthttps://www.jdsbiggame.com/report.htm Coronado Islands / Rockpile/N.E. of the Coronados / Lower 9 Mile Bank / Upper Finger Bank Poor conditions because of the bad weather. …Fishdope.com Rosarito PierPoor conditions because of the weather.Ensenada Poor conditions because of the weather.ColonetPoor conditions because ofContinue reading “FONMAR declares to protect Sportfishing”
The season’s opening trip was terrific in Laguna Ojo de Liebre! There were many whale moms and babies and mating trios to see. Of course, they were still a bit shy, but we saw a bit of everything – breaching, spy hopping, courtship, and those cute little newborns! I’d say we saw about 30 whales in front of our camp.
Good day. Limits on robalo, grouper, pargo and corvina with Captain Rubin Duran at Lopez Mateos….Mark Rayor