REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY: PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR IN BAJA Wed., Aug. 28, 2002 EAST CAPE AND MAGDALENA BAY FISHING CONDITIONS EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO IN GENERAL: Lanier Woodrum, Roanoke, Va., arrived Sat. and has had fair-to-good fishing all week. The inshore continues to be the best bet with good counts of dorado, roosters and jacks. Yesterday, they chased the elusive tuna most of the day but failed to land one on the fly. This morning they were out in front of Punta Colorada catching roosters on a holographic popper. Be sure to read Pete Thomas’s article from last Fri.’s edition of the L.A. Times at http://www.bajafly.com/petethomas82302.htm AIR & SEA - Some wind on Sun. in the afternoon and then back to light breezes in the afternoon to help cool things down. So far, the hurricane track has been a considerable distance below us and out to the west. Hi 93° Lo 75° Wind: Light breezes in the p.m. Humidity: 59% Dewpoint: 69° Visibility: 15 Water Temps 79 - 86 . OFFSHORE: For anyone choosing to head outside, the catches are likely to be marlin, sailfish, blue marlin, a tuna if you find the right group of porpoise and dorado under almost anything floating. . INSHORE: For the fly-fisher, this is still the best bet. Roosters early morning at either La Ribera or Punta Colorada with some ladyfish, jacks and maybe even a sierra mixed in. Then, mid-morning move out a few miles and look for breezing schools of skipjack with a few tuna mixed in or dorado under anything floating. . BEACH: Pre-dawn gray light until mid-morning or late afternoon is best. The beaches from Rancho Leonero to Punta Colorado are the most productive right now. Look for the diving pelicans. BILLFISH - Sailfish are not wide open, but enough to give the fly-fisher a few shots a day if they are interested. YELLOWFIN TUNA - Best action under the porpoise schools that are being found at least 20 - 30 miles from the beach which means you are pretty much committed to tuna for the day. DORADO - The bigger ones seem to be traveling in pairs and the schoolies are being found under floating debris. ROOSTERFISH - Good catches of the smaller ones from Rancho Leonero to Punta Arena. See Thru Deceivers, olive Clousers and the holographic poppers are working best. Find a school of bait and stay with it. The bigger roosters and jacks will eventually show up. JACK CREVALLE - Plenty of smaller ones mixed in with the roosters feeding on sardina. Every once in awhile you find some of the larger fish mixed in. BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - Plenty of smaller ones. PARGO AND CABRILLA - Pound the rocky points and you will be rewarded. For something different, try a floating line and a popper. You might be surprised. SIERRA - An incidental catch now and then. Catch of the Week Photo: http://www.bajafly.com/weeklycatch.htm MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO Wed., Aug. 28, 2002 IN GENERAL: The good news is the Thetis Bank is holding a few yellows, the bad news is the water is off-color and there isn't anything else going on there. Back down the hill a little, say 210-230° degrees, 18-22 miles, there are a few tuna and marlin being seen. Back inside of that heading 13-18 miles there are reports of a fair showing of dorado. Up in the esteros we had clients that caught four snook, corvina, a couple of grouper and one pargo. Even though one of the snook was in the 15-pound class, they opted to head out to the entrada the next day. There they found a couple firecracker yellowtail and small grouper and that was it. Near the rocks the spotted bay bass action was almost non-stop. AIR & SEA: Hot with little wind. Air Temperature 69 - 80 Water Temperature 69 - 76 YELLOWTAIL - Close to the bottom and smaller fish says it all. CORVINA - A few smaller ones at the Power Plant, bridge and near the pier. SNOOK - Deeper holes along the main channel will be your best bet. HALIBUT - Any sandy beach that doesn’t have any nets will probably yield a few. SIERRA - Slow, but Punta Belcher is the best bet. Catch of the Week Photo: http://www.bajafly.com/weeklycatchmagbay.htm
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