REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY: PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR IN BAJA FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: [email protected]; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252; Mexico 011-52-614-14-10373 Wed., Nov., 13, 2002 EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY AND ZIHUATANEJO CONDITIONS EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO IN GENERAL: Here is Pudge Kleinkauf's recap of her Women’s Flyfishing trip that finished up Sun. (11/10): Windy conditions Mon. and Tues. Fishing was slow. Winds calmed Wed. and fishing improved. We found a great school of bonito and we caught 30+ fish before the fish moved away. Long, silvery tube flies with blue backs or sardine imitations both hooked up as soon as the fly hit the water. Living up to their reputation as “silver bullets,” these fish put a real bend in the rod. That same afternoon, as we headed home, our boat captain spotted a small pod of dorado. We hooked and landed a gorgeous golden-blue male with the huge forehead that characterizes these great fish. Day #4 provided some great fly fishing for roosterfish plus a few jack crevalle. Our sardine imitation flies were so realistic that we hooked probably a dozen pelicans that dove for them as soon as they hit the water. Our captain, who was obviously used to the occurrence, proved to be quite skilled at un-hooking them. Fishing from a super-panga, we managed to chase the high combed-roosters really close to shore. Their speed and hit-and-run tactics prevented us from landing several that we'd hooked. A blue-tinged popper tipped the odds in our favor. When it was all over, we had four of these spectacular fish and the photos to prove it. On our last day, we took the 4-wheelers on the beach. Bait was busting all over the place when we got to a rocky location not far from the hotel. A Mexican-look-down fish was the first prize, followed quickly by golden croakers and trumpet fish. At another location the jack crevalle made another appearance. And, although we didn't even see them coming in time to cast, we had two opportunities to watch 20+ pound roosters chase mullet right up into three inches of water at the bank! What an incredible fish! Great trip, great group, and great food! We'll be back in March, 2003!! Unfortunately, the north winds picked up again on Mon. and slowed fishing down for the last few days. AIR & SEA - Water temperature 82° F / 79° F Air temperature upper 85 – 63 Humidity about 65% Wind NW at 9 mph Conditions Clear Sunrise 6:30 AM MST Sunset 5:38 PM MST Full Nov 19 Last Quarter 27 New Dec 4 First Quarter Dec 11 · OFFSHORE: Most of the boats stayed in the past few days. Over the weekend a couple of blues were reported near the lighthouse. · INSHORE: Unsettled conditions persist due to the wind. · BEACH: The cove next to Rancho Leonero has been producing some excellent pargo fishing for the past several days. Try just before sunset. BILLFISH - Starting to slip into the November doldrums. YELLOWFIN TUNA - As soon as the wind backs off they will show up. DORADO - Take your pick either up at Punta Pescadero or down and outside of Cabo Pulmo. Hint: With the prevailing North Wind, Punta Pescadero is the better bet. At least it is a downhill ride if the wind blows. ROOSTERFISH – They’re harder to spot in the wind-blown water. JACK CREVALLE - Still chasing the sardina near shore. BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - These might be the most underrated fish in the sea. A 6-pound skippy on an 8-weight rod can clean your clock. PARGO AND CABRILLA - Rancho Leonero cove is the hot spot. SIERRA - More every week as more tin boaters arrive to target them. MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO Wed., Nov. 13, 2002 IN GENERAL: Joseph Blubaugh, Salem Ore.; Jim Gill, West Palm Beach, Fla.; and Nick Smith, Lake Park, Fla. finished up their Flyrod Marlin 101 trip on Sun. (11/10). Here is their tally: Day 1 (Tues.) Day 2 (Wed.) Day 3 (Thurs.) Day 4 (Fri.) Day 5 (Sat.) Total *Events 17 21 31 20 17 106 Hooked 5 11 10 2 4 32 Caught 3 2 4 1 2 12 Jim 1 0 2 0 1 4 Joey 1 0 1 0 0 2 Nick 1 2 1 1 1 6 *An “event” is when one or more marlin are attracted to the teasers. So far, this has been one of our better years in terms of marlin raised. Seldom can we offer a last minute opportunity for our clients to experience the extraordinary striped marlin of Magdalena Bay. We have two rods available on the Dec. 5-13 trip. Don't miss out. Give Yvonne a call at 800 919 2252. For more information visit us at http://www.bajafly.com/mag_bluewater.htm A front came through on Sat. (11/9) afternoon produced rough seas and strong wind. By Tues. (11/12) the Pacific had settled back down and the excellent fishing resumed without missing a beat. Inshore, The dorado are just outside the entrada . . . some very large! Also off the entrada are some very large, very aggressive wahoo. Inside, they are getting pompano, sierra, and the usual corvina, halibut and spotted bay bass with snook inside the mangroves. Water Temperature 72 - 79 Temperature 85° F - 60 °F Humidity 86% Wind NNE at 2 mph Conditions Clear. Sunrise 6:41 AM MST Sunset 5:43 PM MST Full Nov 19 Last Quarter 27 New Dec 4 First Quarter Dec 11 YELLOWTAIL - Punta Hughes is producing some great results for smaller fish. CORVINA - A consistent bite for the smaller ones. SNOOK - Several areas produced some good catches including Devil's Curve. HALIBUT - Small, but plenty around. SIERRA - Strung out from Puerto San Carlos to the entrada under the bird schools. ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO REPORT BY BAJA ON THE FLY'S ED KUNZE Wed., October 23, 2002 Water Temperature 72 - 79 Temperature 90° F - 77 °F Humidity 83% Wind calm Conditions Mostly Cloudy Scattered Clouds (SCT) : 10000 ft Mostly Cloudy (BKN) : 25,000 ft / Sunrise 6:39 AM CST Sunset 6:13 PM CST Full Nov 19 Last Quarter 27 New Dec 4 First Quarter Dec 11 IN GENERAL: The rains we had for the first four days of the week had the port closed. For this late in the year, it is unusual to get as severe of a storm as we had. The wind moved the bluewater out past the 50 mile mark and made fishing for the sailfish a very tough proposition. However, the heavy runoff from the rivers carried a lot of debris, and the 20- to-25 pound dorado fishing has been very good. Some charters, like Bud Keany from the Chico area of California, got 5 dorado and one sailfish. They were fishing the Fintastic Billfish Tag and Release Tournament with Capt. Javier on the Marlin Azul, and were not even targeting the dorado. Capt Adolpho, on the panga Dos Hermanos, in one day got 7 roosterfish to 40 pounds for his clients. He was fishing in the Troncones area. Ed Kunze For more Information on our Zihuatanejo trips, go to: http://www.bajafly.com/Zihuatanejo.htm