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 011-52-624-14-10373 Sat., Feb. 1, 2003 EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY AND ZIHUATANEJO CONDITIONS EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO IN GENERAL: With temps hovering around 80° during the day, a breeze or two can be welcome. The trick is not to wish for too much. This week was like the past few with the wind coming and going. In between the comings and goings the dorado, tuna and sierra continued to put on a pretty good show. Yvonne and I can see the finish line with only two more days to go at the San Mateo Sportsman Exposition (ISE Show). If you are anywhere in the San Francisco Bay Area and planning to attend today or tomorrow, stop by our booth (#1432) and say hello. We have already seen many of our old friends and clients. Thanks to all the people that took the time to attend my presentations. I hope everyone enjoyed the shows as much as I did. I would like to thank Action Optics, AirFlo Fly lines, JW Outfitters, Guy Harvey Productions and David Communications for providing the prizes for the quiz at the end of the shows. I thought that was fun. AIR & SEA - Water temperature 69-72 Air temperature 64°-86° Humidity about 83% Wind NW at 6 mph Conditions Mostly Cloudy (BKN) : 10000 ft Visibility 16 miles Sunrise 6:56 a.m. MST Sunset 6:07 p.m. MST Feb. 1 New First Quarter Feb. 9 Full Feb. 16 Feb. 23 Last Quarter · OFFSHORE: Not much change as the dorado and tuna continue their unseasonable show. · INSHORE: While the sierra are the hot topic, a few brave ones are going wireless and picking up a few nice jacks and medium size roosters. · BEACH: Still pretty murky from the wind waves. BILLFISH - Plenty of sightings, but still no biting. YELLOWFIN TUNA - Be careful you put your fly in the right place and you are going to find yourself in a down and dirty street fight. DORADO - A 10-weight fly-fishing outfit $600, holographic popper $7.50, 20-pound dorado smacking the popper - Priceless. ROOSTERFISH - Still a few lurking about. JACK CREVALLE - Wire no, lose flies to sierra probably. BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - Forget 'em. Go look for tuna and dorado! PARGO AND CABRILLA - Try a popper around some of the rocky points and hang on. SIERRA - Just before sunup is the best time. MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO Sat., Feb. 1, 2003 IN GENERAL: More whales as the number increases each week. There’s good fishing in the esteros as well as the entrada at Santa Maria Bay. Catches consisted mostly of corvina, palometa, pompano as well as the ever-present spotted bay bass. While fog hampered the pangas getting out in the mornings, it was worth the effort. Water Temperature 67-73 Air Temperature 58°-98° Humidity 71% Wind Calm Conditions Clear Visibility 3 miles Sunrise 7:07 a.m. MST Sunset 6:12 p.m. MST Feb. 1 New First Quarter Feb. 9 Full Feb. 16 Feb. 23 Last Quarter YELLOWTAIL - Best bet is out at the entrada in deep water at Santa Maria Bay. CORVINA - A corvina take on the surface is worth the trip! SNOOK - It has been slow, but look for the dead mangroves with a deep hole in front of them. Use a Clouser or Deep Diver and fish the current. Best area right now is up toward Devil's Curve HALIBUT - Usually the sandy beaches are best, but we have been getting a few up in the esteros. SIERRA - Look for them under the birds out in the open areas of the bay. ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO Sat., Feb. 1, 2003 IN GENERAL: The 80º blue water is on the beach, but the sailfish action has slowed down a little this week. It probably is because at the beginning of the week we had a tournament with 130 boats pounding the water for three days. They hooked more than 850 sailfish, and even though it was a kill tournament, they managed to release about 80% of the fish. P. J. Cunningham, from Idaho, had a great day fly fishing with Orlando on the panga “Tequila” and hooked 4 sailfish. Most other boats, fishing conventional gear, are averaging about 3 to 4 fish a day. The roosterfish have taken off again with Luis on the panga “Gringo Loco” getting 6 and Martin on the panga “Isamar” getting 5 for their clients. The fish are averaging about 30 pounds and are being taken on live bait. Some large tuna are also being taken on a hit or miss situation. There were a couple of 200-pound fish and one that was 300-pounds reported by the guys hanging around the dock. Water Temperature 82º Air Temperature 73°-83º Humidity 88% Wind calm Conditions Mostly Cloudy (BKN) : 15000 ft Sunrise 7:17 a.m. CST Sunset 6:38 p.m. CST Feb. 1 New First Quarter Feb. 9 Full Feb. 16 Feb. 23 Last Quarter For more Information on Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo trips, go to: http://www.bajafly.com/Zihuatanejo.htm -- Zihuatanejo Report by Baja on the Fly's Ed Kunze