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., April 05, 2003 EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY AND ZIHUATANEJO CONDITIONS EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO IN GENERAL: Alaskan Pudge Klienkauf, visiting from Anchorage with her "Women's Angling" group, finished up the trips on Thurs. (4/3). Except half of the group – probably looking north to the spring mud awaiting them – decided to stay on for a few days to take advantage of the both the inshore action and the dorado a bit further out. Her groups over the two trips accounted for an impressive list of species including dorado, roosterfish, jacks, marlin and sierra. I believe everyone attending also caught the largest fish of their personal fly-fishing career. Dates have already been set for 2004 and Pudge is adding a Magdalena Bay trip this fall in late Oct. AIR & SEA - Water temperature 68-73 Air temperature 60°-73° Humidity about 69% Wind South at 5 mph Conditions Scattered Clouds (SCT) : 20,000 ft Visibility 15 miles Sunrise 6:05 a.m. MST Sunset 6:34 p.m. MST Today New Apr. 9 First Quarter Apr.16 Full Apr. 23 Last Quarter May.1 New · OFFSHORE: While the tuna action was impressive, it is still a long ride. Closer to home the dorado action continued though most of the fish were the larger variety traveling in small groups. Marlin action was good for those who were interested in targeting them. · INSHORE: From Punta Colorada to the lighthouse, the jacks, roosters and dorado were hammering the bait schools from beneath and the pelicans from above. · BEACH: Just when the beach looked ready to bust wide open, another dose of north wind arrived and it was almost unfishable the last few days. The best place to find a little protection from the wind was Rincon below the lighthouse. BILLFISH - The action continued this week with a few boats reporting double digit catches. YELLOWFIN TUNA - All the action was on porpoise schools. If you found the birds and porpoise the action could be awesome. DORADO - Bigger ones offshore and quite a few found at the lighthouse. Also around the boat mooring lines in front of hotels for the last few days. ROOSTERFISH - Everything from the rats to some big-uns. JACK CREVALLE - Starting to see some of the 20-pounders that get your heart started and tests your knots. BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - Same neighborhood as everything else. Look for the sardina schools and pelicans diving. PARGO AND CABRILLA - A few here and there if you pound the rocky points with a Clouser. SIERRA - All of a sudden there are a few everywhere mixed in with the roosters and jacks they can get your fly in a heartbeat if you aren't using wire. MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO Sat., April 05, 2003 IN GENERAL: Still reports of smaller dorado and tuna from 15- to 20-miles west of the entrada. At the entrada with lots of langostinos (red crab), everything seems to be plugged and not interested in the fly. Slow week in the esteros with few trips being made. One I heard of came back with nary a fish. Water Temperature 65-70 Air Temperature 62-°72° Humidity 39% Wind NW at 6 mph Conditions Mostly Cloudy Visibility 6 miles Sunrise 6:12 a.m. MST Sunset 6:43 p.m. MST Today New Apr. 9 First Quarter Apr.16 Full Apr. 23 Last Quarter May.1 New YELLOWTAIL - Slow going this week. CORVINA - Pier and power plant best bet. SNOOK - Deep holes, hungry snook; need I say more? HALIBUT - Try any of the sandy beaches with a chartreuse Clouser. SIERRA - Spread out throughout the open bay. ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO Sat., April 05, 2003 IN GENERAL: There has been a decisive improvement the last few days with the water condition, and consequently the fishing. The 78º blue water current has moved to within 8-miles of the beach and the gamefish are coming with the current. Several sailfish are being caught, but the most notable improvement is with the yellowfin tuna. Tuna have moved in here in tonnage quantities. Captain Poli, on the cruiser “Don Gordo,” had the best catch to hit the dock with a 175-pound tuna. The fish was caught only 5-miles off the beach in front of Ixtapa. Clients Gary and Sean Martin, Dave Boan, and Dennis Skinner of Fontana, Calif., took turns subduing the stubborn fish in a two hour fight. At 10-miles, Luis Marciel, lost an estimated 300-pound fish right at the boat after a 4-hour fight. All the big fish are being taken on a slow trolled large bait (mackerel or black skipjack tuna.) Steve and Jeff Taylor of Bishop, Calif., fly-fished with Luis Marciel and me on the panga “Gringo Loco” for one day. Even though we only got two 15- and 20-pound tuna and raised two sailfish, it was an incredible day to watch the hundreds of porpoise and multiple schools of tuna crashing on bait. At 18 miles from Zihuat Bay, we counted five separate flocks of birds working the tuna schools. At one point, 100-pound plus fish were crashing on bait only a few yards from the boat. I told Steve and Jeff to just set the flyrods against the cabin while I hurried and got the 40-pound test teaser rod back in the boat. It was an incredible sight. Santiago, on the panga “Gitana” also had a similar experience getting a couple of tuna and releasing a sailfish for his client, Randy Snow. Luis Marciel, had another great catch with a client named Ed from Balboa Island, Calif. (sorry, I didn’t get the client’s last name) using a live black skipjack along the beach. They caught and released an estimated 75-pound roosterfish. Water Temperature 63º - 80º Air Temperature 73°-89º Humidity 83% Wind Calm Conditions Scattered Clouds 25,000 ft Visibility 10 miles Sunrise 6:39 a.m. CST Sunset 6:58 p.m. CST Today New Apr. 9 First Quarter Apr.16 Full Apr. 23 Last Quarter May.1 New 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 International Game Fish Association needs your support. If you are not already a member, please take the time to JOIN TODAY! http://www.bajafly.com/igfaapplication.htm