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 19, 2003 Report covers the period Wed.-Fri. (4/16-4/18) EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY AND ZIHUATANEJO CONDITIONS EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO IN GENERAL: Well, tax day came and went, but the north wind forgot to leave. The rough seas made for a tough week of fishing. Dorado, tuna, and marlin were in short supply for the hardy anglers who went out in spite of the weather. The fish have not gone away, it is just tough to find them in these conditions. As soon as the wind quits I'll bet it will pick up in a hurry. With any luck the wind will leave with the Easter Bunny! Wind or not. Dick and Dillon Jones, from Chico, Calif., got a taste of rooster fishing at its best off of Rincon on Thurs. (4/17) when they found fish crashing schools of sardina on the surface. Wind mixed with crashing roosters is not the best combination, but a few giggles were had before the scales cleared. It was chuck and duck at its finest. AIR & SEA - Water temperature 68-74 Air temperature 64°-84° Humidity about 57% Wind South at 6 mph Conditions Scattered Clouds (SCT) : 12,000 ft Visibility 12 miles Sunrise 5:51 a.m. MST Sunset 6:40p.m. MST Apr.16 Full Apr. 23 Last Quarter May 1 New May 9 First Quarter · OFFSHORE: From best to tough in one day, but better days coming. · INSHORE: More bait showing up all the time and as soon as the wind backs off look out. This is going to be one heck of a year. If you found some protection from the wind it was still pretty good fishing. · BEACH: Blown out for most of the week, but I did see some dorado chasing small flying fish just outside the surf line on Wed. (4/16). BILLFISH - Plenty around. We just need a little flatter conditions and it will be business as usual YELLOWFIN TUNA - Best with the porpoise schools. DORADO - The buzz all spring has been about the size, There are very few smaller ones. ROOSTERFISH - Already some big guys around. Rincon with its protection was the best bet. JACK CREVALLE - Still around, but with the wind it is tough to spot them. BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - Slow going this week. PARGO AND CABRILLA - A pick, but not anything to get excited about. SIERRA - Fish crashing on sardina, cast, whoops no fly, must be sierra! MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO Sat., April 19, 2003 Report covers the period Wed.-Fri. (4/16-4/18) IN GENERAL: Sounds like plenty of dorado are under many of the shark buoys on a 240° line extending out 35-miles. Also, schools of yellowtail up on Thetis with a few dorado mixed in. The problem is the Pacific has been pretty grumpy for the past few weeks and makes it pretty tough to get out where the fish are. Back at the entrada, the water is full of langostia and has essentially shut off the bite. The best bet is in the esteros with a fair bite for corvina, grouper and a few snook. Big tides and strong currents should subside next week making it even better. Water Temperature 64-68 Air Temperature 61° - 74° Humidity 71% Wind NW at 4 mph Conditions Haze Visibility 5 miles Sunrise 5:57 a.m. MST Sunset 6:49 p.m. MST Apr.16 Full Apr. 23 Last Quarter May 1 New May 9 First Quarter YELLOWTAIL - Offshore from 15 miles off to the Thetis. CORVINA - Los Barriles and Devil’s Curve seemed to be the best bet. SNOOK - Strong tides and currents slowed the action this week. HALIBUT - Try any of the sandy beaches with a chartreuse Clouser. SIERRA - Only a few spotted this week. ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO Please note the date. We are only providing weekly (not twice-a-week) reports for this area. Sat., April 19, 2003 Report covers the period Wed.-Fri. (4/16-4/18) IN GENERAL: Even though the 80º blue water has moved out a bit, and despite the full moon, the fishing has been very good. A lot of tuna are being caught with most of them in the 30- to 35-pound class. Blaine Burnette of Bakersfield, Calif., fishing with Luis on the panga “Gringo Loco,” scored the biggest yellowfin with an estimated 230-pounder. The two speed Shimano 30 reel and 760 Calstar rod helped to make it a catchable fish, despite the 5-1/2 hour battle on 60-pound Izoreline. Bruce Marshal and 11 year old son Nick, from Aliso Viejo, Calif., fished with Santiago on the panga “Gitana.” They released two sailfish and took 8 tuna in the 25- to 35-pound class. Bruce told me it was so wide open, they could have taken another 10 tuna if they had stayed a little longer, but his son kind of “wore out.” (At least that is the excuse he gave me. I kind of think Bruce was a little worn out also.) One day Captain Ruben on the “Yellowfin” did not have a client, so he and a couple of friends went out for their own sport, and to possibly find the big tuna. They ended with 12 yellowfin from 35- to 60-pounds. Adolpho on the panga “Dos Hermanos,” fishing with a client from France, told me the roosterfish action is fantastic. At one point they got into a school of roosters busting a ball of bait. They were all huge fish and his client managed to catch and release three fish out of the school before they broke up. The roosters were all in the 40-pound class. Water Temperature 75º - 80º Air Temperature 75°-89º Humidity 74% Wind Calm Conditions Scattered Clouds (SCT) : 25,000 ft Visibility 8 miles Sunrise 6:23 a.m. CST Sunset 7:02 p.m. CST Today First Quarter Apr.16 Full Apr. 23 Last Quarter May 1 New May 9 First 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 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