East Cape Billfish Split; Z-What Roosters Swarm REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY: PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR SOUTH OF THE BORDER. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: [email protected]; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373 Sat., Aug. 07, 2004. Report covers the period Sat.-Fri. (8/1-8/6) EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND SAN JOSE, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO IN GENERAL: Small dorado continue to be the crowd pleaser for the flyrodders. Bubba-class roosterfish cruising close to shore have everyone’s flyrods waving like corn stalks in the wind as they try to make that perfect presentation. Only a few sardina schools spotted along the beach. Best action is near La Ribera and Punta Colorada. AIR & SEA - Water temperature 75-88 Air temperature 80-91 Humidity about 69% Wind: NW 4 mph Conditions: Scattered Clouds Visibility 15 miles Sunrise 6:52 a.m. MDT Sunset 7:56 p.m. MDT Aug 7 Last Quarter, August 15 New, August 23 First Quarter, August 29, Full, + OFFSHORE: It seems like every time there is a tournament at East Cape, things get weird - weather great – but the billfish seem to take a powder. Forty two boats accounted for only a dozen released and two that qualified at the scale, a 386 and 304. Even the big dorado took a hike with the best for the event a 44-pound fish. The big tuna were even a long way off – 40 to 50 miles out. The big fish for the event were the 386 pound blue, 44 pound dorado and 192 pound tuna. Those are pretty slim pickings for the 44 boat fleet. + INSHORE: Dorado action continues to please in front of La Ribera with mostly smaller fish. + BEACH: Plenty to look at, few takes on the larger roosters. BILLFISH – Only so-so for the week. YELLOWFIN TUNA – Long boat ride for some fatties. DORADO – Still the smaller variety inside, with a few bigger fish cruising in open blue water ROOSTERFISH\JACK CREVALLE – Olive Clousers still the best bet this week, try Rooster Alley near the arroyo. BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK – A few schools on the surface between La Ribera and Punta Colorada. PARGO AND CABRILLA – Fair on the rocky points between La Ribera and Punta Colorada SIERRA – Hard take, quick run and no fly, they must still be here. MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO IN GENERAL: Few anglers this week to take advantage of the entrada’s continued good fly-fishing with leopard grouper, firecracker yellowtail and other rock-dwelling critters whacking a well presented Baja Deep Diver almost every time it shows up in the neighborhood. Water temperatures are creeping upward and a few reports of dorado and marlin at 20 miles west are beginning to filter in. Look for things to really get going in mid-Sept.. Water Temperature 67-78 Air Temperature 77-84 Humidity 45% Wind Calm Conditions Scattered clouds Visibility 3 miles Sunrise 6:57 a.m. MDT Sunset 8:07 p.m. MDT Aug 7 Last Quarter, August 15 New, August 23 First Quarter, August 29, Full, YELLOWTAIL – Small fish, big attitude CORVINA – A few fatties sucking up a white fly adorned with a couple of red eyes. SNOOK – It is only a matter of time before someone connects with one of the grandes. HALIBUT – Sight casting to halibut, that’s different. SIERRA – A few down at the south end of the bay ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO IN GENERAL: The 80º plus blue water is still holding only a mile off the beach. Most species are biting, with the exception of the blue marlin (the water is too warm), and dorado. The dorado are missing because the rainfall this last few weeks has been below normal and we have not had much debris washed out of the rivers to hold them. Most every boat fishing the blue water is averaging between 2 and 3 sailfish per day. Plus, the added bonus of school-sized yellowfin tuna that are only out 10 miles, and are biting. Inshore, there are a lot of jack crevalle; and light line anglers have been scoring up to 50 a day on these hard fighting fish. The big news is still just off the surf line with the roosterfish action. The bite is fantastic, and has been holding up for several weeks now. We expect this action to continue on into Dec. It should really make for a great "Jacks or Better Fly Fishing Tournament" Oct. 7-10 for Baja on the Fly. Contact Gary or Yvonne if you want to know more about this first ever (and IGFA approved) tournament. http://www.bajafly.com/jacksorbetter.htm Adolpho, on the panga “Dos Hermanos” caught 6 roosters for his clients yesterday, between 35 and 45 pounds. But the one they did not get was the real story. They were using a surface popper on spinning gear, casting into breaking bait, with birds diving and roosters crashing the surface. One cast was laid over the wing of a pelican. Naturally, the pelican was startled and flew off, but he wrapped the line by making a turn and heading in another direction. What happened was incredible! The pelican flew a few feet off the water and was "trolling" the popper. Up to 5 different roosters grabbed the popper, dragged the pelican back down to the water, and then came unbuttoned . . . to just start the process all over again. That was one very confused bird! It must have been a hell of a sight, and where is a video camera when you need it? Water Temperature 80-89 Air Temperature 80-87 Humidity 62% Wind WSW 6 mph Conditions: Thunder Storms Visibility 8 miles Sunrise 7:26 a.m. CDT Sunset 8:16 p.m. CDT Aug 7 Last Quarter, August 15 New, August 23 First Quarter, August 29, Full, Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze SAN JOSE, GUATEMALA Aug. is traditionally maintenance time, time to get boats, motors, radios, trolling gear and everything else ready for another whiz bang season beginning in early Oct. Still some good dates left for the upcoming season and now is the time to arrange your sailfish trip of a lifetime. Water Temperature 79-85 Air Temperature 80-84 Humidity 79 % Wind SSE 8 mph Conditions T Storms Visibility 7 miles Sunrise 5:48 a.m. CST Sunset 6:28 p.m. CST Aug 7 Last Quarter, August 15 New, August 23 First Quarter, August 29, Full, Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa M. McFarlin.