****************************** EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO Wed., Nov. 7, 2001 GARY GRAHAM, [email protected], www.bajafly.com, 800-919-2252 When dialing our Mexican telephone number from the U.S. as of Nov. 17, you will need to change to 011-52-624-148-2179. BAJA ON THE FLY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO ORVIS EXPEDITION COMPANY OF THE YEAR 1999 EAST CAPE AND MAGDALENA BAY FISHING CONDITIONS Wed., Nov. 7, 2001 .. IN GENERAL: There's a large variety of fish being taken including a lot of big bruisers. On a pontoon boat trip with guide Lance Peterson, Bill Worthington, from San Diego, his dad and his 8 year old son Bill, had a great if not spectacular day with tuna, a 20-pound dorado and lots and lots of needlefish. The group rose a few huge jack crevalle and big pompano right in front of the hotel, but they couldn't get one to bite. The crashing and smashing of the jacks and pompano coming to the chum with the water turned to a white froth was a sight to behold. .. AIR & SEA: Air temperature high 80s to low 90s and beautiful. Balmy breeze in afternoons, but still very fishable. Water temperatures between 80-85. The hotel boat skippers are reporting large numbers of wahoo off Cabo Pulmo. There are triggerfish from 5 pounds, red snapper, pargo, and large pompano. Reports are also good numbers of tuna, some dorado and some marlin. Sierra is still in early mornings. Be sure to carry trace wire leaders for any sierra mackerel. .. OFFSHORE: Still lots of tuna flags flying from the hotel cruisers. Some very large dorado, but they seem to be singles with the schools now disbursed. Still catching a few billfish as well. .. INSHORE: Working from either the pontoon boat or a panga you can expect a real pot pourri of fish from roosters to jacks to ladyfish and pompano. .. BEACH: Plenty of ladyfish and grande jacks and roosters cruising up and down close to shore. Chartreuse and hot pink Clousers are the hot flies, and of course the usual sardina colors. Airfares have not been this low in a long time, a little over $200 from Los Angeles or San Diego, for example. Additionally, most of the hotels are offering special deals on accommodations. Give Yvonne a call for more information about some of the specials being offered. You might think about coming on down for a little pre-Christmas adventure before family commitments get heavy. BILLFISH - Some blues and stripers. YELLOWFIN TUNA - Cabo Pulmo is the place to be. DORADO - Look for anything floating, cast a popper, chartreuse Clouser or SeeThrough Deceiver next to it and hang on! ROOSTERFISH - Where oh where have the big boys gone? Lots of smaller fish all along the shore from Spa to Rancho Deluxe. JACK CREVALLE - Clouds of them will storm the beach one second and be gone the next. BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - Scattered at best. PARGO AND CABRILLA - Rocky points are holding a few quality pargo, with good fishing at Cabo Pulmo. Several quality fish reported down by Rancho Buena Vista. Catch of the Week Photo: http://www.bajafly.com/weeklycatch.html MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO Wed., Nov.7, 2001 ***** .. IN GENERAL: Our first trip is finished and the results were not what we have come to expect from the area. Logistically, things went well and the boat and crew performed well. Good food, a comfortable boat and friendly crew helped make the week a pleasant one. With off-color water extending down the ridge to below the Thetis Bank, it was difficult to find much action. While a handful of fish were raised during the trip, only one was brought to the boat and released. The marlin was caught by Gary Meyer, Albuquerque, on the second day out. After having one marlin come in and take the teaser and never let go, a second fish came in and followed the pink and white Zucker 3.5 close enough to the boat for Gary to execute a perfect cast of a red and white Billfish Baby tied on circle hooks and find himself coming tight to a very ticked-off striped marlin. In less than 30 minutes, using some of the skills he learned on last year's trip, he had the fish up to the boat. We quickly photographed and sent him on his way. A few dorado, tuna, skipjack and even a few small yellowtail rounded out what could only be described as a slow beginning. .. AIR & SEA: Temperatures: 80 during the day, 68 at night. Still shorts weather and none of us wore long pants the entire trip. MARLIN - Sun. and Mon. (11/4 and 11/5) by all accounts were probably the best two days since the season began. DORADO - Even finding a few in open water. TUNA - Up on top of the bank the fish have been in the 30 to 45 pound class. We have seen some below the bank that appear to be in the 100 to 200 pound class. We caught several on the way back to Magdalena Bay near the entrada that were in the 20 pound class. YELLOWTAIL - Best bet at the entrada. CORVINA - Either the bridge coming into town or try up by the power plant. SNOOK - Devil's Curve is a good bet. HALIBUT - Several caught in the surf near the entrance to the mangroves at Santa Maria Bay. SIERRA - Great early morning bite at Punta Belcher a few barracuda mixed in as well. My new book, "The No Nonsense Guide to Fly Fishing Magdalena Bay," is now available! Get your First Edition autographed copy at: http://secure-shopping-cart.com/bajafly/cart/index.html Catch of the Week Photo: http://www.bajafly.com/weeklycatch.html Gary Graham, Baja on the Fly, [email protected], www.bajafly.com 800-919-2252. When dialing our Mexican telephone number from the U.S. as of Nov. 17, you will need to change to 011-52-624-148-2179. -30-