Cabo Fishing Report for July 7-13, 2003 Capt George Landrum Fly Hooker Sportfishing [email protected] www.flyhooker.com CABO SAN LUCAS FISH REPORT FOR JULY 7 TO JULY 13, 2003 WEATHER: Warm breezes, warm days and nights, no rain...looks like summer is finally here. Just to anchor the fact, this week a Hurricane developed way to the south and had everyone on edge for a while, wondering what it would do as the water up in our area warmed up. Our daytime highs this week got over 100 in the sun and in the evening cooled down to the low 80’s, plus there was a bit of humidity to go with it. Sure am glad the air-conditioning is working for sleeping in the evenings! (The Entertainer) WATER: The water keeps warming up! It has been pretty warm all week on the Sea of Cortez side with temperatures starting at 79-80 degrees at the beginning of the week and ending in the 82 to 83 degree range. The bigger change was on the Cape and the Pacific side. We started the week with the Pacific water temperatures in the low 70’s and ended the week with 80 degree water almost everywhere within reach with the exception of the San Jaime Banks where it was 78 degrees. The winds we were experiencing have died down a little and the Pacific side was fishable this week with only slightly choppy conditions in the afternoons. We were still getting the afternoon breezes but they were not strong enough for long enough to get any serious surface conditions started. (Euphonic Sounds) BAIT: Mostly Mackerel and Mullet this week at the normal $2 per bait. (Swipsey) FISHING: BILLFISH: Right place, right time, right fish and bingo, you’re hooked up. There were fish all over the place this week but some boats got skunked and others caught three or four. There were concentrations of Striped Marlin off of Punta Ballena in the middle of the week and off the lighthouse on the Pacific side at the end of the week. Fish were reported all over the place but the bite was not consistent. I believe every boat that went out this week saw Marlin. There were finally steady reports of Blue Marlin as well, which we expected as the warm water moved in. Not all the boats got strikes from the guy in the blue suit, but there were enough of them out there so that you saw most of the boats putting new line on their reels this week. The striped Marlin bite was an even mix of lures and live bait while the Blues were almost all lure strikes. Most of the Blues were found around the 95, 1150 and Gorda Banks. (The Easy Winners) YELLOWFIN TUNA: Football Tuna in the Porpoise was what most of the boats finding Tuna were getting, hopefully there will be some of the big toads moving back in the area also. Boats working to 30 miles to the south were finding the Porpoise and the bite was working well for those guys using dark colored feathers in the 6” size, along with cedar plugs. The fish were running 8-15 pounds, this was also an area producing a few nice Blue Marlin strikes (wonder why?). (The Cascades) DORADO: There was some scattered Dorado action this week, a bit better than last week but still not wide open. I saw some nice fish in the 40-50 pound class and almost everyone I talked to (captains and mates) reported that they had seen Dorado out there, but they were not biting well. Most of the fish were taken on live bait tossed under Frigate birds found working, but a few of the big boys were hooked on trolled lures. (Bethena) WAHOO: The full moon had to have something to do with the increase in the number of Wahoo flags flying this week. There were fish reported from the 95, 1150, Gorda Banks and just offshore all along the Cortez side. Quite a few strikes and most of the fish were lost due to either pulled hooks or the leader being cut. Most of the fish landed were in the 40-50 pound class with a few larger ones in there and almost all of them were hooked on dark colored lures run for Marlin. (Heliotrope Bouquet) NEARSHORE: Inshore fishing picked up this week with the Roosterfish coming back on and the Toro (Jack Crevalle) biting well. There were a few Yellowtail early in the week from the arch area but that fell off as the water warmed. With the water warmer and surface conditions better, a lot of the Pangas went offshore this week, looking for bigger Dorado as well as Striped Marlin, so it was difficult for me to get a good feel for the inshore catch. (Solace) NOTES: I kept saying my Mantra from last week and maybe it helped. The continuing increase in surface temperatures seems to be getting the action to turn on and is bringing fish in with it. If anyone is considering coming down to fish, the next few weeks should see some good results. Thank goodness the Blue Marlin are beginning to show up! This weeks report was written to a slightly different kind of music, “Ragtime”. I love this music but listening to a full CD can be a little extreme. This weeks CD is from Madacy Entertainment Group, released in 1997 and is listed in their “Classical Treasures” grouping as “Scott Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag” Fly Hooker Daily Fishing Reports for July 6-13, 2003 “FLY HOOKER” WEEKLY FISH COUNT Striped Marlin: One tagged and released (#120) “FLY HOOKER” FISH REPORT FOR JULY 10, 2003 I met Chuck and his son Manny yesterday as they were wandering the marina looking at the boats. They had already talked with a friend of mine who had recommended the “Fly Hooker” and Chuck decided to go fishing with his son today. Maybe it would have been better to wait another day. There were a lot of fish hooked up by other boats today, but it was not the “Fly Hooker’s” day for good luck. Juan said that they saw quite a few fish but were only able to toss bait to two fish and neither one of the Marlin were hungry. They also tossed bait to some Dorado they found under the Frigate birds and again, the fish would not eat. The boat came in with no flags flying. Sorry guys, we wish things had been different. “FLY HOOKER” FISH REPORT FOR JULY 13, 2003 Kevin Brown is fishing the “Fly Hooker” again this year and he has two friends with him. Juan and his brother went to the Pacific side of the Cape this morning and worked the area off of the lighthouse. They saw quite a few Marlin on the surface but could not get any of them to bite. They worked their way around the Cape when the wind started to blow at noon and finally at 1 P.M. found a hungry fish. Both Kevin and Juan said that all of a sudden the bite turned on and boats all over the place were hooking up. Definitely a tide thing, as this was the day of the full moon. The fish was fought for around 30 minutes, on live bait and 40# line, before it was brought to the side of the boat, tagged and released. Good gong guys, sure wish you had a little more time and could get some more fishing in. “FLY HOOKER” REPORT FOR 14 JULY, 2002 Today was boatwork day and we got the deck painted, the wood oiled and the fighting chairs re-upholstered. She is looking good now!