Anglers - September 15, 2002 Historically this is now the time when there is the highest chance of hurricanes striking the Baja Peninsula, as to date we have been spared any direct hits, several storms have passed within a few hundred miles, but no damage other than higher than normal ocean swells has occurred. At this time there is another tropical depression developing below Manzanillo, named 12 E, it is predicted to follow a northwest track, gaining some strength and then weakened over cooler waters. The area is very dry and desperately needs more rainfall, but we do not need high winds or torrential floods such as were the result of Hurricane Juliette striking late September 2001. The all around weather conditions continue to be much the same, highs of 95 degrees and lows around 80 degrees, though in recent days the mornings seem to be showing a slight cooling trend, with signs of fall in the air, in another few weeks things should be more comfortable and not so humid. Water temperatures were averaging in the low 80's, with blue water being found within a couple miles of shore, there was a strong current sweeping through the region, varying from day to day, and at times did affect the fishing action. Sportfishing fleets have been scouting out areas from the Golden Gate and San Jamie on the Pacific to the Gordo Banks and north toVinorama in the Sea of Cortez, finding mixed results, but overall the action was improving and more consistent than the previous week, especially on the Pacific side for big yellowfin tuna. Big numbers of yellowfin tuna in the 80 to100 pound range were being found, with other fish up to 300 pounds also reported, the majority were associated with porpoise, the hot spot was in the vicinity of San Jaime Bank, but on other days they were also found outside of the Gordo Banks, most of this action was taking place more than 15 miles offshore, so the smaller panga fleets did not get into much of the action, the cruisers had the range and seaworthiness for targeting this action and the smaller boats were just waiting for the fish to come a little closer. The tuna were readily striking all types of lures as well as various live baits. Most boats targeting these tuna were landed from 6 to 8 per day. The majority of the tuna found in Sea of Cortez have been small 5 pound footballs, perfect baitfish for trolling for big marlin. The long awaited tuna action had everyone excited and hopefully they will now stay in local waters and provide action into the fall months. The billfish bite was also going strong, with striped, blue and black marlin all being caught, along with an increased number of sailfish. The Gordo Banks proved to be the best place at finding the big black marlin, and several of them were landed this week that weighed over 400 pounds and there was one monster black marlin caught from a 22 ft. panga that was estimated to weigh close to 700 pounds. The huge black was taken by Philippe and Gerald Desquesnes, twin brothers visiting from San Jose, California. They were fishing with skipper Augustine Pino (nickname) " Brujo", launching off the beach of Palmilla. It was quite a fish story, apparently the fish hit at 7:20 a.m., within ten minutes of the time they had first started to troll their live baits, the black hit on a small skipjack that was rigged with 400 pound mono leader tied to 80 pound main line. The battle lasted a total of some 4 hours and ten minutes, taking both brothers and skipper Brujo to finally subdue the marlin and pull it into the small 22 foot panga. The fish had dragged the panga over ten miles through the ocean to the outside of Palmilla Point, which was convenient for the boat ride back to the beach. The brothers had also caught a 250 pound blue marlin the day before with the same skipper. Other catches included dorado, which were scattered and ranging in weights from 10 to 40 pounds, wahoo became scarce but a handful of them were landed in the 30 to 50 pound class, grouper were taken off the bottom in the area of the Iman Bank, including one monster 143 pound fish that was landed by Gordo Banks skipper Chame Pino while using a live bolito for bait. The snook bite off of the San Jose Estuary was hot to start the week but faded out as the surf resided, these fish do like the increased surf action, it gets the batfish moving and puts them into the feeding mood, especially so when the Estuary opens up and is flowing in the ocean. One local had a story of hooking into a huge snook that he fought in the ocean for some time before the fish swam up into the Estuary and continued to battle before eventually becoming tangled in debris and breaking the line. Good Fishing, Eric