July 29, 2010

• Loreto: The winds have been calm. There are some deep yellowtail with many anglers getting 2-4 yellowtail per day up to 24 pounds. There have also been a few cabrilla caught.
• La Paz: La Paz fishing has really lit up. Tuna from 40 to 80 pounds with some up to 200 pounds. The key to this bite has been the large squid in the area. The days start with catching these big bruisers for bait, a feat in itself, and then baiting the tuna with big chunks of squig. The dorado have shown up as well. They are plentiful but smaller, ten to thirty pound. Even the marlin joined in with one estimated at 300 pounds. If that's not enough the Baja Pirates Fleet have found a way to focus on red snappers and many of these are in the forty to fifty-pound class.
• East Cape: This area has been great lately. This yellowfin tuna bite is still strong with tuna ranging from little schoolies to 150 pounders. Also, dorado up to fifty pounds showed up just in time to provide great fishing for the Dorado Shootout sponsored by the Van Wormer Resorts. If you’re fishing for the tuna bring cedar plugs and hoochies. The dorado can be caught on dorado catchers which are small flat-nosed trolling lures about 6 inches long. If that’s not enough, the roosterfish continue to bite with a 45 pounder caught this week.
• San Jose del Cabo:. The yellowfin tuna have been the primary target of the fleet. The fish are only about 4 miles off the coast so the fishing pressure has been heavy. This makes them a little boat shy, but most boats are still managing to get from 2 to 6 fish a day. The billfishing is good but the billfish are not concentrated and seem to be ranging all around the area. For you long range types, the Gordo banks have been producing quite a few wahoo.
• Cabo San Lucas: Marlin fishing has improved in this area with stripers being the most plentiful. Some sailfish and blue marlin have also shown up. Most boats have been able to connect with billfish and about one-third of the boats are also landing dorado.

Dave’s choice for next week: If you’re looking for big fish, La Paz is kicking out big tuna up to 200 pounds and big red snappers in the fifty-pound range. For shear numbers of fish East Cape is the hot spot.

2010 Charter Schedule

• May 22 Overnight on the Seahorse (San Clemente Island trip, sponsored by Shimano): (Sold Out) This charter should be the highlight of vertical fishing. Butterfly jigs should reign supreme for deep yellowtail action, with a bonus of reds, lings, etc. on the Lucanus jigs; or maybe not. The warm water that we have had all winter means more yellows could be here and on the surface by May, so you will need to be ready for anything. Shimano will be on board with tackle to use, and giveaways to make the trip interesting. (Limited charter, 18 anglers; $150 each: Leave Friday Night, Fish Saturday)
  
• June 27 Overnight on the Fury (Catalina or San Clemente Island trip):(Sold Out) By the time June rolls around, just about every kind of California fish is biting. Yellows and calicos should be the focus, but white sea bass are possible if the squid are around. We will be focusing on the yellowtail, but there are too many targets to predict. We may go to Catalina or San Clemente. Don't forget, if we go to San Clemente Island, come prepared for the largest calicos north of Mexico. Where we go will be decided by the best bite at the time. (Limited charter, 18 anglers; $175 each; Leave Sturday Night, Fish on Sunday)
  July 25 3/4-day on the Helena: This is just a local fun trip. Anything is possible in July; lots of calicos, sand bass, toothy barracuda, yellowtail, and even dorado can be found. This is a great trip to bring the family on (my wife Penny is coming with me). You can eat breakfast on the boat, fish all day, get a tan, and return home with plenty of time for dinner. (Limited charter, 18 anglers; $60 each; Leave and Return on Sunday)
  
• August 22-23 2-Day on the Fury (Tuna trip):(Sold Out) August is tuna month; the albacore are usually flooding the landing reports, and on a 2-day trip there is plenty of time to find them, or run the distance if necessary. If the water is warm, expect yellowfin tuna and yellowtail on the paddies. Don't forget the dorado - last year, they were being caught on the extended 3/4-day trips. In August, there can be more fish-catching options then there is time to catch them all. (Limited charter, 18 anglers; $325 each - fuel surcharge is possible but not likely)