Fish Report for 3-6-2012

Billfish bite not on at Cabo, Yellowtail bite is good

3-6-2012
Larry Edwards

Well, here we are, in the March doldrums in Cabo San Lucas, and we are still waiting for the big marlin bite that hasn't happened for a couple of years. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that it will happen now as the month of March is historically the most difficult fishing time of the year for this prime fishing location. It's a period when the currents run rampant and the water temperatures tend to drop considerably, throughout the area and on both sides of the peninsula. This temperature decline has seemingly started a little early this year and while it is still in the upper 60s and low 70s and fishable for the ever famous Pacific striped marlin, it is not the warm water that the billfish and dorado like best and it's likely to remain this way for the next 45 days or so as we go through the seasonal transition when the cooler currents of the Pacific sweep around the corner at Cabo San Lucas and push into the Sea of Cortez. On the bright side for the anglers is the distinct possibility of seeing a finning swordfish and having the opportunity to present a bait that will entice the trophy to bite. March through May is the right time frame for swordfish and I have already heard of a couple of hook ups with one landed and one that got away. This is also a good time of year for the evasive yellowfin tuna as the boats move around farther offshore and spanning wider areas, searching for fish and often finding the schools of porpoise carrying the tuna. So, while the marlin fishery is slow, other opportunities are increasing, all in all, it is still better than working.

The combined catch report for 21 days fished reflected 4 stripers released, 7 yellowtail, 6 roosterfish, (mostly the smaller fish in the 10-12 lb. ranges) 2 Mako sharks, 1 wahoo, 6 skipjack and 9 Sierra.

Cabo Climate:
Partly cloudy days with temps ranging from 57 nights to 84 daytime highs.

Sea Conditions:
A couple of rough and choppy days on the Pacific side with winds from the north west in the 15-20 mph range, and off colored greenish tinted waters. Temperatures varied from 69-70 and slowly increasing to 71-72 from Cabo San Lucas to Gorda Banks and outside to the 1000 fathom curve. The warmest water remains south of Cabo San Lucas beginning at about 25 miles or so and extending southerly from there.

Best Fishing Area:
There is no predominantly better fishing area right now, albeit, the billfish that were caught were taken between Cabeza de Ballena, (Gray Rock) and Chilleno, about a 5 mile distance.

Best Bait/Lure:
Live bait was best for the billfish and for the yellowtail.


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