The abundance of skipjack, bolito and other natural baitfish that congregate on the same popular grounds have been much more limited this past week, the better option for bait source was to purchase sardina from local bait boats


The Gordo Banks, La Fortuna, Iman Bank and north to Vinorama produced yellowfin tuna from 10 to 30 lb. class along with skipjack, biting sardina on lighter tackle, while drift fishing with fly lined baits or using very light sinkers.


The bite has been spotty recently, some areas would be very good one day and then tough the very next and the best action was shifting further towards Vinorama. Most charters were catching a mixed bag. There continued to be the larger grade of yellowfin hanging around the Gordo Banks, we know of at least one yellowfin tuna in the 250 pound class that was caught earlier this week from a private center console, they hooked up with the cow while trolling a live skipjack. Other big tuna were lost after extending battles and a handful of 50 to 90 pound tuna were accounted for as well. But overall the numbers on these larger yellowfin were very few.


The best chances at hooking into a wahoo recently was while using live chihuil, slowed trolled over the inshore structure and ledges north of Punta Gorda. Though they were not easy to obtain, only found seasonally in certain spots, special chum and small bait techniques required. Wahoo to over forty pound were caught, several charters were more fortunate, landing three or four wahoo, while losing at least as many strikes. Most anglers were doing very well to account for an all-around catch of, one wahoo, maybe two or three quality tuna, handful of skipjack and a dorado or two, as a bonus. Dorado were scattered, some charters were finding two or three, while others never reported seeing one, no particular place, hit or miss, luck of the draw, most dorado were weighing in the 8 to 20 lb. range.


Billfish were encountered spread out, no big numbers, some striped marlin, occasional sailfish in the mix and maybe a shot at the larger black or blue marlin, especially with warm currents still holding in the region.


Bottom action was limited, plenty of triggerfish, a few amberjack, snapper and cabrilla. Inshore sierra are hitting early in the morning...Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas