Southern Baja fishing update: Blue marlin, yellowfin tuna reach East Cape

Striped marlin remain the primary target for anglers throughout most of Baja California Sur, but with summerlike weather has arrived summertime species, notably blue marlin and yellowfin tuna.

From Rancho Leonero on the East Cape, resort owner John Ireland boasts of the blue marlin presence: "I personally got spooled on a 300- to 400-pounder. Hotel anglers released seven this week, from 200-300 pounds. All blind strikes on lures, blue and white. Flying fish colors working best."

Ireland's report is too glowing to be true; he states wide-open fishing for just about every species. But fishing clearly is very good and much better than in the Cabo San Lucas area to the south.

The yellowfin tuna, Ireland adds, are being found beneath porpoises and are being caught mostly on trolled hoochies.They're weighing to about 40 pounds.

As for the summerlike weather, it reached 102 degrees last Thursday in Cabo San Lucas and cooled only slightly over the weekend. The fishing action has been in the Sea of Cortez because of off-color water on the Pacific side of the Baja peninsula.

Striped marlin are less cooperative that they were in previous weeks but the average is about one per boat, according to Capt. George Landrum  of Fly Hooker Sportfishing. 

Landrum says yellowfin are being caught only sporadically by trollers, and that dorado fishing has improved but is not wide open.

Tracy Ehrenberg, general manager of Pisces Sportfishing, adds: "We're pretty excited about the wahoo right now, as in the last eight days we have had three over 70 pounds, which is a size we have not seen in a several years."

The Cabo fleets have not experienced an influx of blue marlin, so somehow the mighty billfish swam past Cabo to the East Cape region without being detected.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Striped marlin on the hook surfaces off the East Cape region of Baja California Sur. Credit: Jack Nilson

Comments

[SafeBoater]

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[Term Papers]

Blogs are so interactive where we get lots o informative on any topics nice job keep it up !!

[Alaskan Salmon Fishing]

What is the best live bait to catch blue marlin early in the morning?

[Mmorpg]

The fishing there is still good. ALl this hype about 'over fishing' is just that, hype and nonsense. Good article btw :).

[steve vennemnn]

Great article I am coming to Baja soon to do some fishing. Hopefully a big blue marlin would be nice.