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| Around 10% of the world's total fish species can be found just within the Great Barrier Reef. |
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| Starfish can re-grow their arms. In fact, a single arm can regenerate a whole body. |
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| Starfish do not have blood. Their blood is actually filtered sea water. |
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| Starfish don't have brains. Special cells on their skin gather information about their surroundings |
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| Not all animals with the word fish in their names count as fish. |
| Though their names may suggest otherwise, cuttlefish, starfish, and jellyfish aren’t actually fish. Generally-speaking, fishes must have skulls, gills, and fins. Surprisingly, though, not all fishes have proper spines. |
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| In three decades, the world's oceans will contain more discarded plastic than fish when measured by weight, researchers say. |
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| As of 2020, there were 34,000 known fish species around world. That’s more than the number of species in all other vertebrates: birds, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians combined. |
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| Just how man species of fish are there? |
| As of 2020, there were 34,000 known fish species around world. That’s more than the number of species in all other vertebrates: birds, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians combined. |
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| Even Catfish are finicky |
| Taste Buds ? Catfish have a more refined sense of flavor than humans. Our 10,000 taste buds may seem like a lot, but catfish can have as many as 175,000. This helps them find the exact location of their next meal. |
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| A bit of Humor |
| My brother has 2 German Shepherds named Rolex and Timex. You guessed it they are Watch Dogs. |
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From Jan 01, 1999 To Sep 17, 2025
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Jan 26, 2004; 10:59AM - Good, Better and Really, Really Good!
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Category: Saltwater Fly Fishing Reports
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Author Name: Gary Graham
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REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY:
PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR IN BAJA FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: bajafly@bajafly.com; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
Fri., Jan. 23, 2004. Report covers the period Sat.-Thurs. (1/15 - 1/22)
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND IZTAPA, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Finally, a decent weather week and sure enough a few dorado and marlin were found ready and willing. It was not wide open, but enough to put a few smiles on the clients faces. Inshore, jacks and the toothy ones (aka sierra) have forced everyone to hit the beach before sunup to get in on the action. Most of the action was reported on the beaches between Los Barriles and Punta Pescadero and wire, particularly for the sierra, was a must.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 67°-73°
Air temperature 62° - 68°
Humidity about 44%
Wind SSE at 14 mph
Conditions Scattered Clouds (FEW) : 4,000 ft
Visibility 15 miles
Sunrise 7:01 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:58 p.m. MST
Jan. 28 First Quarter, Feb. 6 Full Feb. 13 Last Quarter Feb. 20 New
o OFFSHORE: Shark buoys off of Punta Pescadero seem to be the best game in town and a bit further out is where the marlin were found.
o INSHORE: Heard of a couple nice-sized roosters caught near the lighthouse and plenty of sierra early morning.
o BEACH: Better, but still not wonderful. Gray light is the litany this time of year. Sierra prefer low light and if the wind is going to blow you can get in a few hours before it gets started.
BILLFISH – Fair weather and voila the bite begins.
YELLOWFIN TUNA – Nothing doing.
DORADO – Find the right stuff floating and the dorado may be lurking below.
ROOSTERFISH – A few fatties this week.
JACK CREVALLE –Look for birds and bait.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK – Only an occasional bonito school to be found.
PARGO AND CABRILLA – Floating lines and poppers over the rocks can be productive . . . and lots of fun.
SIERRA - Gray light just at dawn is best before the sun gets too high.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Tuna did a disappearing act this week, but the firecracker yellows filled the gap. Fair action at the entrada after the crummy weather early in the week settled down. (Rain in Jan., go figure.) The migrating gray whales have begun to arrive for their annul visit. Over 20 were counted coming though the entrada this week. A few calves have already been spotted. Fish the esteros in the morning and whale watch on the way home, talk about variety.
Water Temperature 66°-74°
Air Temperature 60°- 68°
Humidity 46%
Wind NW at 4 mph
Conditions Haze.
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 7:13 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:58 p.m. MST
Jan. 28 First Quarter, Feb. 6 Full Feb. 13 Last Quarter Feb. 20 New
YELLOWTAIL – Not large, but hungry.
CORVINA – Still good.
SNOOK – None landed this week.
HALIBUT – Every sandy beach has a few.
SIERRA – Not being targeted much.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: The 80º blue water got pushed out several miles early this week when we were hit by a couple of days of unseasonable rain and wind. The fishing dropped off until we found the fish again. By mid-week we were back at it strong, with the boats each averaging about 3 to 4 sailfish a day.
Dave Horn from Michigan fished with Santiago on the panga “Gitana” for 4 days. Even though he was fishing a couple of days under adverse conditions, he still managed 15 sails released, and a couple of nice dorado for dinner. His best day, was on his last day of fishing when they raised 15 sailfish and he released 9.
Dr. John Adams, of Spokane, Wash., fly-fished with Martin and I on the panga “Isamar.” He hooked three of the five fish which we teased to the boat and we raised a total of seven.
The dorado action has picked up, but they are still only incidental catches because the mature fish do not school together. They are averaging about 20 pounds.
A few yellowfin tuna have been taken, but in random areas. One day they are at 25 miles, and the next we find them at 10 miles. We are getting into the season where they should start making a strong showing soon.
Water Temperature 73º-86º
Air Temperature 73° - 84º
Humidity 58%
Wind WSW at 9 mph
Conditions Scattered Clouds (FEW) : 25,000 ft
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:19 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:34 p.m. CST
Jan. 28 First Quarter, Feb. 6 Full Feb. 13 Last Quarter Feb. 20 New
Baja on the Fly’s Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
IZTAPA, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: The bite appeared to have slowed over the past week, but the totals don't really show that. There are a lot more boats out recently, which might have impacted the “averages,” but the total count was as good as or better than ever. During the week boats released 356 sailfish out of 617 bites. It worked out to an average of 19 releases per boat per day. The high boat for the week released 44 sails out of 80 bites. There were also a couple of blue marlin thrown in during the week. The weather has been spotty, but not unbearable, and on the 'bad' weather days boats still seem to be averaging double digits. The run to fish is averaging about 15 miles. There was nobody we could find who was fishing inshore during the last week.
Water Temperature 80º-85º
Air Temperature 78°-82º
Humidity 100%
Wind South at 7 mph
Conditions Partly Cloudy
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:31 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:57 p.m. CST
Jan. 28 First Quarter, Feb. 6 Full Feb. 13 Last Quarter Feb. 20 New
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa M. McFarlin.
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Jan 17, 2004; 09:18AM - Winds Plague East Cape Zihuatanejo, Guatemala Sizzle
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Category: Saltwater Fly Fishing Reports
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Author Name: bajafly
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REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY:
PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR IN BAJA FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: bajafly@bajafly.com; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
Fri., Jan. 16, 2004. Report covers the period Sat.-Thurs. (1/09 - 1/15)
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND IZTAPA, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Still a few dorado and marlin when the boats can get out. Sporadic wind conditions continue with a few good days and then you need rocks in your pockets just to walk the beach.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 67°-73°
Air temperature 62° - 69°
Humidity about 83%
Wind NNW at 9 mph
Conditions Clear
Visibility 15 miles
Sunrise 7:02 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:54 p.m. MST
Jan. 21 New, Jan. 28 First Quarter, Feb. 6 Full Feb. 13 Last Quarter
o OFFSHORE: Punta Pescadero is the best bet for dorado under the shark buoys and further outside an occasional marlin.
o INSHORE: Begin with the early morning sierra bite and then head up to Punta Pescadero.
o BEACH: Tough. There’s sierra at gray light and a few jacks to be found at Punta Arena and La Ribera.
BILLFISH – Still a few to be found.
YELLOWFIN TUNA – No sashimi to be found these days.
DORADO – Plenty of buoys strung out to the north, the trick is to find the right one.
ROOSTERFISH – Don’t hold your breath.
JACK CREVALLE –Look for birds and bait.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK – A few bonito and that is about it.
PARGO AND CABRILLA – Try a popper on the rocky points.
SIERRA - Gray light just at dawn is best before the sun gets too high.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Pssst! I know where all the yellowfin tuna went. They are 6 - 8 miles out in front of the entrada. The few pangas venturing out have reported a wide open bite. Not to be outdone, the esteros have produced good catches of corvina, grouper, pompano and all the cabrilla you can handle.
We will soon be offering trips out of Lopez Mateos as well as Puerto San Carlos. More on the new trips in the next few weeks.
Water Temperature 66°-74°
Air Temperature 64°- 71°
Humidity 100%
Wind Calm
Conditions Haze.
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 7:13 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:58 p.m. MST
Jan. 21 New, Jan. 28 First Quarter, Feb. 6 Full Feb. 13 Last Quarter
YELLOWTAIL – Entrada and bird schools should do the trick.
CORVINA – Poppers, streamers either will work.
SNOOK – Almost every week one of our clients gets dusted. Use some heavier fluorocarbon as bite tippet and hang on is the only advice I can give!
HALIBUT – Every sandy beach has a few.
SIERRA – Not being targeted much.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: It sounds like the proverbial “broken record,” but it’s a repeat of last week: The 80º blue water is still holding at around 6 miles and the sailfish are cooperating. Almost every boat is jumping between 8 and 12 fish a day, with many boats hooking as many as 7 to 8 fish each.
There are 25- to 30-pound class dorado are being caught, but mostly by trolling. There are few concentrated pods.
Water Temperature 79º-86º
Air Temperature 73° - 84º
Humidity 83%
Wind SE 4 mph
Conditions Scattered Clouds (FEW) : 6,000 ft
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:19 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:30 p.m. CST
Jan. 21 New, Jan. 28 First Quarter, Feb. 6 Full Feb. 13 Last Quarter
Baja on the Fly’s Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
IZTAPA, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: The bite is really starting to turn on in Guatemala, and the action has moved closer to shore with the run to the fish being 14-20 miles. Boats are averaging 25 releases on sails out of 40 shots, and quite a few boats in the latter half of the week experienced over 100 bites per day. The high boat for the week released 81 of 106 for sails. There were also several marlin released during the past week. Dorado action is steady. Inshore, there were two groups out, and the action on 20- 30-pound roosters was steady in the afternoon.
Excerpts of notes or e-mails from recent visitors:
I can't believe how good sail fishing can be. 21 sails and a large dorado in one day . . . signed/ [outdoor writer/photographer] Ray Rychnovsky
We really missed the bite by one day. The high boat the day you left released 81 sails for 3 anglers and the #2 boat released 48 of 116 . . . signed/ Brian and Lissa
Today (Jan. 13) a record was set!
My three students Don Trexler, John Willis Steve McManus and I set a new world record by catching and releasing 27 sailfish on fly. We had released 22 before noon and it began to slow down. We left to go fishing 1/2 hour late and arrived at the dock 40 minutes early. With over 50 fly bites, the potential is there to catch more on a day like this! . . . signed/ Jake Jordan
Water Temperature 80º-85º
Air Temperature 78°-82º
Humidity 100%
Wind SE 11 mph
Conditions Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:30 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:54 p.m. CST
Jan. 21 New, Jan. 28 First Quarter, Feb. 6 Full Feb. 13 Last Quarter
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa M. McFarlin.
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Jan 10, 2004; 09:49AM - East Cape Wind Guatemala Sails
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Category: Saltwater Fly Fishing Reports
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Author Name: Gary Graham
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Fri., Jan. 09, 2004. Report covers the period Sat.-Thurs. (1/02 - 1/8)
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND IZTAPA, GUATEMALA
CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Typical winter conditions with a few good days and others
that . . . well, as for the wind, “thar she blows.” With only a few
boats heading out, it is tough to get a clear and accurate idea of the
conditions.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 67°-73°
Air temperature 59° - 74°
Humidity about 68%
Wind North at 10 mph
Conditions Clear
Visibility 12 miles
Sunrise 7:01 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:49 p.m. MST
Jan. 14 Last Quarter, Jan. 21 New, Jan. 28 First Quarter, Feb. 6 Full
o OFFSHORE: There are a few dorado to be found under the shark buoys
off of Punta Pescadero, which is a pretty good direction to head. If the
north wind kicks up it is a nicer ride home.
o INSHORE: Sierra continue to be the best action. There are a few
jacks and pompano in front of La Ribera.
o BEACH: All the hotels had some action out in front for sierra early
morning. It is mostly an early morning deal and over by 9 a.m. at the
latest.
BILLFISH – A few here and there, sure no concentration. The lucky ones
stumble on one and claim it’s skill. The unlucky ones claim it is slow
fishing.
YELLOWFIN TUNA – They will be back.
DORADO – Patience pays off at Pecadero, find the right shark buoy and it
is smiles all around.
ROOSTERFISH – Not much to talk about.
JACK CREVALLE – Right place, right time, look for birds and bait.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK – A few bonito and that is about it.
PARGO AND CABRILLA – Not much to report.
SIERRA - Gray light just at dawn is best before the sun gets too high.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Peter Chan and Susan Rosen, New York, finished up their
spur-of-the-moment trip with an impressive list of species including
cabrilla, leopard grouper, corvina, pompano, barracuda and tales of
disappearing fly lines. (Sounds like someone got snookered.) Outside on
a 210 heading 17-20 miles, the yellowfin tuna were ready to rumble and
there were several gorilla class (100 pounds) reported by several of
the local pangeros.
Water Temperature 66°-74°
Air Temperature 64°- 73°
Humidity 59%
Wind NW 6 mph
Conditions Scattered Clouds.
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 7:13 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:53 p.m. MST
Jan. 14 Last Quarter, Jan. 21 New, Jan. 28 First Quarter, Feb. 6 Full
YELLOWTAIL – Lots to look at, unfortunately not very aggressive.
CORVINA – 2004 hasn’t slowed them down a bit.
SNOOK – Just when you decide there aren’t any, something takes your fly
and never stops. Hmmm . . .
HALIBUT – It has slowed down a bit. You need to find the right sandy
beach now.
SIERRA – Slow but steady.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: The 80º blue water is still holding at 6 miles and, even
with the full moon, the sailfish are cooperating. Almost every boat is
raising between 8 and 12 fish a day, with many boats hooking as many as
7 to 8 fish each.
A few 25-pound class dorado are being caught, but only by about one boat
in five.
The roosterfish action has slowed down considerably, with Pete Richards
of Charlotte, N.C. getting the largest one of the week, a 42-pounder.
The jack crevalle action is very good, with the 12- to 20-pound jacks
busting bait about a 1/4 mile off the beach.
There is still no sign of the tuna.
Water Temperature 79º-86º
Air Temperature 75° - 89º
Humidity 83%
Wind Calm
Conditions Partly Cloudy (FEW) : 6,000 ft
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:18 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:226 p.m. CST
Jan. 14 Last Quarter, Jan. 21 New, Jan. 28 First Quarter, Feb. 6 Full
Baja on the Fly’s Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
IZTAPA, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: Happy New Year to all. For the week between Christmas and
New Year, there were a total of 292 Sailfish released out of 429 shots.
The average was roughly 10 sails per boat pre day, with the high boat
for the week releasing 34 of 52. The Dorado are showing up in good
numbers.
Water Temperature 80º-85º
Air Temperature 80°-84º
Humidity 77%
Wind N 14mph
Conditions Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:29 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:50 p.m. CST
Jan. 14 Last Quarter, Jan. 21 New, Jan. 28 First Quarter, Feb. 6 Full
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa M. McFarlin.
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Jan 2, 2004; 02:00PM - An East Cape Chill, a Blistering Guatemala, Others In-Between
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Category: Saltwater Fly Fishing Reports
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Author Name: Gary Graham
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REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY:
PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR IN BAJA FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: bajafly@usa.net; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
Fri., Jan. 02, 2004. Report covers the period Sat.-Thurs. (12/25 - 1/1)
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND IZTAPA, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: North winds continued to hamper fishing most of the week. On the days that the wind did back off it was still tough.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 67°-73°
Air temperature 67° - 73°
Humidity about 83%
Wind NW at 12 mph
Conditions Mostly Cloudy
Visibility 12 miles
Sunrise 6:57 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:40 p.m. MST
Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter, Jan. 21 New, Jan. 28 First Quarter
o OFFSHORE: The few boats venturing out have scored on a few dorado up toward Punta Pescadero. By mid-morning most are scurrying back for their respective hotels. Cold margaritas and a swim seem like a much wiser decision.
o INSHORE: If you like sierra, you should be here, just remember the wire!
o BEACH: Gray light is a must. Sierra usually shut off as the sun climbs higher.
BILLFISH – Always a few homeguard, you just have to find them.
YELLOWFIN TUNA – Seemed like they would never stop biting, but they have.
DORADO – Punta Pescadero shark buoys rumored to have a few lurking about.
ROOSTERFISH – Find the sardinia and you should find a few small ones.
JACK CREVALLE – Lighthouse to La Ribera is the right neighborhood.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK – A few bonito and that is about it.
PARGO AND CABRILLA – Who knows? Try a popper over the rock structure dotting East Cape beaches.
SIERRA - Gray light just at dawn is best before the sun gets too high.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Peter Chan and Susan Rosen, vacationing from New York on a last minute whim, decided to give the esteros a shot and they were not disappointed. They found plenty of corvina, pompano and grouper to put a bend in their flyrods the past few days. They are back out this morning trying get tight with an illusive snook.
Water Temperature 66°-74°
Air Temperature 69°- 77°
Humidity 59%
Wind NNE 4 mph
Conditions Scattered Clouds.
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 7:11 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:49 p.m. MST
Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter, Jan. 21 New, Jan. 28 First Quarter
YELLOWTAIL – Plenty at the entrada under the bird schools, pretty selective this week.
Try a slow-retrieved chartreuse Baja Deep Diver.
CORVINA – No shortage here
SNOOK – A challenge, but worth the effort.
HALIBUT – Sandy beach and a slow retrieved Clouser will work every time.
SIERRA – No takers this week . . . that’s anglers, not fish.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: The 80º blue water is only a couple of miles off the beach and the sailfish fishing has been outstanding. We are in our absolute busiest time of the year, with almost 40 boats a day chartered. Most boats are releasing 4 to 7 sailfish a day, and are raising 10 to 15 in the spread.
Dan Smith, a fly-fisherman and Alaska salmon guide on a “busman’s holiday,” has averaged 4 releases a day on sailfish. He had one fantastic day of 6 releases.
Inshore, the large jacks are still on the beaches, with a lot of sierra about a quarter of a mile out. The roosterfish action has cooled down a little bit, but this may be from lots of fishing pressure and not from the fact they are not here.
Water Temperature 79º-86º
Air Temperature 73° - 89º
Humidity 83%
Wind Calm
Conditions Mostly Cloudy (BKN) : 25,000 ft
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 7:16 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:22 p.m. CST
Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter, Jan. 21 New, Jan. 28 First Quarter
Baja on the Fly’s Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
IZTAPA, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: During the week of Christmas, as can be expected, there was not a flood of activity. On Dec. 26-28, there were 4 boats out and they experienced some great action. The boats were able to average 16 releases out of 24 shots on sailfish, with the high boat for the week having a day where they released 31 of 45. We also had one boat go out for a half day of inshore fishing where they left the dock at 1:45 in the afternoon and returned a little after 5:30 in the evening and they were able to connect with 5 roosterfish out of 8 shots. Mr. and Mrs. Threeton were thrilled, since they were able to fly in from the U.S., head from the airport to the boat, and turn a travel day into a half-day of fishing filled with great action.
Water Temperature 80º-85º
Air Temperature 80°-84º
Humidity 100%
Wind North at 5 mph
Conditions Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:27 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:47 p.m. CST
Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter, Jan. 21 New, Jan. 28 First Quarter
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa M. McFarlin.
And from all of us – a very Happy, Healthy and Fishy New Year!
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Dec 26, 2003; 12:42PM - Fishing from Fair to Fabulous
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Category: Saltwater Fly Fishing Reports
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Author Name: Gary Graham
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REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY:
PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR IN BAJA FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: bajafly@usa.net; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
Fri., Dec. 26, 2003. Report covers the period Sat.-Thurs. (12/18 - 12/25)
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND IZTAPA, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: As expected, Santa arrived to everyone’s delight and the good news is he took the north wind with him. Before he arrived it wasn’t worth the effort to go out. Our clients opted for Cabo where a few dorado, skipjack and an occasional billfish provided fair action.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 67°-72°
Air temperature 66° - 73°
Humidity about 64%
Wind NW at 7 mph
Conditions Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:57 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:40 p.m. MST
Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter, Jan. 21 New
o OFFSHORE: No boats, no fish.
o INSHORE: Sierra continue to dominate the scene, with a few small jacks mixed in.
o BEACH: There has been a pretty good lee at the lighthouse. Jacks, ladyfish and sierra early morning before the wind gets cranking.
BILLFISH – More fish than anglers.
YELLOWFIN TUNA – Can’t even find the porpoise.
DORADO – If you find something floating you will probably find a few.
ROOSTERFISH – La Ribera to Punta Arena is your best shot.
JACK CREVALLE - A few small fish at La Ribera and out toward Punta Colorada.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - A few closer to shore, but difficult to find.
PARGO AND CABRILLA - Quiet.
SIERRA - Gray light just at dawn is best.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Sounds like the “grande tuna” have shown up below Tasco. There’s a good yellowtail bite at the entrada and if you get too deep the grouper will get you. Up at Devil’s Curve the action continues for snook, corvina, pompano and a few grouper.
Water Temperature 66°-73°
Air Temperature 62°- 74°
Humidity 59%
Wind NW 11 mph
Conditions Scattered Clouds.
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 7:09 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:44 p.m. MST
Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter, Jan. 21 New
YELLOWTAIL – Try the entrances to either bay and look for the bird schools
CORVINA – Surface or sub-surface they will keep you entertained
SNOOK – Try the deeper parts of the channel with a chartreuse Baja Deep Diver with a slow retrieve.
HALIBUT – Sandy beach and a slow retrieved Clouser will work every time.
SIERRA – Out toward the entrada near Belchers under the birds.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: The 80º blue water is about 6 miles off the beach. Fishing has been very good for most species.
Most every boat is releasing 4 to 5 sailfish a day average. The dorado are scattered, but one boat out of three is catching a nice 25- to 30-pound fish daily.
Dave Weed, of Alberta, Canada, fished with Captain Margarito on the “Gaby” and took a 200 pound yellowfin tuna. He caught the fish at the 10 mile mark, slow trolling a live bonito under the porpoise.
Inshore, the roosterfish and jack crevalle bite has been holding up very well. Also, the sierras are providing some decent light tackle action.
Water Temperature 79º-86º
Air Temperature 73° - 87º
Humidity 83%
Wind SW 8 mph
Conditions Clear
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 7:13 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:18 p.m. CST
Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter, Jan. 21 New
Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
IZTAPA, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: While few boats fished this week, those that did get out found action that would be considered outrageous by most standards. With the season just beginning to ramp up, it feels like this is going to be a great season. While sailfish are the dominant catch, there are enough dorado and tuna to provide some variety. Back inshore the roosters are cruising around waiting for someone to toss them a fly.
Water Temperature 80º-85º
Air Temperature 78°-82º
Humidity 94%
Wind WSW 6 mph
Conditions Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:20 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:39 p.m. CST
Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter, Jan. 21 New
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa M. McFarlin.
And from all of us – a very Happy, Healthy and Fishy New Year!
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Dec 19, 2003; 08:24AM - East Cape's Cool, Zihuatanejo Hot
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Category: Saltwater Fly Fishing Reports
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Author Name: Gary Graham
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REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY:
PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR IN BAJA FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: bajafly@usa.net; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
Thurs., Dec. 18, 2003, Report covers the period Sat.-Thurs. (12/11 - 12/18)
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND IZTAPA, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Windy and cool seems like the needle is stuck on the record. With few guest at any of the hotels, most of the boats stayed close to home.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 67°-72°
Air temperature 59° - 77°
Humidity about 55%
Wind NW at 13 mph
Conditions Partly Cloudy (FEW) : 20,000 feet
Visibility 12 miles
Sunrise 6:53 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:36 p.m. MST
Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter
o OFFSHORE: Heard of a billfish or two and an occasional dorado for very few trips.
o INSHORE: Tin boat fleet is managing to get out early and score of a few sierra.
o BEACH: When the wind backs off early morning in the gray is best
BILLFISH – A few home guard still around.
YELLOWFIN TUNA – Only a memory for now.
DORADO – Pretty slow.
ROOSTERFISH – La Ribera early best bet.
JACK CREVALLE - A few small fish at La Ribera and out toward Punta Colorada.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - A few closer to shore, but difficult to find.
PARGO AND CABRILLA - Quiet.
SIERRA - Gray light just at dawn is best.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: All of the action centered on the esteros and there was little new to report outside. Most of the yachts have headed to greener pastures leaving the locals to search for the hot bite outside.
Water Temperature 66°-73°
Air Temperature 68°- 78°
Humidity 76%
Wind NNE 11 mph
Conditions Scattered Clouds.
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 7:05 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:40 p.m. MST
Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter
YELLOWTAIL – Reports of a few at the entrada in deeper water.
CORVINA - They just keep on biting
SNOOK – Fair to good action near Devil’s Curve on the northwest side of the channel.
HALIBUT – Still enough to make fishing the sandy beaches worthwhile.
SIERRA – Out toward the Entrada near Belchers.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: The 80º blue water has moved off the beach to about 10 miles. The main action for sailfish is taking place about 14- to 18-miles out. A very nice bonus is the mature dorado are starting to show in good numbers.
Fly-fishing client Butch Cooley, of Seattle, fished two more days with us and we raised 8 sailfish each day. On the fly, he hooked an average of 3 fish a day.
Steve Miller of Albuquerque, had a tough day with Captain Martin and me on the panga “Isamar” when the S/E winds blew and dropped the barometer. The winds were not over 10 knots, but it shut down the fishing for the one day. As conditions stabilized on the next day, we raised 4 sailfish and hooked 3. Steve also made a great cast to a 32-pound dorado. The dorado ended up as dinner for all of us. All fish were caught on the fly and using IGFA rules.
Jason Cook, of Carson City, Nevada fished on the panga “Gitana” with Santiaga. They released 9 sailfish in two days.
Captain Adolpho on the panga “Dos Hermanos” told me this morning the roosterfish action has slowed down, but he did manage a huge rooster of 80-pounds on conventional gear yesterday. They then got into 'mucho' jacks running to 25-pounds. The rooster and jacks are crashing on bait just off the surf line about 8 miles north of Zihuatanejo Bay. Adolpho also reports a lot of sierras are rounding out the day for his clients.
Water Temperature 79º-86º
Air Temperature 71° - 81º
Humidity 83%
Wind Calm
Conditions Haze Smoke
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 7:10 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:14 p.m. CST
Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter
Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
IZTAPA, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: As we get closer to the peak part of the sail-fishing season, the daily averages are going up. This week we had 13 boats out in 5 days of fishing. They were able to average 17 releases out of 24 shots on sailfish, with the high boat for the week releasing 39 of 52. There was also one lone marlin released. By Guatemala's standard the action is starting to get good, and compared with other locations the numbers are incredible! It is still a pretty good run to the action, but it is worth it. For those wanting to try fly-fishing for the first time, Guatemala offers enough opportunities that you will look like a pro by day’s end. Action on dorado and tuna is spotty, but consistently available. Inshore, there were no boats out. Stay tuned for better release numbers as we get into the first couple of months of 2004.
Water Temperature 80º-85º
Air Temperature 78°-82º
Humidity 73%
Wind Calm
Conditions Clear
Visibility
Sunrise 6:20 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:39 p.m. CST
Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa M. McFarlin.
. . .
CHECKLIST OF THINGS TO BRING TO THE EAST CAPE
(We’ll continue to publish this every month or so for new recipients of our report, but we suggest you print it out and keep it handy.)
· _______ FISHING CLOTHING - Lightweight, fast-drying technical clothing.
Long sleeve shirts and long pants if you burn easily.
· _______ TENNIS SHOES, BOAT SHOES OR RUBBER SOLED SANDALS.
. _______ HAT - For protection from the sun.
· _______ POLARIZED SUN GLASSES. (All dark glasses are not polarized. Be sure yours are.)
· _______ WINDBREAKER OR SWEATSHIRT.
· _______ SHORTS.
· _______ SWIMSUIT.
· _______ COSMETICS OR SHAVING GEAR.
· _______ SUN PROTECTION (lotion or block.)
· _______ LIP BALM.
· _______ SEASICKNESS MEDICATION.
· _______ TYLENOL OR ASPIRIN.
· _______ BENEDRYL SPRAY OR OINTMENT.
· _______ FLASHLIGHT (For walking on the beach at night.)
· _______ CAMERA, EXTRA FILM.
· _______ VIDEO CAMERA AND TAPES (Optional.)
. _______ EXTRA BATTERIES.
. _______ SNORKEL EQUIPMENT (Optional. Can be rented there.)
. _______ U.S. $1 DOLLAR BILLS (For tips.)
SHIRTS AND SHOES ARE REQUIRED IN THE DINING ROOM
FISHING GEAR YOU MAY NEED:
See Gary Graham’s “No Nonsense Guide to Fly Fishing Southern Baja” or his website: www.bajafly.com.
· ________8-, 9-, or 10-weight rod for surf fishing and casting. A 9-weight is ideal if you are bringing only one rod. Add a 12-weight if you are fishing from a boat. Rental tackle is available, but must be reserved.
· ________Reel(s) direct or anti-reverse, anodized. Good disc drag and plenty of backing. Reels with a quick take-apart feature are ideal for cleaning.
· ________Lines - Beach and Inshore: Intermediate or sink-tip for rocky areas. Full line (350 grain) or shooting head for sandy areas. Offshore: 10- or 12-weight rod. Full flyline (650 grain) shooting head/intermediate. For marlin and big tuna: 14-weight, quality reel, lots of backing 125#, and 36-inch bite tippet. Extra fly lines and shooting heads -- better safe than sorry.
· ________Leaders and Tippet.
· ________Stripping Basket.
· ________Flies. Contact your fly shop for the most current flies in use.
· ________Hook sharpener.
· ________Foot protection for the rocks.
REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY:
PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR IN BAJA FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: bajafly@usa.net; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
Thurs., December 18, 2003, Report covers the period Sat.-Thurs. (12/11 - 12/18)
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND IZTAPA, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Windy and cool seems like the needle is stuck on the record. With few guest at any of the hotels most of the boats stayed close to home.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 67°-72°
Air temperature 59° - 77°
Humidity about 55%
Wind NW at 13 mph
Conditions Partly Cloudy (FEW) : 20000 ft
Visibility 12 miles
Sunrise 6:53 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:36 p.m. MST
Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter
o OFFSHORE: Heard of a billfish or two and an occasional dorado for very few trips.
o INSHORE: Tin boat fleet is managing to get out early and score of a few sierra.
o BEACH: When the wind backs off early morning in the gray is best
BILLFISH – A few home guard still around.
YELLOWFIN TUNA – Only a memory for now.
DORADO – Pretty slow.
ROOSTERFISH – La Ribera early best bet .
JACK CREVALLE - A few small fish at La Ribera and out toward Punta Colorada.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - A few closer to shore, but difficult to find.
PARGO AND CABRILLA - Quiet.
SIERRA - Gray light just at dawn is best.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: All of the action centered on the Esteros and there was little new to report outside. Most of the yachts have headed to greener pastures leaving the locals to search for the hot bite outside.
Water Temperature 66°-73°
Air Temperature 68°- 78°
Humidity 76%
Wind NNE 11 mph
Conditions Scattered Clouds.
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 7:05 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:40 p.m. MST
Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter
YELLOWTAIL – Reports of a few at the Entrada in deeper water.
CORVINA - They just keep on biting
SNOOK – Fair to good action near Devils Curve on the northwest side of the channel.
HALIBUT – Still enough to make fishing the sandy beaches worthwhile.
SIERRA – Out toward the Entrada near Belchers.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: The 80º blue water has moved off the beach to about 10 miles. The main action for sailfish is taking place about 14 to 18 miles out. A very nice bonus is the mature dorado are starting to show in good numbers.
Fly fishing client Butch Cooley, of Seattle, WA, fished 2 more days with us and we raised 8 sailfish each day. On the fly, he hooked an average of 3 fish a day.
Steve Miller of Albuquerque, N.M. had a tough day with Captain Martin and I on the panga Isamar when the S/E winds blew and dropped the barometer. The winds were not over 10 knots, but it shut down the fishing for the one day. As conditions stabilized on the next day, we raised 4 sailfish and hooked 3. Steve also made a great cast to a 32 pound dorado. The dorado ended up as dinner for all of us. All fish were caught on the fly and using IGFA rules.
Jason Cook, of Carson, Nevada fished on the panga Gitana with Santiaga. They released 9 sailfish in two days.
Captain Adolpho on the panga Dos Hermanos told me this morning the roosterfish action has slowed down, but he did manage a huge rooster of 80 pounds on conventional gear yesterday. They then got into 'mucho' jacks running to 25 pounds. The rooster and jacks are crashing on bait just off the surf line about 8 miles North of Zihuatanejo Bay. Adolpho also reports a lot of sierras are rounding out the day for his clients.
Ed Kunze
Water Temperature 79º-86º
Air Temperature 71° - 81º
Humidity 83%
Wind Calm
Conditions Haze Smoke
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 7:10 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:14 p.m. CST
Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter
Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
IZTAPA, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: As we get closer to the peak part of the Sailfishing season, the daily averages are going up. This week we had 13 boats out in 5 days of fishing. They were able to average 17 releases out of 24 shots on Sailfish, with the high boat for the week releasing 39 of 52. There was also one lone Marlin released. By Guatemala's standard the action is starting to get good, and compared with other locations the numbers are incredible! It is still a pretty good run to the action, but it is worth it. For those wanting to try fly fishing for the first time, Guatemala offers enough opportunities that you will look like a pro by days end. Action on Dorado and tuna is spotty but consistently available. Inshore there were no boats out. Stay tuned for better release numbers as we get into the first couple of months of 2004.
Water Temperature 80º-85º
Air Temperature 78°-82º
Humidity 73%
Wind Calm
Conditions Clear
Visibility
Sunrise 6:20 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:39 p.m. CST
Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full, Jan. 14 Last Quarter
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa M. McFarlin.
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Dec 12, 2003; 06:52PM - Zihuatanejo Sizzles; Other Sites Merely Warm
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Category: Saltwater Fly Fishing Reports
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Author Name: Gary Graham
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REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY:
PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR IN BAJA FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: bajafly@usa.net; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
Thurs., Dec. 11, 2003, Report covers the period Sat.-Thurs. (12/05 - 12/11)
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND IZTAPA, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Now that the wind settled down, wouldn’t you know that there are only a few clients to enjoy it? It’s still a long ride for the few tuna to be found under the porpoise. Back inshore, a few dorado under the moorings and sierra along the beach.
If you haven’t made your New Year’s plans, consider starting 2004 off right with your first rooster or jack. Hotels are still fairly well open.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 69°-74°
Air temperature 68° - 73°
Humidity about 78%
Wind North at 3 mph
Conditions Partly Cloudy (FEW) : 4,000 ft
Visibility 12 miles
Sunrise 6:49 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:34 p.m. MST
Dec. 16 Last Quarter, Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full
o OFFSHORE: A few tuna and billfish here and there.
o INSHORE: Check around the moorings in front of the hotels and you may
get lucky. Small jacks, roosters and sierra early morning
o BEACH: Gray light is best this time of year. Look for the birds crashing
on bait.
BILLFISH - Spread out throughout the Las Palmas Bay. Put your time in and you
may be rewarded.
YELLOWFIN TUNA - Under the porpoise is the best bet.
DORADO - A few small ones around the moorings.
ROOSTERFISH - Some small ones near Punta Colorada and La Ribera.
JACK CREVALLE - A few small fish at La Ribera and out toward Punta Colorada.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - A few closer to shore, but difficult to find.
PARGO AND CABRILLA - Quiet.
SIERRA - Gray light just at dawn is best.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Tuna, dorado and skipjack dominated the offshore catch with few
marlin to be found. Inside the esteros the fishing continued at a blistering pace. Snook continued to bite and the lucky ones released a few in the teens. Corvina and pompano seemed to be laying in wait for any popper that hit the water. A few leopard grouper and pargo along with a gaggle of spotted bay bass made for a good week.
Water Temperature 67°-73°
Air Temperature 64°- 71°
Humidity 76%
Wind South at 2 mph
Conditions Mostly Cloudy
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 7:01 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:38 p.m. MST
Dec. 16 Last Quarter, Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full
YELLOWTAIL - Day to day deal if you hit the right day it can be awesome under
the bird schools at the entrada.
CORVINA - Still a class A bite.
SNOOK - A handful in the teens.
HALIBUT - No one fished for them this week, but I will bet they are still happening.
SIERRA - Best I can tell you is Wire and bird schools are the best
combination.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: The 80º blue water is about 4 miles off the beach and most of the
sailfish action is taking place at the 12- to 14-mile mark. We are under a full moon, but we are still managing to raise enough fish for the fly rodders to get at least two hook-ups a day. Conventional gear fishermen are getting 4 to 7 released sailfish per day.
Gary Graham fished with us this week for three days. The clients were here to do an article for Unlimited Magazine on how an inexperienced fly-angler can catch a billfish. Of course, to be successful you need to be in an area which allows a lot of shots at a fish. With the full moon, we did not get the shots we wanted, but the 'crew' was exceptional on the opportunities we got. Captain Poli on the 38-foot cruiser “Don Gordo” raised the sailfish, I teased the fish to the boat, and Gary instructed anglers Johnny Duncan and
author Kent Black of New Mexico. We got the job done. The photos were taken and the article will be written as it actually happened (and not as a figment of an author's imagination).
Butch Cooley of Seattle, Wash., fished one day with Captain Margarito and me on
the “Gaby.” We raised 9 sailfish, tagged and released 3, and hooked another for a
long release (the sail threw the fly after about a minute of spectacular aerial display.)
Baja on the Fly client Fred Brune, of Seattle also fished two days with Martin and me on the panga “Isamar.” We managed to tease 9 to the boat and to tag and release the fish for him. Fred had previously fished with me on the Baja East Cape when I guided for Baja on the Fly last summer. He definitely feels the winter fishery here in Zihuatanejo is well worth the investment, and a great 'family' destination.
Inshore, due to the clear water on the beach, the roosterfish and jack crevalle action has slowed a bit. Fly-fishing for sierras and black skipjack tuna has been excellent.
The dorado we had the here in the previous weeks have pulled a disappearing act on us.
Water Temperature 78º-84º
Air Temperature 73° - 86º
Humidity 62%
Wind Calm
Conditions Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 7:06 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:12 p.m. CST
Dec. 16 Last Quarter, Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full
Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
IZTAPA, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: The weather is beautiful and most of the fishing action seems be
25-30 miles out. We did not have a lot of boats out this week, but the action is steady. Boats seem to be averaging 17 shots at sails with 11 releases, and the high boat for the week released 19 of 32 on sails. There has also been steady action on dorado and small tuna if you are looking. Inshore, there were no boats out, so we have no report. We have some openings in Jan. if anyone has the chance to take a last minute trip. We have quite a few parties fly in on a Thurs. evening and out on Sun. with two full action packed days
of fishing.
Water Temperature 80º-85º
Air Temperature 80°-84º
Humidity 74%
Wind Calm
Conditions Clear
Visibility
Sunrise 6:16 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:36 p.m. CST
Dec. 16 Last Quarter, Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter Jan. 7 Full
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa M. McFarlin.
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Dec 4, 2003; 04:59PM - Holiday Season Brings Fishing Promise
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Category: Saltwater Fly Fishing Reports
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Author Name: Gary Graham
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REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY:
PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR IN BAJA FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: bajafly@usa.net; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
Thurs., Dec. 04, 2003 Report covers the period Sat.-Thurs. (11/29 - 12/04)
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND IZTAPA, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Nov. left, but forgot to take the wind. Early morning can be decent until the wind cranks up. Left-over wind waves are even hampering the beach fishing except on a few early mornings. While all of this sounds daunting for the fly-fisher, sunny Baja days are providing some great R&R time around the pool while waiting for the wind to quit.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 69°-74°
Air temperature 73° - 78°
Humidity about 54%
Wind SSE at 12 mph
Conditions clear
Visibility 12 miles
Sunrise 6:44 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:32 p.m. MST
Dec. 8 Full Dec. 16 Last Quarter, Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter
o OFFSHORE: Going out these days is a workout with little return.
o INSHORE: A pretty good sierra bite has been the bright light this week early morning before the sun hits the water.
o BEACH: As expected, a few sierra, ladyfish and an occasional jack was considered a banner day.
BILLFISH – There are a few around if it would flatten out long enough for anyone to find them.
YELLOWFIN TUNA – Way too far to bother.
DORADO – Six boats, two dorado, that’s tough fishing.
ROOSTERFISH – They don’t like the wind anymore than we do.
JACK CREVALLE - A few small fish at La Ribera and out toward Punta Colorada.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - A few closer to shore, but difficult to find.
PARGO AND CABRILLA - Quiet.
SIERRA - Gray light just at dawn is best.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Offshore, news of a wide open tuna bite was welcome, since the billfish were few and far between. The esteros (estuaries) were a much better choice. Devil’s Curve went off big time this week and the ones who were bored with the lack of billfish action offshore were chattering like a bunch of frigates on a bait ball about the bite inside. Snook to 25 pounds, leopard grouper in the mid-teens, corvina, and pompano bit with a vengeance for several days on the tide.
Water Temperature 67°-73°
Air Temperature 69°- 78°
Humidity 40%
Wind South at 2 mph
Conditions Haze
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 6:55 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:36 p.m. MST
Dec. 8 Full Dec. 16 Last Quarter, Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter
YELLOWTAIL – Look for the bird schools near the entrada.
CORVINA – They’re still biting practically anything hitting the water.
SNOOK – Eight fish over 10 pounds.
HALIBUT – Sandy beach, slow retrieved chartreuse Baja Deep Diver a sure thing.
SIERRA - Under the bird schools in the bay the best bet, but don't forget the wire.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: The 80º blue water is within a half mile of the beach and the great sailfish action is still holding up. Baja on the Fly clients brothers Leon and Kyle Stiffarm fly-fished two days with Martin and I on the panga “Isamar.” Leon is an excellent fly-fisherman for huge trout on the local lakes he visits on the Blackfoot Indian Reservation in Glacier National Park, but he had never fished saltwater before.
We changed that in a hurry! We raised 17 sails, had 10 follow the teasers to the boat, and hooked 5. The first few fish were learning experiences for the brothers, because they had to overcome a major case of adrenaline rush. They had never even seen fish so big, yet alone be able to reach out and touch them with the rod tip. After the shooting head was wrapped about 20 times around the rod tip, and a pulled fly ended up threading itself between the line and the rod, they settled down and hooked almost every fish that came to the boat.
While returning to the dock, I told them they easily would have had an 8 sailfish day if we had been using conventional gear. A few minutes later, as Adolpho on the panga “Dos Hermanos” pulled alongside, as prophesied, he was flying 7 tag-and-release flags.
Water Temperature 78º-84º
Air Temperature 75° - 87º
Humidity 66%
Wind SW at 12 mph
Conditions Haze Smoke
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 7:01 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:09 p.m. CST
Dec.8 Full Dec. 16 Last Quarter, Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter
Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
IZTAPA, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: The sea conditions in Guatemala are beautiful, with very calm seas and partly cloudy skies. The run to the fish is highly variable each day with the best action seeming to occur between 20 and 30 miles, with pockets of action much closer at times. Over the last week the fishing has remained hot or cold, mainly due to not enough boats out to keep the action located. Overall, the boats averaged 12 releases out of 19 shots on sails, and 1 for 1 on marlin during the 5 days that were fished by the 8 boats. One boat spent a partial day inshore, and was able to release a couple of roosters, a couple of mackerel and a couple of jacks.
Water Temperature 80º-85º
Air Temperature 84°-84º
Humidity 79%
Wind West at 7 mph
Conditions Clear
Visibility
Sunrise 6:12 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:33 p.m. CST
Dec. 8 Full Dec. 16 Last Quarter, Dec. 23 New, Dec. 30 First Quarter
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa M. McFarlin.
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Nov 29, 2003; 12:51PM - Turkey Came and Went . . . But the Winds Linger On
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Category: Saltwater Fly Fishing Reports
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Author Name: Gary Graham
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REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY:
PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR IN BAJA FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: bajafly@usa.net; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
Fri., Nov. 28, 2003, 2003 Report covers the period Sat.-Thurs. (11/21 - 11/28)
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND IZTAPA, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Let me guess . . . it must be late November! There are many more turkey stories than fish stories and the North wind just won't go away. When the wind backs off it can be decent fishing; it's just that the wind seems to be blowing more and backing off less.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 74°-80°
Air temperature 69° - 78°
Humidity about 45%
Wind NNW at 12 mph
Conditions clear
Visibility 15 miles
Sunrise 6:41 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:32 p.m. MST
Nov. 30 First Quarter, Dec.8 Full Dec. 16 Last Quarter, Dec. 23 New
o OFFSHORE: It was real offshore this week with tuna hanging at the 40 mile mark. A few made the trip and were rewarded for their efforts with mostly footballs and few larger tuna. The bonus was a few marlin to be found going out and back.
o INSHORE: Pretty scratchy after the wind cranked up. A few skipjack and bonito and maybe a dorado under the mooring buoys if you were very lucky.
o BEACH: Yup,it’s Nov. For any success you’ll to hit the beach early, (before sunup), and you may find a few cooperative sierra and maybe a ladyfish.
BILLFISH - Winter is setting in and now it’s mostly the home guard.
YELLOWFIN TUNA - Long trips, few fish.
DORADO - The mooring buoys are as good as any place.
ROOSTERFISH - Tougher than usual.
JACK CREVALLE - A few small fish at La Ribera and out toward Punta Colorada.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - A few closer to shore but difficult to find.
PARGO AND CABRILLA - Quiet.
SIERRA - Gray light just at dawn is best.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Offshore, the hunt continues for the herds. A few marlin were reported
outside the Petrel Bank with no birds on them which is mystifying everyone. The sea life is just not here as it would be normally at this time of year. Most of the yachts have headed for greener pastures. Inside the bay, it is business as usual with corvina, pompano and a few jacks keeping things interesting.
Water Temperature 67°-78°
Air Temperature 69°- 80°
Humidity 94%
Wind Calm
Conditions Haze
Visibility 6 miles
Sunrise 6:52 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:36 p.m. MST
Nov. 30 First Quarter, Dec.8 Full Dec. 16 Last Quarter, Dec. 23 New
YELLOWTAIL – A run and gun technique for the bird schools outside either bay has paid off for a few.
CORVINA - Just keep biting.
SNOOK - Only a few smaller ones this week.
HALIBUT - A slow retrieved with a chartreuse Clouser is almost a sure thing.
SIERRA - Under the bird schools in the bay the best bet, but don't forget the wire.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: The conditions and fishing remain the same as last week. Everything is outstanding. The 80º blue water is about 8 miles and the sailfish action is holding up. Captain Cali, on the “Vamonos II,” had successive days of 5, 8, 6, 5, 5, 6, and 8 sailfish caught and released on conventional tackle this last 7 day period.
Almost every boat is also getting a 20- to 30-pound dorado for dinner, on incidental strikes, while fishing for sails.
The inshore action is hold well with the roosterfish and large jack crevalle of 12- to 18-pounds.
Water Temperature 75º-86º
Air Temperature 77° - 91º
Humidity 66%
Wind WSW at 12 mph
Conditions Clear
Visibility 8 miles
Sunrise 6:58 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:09 p.m. CST
Nov. 30 First Quarter, Dec.8 Full Dec. 16 Last Quarter, Dec 23 New
For more Information on Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo trips, go to:
http://www.bajafly.com/Zihuatanejo.htm
Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
IZTAPA, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: The fishing the last week in Guatemala has been hot or cold depending on the day. There were few boats out during the week, but those that were fishing averaged 22 shots with 13 releases on sails. On good days there were as many as 45-50 sails in the pattern per boat. Dorado action is steady with 5 per boat per day, and some boats have had good action on 20 pound tuna. Inshore, there was no one out again.
Water Temperature 80º-85º
Air Temperature 80°-86º
Humidity 62%
Wind SW at 5 mph
Conditions Clear
Visibility
Sunrise 6:09 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:32 p.m. CST
Nov. 30 First Quarter, Dec.8 Full Dec. 16 Last Quarter, Dec 23 New
For more Information on Baja on the Fly's Guatemala trips, go to:
http://www.guatemalafly.com
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa M. McFarlin.
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Nov 20, 2003; 05:38PM - Baja North Winds-Zihuatanejo and Guatemala Salifish
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Category: Saltwater Fly Fishing Reports
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Author Name: Gary Graham
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REPORT FROM GARY GRAHAM'S BAJA ON THE FLY:
PROVIDING QUALITY SALTWATER FLY-FISHING 365 DAYS A YEAR IN BAJA FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: bajafly@usa.net; USA toll-free (800) 919-2252; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
Thursday, Nov. 20, 2003 Report covers the period Sat.-Thurs. (11/13 - 11/20 )
EAST CAPE, MAGDALENA BAY, ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO; AND IZTAPA, GUATEMALA CONDITIONS
EAST CAPE, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: North winds continued to make it tough for the fly fishers as well as anyone else attempting to fish either offshore or inshore. Once the wind arrived mid-morning, all but the hardest of core headed back to their hotels.
AIR & SEA -
Water temperature 74°-80°
Air temperature 75° - 80°
Humidity about 50%
Wind NW at 6 mph
Conditions clear
Visibility 12 miles
Sunrise 6:35 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:22 p.m. MST
Nov 23 New, Nov. 30 First Quarter, Dec.8 Full Dec. 16 Last Quarter
o OFFSHORE: The ride out in the mornings was bearable but the few tuna and billfish caught were hardly worth the wet ride home..
o INSHORE: Some action under the mooring buoys and the good news was you didn’t have to go far to get out of the wind when it came.
o BEACH: Gray light is the beast bet. Rooster alley has a few ladyfish and smaller jacks. La Ribera produced a few sierra before the wind cranked up. Out at Punta Colorada it was pretty much the same deal with a few ladyfish and sierra.
BILLFISH – Fewer sails as the water cools down, and an occasional stripe.
YELLOWFIN TUNA – Long haul and little to show for the effort.
DORADO – A few smaller ones inside around the mooring buoys.
ROOSTERFISH – Only heard of one caught all week.
JACK CREVALLE – Wind has made it tough.
BARRILETE OR MEXICAN SKIPJACK - Same as the tuna . . . stop the wind and they
bite.
PARGO AND CABRILLA - A few of the reefs producing good catches.
SIERRA – A few diving birds and you may hit the jackpot.
MAGDALENA BAY, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
IN GENERAL: Lots of long faces among the yacht crowd working the offshore. Few birds and little bait to attract and hold the exotics. Best single day’s catch I have heard of lately was not even double digits for billfish which is unusual for the area at this time of year. Many of the boats have already either headed home or on to Cabo and the Mainland. Back in the Mangroves action was much better. Plenty of corvina, pompano, grouper and a few smaller snook offered some diversion to the disgruntled offshore crowd. The Entrada as well as the entrance to Santa Maria Bay provided some small yellowtail action under the diving pelicans.
Water Temperature 67°-78°
Air Temperature 69°- 80°
Humidity 97%
Wind Calm
Conditions Haze
Visibility 6 miles
Sunrise 6:46 a.m. MST
Sunset 5:37 p.m. MST
Nov 23 New, Nov. 30 First Quarter, Dec.8 Full Dec. 16 Last Quarter
YELLOWTAIL - Either bay entrance producing good catches under the bird
schools.
CORVINA – One of the best years I can remember for orange mouth critters.
SNOOK – More lost than caught
HALIBUT – A slow retrieved chartreuse Clouser is almost a sure thing.
SIERRA – If you lose your fly you probably found them.
ZIHUATANEJO, MAINLAND MEXICO
IN GENERAL: We are having excellent fishing for sailfish right now. The 82º blue water is only 9 miles out and each boat is raising from 8 to 15 fish a day. The list for boats and clients who are catching and releasing, on conventional gear, 4 to 6 sails a day are actually too numerous to list.
Fly fishing clients, like Terry Carter of Cumberland, Ohio are hooking 2 to 3 sailfish a day average.
We also had the roosterfish move back in. Captain Adolpho is averaging 5 to 6 a day for his clients, with the fish running about 25 to 40 pounds.
Water Temperature 75º-86º
Air Temperature 75° - 89º
Humidity 70%
Wind SSE at 5 mph
Conditions Scattered Clouds (SCT) : 25000 ft
Visibility 7 miles
Sunrise 6:53 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:09 p.m. CST
Nov 23 New, Nov. 30 First Quarter, Dec.8 Full Dec. 16 Last Quarter
For more Information on Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo trips, go to:
http://www.bajafly.com/Zihuatanejo.htm
Baja on the Fly's Zihuatanejo report by Ed Kunze
IZTAPA, GUATEMALA
IN GENERAL: In the past week, we have a lot of offshore action to report. The 2003 Presidential Challenge wrapped up in Guatemala this past week, so we had more boats on the water fishing than we have had in a while. Action for the 30 participants was HOT with a wide open bite on the last day! In the 3 days of fishing they released 553 Sailfish and a couple of Blue Marlin. In addition to this action several of the local boats were out prior to and during the tournament and released an additional 153 sails with a couple of Marlin thrown in. The total on sails released for the week was 706, which is not bad. Dorado were also present but we don’t have counts on them. Inshore there was no one out, once again. The action is really great right now, so its time to get on down to Guatemala!
Water Temperature 80º-85º
Air Temperature 78°-86º
Humidity 79%
Wind West at 9 mph
Conditions Partly Cloudy
Visibility
Sunrise 6:02 a.m. CST
Sunset 5:32 p.m. CST
Nov 23 New, Nov. 30 First Quarter, Dec.8 Full Dec. 16 Last Quarter
For more Information on Baja on the Fly's Guatemala trips, go to:
http://www.guatemalafly.com
Baja on the Fly's Guatemala report by Brian Barragy
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