|
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
We've closed our shop for the season and are currently working on putting everything online. We're open for charters throughout the year and available by calling 135-1603 from a local Loreto phone. Here is our contact information.
INSHORE REPORT:
Fishing has remained fairly static throughout October, November and December with the weather being the determining factor. This is quite normal for the winter fishing season off Loreto and we expect more of the same through to early March. We're experiencing the predictable cyclic Norte wind pattern. This is defined by several days of calm to still morning seas and winds building late in the morning or early afternoon then calming after sunset. These periods of calm days will be interrupted by several days of windy conditions that are normally severe enough to blow out our fishing opportunities. (rough enough conditions to cancel fishing excursions)
Yellowtail
Those firecracker Yellowtail have been the "bread and butter" staple for the conventional anglers over the last few months and will remain so. We're been lucky to find these guys pretty consistently. They can be found off Isla Coronado and points North of Punta Colorada. They're schooling and can be located when they're in feeding frenzies near the shorelines. They'll generally be cookie cutter 8-12 pound fish...perfect for the smoker but you may be surprized by a very large individual. Last week a friend landed a 50 pound Yellowtail while fishing for Cabrilla under the cookie cutter firecracker Yellowtail school. The fish bit on a sardina in only 15 feet of water. It was only when it was brought to the boat when they realized how large it was. The weight was confirmed by weighing on land.
If there aren't too many other boats you may have a chance at one of these fish on flies but if there are too many boats they'll only take baited hooks. We use the same general method for all species when fly fishing, toss a few live sardinas into the water to get their attention, once fish show themselves toss in one sardina at a time with about two to three minutes between throws to keep their interest. Repeat as necessary and use sparingly. Throw in your fly. For the best results we suggest using weighted lines exclusively and not bothering at all with floating lines until the spring. Weighted flies such as Clouser patterns are every effective and YT will almost exclusively take well below the water's surface.
26 December, 2009: One of those firecracker sized Yellowtail caught off Isla Coronado.
Dorado
As the center of the Sea of Cortez cools down Dorado schools migrate South following the warmer waters they prefer. The Eastern shorelines of the peninsula and the Western shoreline waters of the Islands stay warmer for a longer period of time. Often as the migrating Dorado follow the warm water masses south, they will move along the shorelines and linger in the warm waters. Sometimes they become trapped and remain through the winter. I like to say that these fish have "missed the bus" so to speak and are stuck here for the season.
26 December, 2009: One Dorado that missed the bus. This was caught off Isla Coronado near the shoreline on a live sardina. We're catching Dorado once in awhile but they're not in season yet.
Fall and early winter can offer fleeting oportunities for catching Dorado. Key word there is FLEETING. The trolling with bait guys have the advantage but the fly anglers do have these opportunities as well. Your opportunity wil arise most likely when you're fising the shorelines targeting the reef species described in this section. The Dorado will show itself and will most likely be a single or one of a pair. Toss in a live sardine to get it closer to the boat. Have your rod and fly ready to cast to it as most often you will only get one or two chances before it swims away. Use no greater than a 20 pound shock tippet and make sure a bullcandy is tied on securely. Remember you'll have one or two chances to present the fly before the oportunity swims away.
Cabrilla and Pargo
If there are too many boats on those YT it will be difficult to hook any with flies. When this is the case move away from the boats and target these rock dwellers at the bottom. Throw a sinking line with a weighted fly and expect Pargo and Cabrilla of all sizes to be interested. We chum with live sardinas as described above to get these fish out of their hiding places and more interested in taking the fly. Most often their takes will be well below the surface but as the waters cool down they'll alter their behaviour by following the fly from the bottom and taking at about a foot below the surface. This take is usually seen from above as it happens.
Roosterfish
Roosterfish have been caught frequently off San Bruno, Isla Coronado, Punta Colorada, Nopolo to Juncalito and Punta Tintorerra to Punta Lobos. The Roosterfish prefer a mixed cobble - sand bottom structure. Smaller Roosterfish school and when feeding compete heavily so these are generally easier to catch for the spinning and fly fishermen. Larger Roosterfish generally congregate into smaller and smaller groups as their body size increases. Larger Roosterfish (greater than 30 pounds) are typically observed in pairs and are less competitive with each other. Schools of smaller Roosterfish can be identified by surface disturbance that resembles firecracker Yellowtail while larger Roosterfish are identified by large surface boils with the presence of their distinctive dorsal comb-like fin. Although they've been reported to take poppers and be attracted to teasers we've yet to see this happen off Loreto. Here they're more likely to take the fly well below the surface. Fly anglers have the best chance of catching smaller individuals that are feeding very competitively.
31 December, 2010: This Roosterfish was caught off San Bruno. Schools of Roosterfish were found feeding off the beaches in the area.
| |
Check out my YouTube channel
www.mediterraneo-loreto.com
Gene Kira's
Baja Big Fish Company
archived reports
Loreto Fishing Maps
Shame-less non-Google plugs-
Fisherman's Spot- The only full service fly fishing shop in Los Angeles county that hosts fly fishing trips with The Baja Big Fish Company.
The Fly Fishing Shop- Fly fishing for trout, freshwater, sport, flytying and fishing vacations to Loreto and around the globe!
Fly Fishing Specialties- Sacramento and Los Gatos, Fly Fishing Specialties strives to be your one-stop source for everything fly fishing.
UK Saltwater Flies- UK Bassfishing and escorted fly fishing trips around the globe. Europe's primiere guide to the baja peninsula hosting trips with The Baja Big Fish Company.
Puget Sound Fly Company- Take the guesswork out by joining us for one of our hosted trips to Loreto and elsewhere.
|
|
