Baja Mexico Fly Fishing Encounters

Written by
Jeff deBrown
Owner/Guide
www.thereelbaja.com
1-888-287-4076

Water temp.
70 Inshore
72 Offshore

Air temp.
Low - 53
High - 73

Baja Mexico fly fishing update and report posted on December 26th, 2011.

Hi Folks,

I hope all of you had a wonderful and happy holiday this past weekend.  Even though we did not have any snow here in Baja it felt like it could happen any time.  We have been experiencing very cold day time temperatures combined with very strong winds making the East Cape feel more like Colorado than the warm paradise it is known for.  On the other side near Cabo San Lucas it is slightly warmer as they are not affected by the strong North winds we currently have here in the East Cape.

The winds have kept any of us from getting out and going fishing here in the East Cape.  I have been keeping track of the wind the past few days and it has been blowing on average 26mph. with gusts upwards of 38mph..  It has been this way for the past several days.

Before the winds started we had some very good fly fishing for Sierra.  We were seeing good numbers of sierra from North to South.  If you were fishing North the area to be was Punta Pescadero.  I was up in this area just before the winds with my friend Vicente.  Vicente is a local captain and was telling me he had been fishing from the beach in the evenings up North and doing very well on Sierra.  I decided to join him one evening and we had a blast.  We caught sierra, as well as a couple of jacks and one roosterfish.  There was a lot of bait in the area.  It was nice to see the bait is still around.

If you were fishing to the South you wanted to be in the area of La Ribera.  I had another friend who told me that every day at sun rise, as well as every evening, he was getting his limit of Sierra.  I was going to go down and fish with him but the day I was going to meet him the wind was blowing 30mph..  We are still waiting for the wind to stop.

On the Pacific side, out of Cabo San Lucas is where I have been doing my fishing lately.  The Pacific side is not effected by the North winds.  I was over there two days ago.  I fished with my guest Pat Doneen.  Although it was cold and overcast on the day we fished we managed to get a few nice Sierra.

We have been seeing some very good action for Sierra as well as roosterfish out of Cabo.  Most of the roosterfish have been closer to Cabo where the Sierra have been further to the North.  Most of the sierra have been in the 2-6 pound range with a few larger ones mixed in.  The roosterfish have been a little larger with a few fish to 15 pounds being caught.

I will be going back over to Cabo for a three day trip starting on Tuesday.  I am looking forward to getting back on the water.  I will be sure to post a report as well as a few photos of our trip.

I hope to see some of you at the Fly Fishing Show in Denver Colorado, Jan. 6-8th.  I will be at the show and am looking forward to seeing a lot of old friends and making some new ones.  If you are attending the show please stop buy the booth and say hello.

Until Next time…Keep fly fishing!!

Written by
Jeff deBrown
Owner/Guide
www.thereelbaja.com
1-888-287-4076

Water temp.
73 Inshore
74 Offshore

Air temp.
Low - 55
High - 73

Baja Mexico fly fishing update and report posted December 7th, 2011.

Hi Folks,

I finally returned home yesterday from Mag Bay.  My last two trips were great in the fact that I was out fishing with great people in a great place.  We saw whales and porpoise along with some bait and for a couple of days wind.  What we did not see was fish.  I was hoping that the wind had put them down but after fishing the area for a few days it was apparent that the fish had moved on.

At the end of my last trip I got information that the fish were found in “no man’s land” between Mag bay and Cabo.  These fish should gradually start showing up off the banks out of Cabo San Lucas over the next few weeks.  Once they do I will be chasing them once again.

Here in the East Cape we have a lot of fish.  We have Marlin, Sierra, and very good numbers of dorado.  Unfortunately we have been experiencing very strong wind almost every day. keeping all anglers off the water.  The wind has been averaging 28 -30 MPH daily.

Once the wind lays down we will have to see if the fish are still in the area.  The problem is that the winds are forecast to remain in our area for the next few days.  If the winds calm down and let us get back out on the water it could be wonderful fishing.

I will be headed to the states for a very quick trip starting tomorrow.  Hopefully by the time I get back the winds will have subsided and I can get back out on the water.

Until next time…Keep fly fishing!!

Written by
Jeff deBrown
Owner/Guide
www.thereelbaja.com
1-888-287-4076

Water temp.
82 - 83.5 Inshore
82.5 - 84 Offshore

Air temp.
Low - 60
High - 84

Baja Mexico fly fishing update and report posted on November 14th, 2011.

Hi Folks,

This will be a pretty short report.  We have only had two day’s this past week that were fish able here in the East cape.  This was due to strong winds from the North.

The two days that I was able to get out with my guests we found some pretty decent action.  We found quite a few small to medium rooster fish as well as some very good fly fishing for sierra the first day we were able to get out.

On the second day we found dorado. Most of the action for the dorado was located in front La Ribera. The dorado were found pretty close to shore just inside the blue water. We continued to find good fly fishing for rooster fish this day as well.

I am headed back over to Magdalena Bay tomorrow.  I will be filming a couple of episodes for Fish The Baja.  I will be sure give everyone the report of how the shoot went as soon as I return.

Until next time…Keep fly fishing

Just one of the many stripe marlin we caught this week.

Written by
Jeff deBrown
Owner/Guide
www.thereelbaja.com
1-888-287-4076

Water temp.
82 - 83.5 Inshore
82.5 - 84 Offshore

Air temp.
Low - 60
High - 84

Baja Mexico fly fishing update and report posted on November 7th, 2011.

Hi Folks,

Whew!  What a week it has been.  I spent last week over on the Pacific side conducting one of my live aboard trips in Magdalena Bay (known as “Mag” to the locals here) and what a week it was.

I made the five hour drive from here in the East Cape as my guests Kevin Kynerd, and Scott Smith traveled from Birmingham Alabama.  I arrived in San Carlos at about five in the evening.  As I arrived a few of my friends were gathered on the dock (actually, on a shrimp boat) eating fresh shrimp and drinking ice cold cerveza.  I knew Kevin and Scott’s flight was going to be late and they would not arrive at the boat until well after dinner so I joined the festivities.  After a five hour drive it was heaven.  Nothing like eating fresh shrimp right off the boat that caught them just a few hours before.  Add in a cold beer along with great friends you haven’t seen in a while.  Just plain happiness!

After all of us were full of shrimp, I decided to put my fly fishing gear together for the up coming trip.  I strung rods, tied leaders, picked out flies.  I was ready.  Everything was in place. All I needed now was my anglers.

After another delay, Kevin and Scott finally arrived at the boat around midnight.  We headed out as soon as the luggage was stored.  As we headed out they asked for a fishing report.  I have been keeping up with the fishing in Mag.  Even though it was my first trip for this year, I knew it had been pretty good. A  lot of marlin, dorado and even a few wahoo in the area.  Although it was pretty much “wide open” I down played the action some because as we all know it’s still fishing.  You never know.  I told them we would find some fish and to go down stairs and get some sleep as the sun would be up in a few hours and we would be on the fish.

As they went to bed the boat stopped at the entrada.  The crew and I caught some bait to use for chum during the trip.  We were instructed by Cary (the captain) to make 200 pieces.  It was already well past midnight and we still had to catch 200 mackerel!!  I thought about going to bed and letting the crew (Robert and Tyler) handle the bait situation.  First off, that would be unfair, and secondly, I was not really tired.  I was excited about the next day’s fishing.  I decided to stay up and help them.

We caught number 200 at five in the morning and I decided to go below and lay down for an hour or so.  I asked to be woken at 6:00A.M..  Wow! That hour went fast!!

As I got up and went on deck, I could see fish swimming below and all around the boat.  These fish were dorado.

I grabbed and fly rod and with one cast I was hooked up.  As I played the fish to the boat Kevin and Scott stepped on deck.  They grabbed their fly rods and were immediately hooked up.  We continued to play with these fish for another forty five minutes or so and then decided to go and see if we could find some marlin.

It was not long before we found the bird schools swooping down on the bait balls that were being pushed to the surface by marlin and dorado.  You could see feeding marlin in all directions.  It did not matter where you looked.  I could feel we were in for a good day.

As I set the teasers back, Kevin got set up and ready to cast to the first marlin.  It was not long and we had a very hot fish come into the teaser and follow it all the way to the boat.  Kevin’s first cast was hindered slightly.  He did not realize he was stepping on the line.  I told him not to worry.  This (with luck) was going to happen quite a few times throughout the day.

It sure did!!  We raised 24 marlin that first day. We were able to get eight to eat the fly.  We also had dorado banging on the teasers all day.  Every once in a while we would stop and catch some dorado.  We caught so many dorado!!  I can’t tell you how many.  They were everywhere!  Marlin and dorado everywhere!!

On the second day we did the exact same thing.  Once again waking up to dorado under the boat.  Having fun with them as we drank our morning coffee.  We got around to trolling for marlin about 9 A.M. and once again we raised around 25 fish.  It was another great day.

This same scenario continued for the next three days.  We caught dorado, and marlin on the fly the entire trip.   We had perfect weather, along with smooth seas.  It was a good week.

I will be headed back over to Mag Bay next week to film a couple of episodes for an up coming television show.  I will be sure to let you all know how we do.

I have been home here in the East Cape for a couple of days.  I have not been able to get out as we’ve had some strong North winds the past couple of days.  I talked to a few of my captain friends and the fishing report here is pretty good.  I hear we have quite a few of smaller dorado that have been hanging close to shore.  The fish have not been very big but they are providing good action.  The captains also tell me this past week they have experienced a decent marlin bite.  On average, boats are raising two or three fish a day with the occasional boat getting half a dozen to come up.  This is much slower than I experienced in Mag Bay, but it is good for our area this late in the year.  We also have a good population of bonita just in front of La Ribera providing some good action for fly anglers.

As I mentioned above, I will be headed back over to Mag Bay in a few days.  Until then I will be fishing here in the East cape area if the wind allows.  I will be sure to let everyone know the latest with the next report.

Until then….Keep fly fishing!!

Written by
Jeff deBrown
Owner/Guide
www.thereelbaja.com
1-888-287-4076

Water temp.
83 - 85 Inshore
85 - 88 Offshore

Air temp.
Low - 71
High - 91

Baja Mexico fly fishing update and report posted on October 23rd, 2011.

Hi Folks,

Since the last report things have not changed here in the East Cape very much.  We continue to see beautiful weather and warm temperatures.  We experienced an over cast day with some rain showers yesterday and the moisture was welcomed by all that live here.  Mid week we had a couple of days where the wind came up in the afternoon giving us lumpy conditions.  The past three days have been calm and flat giving us great fishing conditions.  As I mentioned we had a little rain yesterday.  It was very nice to be fishing in very flat, calm seas with a slight rain falling on you.  It made for a very fun and comfortable day of fly fishing.

The fishing remains fair.  We are not seeing red hot fishing but we continue to see consistent fishing. Especially for the fly fishing angler.  I spent the week with my guests Chris and Teresa Lundy from Portland Oregon  We had a blast. We spent most of the time fishing off the beach and inshore. We experienced what some might call ”grab bag” fishing.  We caught rooster fish, bonita, jack crevelle , pargo, lady fish, needle fish, cabrilla, green jacks, barred jacks,and sierra.  It was very fun.  You never knew what type of fish was on the end of the line.  This made every hook up a surprise.

Off shore we continue to see some excellent fly fishing for bill fish.  We have plenty of  marlin and sail fish in the area.  Most of the bill fish have been five to six miles off shore in front of La Ribera extending North with a good concentration of sail fish near the buoys off of Punta Pescadero.

Along with the bill fish we saw a good number of smaller dorado in the five to eight pound range.  They showed up off the light house and were most active during the days we had the wind.

I will be on the water the next three days here in the East cape and then on Friday I will be headed over to Magdalena Bay.  My first trip of my Mag Bay  season will start on Saturday.  From the reports I am getting the fishing has been pretty good over on that side so I am excited to get over there and see what’s happening.  I will be sure to keep everyone informed of what we do here in the East Cape over the next few days as well as what is happening in Magdalena Bay.

Until then….Keep fly fishing!!