Baja Mexico Fly Fishing Encounters

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

Water temp.
77 -79  Inshore
79 - 81  Offshore

Air temp.
Low - 74
High - 93

Baja Mexico fly fishing update and report for July 4th, 2011.

Hi Folks,

The fly fishing here in Baja is currently excellent!!  We have seen an increase in water temperature by a couple degrees and that has really kicked the fly fishing into high gear.  We have excellent water conditions along with excellent populations of bait that include Sardina, Ballyhoo, Google Eyes, and Mulett just to name a few.  We are getting into the best time of year for fly fishing in Baja.  From now until early November, the fishing only gets better.  Get on down to Baja and enjoy some great fly fishing with us!

Along the beaches and inshore we have plenty of small to medium size Rooster fish as well as Jacks.  These fish have been available almost anywhere an angler wants to try.  Most of the Rooster fish have been in the 5 - 10 pound class.  We do have a decent number of larger Rooster fish in the area but they have been overlooked slightly as the action for the smaller fish has been so productive.

Offshore we have had excellent fly fishing for Dorado, Marlin, Tuna, Skip Jack Tuna, and Sail fish. The fishing for these offshore species have been getting better each and every day.  We have seen an increase in the number of Dorado in our area over the last week.  The Dorado have been on average around 15lbs. with fish all the way up to 40lbs. being taken.  The Dorado seem to be spread out with the best areas being in front of La Ribera all the way south to Meganos Blancos.

If it is Tuna you are looking for the best areas have been to the North off the 88 bank or once again, around the bouys located in front of Meganos Blancos.  Most of the Tuna have not been associated with porpoise and they have been football size averaging 10 - 12 lbs.  They have been taking both flies that represent Sardina as well as flying fish.

If you are looking for Bill fisih they seem to be everywhere at the moment.  We have had success from very close to shore all the way out to 40 miles.  We have had a large concentration of Marlin in the area of the lighthouse to La Ribera.  This has been very nice as we do not have to go far to get to them.  This allows us to fish for both inshore and offshore species in the same day.

Everyone thinks it’s too hot this time of year in Baja??  Yes, it is hot!!  Yes, it is slightly humid!! If you are willing to make the trek to Baja in July, you won’t remember the heat.  What you will remember is the great time you had experiencing this wonderful place and catching some gerat fish on the fly!  And that my anglers, is worth the trip!

Until next time…Keep fly fishing!!

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

Water temp.
77 -79  Inshore
79 - 81  Offshore

Air temp.
Low - 71
High - 93

Baja Mexico fly fishing update and report for June 19th, 2011.

Hi Folks,

This week started out with calm seas and good fly fishing both inshore and off shore.  The past three days that has changed and we have experienced strong winds from the South, South East making fishing very difficult especially if you are trying to fly fish.

Early in the week we had some very good fly fishing along the beach for small rooster fish and a few scattered jacks.  Over the past couple of weeks the crowds on the beach seemed to have thinned out.  This past week, the beach was once again over run with anglers making it hard to find a spot to fish.  If you could find a spot you had a chance at some small rooster fish.  As I mentioned earlier we have had strong winds in the area the past few days and that has brought the beach fishing to a halt for most anglers.  As soon as the winds drop we should see some good action once again along the beach.

Offshore we have good populations of marlin, skip jack, bonito and a few sail fish.  If you are looking for dorado we have them but they are few and far between.  If you are lucky enough to find them you will experience action.

The winds have made things very difficult for most anglers this week.  It is forecast to lay down starting on Tuesday and we are all crossing our fingers that happens.

Until next time…Keep fly fishing!!

A typical Baja morning.  Want to come down and enjoy one?

This is Nathan Douglas showing off his first ever Rooster fish on a fly.  Nathan and his father Paul spent four great days with me this past week.  Nathan just finished medical school and was given this trip by his father before moving on in his career.  We wish you all the very best, Nathan!

We have some very big Tuna in our waters at the moment.  Here is proof!!

Here is a very nice Rooster fish that we got this week.  We didn’t get this one on a fly, but instead we got it on very light spinning tackle.  It was one fun fish!

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

Water temp.
77 -79  Inshore
79 - 81  Offshore

Air temp.
Low - 71
High - 93

Baja Mexico fly fishing update and report for the week of May 29th - June 5th, 2011.

Hi Folks,

Well it’s officially HOT here in Baja.  I’m talking about the weather as well as the fly fishing.  We have seen the arrival of the blue water species that include Marlin, Tuna and even a few more Dorado.  The offshore action has been wide open and wide spread from North to South.  We spent a day this week chasing Marlin and had a wonderful but frustrating day.  We raised a dozen fish to the teasers and we were able to get seven of them to eat the fly.  That was the wonderful part.  The frustrating part was that we lost every single fish we hooked.  The anglers did everything correct but each fish had the upper hand that day.  We were able to get a couple of them right to the boat, but just out of reach before the fish unbuttoned itself from the fly and swam slowly away from the boat.  I guess that’s fishing.  It sure was exciting though.

We do not only have Marlin offshore but we have some very good fishing for Tuna.  These Tuna have not been too big for the fly rod as the fish are averaging around 80lbs. with fish all the way up to and over 200lbs..  I heard of a very nice fish that weighed in at 208lbs.  The boats have been finding these big Tuna to the North.   These fish have been found with the porpoise that have been hanging in the area of the 88.  Not every school of porpoise is holding Tuna.  If you are lucky enough to find the right school of porpoise you will find some whopper Tuna with them.

Inshore we continue to see good fishing from the beach as well as from the boats for species that include Rooster fish, Jacks, Lady fish, and even a few nice Pargo.  We did see a slow  period this past week.  The slow period lasted for about four days.  During this time those that were on the beach had the most difficulty.  If you were in a boat you found more fish as they were in the deeper water and would respond to chum being used to attract them giving the fly fishing angler a chance to fool one of these wonderful fish.

Over the last couple of days we have seen more fish moving along the beaches as well as better numbers out of the boats.  The fish are spread from North to South with many fish in the area of La Ribera due to the high concentrations of bait in and around the new marina.   

I am looking forward to this week.  I will be on the water with my good friend Jim Troyer.  Jim and I will be hitting the beach as well as offshore.  It is always nice to fish with clients whom, over the years have become great friends.  I will let everyone know how we do this week.

Until next time……Keep fly fishing!!  

David Reed and a spectacular Rooster fish.   He came specifically to fly fish with us for a BIG Rooster fish from the beach.  I am glad we could deliver!! 

Yep, it’s David Reed behind that buff with a great Jack from the beach. 

Just one of the many patches of Sargasso weed we’ve had in the area this week holding Dorado beneath them.
 
David Schaffert and a very big Dorado that came from under the Sargasso weed.
 
Another great Dorado that David caught under the Sargasso.

David Schaffert from Olympia, Washington and a very big  Pompano on the fly. 

This is Julie Scott (above) and her husband Nob Scott (below) displaying their first ever Rooster fish.  Way to go guys!  See you again in June!

Steve Dobrin with his first ever Rooster fish.  This is one of several Steve caught while fishing with us.

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

Water temp.
77 -79  Inshore
79 - 81  Offshore

Air temp.
Low - 69
High - 90

Baja Mexico fly fishing update and report for May 23rd, 2011.

Hi Folks,

I want to apologize to all of you who follow this blog/report page.  I missed last weeks report as I just do not know where the time goes.  I was out on the water each and every day from sun up to sun down and tying flies at night.  I just plain missed getting the report written and posted.  I am back on track and I have a lot to tell you about.

The weather here in Baja is currently excellent.  We have warm temperatures with clear and sunny skies.  We have seen a few clouds the past few days first thing in the morning, but by 10 A.M. they have disappeared giving us bright sunny skies and perfect weather.  You can not beat Baja this time of year.

The fly fishing is currently excellent as well.  The past few days no matter where you wanted to fish; whether it be the beach, inshore or offshore, your chance of catching a fish was very high.

If your choice is the beach, you will be sharing it with many other anglers.  Yep, it’s that time of year.  Our beaches are currently very very crowded with fly fishing anglers looking for the elusive Rooster fish.  A couple of times this week I found it very hard to find a place to fish where I was not running into other anglers or anglers looking for space ended up fishing right next to us.  I do not mind the anglers along the beaches here but what I do mind is that some of them do not seem to use the same “stream etiquette” they would use at home.  These particular anglers had none!  If everyone would give anglers a little space, as one would on a stream, we would see a lot less problems here along the beach.  Anglers along the beach would not have the attitudes we are currently seeing.  It is Baja and we are all down here for the same reason.  So lets all just relax, enjoy, and give each other a courteous wide birth and have some fun!!  I think everyone will be a lot happier.

Talking about fishing from the beach, we continue to see some great fishing.  The bait is still in the area and we continue to see fish feeding on them.  We have seen a slight change in the water along a few areas.  These areas currently have water that is “off color” and green.  These areas should have very clean, clear water with excellent visibility.  It will only be a few days and that water will be back to normal. 

Inshore we continue to see some wonderful fly fishing for small to medium sized Rooster fish.  These fish are getting a lot of pressure as many anglers, both fly and conventional have been pursuing these fish.  If you are patient, persistent, and work hard you will fool a few of them.  We have had a few bigger fish in the 20 - 50# range being found both to the North as well as South.  We found some of these fish yesterday.  After determining what bait they were feeding on we hooked, but unfortunately broke off, three very big fish.  They were tanks!  We will be going back there in the next day or two looking for redemption.

Offshore, the fishing has been in a word….FUN!  We have had patches of Sargasso weed in the area and they have been holding some very nice Dorado.  It is very unusual for us to see the amount of Sargasso weed we are currently experiencing.  Normally, the Sargasso is found much further to the North and the currents do not allow it to get down into our area.  There are a few challenges to fly fishing for Dorado associated with the Sargasso.  First, you have to find the Sargasso.  The currents have been pushing it at a pretty good pace the past couple of days.  If you do find the Sargasso you need to check each and every patch as not all of them are holding fish.  If all the elements come together you can have some very exciting action.  We experienced some today. It was a blast!

We also continue to see excellent fishing for Marlin.  The Marlin are very close to shore.  Most of the fish we found today (after fishing for Dorado) were located just two miles directly infront of the hotel.  We raised three fish with one hook-up.  This fish got off after a short fight.  We also saw 8 - 10 tailing Marlin.  This was all in a one hour period at the end of the day. 

It is just after midnight here in Baja.  I still have a few flies to tie for tomorrow and I will be hitting the water at sunrise.  I am on the water each and every day this week.  I will be sure to let you all know what kind of fun we experience this week as we chase the wonderful fish of Baja.

Until next time…..Keep fly fishing! 

Even I get a good one every once in a while!!

Patrick Gilbert from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma showing off his prize.  This is his first ever Rooster fish.  What a way to start!!

Patrick and a nice Jack from the beach.

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

Water temp.
78- 80  Inshore
80 - 81  Offshore

Air temp.
Low - 68
High - 93

Baja Mexico fly fishing update and report for May 8th 2011.

Hi Folks,

The fly fishing here in Southern Baja has been excellent since my last report.  We ended last week with a bit of wind from the North.  The wind kept the few boats that went out close to shore.  Most anglers choose to stay on shore and enjoy activities such as lounging by the pool or in the case of my client Richard Westfall from Denver, Colorado it gave us a chance to go to San Jose and play a little golf.

By Monday the winds were gone.  We have had bright sunshine and very warm temperatures ever since.  The past few days have been the first time this year that I have thought it might be time to turn on the air conditioning.  The forecast this week is for more of the same.  Great weather and great fly fishing.

Speaking of fly fishing, we have seen some of the best action so far this year.  We have fish both inshore as well as offshore.  The bait population is better than I have seen in quite some time with an abundant amount of both Sardina and Mullet.

Inshore we have some excellent action for Rooster fish in the “Grande” category.  We have been casting to and sometimes landing these bigger fish.  Most of the bigger fish we hooked this week gave us problems.  We had broken tippets, broken fly lines, hooks that just pulled out after a good fight.  Sometimes we just plain got our tails kicked by them.  We managed to get a couple as you can see.  Did I mention how I love these fish!!

Along with the Rooster fish we have excellent action for Jacks.  I was on the boat today with my guest Steve Dobrin from Vermont.  Steve left two feet of snow yesterday at his house and today he caught more nice Jacks than we could count.  Steve has four more days with me.  I am sure he is not thinking of home this evening judging by the smile on his face this afternoon.

Offshore we are starting to see a few more Dorado.  We have had a few floating patches of Sargasso and some of them have been holding Dorado.  The warm water we are currently seeing offshore is beginning to bring more fish into our waters.  This is giving us a chance to cast our flies to the lightening fast and beautiful fish known as Dorado.

If it is bill fish you are looking for, they continue to give us action in the same areas that we are finding Dorado.  The Marlin and Sail fish in the area are finally starting to provide us with more action.  As some of you know these fish have been in the area for quite some time but have been gorging themselves on squid.  It seems as if the squid are thinning out and the fishing for bill fish is starting to pick up.

I will be on the water with Steve and a few other guests over the next few days.  We will be looking for Marlin in the morning and Rooster fish in the afternoon.  I will be sure to post a report here of how we do.

Until next time….Keep fly fishing!!