We Need Those Stinking Sardina

[Gary Graham]

For additional information: [e-mail]
USA toll-free [phone] or 760/746-7260; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373
East Cape
Wind continues to be a factor in the overall fishing, however, the marlin show has been extraordinary for this early in the year. It is unusual to have enough fish at this time to actually get enough shots to merit attempting the flyrod. The yellowfin tuna have appeared and the catch numbers are climbing every week. What is missing is the sardina and mullet usually found along the beaches. Of course, that not only makes the beach fishing tough, with no bait for chum on the boats, it changes the strategy dramatically for the fly-rodder.
Here is Lance's latest report of a beach day that he and co-Baja on the Fly guide Josh had this week:
“We fished the beach hard today. We came in from the backside using my truck. We walked miles and blind cast diligently. There was not one fish to cast to in all the water we fished. There was very little if any bait. We only saw a few scattered ballyhoo, no mullet and no sardina. The beach was about as lifeless as we have yet seen it.”
So, for now we, play a waiting game. Waiting for the wind to quit . . . sardina and mullet to arrive . . . I am sure in a few weeks (if we can wait that long) we will all be saying "It was worth the wait."

Report by Baja on the Fly
Water temperature 69-76
Air temperature 62-88
Humidity 45%
Wind: NNW 15 mph
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 6:51 a.m. MDT
Sunset 7:43 p.m. MDT

Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico
Finally, a few yellows showed under the bird schools at the entrada; there were also a few sierra mixed in. If you ventured outside the entrada, the bird schools showed the way to some decent bonito and skipjack action. Water temperature is beginning to slowly creep up, which should bring in some of the exotics. Los Barriles produced non-stop action for cabrilla with an occasional snook grabbing the fly catching the unsuspecting angler off guard. Also a few corvina and grouper could be found up at Devil’s Curve.
Same action for skipjack and bonito could be found outside the boca up at Lopez Mateos. The esteros up there also produced a few decent shook and enough corvina to keep the anglers interested.
Water temperature 62-71
Air temperature 68-75
Humidity 64%
Wind: Calm
Conditions: Clear
Visibility 3 miles
Sunrise 6:57 a.m. MDT
Sunset 7:53 p.m. MDT


Zihuatanejo, Mainland Mexico
The 80-degree blue water is only about 6 to 7 miles off the beach and fishing is definitely showing an improvement over the last couple of weeks. The blue marlin bite is continuing on a strong note, sailfish are steady, and the yellowfin tuna are finally making a strong showing.

This week, Ruben on the 31-foot Bertram Vamonos caught two marlin of about 250 pounds each. He had several other opportunities, but was not able to get a decent hook set.

Adolpho on the panga Dos Hermanos, fishing with clients from France, had a great day yesterday (Fri.) On conventional gear, they lost a large marlin, but caught a 100 pound yellowfin tuna. They also picked up several other 30- to 40-pound yellowfin and a couple of sailfish. On the pier early this morning, Adolpho told me the overall fishing is very good, especially with several schools of tuna out around the 16 to 20 mile mark.

The inshore action on the big jack crevalle and roosters has pretty much been blown out all this last week with a very high surf. The jacks are feeding about a mile off the beach however, and action on these hard fighting fish has been very good when trolling a live bait, Rapala, or casting a surface popper. Teasing them in with a hookless popper has been the ticket for the flyrod anglers.
Baja on the Fly report by Ed Kunze
Water temperature 80 - 84
Air temperature 77 - 89
Humidity 78%
Wind: WSW 8 mph
Conditions: Scattered Clouds
Visibility 10 miles
Sunrise 7:24 a.m. CDT
Sunset 8:04 p.m. CDT

San Jose , Guatemala
The action has picked up, and the weather was great for the first part of the week. We had the pleasure of hosting return client Burt Turner and first-timer Matt Johnson for three days of fly-fishing. Burt is an experienced fly angler who has made at least one trip to Guatemala each year for the past several years, and Matt was there to experience the action for the first time after hearing Burt recount the great action over the years. Over the three days, the fishing action increased each day along with the duo's skills and they quickly built up to double digit releases and even enjoyed some dorado and tuna action. On the final day, Mother Nature kicked the seas up, but at the same time exponentially increased the sailfish action. They enjoyed a morning of non-stop action on the fly that surpassed the prior two days. As they headed out to Antigua, Matt indicated that his time in Guatemala was the best trip he had taken in 15 years, and would definitely be back.
San Jose, Guatemala report by Brian Barragy and Lissa McFarlin
Water temperature 78 - 82
Air temperature 82- 86
Humidity 94%
Wind: West 8 mph
Conditions: Mostly Cloudy
Visibility 5 miles
Sunrise 5:45 a.m. CST
Sunset 6:17 p.m. CST

For additional information: [e-mail]
USA toll-free [phone] or 760/746-7260; Mexico 011-52-624-14-10373