Fly Fish Mex clients frequently ask about the health of the fishery on Baja’s East Cape. Has the fishing declined? Gotten better? Have the variety of species changed? Are there up years and down years? Does this resource appear sustainable?
Having fished there for over 35 years, we have come to know that the sport fish around Baja are numerous, migratory, adaptable and sometimes hard to come by. Throughout the years we have seen the variety of species come and go and come back again. The fishing being better on years with more bait fish, cooler (or warmer) ocean conditions, and several other variables. The one constant though, is that year in and year out, Baja is one of the best sports fishing destinations on earth.
For us, the 80s and 90s were all about monster Dorado. We didn’t really even target other fish. Local commercial captains would place baited shark buoys ranging for miles and miles. This provided an abundance of cover for bait fish, which attracted schooling Dorado, billfish, wahoo among other offshore species. We can remember witnessing acres of Juvenile Dorado and watching Bull Dorado over 50lbs ripping through the school of Juveniles, heads thrashing above the water, devouring their young (!). In summer months, it was not unusual to find a school of 40lb Dorado at every fifth or so buoy. Tuna were a consistent target, and we would hook a few on a fly each season. Fishing for Roosterfish, at that time, was often an afterthought.
A big change came with the El Nino of ’97, when the water became terrifyingly hot, and bait fish seemed to disappear, along with the sport fish. We did manage to boat a 60lb Dorado on a fly that year, but that was the highlight. The sad state of ocean conditions made targeting Tuna and Billfish an inconsistent proposition. At that time, inshore, we noticed that the Roosterfish were foraging on larger bait fish such as Ladyfish and we shifted our focus inshore, targeting the Roosters.
The next few years seemed out of balance. Water temps were fluctuating abnormally and, we believe, that this took a toll on Sardine populations. The bait and the fishing were scattered and hard to find throughout the season. A normal slow rise and fall in water temps seems to suit Sardine and other bait fish populations, possibly due to such short a life span.
Eventually, water temperatures started to settle out around 2010 and through the last decade. Baitfish has become more abundant, and sport fish have returned with more consistency. In that time, regulations have since changed to restrict commercial shark fishing and FADs have replaced baited shark buoys. Shark populations have again begun to grow adding balance to the fishery. The Fads continue to attract bait and larger, 40lb plus Dorado have become common.
The good news is bait stocks have replenished, and are flourishing, which has led to the thriving fishery we are seeing today. Mother Nature is resilient and the last 10 years, we have seen fishing as good as it was 35 years ago, maybe even better, despite the increased pressure. On the one hand, we aren’t targeting Dorado the way we used to, and on the other, we have been more successful landing Billfish. Roosterfish which were hardly targeted on the fly 35 years ago are now a staple of our program. Right now, things are looking very good indeed.
As for the future, one cannot predict the cycles of nature but for our fishery, things are looking up. In the decades that we have been fishing and guiding clients on Baja’s East Cape, the attention that the Mexican captains and the sport fishermen have put on conservation and catch and release practice has been impactful. This wasn’t always the case. We believe these efforts will be a part of what keeps this fishery one of the best in the world.
Please contact us at flyfishmex@gmail.com if you are interested in booking a trip to Mag Bay.
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