Hot days and cool water temps in Southern Baja made for an action packed, but different summer season. Curiously absent was the schools of dorado we normally see this time of year, but the marlin offshore and roosterfish inshore kept us plenty busy.
We saw good numbers of roosterfish, big roosterfish along the beaches in July. Cooler than average water temps for July made inshore fishing feel more like it was May. Large schools of lady fish and mullet provided ample forage for big roosters and jacks inshore.
Most days the fish seemed lethargic possibly due to the full moon or perhaps a mating /spawning ritual. They could often be seen lazily swimming on the surface or paired up along the beaches. We watched a pair of good size roosterfish swimming along the beach among schools of lady fish and mullet without any interest in either. There were a couple days when the roosters did turn on AND SEVERAL FISH WERE HOOKED INCLUDING a behemoth that practically spooled a reel with drag fully engaged before breaking off. There were fish pushing 80 lbs surfing waves inshore. Large Jack crevalle added to the inshore action and a couple nice fish were landed from the beach.
Also inshore were large schools of milkfish, but conditions were not optimal for targeting them.
Off shore there were schools of Marlin: stripers, blues and whites (also known as short billed spearfish). The Marlin were much more aggressive and could be taken on fly using bait and switch tactics if fisherman were willing to put in the time. Yellowfin tuna also are starting to show in the area and one fish was lost by our boats.
Summer months is Baja are hot, no joke, but so is the fishing!
Tight lines, James
