Z Fish Report (11/3/17)

 Keith and Cheva, on the panga Dos Hermanos II, with one of 13 large jack crevalle

Offshore (average) surface water temperature - Includes from the 5-6 mile mark at the 100 fathom line, then to the 1,000 fathom line being at 32 miles: 88°.

Inshore (average) surface temperature. From the beach to about 5 miles: 86°

Blue water: (Chlorophyll amounts and surface temps from Terrafin SST) With the exception of a couple of rivers with the bar still open, allowing stained water along the beach for a few miles (following the current), the blue water is basically on the beach. This is great for the offshore fishing, but makes it tough for catching roosters on the back side of the waves.

Offshore- With few clients here, about the only boats fishing offshore are the commercial pangeros. And, traveling 40-45 miles they are getting a few blue marlin, yellowfin tuna, and a few dorado. It is not wide open, but the fish are there and can be caught. And the full moon period of this week coming up should see little improvement.

Inshore: The water along the beaches is very warm, and very clear. Warm is good, clear is bad.

Long time visitor Keith Paul of Minnesota fished a day with Cheva on the panga Dos Hermanos II. The fished south, from the Valentine river bar to the Petatlan areas. Here is what Keith told me:

I fished a day with Cheva of the Dos hermanos fleet. And, as typical of these three captains, Cheva fished me to the bottom of the boat. The water was very clear and we got no roosters this trip, but after the huge jack crevalle got done with me, I probably couldn’t have handled a large rooster anyway.

I was hot, sweated out, and moaning “no mas” by 11:00. We ended up the day with two large dorado coming unbuttoned, a half dozen black skipjack tuna, and 13 of the largest and meanest jacks I have ever encountered. Twenty minutes of constant pulling for the smallest of them, and they were hitting us three at a time. We were hooked up with at least a double on jacks all morning.

Keith also added the below comment on our methods here for catching jack crevalle and roosterfish. I have seen what he experienced hundreds of times, and like the way he describes it:

Let me tell you about casting for distance, and getting your casts off quick, before the school of fish go down.

When you get here, and think that you know what you are doing, be prepared to be personally embarrassed. No, I'm not being an ass here. Now I have no claims of being the great Houdini when casting a 10 light surf rod. I come from casting a jig and minnow 30 yards for Walleye. 

Cheva's son (Alexandro) is his deckhand. He is about 19 and was sitting, yes SITTING on top of the Panga, busting out 120-130 yard casts with an Okuma Nomad 10 foot travel rod and a 2 1/4 oz. Roberts Ranger lure.

We were stationed off the back of the surf about 150 yards, and repeatedly this kid would plop that Ranger into the foam wash coming back down the beach. Yup, he was On The Sand from as much as 140 out. Oh, yeah, and he stands about 5'6" and goes about 140 dripping wet.

You may think this is a fluke, but no, Adolfo's son does this as well, and don't get me started on Cheva and Adolfo! Cheva was back handing casts of 110 + while running the boat, watching the water/waves, and keeping up a running conversation with me. Yes Back Handing!!!! Plus, everyone agrees Jesus (Hey-sus), who was Adolfo’s deckhand for 10 years and now runs the Dos Hermanos III, casts further than all of them.

Trust me, this is one of their secrets to being the best inshore boats in the fleet. An excellent and experienced fisherman can be mortally embarrassed fishing with them.

Ed Kunze                                                                            

 (Director of the Roosterfish Foundation, IGFA Representative)