Z Fish Report (12/27/18)

For those who have never fished Puerto Vicente Guerrero, either by making
the long run with Adolfo, or fishing with either me or Mark. You are now
looking at some serious roosterfish country.

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 about 32 miles: 87°

Above and below: Brent Ross of Eugene Oregon, fished with Cheva on the
panga Dos Hermaonos II today for several black skipjack tuna, large jack crevalle,
 and even the tasty sierras

Inshore (average) surface temperature. From the beach to about 5 miles: 87°

Blue water: (Chlorophyll amounts and surface temps from Terrafin SST) Almost blue water from the beach to way out. (see below photo).

Offshore: The action has slowed, for all offshore species, with tuna not being around at all. The sailfish action has been slow this week, as expected with the full moon. This will pick up, as the next three weeks will be the best weeks of the year for sailfish. And, the water is still very warm.

If the action doesn’t pick up considerably, we are all in trouble from the effects of over fishing by commercial fishing using lines. No matter the laws in place, the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica do not enforce the commercial long line operations they all have. Costa Rica and Guatemala boast about their laws for sport fishing and using circle hooks only, but long line commercial fishing is just as strong there as Mexico. On the surface, what sounds good to us sport fishermen, is just a smoke screen to reality.

I have my doubts the sailfish action this next few weeks will be as good as just a couple of years ago, and certainly not like we had 20 years ago.

And then there is Adolfo, on the panga Dos Hermanos. Who would have thought
there were roosters and huge jacks just off the beach at Ixtapa Island, and Club
Med? His  French client even took a pargo on the surface popper. 

Inshore: The best bet this week, and probably next week also. We are getting lots of large jack crevalle, several of the tasty sierras, lots of the hard fighting black skipjack tuna. And, even though it is getting to late in the year for roosters, and the inshore water is very clear, there are still a few roosters around.

Due to the clear water, the best action is now taking place a few hundred yards off the beach, with a lot of fishing being caught.

Ed Kunze

(Director of the Roosterfish Foundation, IGFA Representative)