Fishing Report Mag Bay Report -November 20

[Bill Erhardt]

While some fisherman apparently are canceling trips for want of marlin, the epic wahoo bite continues on the banks outside Isla Magdelena. And, just like is supposed to happen, the hoos keep getting bigger as the season wears on. In the five years I have been fishing out of Puerto Lopez Mateos this is the best year for hoos yet, and there should be six weeks or so left. Bob Hoyt of Mag Bay Outfitters who has been fishing the area longer than I says the same. I fished solo north of Thetis Bank Wednesday after a 3:30 a.m. launch beside the ramp at Lopez. By noon I was headed back in with four wahoo to 52#. The only other boat fishing for wahoo Wednesday morning was Al Jorden's $eaNote with Al, brother-in-law Max, and Lopez Mateos Captain Sergio Garcia aboard. The $eaNote scored five hoos and fed three more to sea lions. In addition to the four I got to the boat I lost two more trying in vain to get photos of the fish at the boat showing off the lures that fooled them. Several other boats that put in at Lopez stayed closer to the boca and made easy limits of football yellowfin.
Yesterday and the day before, fishermen fishing with Mag Bay Outfitters caught a monster hoo on conventional tackle that weighed 101 pounds, and another on the fly out of the Casitas on the island where they had no scale to weigh it that taped at 88 pounds.
In the meantime, Captain Ruben Duran has been fishing with clients in the estero and catching black snook to over 30 pounds.
So, although the marlin still have not yet made an appearance they are being missed only by those who are determined to have a fish with a bill on it.
Attached is a photo of Al Jorden and Captain Sergio Garcia on the $eaNote Wednesday with a nice wahoo.

[DawnPatrol]

Bill, very nice! Are the snook in the Estero pretty much an all-year round thing? I guess what I'm asking if the odds of finding them are good?

How do they fish for them? Atrificals, live bait? Drifting with the tide/current throwing into the mangroves?

Hope you can elablorate

[Bill Erhardt]

Originally Posted by DawnPatrol

Bill, very nice! Are the snook in the Estero pretty much an all-year round thing? I guess what I'm asking if the odds of finding them are good?

How do they fish for them? Atrificals, live bait? Drifting with the tide/current throwing into the mangroves?

Hope you can elablorate

Alan......Snook in the Mag Bay estero are a seasonal proposition, and even in season it is far from a sure thing. I have caught snook slow trolling a scampi type lure in the channel close to the mangroves on a moving tide, but the preferred method is with live or cut bait. It is shrimp season now and Ruben has been loading up baiting with shrimp.

[mateo scorpion]

Bill, looks alittle lumpy in the backround of the photo. Did you cut your trip to one day because of the weather? We cancelled because it looked rough on bouyweather. What sites are you using for forecasts?

[Bill Erhardt]

Originally Posted by mateo scorpion

Bill, looks alittle lumpy in the backround of the photo. Did you cut your trip to one day because of the weather? We cancelled because it looked rough on bouyweather. What sites are you using for forecasts?

Nate......It was a little bumpy. I launched at 3:30 and although there was no moon the boca was no problem. It got choppier on the way out, however, and at 18 knots or so, which was all I could comfortably do in the dark, the ride out was over two hours. I allowed enough time to get there at first light and the hungry hoos made it worthwhile. I had a fish on within 10 minutes of putting lines out and before the sun came up. I use buoyweather and wetsand.com to get an idea of swells and what conditions might be like in the boca, and sailflow.com for the wind. It was one of those days that looked like it was going to be marginal and it was.

[Bill Erhardt]

Nate.......And, yes, I had planned on a two day trip with an overnight at Bahia Santa Maria and had ice aboard to keep the fish cold, but changed plans after a long first day and with the prospect of 40+ miles the next morning with five footers on the nose. Looks like another nice window beginning Monday.......

[mateo scorpion]

Thanks Bill. I'm sure you'll go get them again. We are looking at the fullmoon around the 5th for our next window

[TsTime]

Just back from the T Reyes trip with full report later. Chatted with the guys who got into the 'hoo with Mag Bay Outfitters and were very pleased with the whole operation and were very happy anglers with over weight coolers at the airport. Lots of smiles.

[dtutko1]

Bill
Why do you fish by yourself? Is that your desire or is it the lack of a compatable fishing buddy?

[Captain Jeff Illingworth]

Interesting report. I just spent 26 days running a 56' Ocean in Mag. Caught 0 wahoo as well as very little everything else......... maybe I was trolling wrong?


-J

[Bill Erhardt]

Originally Posted by dtutko1

Bill
Why do you fish by yourself? Is that your desire or is it the lack of a compatable fishing buddy?

Don......I do enjoy fishing alone.