Been in Mexico the last couple weeks and the fishing has been pretty slow. The Islands near La Paz have been pretty dead.
At first it seemed OK but now after being out a few times it really is pretty bad near the La Paz this time of year. No sure if it is because the record heat or over fishing. I have been to this area several times now in October and this year the close islands are the deadest I have seen them.
Five years ago when I was here this same month there were fish everywhere, the water wasn’t much cooler if any because I have photos of me with a rash guard only swimming around.
More Sanctuaries
They have also turned big sections of the close islands into sanctuaries closed to spearfishing. I don’t know if they are enforcing that rule very much, but it could be putting a lot more pressure on the areas that are still open.
October hot as !@#$
La Paz’s best fishing is at the same time as the best times in Key West and October is not known for being good. This kind of comes down to whether you are trying to have the best trip to Mexico or get the hell out of Key West for October.
Frankly Key West sucks August, September and October and I would like to live somewhere else for those months but after getting a taste of La Paz’s late summer fishing I don’t think it will be here.
Every other year I have been here the weather has been very pleasant in October, this year it was like an oven.
Ugis and his rooster fish
Long Runs this Year and awesome conditions
We found many new spots had some pretty good days reef hunting. I love finding cool new stuff in strange waters. I also love diving the islands of the Sea of Cortez. Once you got far from the city the fishing was ok. Many barred pargo, leopard grouper, yellow snapper, huge 12-14 pound triggers
There just wasn’t much in the way of really big fish on the islands. Ugis got a rooster fish but big pargos where pretty much nonexistent. Only saw a couple in the 40# range. I am hoping its just the water temps and not too much fishing that caused the change.
The water was crystal clear pretty much every day visibility was often 70-80 feet.
So the reef diving was pretty cool even if it was kind of slow.
Pacific was unaccessible for us
Two years in row now and I have been in Baja and unable to get back to where I got the 90# groupers, four years ago. Every time we tried to go, it was dirty or the Seas were huge.
The commercial fisherman we talked to also said there hasn’t been grouper like that, since that year. So maybe even if we could get back to that spot, it might not be holding fish. Who knows? The conditions must be much better in Mag bay, or I am not sure how they could do trips on the regular, that time of year. More local knowledge that I don’t have yet I guess.
Have to thank Seaver, Ugis and Garret for making it down here with me and helping make the trip possible, and of course Cat for taking all these photos.
