Hurricane Flossie Leaves Mark in Cabo

Things are getting back to normal at Cabo San Lucas, but some are still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Flossie, which passed over the tip of the Baja peninsula late last week.

Only minor damage was reported in the city, mostly from falling trees, but the Palmilla Fleet north of town reportedly lost five of six cruisers that were moored in Palmilla Bay. The boats, according to one account, “were smashed to pieces” by strong winds and violent seas.

Before the storm came ashore late Thursday, a man and his 7-year-old son drowned near the Solmar Hotel beach after they were swept from the rocks by large waves.

Tracy Ehrenberg, owner of the Pisces fleet, said local news reports indicated the man had saved one of his children, then went back to rescue the other.

“He had the boy in his arms,” Ehrenberg said. “Then a wave broke over them and they were not seen again. I think their bodies have since been recovered, though.”

Swells higher than 10 feet surged into Cabo San Lucas marina, causing boat owners to pull their vessels ashore. A few pangas filled with rain and sank.

But from a fishing standpoint, Ehrenberg said, things could have been worse. Only two fishing days--Thursday and Friday--were lost and on Tuesday the only remnants of Flossie were light rain and five-foot swells.

One benefit, Ehrenberg added, figures to be a vastly improved dorado bite this week, given that the popular game fish love to congregate under floating objects.

“All the debris in the water will help,” she said.

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Most southern Baja fishing destinations were affected in one way or another by Flossie, mostly in the form of high winds and large swells, but the fishing outlook remains bright. A rundown:

Cabo San Lucas: Fishing had picked up before the storm and figures to pick up again this week. Striped marlin were abundant and a few larger blues and a 500-pound black were landed before Flossie hit.

East Cape: There are lots of striped marlin, sailfish and tuna in the region. A few larger blue marlin have struck as well.

La Paz: There are few marlin, which is strange for this time of year. But dorado are active, varying in size, and large tuna--some of 100 pounds or more--are marauding offshore, winning most of their battles with anglers. Those being landed are in the 60-pound class. Lots of cabrilla and pargo are available as well.

Loreto: Want to catch a sailfish? If so, this is the place. The slender billfish are so plentiful they’re being called pests by fishermen angling for the equally acrobatic but tastier dorado, which are being caught in good numbers as well. Small yellowfin tuna appeared to be moving in Monday and Tuesday.

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Despite periods of sloppy weather, thanks to Flossie, fishing has been outstanding aboard multi-day boats operating 150-plus miles south of Point Loma.

It was so good during a recent four-day trip aboard the Polaris Supreme that during one stop, after the passengers had bagged their limits of yellowfin tuna, they removed the hooks from their jigs just for kicks.

“When they would wind in the hookless jigs, at least 30-50 fish would follow each one, boiling on it all the way to [within] three feet of the boat,” skipper Tommy Rothery said.

A typical count was turned in by the Red Rooster III after a four-day trip 220 miles south: 450 yellowfin tuna, 225 yellowtail, 12 dorado and one bluefin tuna.

Anglers aboard one-day boats are having their moments too, but they’re having as many poor days as good days because the fish refuse to stay within the 100-mile range for any sustained period of time.

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People across the country are complaining about unusually high temperatures, but nowhere are things sizzling as they are along the lower Colorado River.

Wally Wolfe, a fishing guide at Lake Martinez on the Arizona side of the river above the Mexican border, said daytime temperatures have soared as high as 124 degrees, making it rough on his customers.

“I have to leave an hour before sunup,” he said. “And I can only keep them out until 8 a.m. because by then they’re already wilting. By 8 a.m. it’s already 100 [degrees] and there’s not even a breeze.”

Wolfe said the inland waterways are 87-89 degrees and the river is running at about 85.

“But the guys are catching a lot of eight- and nine-pound bass in the river,” he said. “Fishing’s still good.”