Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing reported warmer air temperatures in the 90s south of La Paz, with some wind, but with no boats prevented from fishing in good dorado action for fish to 35 pounds, plus pargo lisa, yellowtail, larger dog snapper, cabrilla, and sierra of mixed sizes near shore.
"This week, we had more boats fishing in all areas," Hernandez said, as crowds of locals came to the beaches for the approaching Easter holiday weekend.

EARLY DORADO SEASON--Showing off a nice pair of quality dorado caught in this year's early season at La Paz are Richard Hunter and Mile Betz of Newport Beach, Calif., who fished on the south side of the city aboard a Tortuga Sportfishing panga.

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing at La Paz reported generally good fishing for his charter pangas on the Las Arenas side, with some winds offshore hampering runs to Isla Cerralvo, but good action for dorado at buoys closer to the Baja shoreline. "Our anglers prefer the dorado," Hernandez said. "We're getting small squid for bait, and sardina for yellowtail, cabrilla, and pargo that we're catching around Punta Perico. We have plenty of bait."

LAS ARENAS SIDE--Dave Negrete and Kerry Smith with a real nice cabrilla caught during panga fishing with Tortuga Sportfishing on the Las Arenas side south of La Paz. They also scored on snapper and dorado with Tortuga's Capt. Nufo Green.

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing reported sunny skies and pleasant air temperatures in the 80s, but some wind for his charter pangas fishing on La Paz' Las Arenas side.
Fishing at the north end of Isla Cerralvo continued to produce yellowtail, and the south end of the island had larger cabrilla.
Pangas working the Baja coast near Punta Perico and Las Arenas caught good numbers of sierra. Punta Perico produced good-sized pargo lisa and dog snapper.Fewer dorado were seen at the buoys.

ISLAND AMBERJACK--Capt. Martin Lucero of Tortuga Sportfishing at La Paz with an amberjack caught at Isla Cerralvo, as Las Arenas side pangas fished mostly along the Baja shore, but snuck out to the island during breaks in the March wind.

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing reported steady weather in the low-80s for his pangas fishing the Las Arenas side of La Paz, with consistent action at both ends of Isla Cerralvo for good counts on yellowtail.
Punta Perico on the Baja coast near Ensenada de los Muertos produced good numbers on pargo lisa, dog snapper, sierra, cabrilla, and also good numbers of dorado at the buoys. "That's the fish that the anglers want, and dorado season is beginning," Hernandez said.
Tortuga Sportfishing pangas fished with live sardina baits, available throughout the area.

LA PAZ TROPHY YELLOWTAIL--Mario Martinez hoists a real nice yellowtail caught at La Paz along with a mixed bag of other species during panga fishing on the Las Arenas side with Capt. Rigo Lucero of Tortuga Sportfishing.

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing at La Paz reported some cloudy skies early in the week, but clear and windless weather in the 80s by midweek. "The sea is very calm," Hernandez said. "But it's also calm for tourists. Very few are arriving in La Paz, although the fishing has been very good for large pargo lisa, large dog snapper, and yellowtail to 40 pounds around Punta Sur of Isla Cerralvo."
Along the Baja shore at Punta Perico, Tortuga Sportfishing pangas caught yellowtail and pargo lisa, plus good numbers of sierra."Live bait is available close to our fishing areas, both at Isla Cerralvo and at Punta Arena, and this helps our daily fishing," Hernandez said.

WINTER LA PAZ YELLOWTAIL--Saul Nunez of La Paz fished out of Ensenada de Los Muertos on the Las Arenas side aboard a Tortuga Sportfishing panga for a nice catch of quality yellowtail with Tortuga's Capt. Rigo Lucero.

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing at La Paz reported excellent weather and sea conditions for his pangas fishing on the Las Arenas side and catches of larger mullet snapper or pargo lisa and yellowtail between 30 and 40 pounds at Punta Perico on the Baja coast and also out at the south end of Isla Cerralvo.
"We had very calm seas and the fishing got better this week," Hernandez said. "Out at the buoys off Punta Perico we even got dorado to 25 pounds. At Las Arenas, we caught sierra. We have good weather and fishing at La Paz, and we hope for the anglers to visit us now."

SUPER NICE WINTER CONDITIONS--Tortuga Sportfishing pangas fishing around Punta Perico on La Paz' south side were treated to some fantastically warm and calm mid-winter sea conditions last week as clients caught larger yellowtail and pargo to 40 pounds, plus some surprise dorado.

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing at La Paz reported warm weather to 84 degrees and days with no wind along the Baja coast on the Las Arenas side south of the city and also offshore at Isla Cerralvo.
At the north end of the island, Tortuga Sportfishing pangas found yellowtail to 40 pounds mixed with yellowfin tuna of 20 to 25 pounds.
In fishing at Punta Perico on the Baja coast, pangas scored a mix of sierra mackerel and mullet snapper, or pargo lisa in Spanish.
"We have a variety of fishing opportunities for fishermen planning to come to La Paz now," Hernandez said.

FISHING CLOSE TO HOME--Capt. Nufo Green of Tortuga Sportfishing at La Paz with a cabrilla and small yellowtail caught at Punta Perico, close to the panga launch spot at Ensenada de los Muertos south of the city.

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing at La Paz reported some calm fishing days for his pangas on the Las Arenas side south of the city, but winter winds returning at midweek, with cool air temperatures greeting the Carnaval holiday period.
Tortuga Sportfishing charter pangas did well with good catches of yellowtail and pargo lisa, or mullet snapper in Spanish, while fishing near the Baja coast at Punta Perico. Sierra were caught at Punta Arena, and similar action was found out at Isla Cerralvo."We also saw marlin in our fishing areas this week, although we were not able to hook any," Hernandez said. "We're finding live bait easily every day, so we're able to fish as we normally do."

WINTER AT LA PAZ--Clarissa Benedicto fished on a Tortuga Sportfishing panga out of Ensenada de los Muertos south of La Paz for a good catch with husband Fred Benedicto that included this yellowtail and pargo lisa. They fished near Punta Perico with Tortuga's Capt. Rigo Lucero, left.

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing reported windy, cold weather in the 60s at La Paz with few sportfishing anglers present. Tortuga charter pangas fishing in sheltered waters around Ensenada de los Muertos caught species including yellowtail, snappers, and sierra. "The wind wouldn't let us go farther out," Hernandez said. "But we got lots of yellowtail and other fish around Punta Perico at the beginning of the week. Lots of big yellowtail and pargo are at Isla Cerralvo. We're just waiting for good weather without wind. We have plenty of sardina and giant squid bait available."



WINTER BAJA FISHING--Christina and Gilles Jalbert of Canada fished in sheltered waters at La Paz during a windy week for good action on sierra and yellowtail with Tortuga Sportfishing's Capt. Jorge Lucero.

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing at La Paz said the early week's windy weather didn't affect his pangas fishing south of the city for a mixed catch of cabrilla, pargo mulato or barred pargo, and pargo lisa or mullet snapper. "Those winds didn't affect the few anglers here," Hernandez said. "We were able to go fishing at El Alamo south of Ensenada de los Muertos, and even at the island."

Good quantities of Humboldt giant squid and sardina were available for bait. Mexican commercial fishermen returned at midweek with a good catch of yellowtail.

WINDY, BUT STILL FISHING--Tito Meza of Los Planes south of La Paz went panga fishing during a windy week with Tortuga Sportfishing for a good mixed catch including this nice yellowtail.

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing at La Paz reported mixed weather for his charter pangas fishing the Las Arenas side south of the city, with slightly warming air temperatures, some light rain on Monday morning, and plenty of wind. Tortuga Sportfishing pangas working sheltered waters around Punta Perico caught a mix of yellowtail, cabrilla, pargo lisa, and pargon. "We have no problems with bait," Hernandez said. "We have great amounts of bait in the same areas where we are fishing."
Anglers fishing with Tortuga during the week included the Annington family of Houston, Texas, who landed mixed inshore fish including a pargo lisa at 30 pounds.

NICE WINTER SNAPPERS--Lisa Addington's fishing trip at La Paz produced some nice pargo lisa, or mullet snapper, to 30 pounds in panga action on the Las Arenas side with Tortuga Sportfishing.

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing reported a week of strong winds on the Las Arenas side of La Paz, with cool air temperatures in the 60s and lots of clouds over the mountains.
"There are few tourist anglers in the La Paz area," Hernandez said. "The year is starting slow, but we're expecting reservations for the coming months."
Tortuga Sportfishing pangas launching out of Ensenada de los Muertos found seasonable action near shore for mixed sierra, snappers, pargo lisa, cabrilla, some dorado of 20 pounds, and some marlin seen.

PERFECT EATIN' FISH--Capt. Rigo Lucero, of Tortuga Sportfishing at La Paz, hoists a perfect meal-sized example of the prized true red snapper, or huachinango in Spanish, a gourmet treat when slashed and fried with garlic, or plain salt broiled Japanese-style.

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing at La Paz reported some winter winds on the Sea Cortez for the final week of December, as Tortuga pangas fishing the Las Arenas side south of the city worked mostly close to shore around Ensenada de los Muertos and Punta Perico for a mix of sierra, pargo lisa to 15 pounds, good-sized pompano, and some cabrilla."On days when the weather allowed us to get out to the south end of Isla Cerralvo we caught good numbers of wahoo," Hernandez said. "We continue to have plenty of sardina bait fish close-by, so we are not having to run to distant locations."

LA PAZ BEACH LAUNCH --Spencer Solomon, left, of San Francisco, Calif., fished aboard a Baja beach launched panga out of Ensenada de los Muertos south of La Paz for a catch with Tortuga Sportfishing's Capt. Jorge Lucero that included sierra, cabrilla, dorado, pompano, a yellow snapper, and several of these nice golden jacks or palometa amarilla in Spanish.

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing at La Paz reported variable cloudy weather in the 70s, but with sea conditions not hampering pangas from going out."In this period, we have had good fishing for pargos that has appeared in various areas such as Isla Cerralvo and Punta Perico," Hernandez said. "We're also catching cabrilla and good numbers of sierra."Hernandez wished Tortuga Sportfishing clients a happy holiday season on behalf of his family and Tortuga's Capts. Nufo, Hugo, Jorge, Rigo, and Martin.

LA PAZ CAPTAINS--Familiar to panga anglers on La Paz's Las Arenas side, Tortuga Sportfishing's guides take a pre-holiday break on the beach at Ensenada de los Muertos. From left, are Tortuga Sportfishing Capts. Nufo, Hugo, Jorge, Rigo, and Martin.

Sardina live baits are also in good supply

Gerardo Hernandez of Tortuga Sportfishing reported continued north winds in the La Paz fishing area, with few tourist anglers present. La Paz weather was in the 70s and cloudy, but without the threat of rain.Tortuga Sportfishing pangas launching on the Las Arenas side found good action for wahoo mixed with yellowfin tuna at 30 pounds off the north end of Isla Cerralvo when sea conditions permitted. "This fishing was only when the weather allowed us to get to the area," Hernandez said. "The seas were sometimes very rough."Tortuga Sportfishing charter pangas fishing along the Baja shore at Punta Perico continued to catch smaller dorado, pargo, and sierra in good numbers."On some fishing days, we're also finding giant squid that we're using for bait," Hernandez said. "Sardina live baits are also in good supply."

LA PAZ SPECIES--Garo Mouhibian of Los Angeles, Calif., fished south of La Paz on a Tortuga Sportfishing panga and hooked into sierra and dorado in addition to this nice yellow snapper, left, and leopard grouper, also called "cabrilla" in Spanish.