ENSENADA, MEXICO: Ivan Villarino of Ensenada's Vonny's Fleet said his pangas scored winter home guard yellowtail all week long at the tip of Punta Banda. "The fishing for our pangas was very good," Villarino said. The charter pangas Vonny I and Vonny III with Capts. Beto and Hector scored 1 to 4 yellowtail per day of 25 to 30 pounds, plus steady limits or near limits of bottom fish when targeted. Anglers fishing during the week included, Armando Vazquez, Juan Pablo Bojorquez, Gonzalo Ortega, Ken Rangel, Ray Angel, Jay Johnson, Brian Foley, Vladimir Valdez, Gabriel Suarez, and Paul Gallardo. Ensenada fishing weather was sunny and clear at 80 degrees, with calm seas, ocean swells of 2 to 3 feet, and the water temperatures at Punta Banda averaging 58 degrees. QUALITY YELLOWTAIL FOR PUNTA BANDA PANGAS.

ENSENADA, MEXICO: Steve Ross of the Ensenada fishing boat Bad Dog at Marina Coral reported on an outing Tuesday for excellent bottom fish action at the Banda Bank with anglers Edward Chang and Brian Lam, with the catch including full ganions and fast counts of quality vermilion rockfish, bocaccio, and barber pole rockfish, plus lingcod, whitefish, and assorted species. "The reds were coming over the side, all big fatties," Ross said. "I loaded my personal best at 8.1 pounds. This fishing is one of the main reasons why I keep my boat in Ensenada." EXCELLENT BOTTOM FISHING AT THE BANDA BANK.

SAN QUINTIN, MEXICO: Julio Meza of San Quintin reported on a good yellowtail outing by his boat Santa Monica with angler Jose Luis Rodriguez of Mexicali. Fishing on the 15-fathom spot and other locations around San Quintin, the Santa Monica landed 8 yellowtail of 10 to 15 pounds, but was not able to evade seals present in all areas. "We ended up with 8 yellowtail, but lost more than that to the reef guards," Meza said. San Quintin water temperatures were at 58 degrees. BATTLING WITH SEALS FOR YELLOWTAIL.

SAN QUINTIN, MEXICO: Kelly Catian of K&M Offshore Fishing reported lots of big lingcod and red rockcod, plus yellowtail variable in size and count to 15 per day of 13 to 17 pounds, while fishing with iron at Ben's Rock and the 15 spot. Catian said he also caught 2 calico bass of 6.5 and 7 pounds while fishing from shore with rubber baits. San Quintin fishing area weather was good, with water temperatures at 59 to 60 degrees.

MAGDALENA BAY, MEXICO: Gary Graham of Baja On The Fly reported Magdalena Bay weather improved offshore, with local air temperatures in the high-70s, and water temperatures of 65 to 72 degrees. Boats fishing offshore of the Baja coast found a few marlin and dorado from the Thetis Bank to south of Punta Tosca. Yellowtail, bonito, and skipjack were caught under birds just outside the San Carlos entrada. The Magdalena Bay mangrove channels produced some corvina, small grouper, and pargo, and the peak California gray whale watching season continued.

SAN JOSE DEL CABO, MEXICO: Eric Brictson of Gordo Banks Pangas reported on 63 combined La Playita fleet pangas fishing off San Jose del Cabo, with a catch of: 265 yellowfin tuna, 12 hammerhead shark, 11 striped marlin, 28 dorado, 3 sailfish, 58 pargo, 22 cabrilla, 16 amberjack, and 32 bonita. San Jose del Cabo vacation area weather was mostly calm at close to 80 degrees, with water temperatures at 69 to 71 degrees. Good concentrations of striped marlin were moving into the area. "The Cabo San Lucas fleets were switching most of their effort toward San Jose del Cabo where the striped marlin have been more numerous," Brictson said. "At times, dozens of stripers were seen tailing on the surface." Most La Playita fleet pangas worked the Inner Gordo Bank for yellowfin tuna of 20 to 40 pounds caught on plentiful sardina baits. STRIPED MARLIN AND TUNA FOR LOS CABOS SPORTFISHING BOATS.

SAN JOSE DEL CABO, MEXICO: Species fishing specialist John Snow of San Jose del Cabo reported on 6 days of combined beach and panga fishing, with a total of 123.25 specimens caught or collected of 41 different species, including the "fish of the week," a 1-centimeter Zaca blenny. "The Zaca blenny was named for one of the world’s finest yachts, the Zaca," Snow said. "Errol Flynn took the Zaca on a scientific expedition to Acapulco which included Carl Hubbs, then curator of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography fish collection. The Zaca is featured in movie, "The Lady from Shanghai," starting Orson Wells and Rita Hayworth." ERROL FLYNN, ORSON WELLS, JOHN SNOW, AND THE ZACA BLENNY!

SAN JOSE DEL CABO, MEXICO: John Mussell of Santa Maria, Calif., reported on 2 early January outings to the Gordo Banks with his wife Mary Ann Mussell, fishing on a panga with La Playita Capt. Eduardo Guluarte for a catch including released fish of: 3 yellowfin tuna into the 50-pound class, 4 dorado, 3 sierra, and about 25 skipjack. "Eduardo's the best at La Playita," Mussell said. "We used sardines and chunked skipjack. The water was flat, cold, and blue, typical January."

EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Baja On The Fly's Gary Graham reported very good winter weather conditions last week as the East Cape vacation fishing area enjoyed calm seas, sunny skies, and air temperatures to 79 degrees. "This week provided some of the best winter fishing conditions so far in 2007," Graham said. Beach angler Molly Semenik of Montana fished in good conditions for ladyfish and smaller roosterfish. Offshore boats found decent dorado action plus some striped marlin. East Cape fishing water temperatures were at 65 to 70 degrees. SUNNY SKIES AND CALM WINTER FISHING CONDITIONS AT EAST CAPE.

EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Gary Leeper, staying the winter at Martin Verdugo's Beach Resort, said he put his boat Canto del Mar in the water last week. "Sierra were very plentiful early in day near Punta Pescadero and La Ribera on just about any lure," Leeper said. "Mexican sportfishing limits on small dorado of 5 to 8 pounds are easy near the Punta Arena lighthouse." Some marlin were also reported but no yellowfin tuna. Mexican commercial fishermen did well on bottom fish. Good numbers of Humboldt giant squid were caught for bait. East Cape fishing area weather was mostly calm, with water temperatures of 70 to 72 degrees.

EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Jorge Bergin of La Ribera reported "lots of sierra" available in East Cape fishing waters last week. Mexican fisheries enforcement personnel were checking local boats for permits and fishing licenses. "Yesterday, the PESCA boat was giving out tickets and warnings, and checking boat papers and licenses," Bergin said. "They were looking for the gill netter here. They confiscated one boat." Bergin was planning to collect a tissue sample of the unidentified square-finned marlin sometimes caught in southern Baja waters for a DNA study by a biologist from England. The fish is sometimes called a "white marlin" because of its resemblance to the East Coast species. "Gary Graham of Baja On The Fly referred a UK lab head to me for DNA on my 'white marlin,'" Bergin said. "I'm going to get the samples, send them off, and try to find out what kind of fish it is."

EAST CAPE, MEXICO: Mark Rayor of the Vista Sea Sport East Cape diving service reported good winter conditions, with water temperatures of 71 to 73 degrees at depth, and the water visibility at 40 to 70 feet. "Looks like East Cape has turned the corner toward an early spring," Rayor said. "The weather has been beautiful with little wind and bright sunny days." Dive trips to the Cabo Pulmo coral reef were busy with sightings of humpback whales, bottle nose dolphin, jumping manta rays, bigeye jacks, cownose rays, snappers, and mixed reef fish. "We are experiencing the best pre-spring diving conditions I've ever seen," Rayor said.

SANTA ROSALIA, MEXICO: Mike Kanzler of Isla San Marcos reported slower local yellowtail fishing during the low current tidal phase around Santa Rosalia, but better action out at Isla Tortuga. Three runs to the island with anglers Doug Moranville, Ben Guess, Gary Willson, and Danny Chiquete, produced a catch of: 1 sawtail grouper of 10 pounds, and 29 yellowtail of 12 to 30 pounds. Santa Rosalia fishing area weather was ideal at 80 degrees, with no wind, water temperatures of 60 to 61 degrees at Isla San Marcos, and up to 63 degrees at Isla Tortuga. Water visibility was variable at 10 to 30 feet and Kanzler said, "It looks like a touch of red tide is also present." LOW-CURRENT PERIOD FISHING AT ISLA TORTUGA.

SANTA ROSALIA, MEXICO: Jim Anderson of San Lucas Cove said Santa Rosalia weather conditions were near-perfect last week with no wind and "really calm seas." Yellowtail on the bajos north of Isla San Marcos were cooperative on some days but unwilling to bite on others. "The fish seem large and fatter than normal," Anderson said. "Probably they are eating a lot of squid." Inshore fishing for the San Lucas Cove tin boat fleet was especially good for cabrilla, or leopard grouper, and exceptionally large and numerous spotted bay bass. EXCELLENT FISHING CONDITIONS FOR BOATS AT SAN LUCAS COVE.

SAN CARLOS, MEXICO: Abel Anaya of Jon Jen Charters reported calm seas all week in the San Carlos (Sonora) fishing area, with local boats finding good bottom action to 450 feet deep for grouper, bass, whitefish, and red snapper, plus about 1 to 3 yellowtail per day around Punta San Antonio. Water temperatures at Punta San Antonio were at 63.5 degrees. WINTER BOTTOM FISHING AND YELLOWTAIL AT PUNTA SAN ANTONIO.

MAZATLAN, MEXICO: Larry Edwards of Cortez Yacht Charters reported inshore fishing "absolutely on fire" for local Aries Fleet boats out of Mazatlan's Marina El Cid last week. Inshore boats scored on unlimited jack crevalle and sierra, plus some pargo, cabrilla, and triggerfish. Offshore fishing was slow, as 20 boats searched up to 30 miles out for a catch including released fish of: 3 striped marlin, 5 mako shark, and 2 dorado. The Mazatlan fishing area had good sea conditions, with water temperatures at 74 to 75 degrees. INSHORE FISHING HOT ON SIERRA AND JACK CREVALLE.

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO: Danny Osuna of Marla's Sportfishing reported good offshore fishing action at Puerto Vallarta for the charter boats Marla II, Marla III, and Arca de Noe during the week for yellowfin tuna to 185 pounds, plus dorado and sailfish. The boat Marla II fished only 2 days, as Osuna traveled to Florida to buy a 32-foot Blackfin boat for the fleet. Other local boats scored on dorado, sailfish, and a few striped marlin at the north end of the bay around Punta de Mita. YELLOWFIN TUNA, MIXED SPECIES, AND A NEW BOAT FOR MARLA'S FLEET.

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO: Drew Pickerel of Torrance, Calif., and the Puerto Vallarta charter boat Pacifico reported on a run to El Banco and Roca Corbeteña on Thursday, fishing in green water for slow action on yellowfin tuna and a catch of: 1 dorado of 30 pounds, 4 cubera snapper of 20 to 35 pounds, and 2 other snappers of about 8 pounds. Some tuna were seen breaking the surface late in the day at Roca Corbeteña, but they would not bite. "We wished we had a bit more time to work these fish," Pickerel said, "but our efforts with the poppers and caballitos baits were futile." The fishing water temperature at El Banco was at 74.8 to 76 degrees. TUNA NOT COOPERATIVE IN FISHING ON THURSDAY BY THE PACIFICO.

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO: Danny Quinonez of PV Marlin Sportfishing at Puerto Vallarta said his charter boat Lorena was down earlier for maintenance. The Lorena fished mostly shorter charters around the southwest end of Bahia de Banderas for sailfish, dorado, jacks, and smaller yellowfin tuna. The Lorena also placed second in the January fishing tournament at Barra de Navidad with a 240-pound blue marlin. FISHING REPORT BY THE PV MARLIN CHARTER BOAT LORENA.

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO: Josh Temple of Prime Time Adventures reported on a run to a fishing location known as the "Sand Bank" about 60 miles south of Puerto Vallarta by the charter boat Frantic Pace, losing a targeted blue marlin of about 500 pounds, but scoring on wide-open schools of yellowfin tuna from about 30 pounds into the cow class. "The Frantic Pace team were exhausted from pulling in tuna after tuna on every lure in the spread," Temple said. "After keeping a few, the Frantic Pace released tuna after tuna before deciding to leave the area." Fishing with Temple aboard the Frantic Pace were Herk Marsella, Sue Marsella, and Matt Lawson. Fishing waters to the south of Puerto Vallarta were blue-green at 78 degrees. FRANTIC TUNA ACTION SOUTH OF BAHIA DE BANDERAS.

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO: Earlier, Danny Gomez of Dhamar Sportfishing reported 77-degree water at Roca Corbeteña, 78.5-degrees at El Banco, and 2 yellowfin tuna caught at about 150 pounds each. The charter boat Aleta landed 5 yellowfin tuna including fish of 65 and 100 pounds, plus 3 amberjack.

IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO: Ed Kunze, reporting for Baja On The Fly, said fishing action picked up during the full moon period for offshore boats, as 81-degree blue water came to within half-a-mile of the beach. "The game fish arrived with the blue water," Kunze said. "The fishing was actually better during the full moon phase than it had been during the week before." Offshore boats averaged 2 to 3 sailfish per day, plus some blue marlin. Inshore, the bite on jack crevalle inside Zihuatanejo Bay continued, and jack crevalle were also present along the beaches. Ixtapa fishing area weather was calm and cloudy in the high-80s, with water temperatures of 80 to 84 degrees. OFFSHORE FISHING PICKS UP OVER THE FULL MOON.

IXTAPA ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO: Larry Edwards of Cortez Yacht Charters reported on 14 outings by the Ixtapa Zihuatanejo charter boats Dos Hermanos I, Bloody Hook, Esturion, Gran Jefe, and La Bamba, for a catch including released fish of: 1 blue marlin of 205 pounds, 1 striped marlin, 14 sailfish, 4 yellowfin tuna, 6 dorado, 35-plus bonito, 39 sierra, and 28 jack crevalle. "The largest fish for the week was a 639-pound blue marlin, taken aboard the Gringo Loco," Edwards said. "We are seeing the annual move from sailfish to more yellowfin tuna and marlin. Inshore, the roosterfish have gone south, but fishing for big sierra to 15 pounds along with good numbers of big jack crevalle has really jumped." Ixtapa Zihuatanejo vacation area weather was sunny in the high-80s, with calm seas and water temperatures of 82 to 83 degrees.

HUATULCO, MEXICO: Eric Weissman of Explore Fly Fishing said flat sea conditions prevailed at his San Agustinillo and Puerto Escondido fishing locations near Huatulco, with swells at 1 to 2 feet, breezes to 7 m.p.h., mild currents, and blue water on shore at about 85 degrees. Inshore fishing on birds produced jacks, sierra mackerel, barracuda, and salema. "Some sailfish and dorado are being caught offshore but tuna disappeared for a few days," Weissman said. "With clean water, they have now returned in large numbers and large sizes. Tuna were breaking 100-pound test today and many over 70 pounds were caught."