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Fishing Pacific Baja – The Cedros Island Fishing Report
No Swine Flu when Fishing the Cedros
This weekend (June 12 -15), anglers traveling with Cedros OUTDOOR Adventures (www.cedrosoutdooradventures.com) discovered that the fishing season on Cedros Island is in full swing. Enjoying nearly perfect weather, our team of “Swine Flu Renegades,” Barney Gatlin and Ricardo Barbera from Piru, CA caught an abundance of choice game fish including viejas, bonitos, calicos and lots of yellowtail.
Our trip began north of the border as we enjoyed the scenic toll-road to Ensenada, then flew to Cedros Island. This two hour flight in a comfortable Grand Caravan feels shorter thanks to the view of beautiful Baja coast. After arriving we enjoyed a quick lunch and were ready to go out fishing for the rest 
of the day. The panga was a new 28-footer, driven by the owner Lalo Mata and his son Javier. They are among the first local entrepreneurs with the vision and commitment to make Cedros a top fishing destination, not only for the great fishing but for the quality service. Not long after we departed, near arroyo “Limantour” on the Eastern coast we got a couple of nice yellowtail (36 and 27 lbs), and a 4 lb calico.
On the second day (Saturday 13th), we departed at 7 am, and decided to try the southwestern side of the island, by Bajo de San Agustin. There, we fished on the kelp beds for calico bass and vieja. After a few hours we headed back to the eastern side of the island, following the birds to score several bonitos, a big “blanco,” some calicos, and a couple of yellowtails of up to 20 lbs. It was a very diverse catch using rapalas provided by the local fishing store (this small store has hand-selected items that are known to work locally). That night in the hotel restaurant, the cooks grilled some of our fresh yellowtail for us – delicious!
On Sunday (the 14th) it was yellowtail bonanza with several simultaneous bites at Arroyo Limantour and San Carlos. Hitting the water early with today’s captain Ricardo Aguilar, the anglers were amazed to find themselves snagging one yellowtail about every 15 minutes for practically the whole morning! (8 am to 1 pm). Some were over 25 lbs, some were kept, some released, and few escaped, but the experience was intense, and gratifying with a final haul of more than 80 pounds of prime yellowtail filet. That night’s dinner featured Cedros Island abalone prepared sashimi-style and also as “escabeche” with onions, lime and cilantro – a real delicacy.
On Monday (the 15th) our plane departed at 9 am, taking our frozen or refrigerated fish on the plane along with some happy anglers, ready to enjoy a great catch with friends and families.
The wind was mild, with only a bit of fog in the early morning at the southwest of the island. Water temperature ranged between 60 and 65 F. The west and south of the island were easy to navigate and fish. The calicos are biting freely in the kelp beds and the yellowtail is moving around the island. Our best catches were off the eastern shore and in general, not far from the town of Cedros.
Cedros OUTDOOR Adventures’ all-inclusive, guided fishing packages provide safety, comfort and ease. We fly you there, so you can fish the same day. This is not only a business; we proudly support the local economy by partnering and using local services and products.