In the Sea of Cortés, we have a large, contained body of water that progressively shallows as it reaches its northern end. At a distance of almost 1,000 miles in length, the northern reaches have a much larger tidal change, and massive amounts of water can flow.  With shallower water to the north, it is easier for the sun to heat the surface to a relative deeper depth.  Combine the southward movement of the warm shallow water with water brought up from the south along the Mexican mainland by the northern equatorial current, and you can understand why the water in the Sea of Cortés in our area is almost always warmer than the Pacific.

Being at the tip of Land’s End has an additional advantage for us. The Sierra de la Laguna Mountains reach to 7,100 feet, and are the spine of the southern Baja peninsula. With this height, they block much of the prevailing northwestern winds, allowing the Sea of Cortés to remain calm and smooth in our area for most of the year. When conditions change, as they sometimes do, and the weather moves in on us from the east, the Pacific side of the peninsula becomes the calm side. For most of the year we can have calm water in one direction or the other. The only exception seems to be in the late summer when we can have weather come to us from the south, and then we have no calm areas.  Fortunately for us, this generally only occurs when we have a hurricane approaching, and who wants to be on the water then anyway!

The Sea of Cortés warms up before the Pacific side does, and this in turn normally means that the warm water species such as Dorado, Sailfish, Blue Marlin and Black Marlin appear on that side as well.  Our first indication of these fish moving into our area are the reports from the East Cape. Close attention is paid to them and when the fishing picks up there, we know that action for us is not far behind. The most likely area for these warm water fish to appear and congregate are the Cabrilla Seamount, rising to 3,000 feet from a depth of 6,000 feet; the Gorda Banks, rising to within 100 feet of the surfaces 6 miles off the beach outside San José, and the 300 foot edge along Punta Gorda, just to the north of there. The change of tides produces an up-welling along these points as well as strong current line. These in turn concentrate the bait and attract the warm water predators. As the water continues to warm and move our way, the action starts to turn on in front of Cabo. The “95 Spot”, named because the bottom rises from a 1/2-mile x 1-mile 200-fathom plateau, to within 95 fathoms, formed in a small rock spire, and the 1,000-fathom edge, just a short 15-mile run south, also has the structure to create strong current lines. With the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortés both having a robust influence in this area, it is often the “go to” spot, with many large Blue and Black Marlin being caught there. In the late summer and the early fall, the Pacific Ocean side of the Cape becomes the fish holding area. This is often because the Sea of Cortés has warmed up a little too much to be comfortable for these large game fish. Once the water temperature reaches 87 degrees, the fish start to move on. This is the time when the seamounts and canyons on the Pacific start to produce well for us.  With the southern movement of the California current pushing water up along the northern edges of both the Golden Gate Bank and the San Jaime bank, bait hangs on the southern edges, just at the periphery of these 300-foot deep plateaus and the 3,500 foot deep canyons.  As the water cools down in the late fall, these same areas are the first to show the return of the Striped Marlin, as they follow the bait they prefer and the 74-78 degree water they prefer.

As you can see, we are definitely doubly blessed.  With the bounty from both the Sea and the Ocean, Mother Nature has managed to form the perfect fish habitat, one that we are lucky enough to live alongside and enjoy. You can fish the Ocean or you can fish the Sea. Somewhere out there, the fish are waiting for you!

By George Landrum