CEDROS OUTDOOR ADVENTURES FISHING REPORT
AUGUST 31 2024
BY TOM GATCH
Cedros Island is located just off the central Pacific coast of Baja California and can be reached on a conveniently short flight out of the Tijuana International Airport. It stretches nearly 24 miles in length, and is blessed with a ruggedly beautiful, sloping terrain emanating from the mountains above that host a plethora of native flora and fauna, which includes coastal scrub, juniper scrub and sand dune scrub along with dense patches of chaparral and pristine pine forest.
However, despite it’s stunningly rich and exotic natural resources, the primary reason that most people visit Isla Cedros is to take advantage of the fantastic angling opportunities that exist in the waters that surround the Island.
For countless decades, the great fishing that is available in the region of Cedros and San Benito Islands was a relative secret that was known mainly by local residents and members of San Diego’s long range sportfishing fleet. However, thanks to the ongoing efforts of Cedros Outdoor Adventures for over a decade, an infrastructure has been created that now caters to the needs of intrepid anglers in search of great panga captains, comfortable lodgings, and tasty food.
One of the most prominent target species is the California yellowtail; a feisty member of the Jack Family that tends to fight harder and grow larger here than most other places on the Pacific coast.
Recently, longtime clients, Albert and Silvia Tejidor returned to Cedros with a party of 12 anglers. One of them, Aram Sexenain, definitely started out on the right foot with a beautiful yellowtail (as seen above). The trophy-grade forktail weighed out at just over 50 pounds.
Another Cedros Island veteran, Esven Hernandez, from Los Angeles came down with his crew and made a number of fantastic catches from big yellowtail and calico bass to the biggest California halibut that has been taken so far this season. The huge flattie tipped the scales at just over 37 pounds.
Fresno residents, Jake Snyder, and his fishing buddy, Dave Lipe, paid their first ever visit to the Island this August and were amazed at the fantastic fishing action that they encountered. The duo took limits of yellowtail in the 10 to 25-pound class, as well as a 120-pound black sea bass that was promptly released immediately after a photo was taken. Snyder completed his report by saying that they were also able to pick up a 30-pound California halibut on the sandy lee side of the Island.
Many of our clients travel a considerable distance in order to take advantage of the world-class fishing that is available at Cedros. Such was the case of Grady Kemper, a Wildlife Biologist from Maine who traveled out west with a couple of his buddies to get a piece of the action. The group took a number of nice yellowtail during their visit, including a surprise catch by Kemper of a fat, 23-pounf California halibut. He followed up by saying, “We have had an exceptional experience and a great guide in Chris. We look forward to returning again next year!”
Other parties that fished with us during the month of August included John Casarietti, from southern California who was there for the first time with his friend, Mike Anderson, who had been to Cedros over a dozen times before. They took limits of yellowtail of surface iron and trolled Rapalas in blue, purple and green.
Casarietti also noted that they were catching big ocean whitefish to 7-pounds on small live mackerel, and a 50-pound black sea bass that was released.
Jeremy Jennings was a first-time visitor from Oceanside who came with a party of 24 people, most of whom had fished there before. He reported an ‘insane’ yellowtail bite that was topped off by a 44-pound forktail that was caught on a live mackerel.
Near the end of the month, San Diegan, Vinny Moretti, who said that he had fished Cedros back in 2018 and was able to re-connect with Capt. Paul, who he had originally fished with on his first visit. Ironically, they went to the same spot where they had previously taken a 20-pound flattie and ended up catching another big halibut about the same size. He also added that, on another day, they limited out on yellowtail between 15 to 25-pounds on blue and white iron.
Now that the Labor Day weekend is in the rearview mirror. we are looking forward to the arrival of exotic species from further south during the next few months. We already took our first dorado of the season a little over a week ago and the best is yet to come. Book your trip while there is still time and space.