fishmaster
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Baja Fish Report
Video Report:
https://vimeo.com/202709726?utm_source=email&utm_medium=...
Written Report:
Headed down to Baja for almost 3 weeks around New Years. Traveled from Los Osos, Ca. about 2 pm and made it to El Centro by about 10 p.m. Hit
horrible traffic from Santa Barbara all the way out to somewhere East of L.A. Always the worst part of the trip for me! Man…I don’t see how anyone
can live down there!!!
We had a very easy crossing at Mexicali and smooth sailing on a very nice highway all the way to San Filipe. It was my first time on that section of
road and I was impressed how easy that part of the trip was! The scenery was very interesting too, although not much left of the Colorado River
Delta.
We made San Filipe before noon and, after tracking down a bank (to take advantage of the 21:1 exchange rate!), gassed up and headed South. The
section of road between San Filipe and Puertoricos is straight, but there are several massive mystery vados (sharp dips) that pop up out of no where!
We hit one going a little too fast and nearly caught air!!! We found out later that we blew out an air bag. Slowed down to 40 after that and had no
problems spotting them the rest of the way. It is a wonder why these vados even exist and WHY they haven't fixed!?! I guess to make Baja driving
more interesting.
After Puertoricos the road gets really nice, easily the best road in Baja! Wide and straight with big shoulders Plus the scenery is gorgeous along the Cortez with multiple islands and gorgeous beaches. Definitely checking this
area out in the future, it is only about 6-7 hours from the border!!!
After Gonzaga Bay the new paved road ends and you travel on a series of detours and sections of "old Baja dirt road" for about 22 miles. I had been
told it was rough, but do-able if you go slow. I don't think you can go slow enough towing a boat! It was incredibly rough and I would not recommend
towing a boat over this section. We did that section in about 3 hours with a nice stop at Coco's Corner for a very cold beer. It was a welcome break
from the pounding and jarring!!! The good news is that they were actively working on the entire section and several areas looked ready to pave. Upon
completion in the next 2-10? years (Baja time), it will be a very nice road and definitely the way to travel South of the border! However, unless the
distance of nasty dirt road is reduced, I’ll be travelling Mex 1.
We hit Mex 1 and had an easy trip down to Dos Amigos in San Lucas Cove, just South of Santa Rosalia. We pulled in to camp about 8 p.m. and worked
frantically to set up camp and get gear ready for the next day. The forecast was for flat calm seas…so we were pumped!!!
We got up early and drove to the launch at Camachos at San Lucas Cove. The launch at Dos Amigos has filled in from the Hurricanes and massive rain
storms the past several years. While having to drive to the launch is a pain, Camachos is a great launch with deep water and the owner only wants a
fish or two when you come in. Fortunately the bait was right in front of the cove and we easily made bait in 60’ of water in front of camp. We
headed out to the 110 off Isa San Marcos and ended up landing 4 nice yellowtail from 20-25 pounds.
To make a long story short, over the next 16 days we fished 15! The only day we missed was the day we changed out crews. We fished yellowtail nearly
every day, with only a few windy days keeping us off the yellowtail grounds. We fished the yellowtail grounds off Isla San Marcos 11 days and managed
to land 25 yellowtail from 20-33 pounds. We broke off 3 others and missed another dozen pick ups. Most fish came on the flyline, but a couple were
on the bottom, 1 on a flatfall jig and 2 on a surface iron. Our best day was 5 fish in the boat, a couple days we landed only 1, but we averaged a
little more than 2 fish per day.
One surface iron fish was particularly memorable. There were random boils going on all day, but too brief to really chase down. We were on a drift
with live baits out when a boil erupts 200+ yards away. Knowing it was too far to reach, I still cast out and just hope for a blind jig strike! I
make a good cast and am working the salix 45 back to the boat…it is nearly to the boat when I see a large yellowtail following it! It finally hammers
the jig about 15’ from the boat!!! It was glassy calm and we clearly saw the whole thing! Very cool!!! What topped it off was that a flyline bait
got hit about 30 seconds later and we landed a double!
The inshore fishing was fun too. We had some good trolling along the island for mostly leopard grouper, with a few in the 5-8 pound class coming to
the boat. One day we did a bunch of jigging along the island and caught all sorts of cool reef fish. Fishing along the Haystack and the Cliffs also
produced good fishing for leopard grouper, small firecracker YT, and a few nice sierra. One day we got in to a wolf pack of leopard grouper and
caught 30+ on ultra light rods and jigs for an hour or so. They were small fish, but super fun on the light gear. Everyday we fished was good
fishing!
The only really windy day we had we headed down to Bahia Conception and hung out at Playa Coco. We launched early and fished around the islands and
had good fishing on a variety of inshore species, including a huge sierra, porgy, pompano, bonita, and etc… We also snorkeled for some other tasty
critters!
One of the highlights of the trip was a close encounter with a huge pod of sperm whales. We were finishing our day trolling along the island when I
see a huge splash in the distance. I look over and see multiple spouts. We pick up the lines and head over to find a pod of 40-50 sperm whales
logging at the surface. We got right in the pod a few times and had whales all around the boat…at one point a sperm whale breached (which they are
not known for doing) only about 50 yards from the boat! Several whales went right under the boat. It was an amazing experience to be so close to
such majestic creatures.
It was a great trip. Best weather I’ve had down there in 10+ years! It was great hanging out with my good friends Grant, Dar, Ken, Wendy, Paddy and
Irene at Dos Amigos. Plus I got to introduce two new friends to Baja. Both were blown away and vow to return. We shall see…I’ve heard that before.
This was my 20th year of Baja adventures. I’ve only missed one year (had ACL surgery), I won’t miss another!!!
Best fishes,
Steve
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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Thanks for the detailed report.
I have been wondering how the YT fishing has been on the "other side". Sounds pretty much like ours; a fair amount of work for a few fish. Quite a
few "skunked" days. But few use live bait around here, as consistent bait holes are non-existent. To average 2 fish/day using live bait is certainly
not wide open. Even the pangueros who net live bait over here, have had a slow year. But it has picked up in the last week.
That leopard grouper fishing sounds really good.
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Cardon
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Loved the video, especially where you captured the sperm whales breaching.
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BornFisher
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Great report, thanks!!!
Any details on your boat would be appreciated. Thanks
"When you catch a fish, you open the door of happiness."
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fishmaster
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My boat is a 17' Gregor Alaskan/Baja with a side console. 50 Hp Honda. Great boat, perfect for beach launching in Baja. My spare tire rotates down
to make it a 3-wheel trailer. Haven't found a place I can't launch! The boat can handle any ocean that is safe enough to be out in
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fishmaster
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No skunk days for us...two days we caught 1 fish. Thankfully bait is fairly consistent somewhere in that area...takes a while to make sometimes, but
worth it! We worked butterfly and flatfall jigs pretty hard this trip for only 1 fish. We normally get quite a few on them.
Where are you fishing out of?
Quote: Originally posted by Hook  | Thanks for the detailed report.
I have been wondering how the YT fishing has been on the "other side". Sounds pretty much like ours; a fair amount of work for a few fish. Quite a
few "skunked" days. But few use live bait around here, as consistent bait holes are non-existent. To average 2 fish/day using live bait is certainly
not wide open. Even the pangueros who net live bait over here, have had a slow year. But it has picked up in the last week.
That leopard grouper fishing sounds really good. |
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sancho
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Is that with a plastic, like a Rapala? You didn't mention Cabrilla
which I assume would be caught on the same bait
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Hook
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San Carlos, Sonora. Much more pressure on fish over here, than on the San Marcos seamounts. I might seen 2-3 dozen pangueros in a days fishing.
Sometimes a like amount of gringo boats.
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nbentley1
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looks like a great trip. How were you storing the fish once you got back to shore. Cooler / ice, DC fridge? Thanks
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fishmaster
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| Quote: Originally posted by sancho |
Yes, we were trolling XRap 15's or 20's. We did not catch any cabrilla trolling, but did get a trigger fish (rare), many firecrackers, and a few
sierra. I've have also caught hogfish trolling at times.
Is that with a plastic, like a Rapala? You didn't mention Cabrilla
which I assume would be caught on the same bait
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fishmaster
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| Quote: Originally posted by nbentley1 | | looks like a great trip. How were you storing the fish once you got back to shore. Cooler / ice, DC fridge? Thanks |
I have a Yeti for keeping fish for eating while we are down there. We give a lot of fish away to guys we are camping with and to local Mexican
families. The guys we camp with are set up for months down there and a couple have loaned freezer space so we can bring some fish home. We also
bring fish home from the last two days of fishing. I just canned 64 pints of YT on sunday...good stuff!!!
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fishmaster
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| Quote: Originally posted by Hook | | San Carlos, Sonora. Much more pressure on fish over here, than on the San Marcos seamounts. I might seen 2-3 dozen pangueros in a days fishing.
Sometimes a like amount of gringo boats. |
Never been to San Carlos. That sounds like a lot of pressure!
To be honest, I'm glad we didn't have wide open fishing. 3 years ago it was WFO and there were 20-40 pangas out some days, plus 5-15 gringos!
This year the max we saw at the 110 was 8 boats and there were several days we were the ONLY boat fishing
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fishbuck
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Love your report. I would like to follow your itinerary.
I fished San Lucas a few years back with Nomad Pescador. I'd say it was my best trip but I been lucky enough to have lots of good days.
But that was near the top and the yellows were big then . Hope they still are.
Thanks for the report.
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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OCEANUS
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Fishmaster
I was planning on driving the Mex 5 route south with my boat next week until I read your report. 23 mies does not seem too bad until I read it took
you three hours! I saw in your video that you were pulling the Gregor on a single axle trailer. Do you think it would make any difference pulling
larger boat on a dual axle trailer, or would you recommend avoiding this route entirely if towing a boat?
Thank you.
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mulegemichael
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i do not recommend towing a boat over that route..been there/done that and will never do it again.
dyslexia is never having to say you\'re yrros.
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BigBearRider
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To me, the bigger issue with Mex 5 are the vados between San Felipe and Gonzaga. There are also a couple of turns on that same stretch that are a lot
sharper than you would expect based on the signs.
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BigBearRider
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Great video! Thanks for posting. I particularly enjoyed the whales.
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Meany
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Great report and video. Love the last part were the clicker got off on a double. Nice boat as well. The video sure pulled at my fish lines. I will
be there next week.
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fishmaster
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I would not take a boat through that section. It was very rough...the washboard was actually nice, it was mostly the big rocks/cobble we had to drive
over! Three hours was probably too fast for the health of my boat. If it was only 10 miles I might do it, but not 22. It is not that much shorter
going that direction. Maybe an hour? Once they finish it, it will be epic. But right now it is too gnarly for towing boats!!!
| Quote: Originally posted by OCEANUS | Fishmaster
I was planning on driving the Mex 5 route south with my boat next week until I read your report. 23 mies does not seem too bad until I read it took
you three hours! I saw in your video that you were pulling the Gregor on a single axle trailer. Do you think it would make any difference pulling
larger boat on a dual axle trailer, or would you recommend avoiding this route entirely if towing a boat?
Thank you. |
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BigBearRider
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From the video, it looks like the whales were breaching between San Marcos island and San Lucas Cove? I think I can see the gypsum mine in the
background. Is that right? It also looks like the video caught the end of a second breach just a little later?
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