fongster
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: 2-17-2005
Member Is Offline
|
|
San Quintin Fishing 2/18-2/21
We headed down in the rain Friday afternoon and it kept getting heavier as we got into SD. I was fearful of driving in Baja in the dark with the rain
but that's what we had to do. We missed the main road for Don Eddie?s and the Old Mill and took some zigzag back way in. This turned out to be a
blessing as we heard the next morning that most vehicles that came down the main road got stuck in mud and had to be pulled out.
Warning: Boobs Ahead
Don Eddie's Landing
It poured all night and I thought it would be too snotty to go out in the AM. It turned out to be super calm and sunny--unbelievable! Our only hang up
was that after waking up at 5 am, our captain from Don Eddie?s never showed up. They didn?t have a phone number for him so I went to find him at his
house that was nearby. I was told by some lady (his wife?) that he went to town, next I was told that he was sick, and then I was told that no one
told him we were fishing! Another captain told me that ?Gato? is an older guy who probably didn?t want to go out after the storm. We hired another
panga from Pedro?s Panga?s instead and the captain was a great guy, super nice and hard working. The boat had a new Merc 60 4-stroke, too. The panga
was $120 less than Don Eddie?s, so that didn?t hurt either.
El Capitan Ma?uel
Day One: We were now starting 2 hours late, so I was fearful we missed the gray bite. We went to Isla San Martin and my concerns were soon forgotten.
We quickly got into calicos from 3 to 80 feet with most from the 3 to 10 foot range. We pitched 5 and 6-inch Big Hammers on 65# Power Pro or 20# mono
drifting thru kelp and stones. It was so insane watching these guys come from up to 30 feet away and smack the baits. Many bites came soon after the
splash as the bait arced back. Almost every cast had 3 to 5 big followers come with the hooked fish. It was like watching ?feeding habits of calico
bass? on National Geographic. My buddy Brandon hooked a fish and when we looked down, we saw a bass that would have easily gone 8 pounds. Problem was
that it was a follower and not the hooked fish, lol! It sank out before I could ?poach? it with my bait. Speaking of ?poaching?, we plucked off quite
a few from each other?s followers. Count for Day One was 60 calicos C and R'd with most going 3.5 to 4 pounds with the biggest a 5 pounder. We also
got 9 barries (4 kept) that were 9-10# slime pigs! Also got 5 gopher rockfish. Gave our captain them and the slimers.
San Quintin sunrise
Dormant volcano along the bay
Off to a nice start on the lee side
Average San Martin calico
Day Two: We woke to some clouds and knew it?d be slightly bumpier with wind after the weather that passed. For something different, we made some macks
in the bay and decided to try south at El Socorro for WSBs and yellows but found lousy muddy run-off everywhere. We bailed and tried outside of there
for deeper calicos but didn't have a finder or GPS so we had to rely on another boat's drift to fish the structure--too much time off the high spot so
we went way out to news of yellows. Nothing there but bonies and rockfish. Captain Ma?uel drove up to the island where we drifted for halibut getting
nada. I guess we were kind of tired of swimbait chucking from prior day hence that attempt. No ?buts, so we went back to the swimbait pattern we had
on the calicos the prior day. With only 2 hours left, we got still got 26 with most of the fish 3.75 to 4.5 pounds this time. Brandon did get a
6-pound pig on a mack earlier in the day during a try for yellows. The ride back was snotty as we went right into the SW wind that had churned up
things.
Found this trap with no bouy, we put it back as we found it.
Brandon's toad
A nice one for me
Nice bass thumb
Day Three: Our plan was to surf fish for perch or maybe calicos from shore on the way back home but we woke to drizzle from a big storm that was
headed in. We decide to bail on those plans and did a little shopping in Ensenada on the way back. We didn't get any yellows or WSB but heard that 4
or so yellows were caught and one 50 pound WSB.
Final Thoughts: I?d would stay at Don Eddie?s versus the Old Mill like we did but I would rather eat at the Old Mill. I would not book a panga from
Don Eddie due to the reservation mess up--can you imagine that if it were high-season? All in all, it was an awesome trip with no mishaps, so we are
stoked. I hadn?t been to SQ in about 7-8 years so it was nice to experience the seclusion and peace of the bay. We will definitely return.
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64490
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Great report! Thanks and welcome to Baja Nomad!
|
|
|
bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
I agree with DK. Thanks...wish I had been there with you guys.
Also, glad to know that the food at the Old Mill is still good. I love that place!
|
|
|
fongster
Newbie
Posts: 6
Registered: 2-17-2005
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thanks for the kind words!
I am stoked about this site. I want to go to Baja more frequently than I have been--it's been many years prior to this trip. The food at the Old Mill
was excellent. Don Eddie's, although good, seemed more Americanized, i.e. baked potato, fries with our entrees. I did like getting fresh steamed
veggies as a side at both places though.
I just realized that my report (originally posted on some fishing forums) might have some fish-speak not familiar to a general audience. If there are
any terms that one doesn't understand, just post and I will clarify.
[Edited on 2-25-2005 by fongster]
|
|
|
BornFisher
Super Nomad
Posts: 2103
Registered: 1-11-2005
Location: K-38 Santa Martha/Encinitas
Member Is Offline
|
|
Hello senor Fongster. Great report -- just wish you could have pitched some plastic off some rocks for those shallow calicos. But then again there is
a lot of mud in tight now. And if you need an amigo to go with, drop me a line!
Bill Fisher --- IBFisher on Allcoast!!
|
|
|
tunaeater
Senior Nomad
Posts: 615
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: Chula Vista, CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
Very nice report and I loved the pictures of those big toads. I have had very good luck with Pedro's pangas in the past. We usually stay at the old
mill and it is just a short walk to Pedro's. What did you like better about Don Eddie's ? Thanks again for the report. It makes me want to head out
right now....Paul
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
