Hi Whistler, I've fished those day boats out of H&M Landing, too, and also a couple of long range boats (Omaha pukers) to Uncle Sam's and beyond.
Old Polaris and Red Roosters I- III. Good times and for sure you get to pick lots of useful info on fishing and such. Although always fun because
I don't have to run a boat full-time and we can bet some money, party boating is not quite my favorite style of fishing, but I made a good friend on
one of those trips. He was a high school teacher from Costa Mesa and his summer job on the Polaris, then later the Red Rooster, was made to order for
him. Was an avid Baja fisherman with his wife in their Bayrunner...and would always camp at Burros beach...before the mess of large palapa-houses
covered his spot.
I can't get through San Diego without a half-day or full-day on a charter to the kelp. And if I can't find a berth just walking in...I at least get
to have breakfast at Fisherman's Landing and feed some fries to the gulls. Hey, this is one helluva lot better than yelling at each other, huh?vandenberg - 9-6-2005 at 11:48 AM
POMPANO
How right you are!! This is more like what this thread is supposed to be. I organised lots of fishing trips on party boats out of the Bay area, Bodega
Bay, Fort Bragg, etc. Mostly Salmon boats. ( I owned a night spot in Carmichael, Sacramento ) Of course we always had a jackpot, that usually one of
my buddies won. I remember one trip where 2 salmon were identical in every way. To help my buddy's along I, with the butt of my rod, put about 6 1 lb
balls down its gullett. Of course my pall won the pot hands down, to the surprise of most. And of course we managed to drink the proceeds in the
Bodega Bay bar. But you should have seen the face on the girl that filleted the fish. When she cut his belly ,she had to jump out of the way to not
get those weights on her toes. Needless to tell you ,that there was lots of imbibing on these trips. This was many years ago, but I still look back
with fondness on those outings.bajaden - 9-6-2005 at 04:15 PM
Hey Pompano, I'm one of those first timers. Eager to learn though. Just moved to Mulege and I'm surviving the heat so far. Hey, maybe I can bait your
hook for you.Joelt - 9-6-2005 at 05:12 PM
Figuring out what works today is sometimes the bigest chalange. The bait was here yesterday or this lure killed the last time. Any time you can spend
time fishing or talking with someone with experience you have given yourself an advantage over where you were yesterday. As long as you pay attention!
When you are around a tournament you are around a lot of information and can give yourself more options. One should pay attention and practice,
practice, practice.Skeet/Loreto - 9-6-2005 at 05:41 PM
Bajaden: Get to know "Saul" who has the Tienda in Mulege. He will direct you to a mexicano fisherman who can teach you more in one Season than you can
learn from any book.. Good Luck
good idea, Skeet...Saul is a fine fellow
Pompano - 9-6-2005 at 06:48 PM
and has a great market where many people of the area shop. But Saul doesn' do much fishing and although I'm sure he knows a few locals he really
doesn't keep up with current events on the water. I know,because I go in his store almost daily and sometimes drop off a cabrilla, yellowtail, or
dorado..whatever is in season.
Day and day out, the two best producing guides in Mulege are Mateo and Alejandro. Both charge the same and they are equally good. I have known Mateo
for maybe 25 years and we have had countless experiences on the waters of Mulege fishing side by side. Alex (Alejandro) also works as a bartender at
the Serinadad when not guiding. Alex is younger but has boundless enthusiasm for his work. He produces. Both of these guys will put you on the fish
and get you hooked up..pay attention to what they are doing and you will be way ahead at the end of the day.
I fish with these guys every day. We launch at the same time and head for the same waters. I have had many a good day's fishing alongside these
veteran panga fishermen. Look them up. You can't go wrong.
Another good bet is to head over to Jungle Jim's Bar every night around 4:30 -6:30 and yak with the fishermen you will find there. A wealth of
knowledge. I will look you up when I get there and we can wet a line together.
Here's a photo of Alex last April or May with clients and a nice yellow. He took it away from my hole!Paulina - 9-6-2005 at 09:19 PM
I'm going to start practicing left handed. Good thread guys!capt. mike - 9-7-2005 at 03:15 AM
Right on Pompano re: Alex. I fish with him exclusively when i go out in mulege, and bring him all my fishing charter trips from AZ.
spend some days with him and you'll learn stuff. It's his availability and economy that keeps me from having to get my own boat since i can't be there
all the time to use one like a resident can.
but one of these days i'll have one and i have already talked to him about his guiding for me at fee in my own boat - the best of both worlds!Don Jorge - 9-7-2005 at 03:48 AM
I have to agree, you learn to fish by fishing and especially by fishing with Baja locals who know the area and how to fish it.
In season I fish 20 days a month up here in So Cal and in the Ensenada area and put about 700 hours a year on my boat.
In Baja I learned so much from the locals with whom I used to fish before I started buying my own boats. I lived down there for 13 years in the 80's
and early 90's and fished from Ensenada to Cabo and learned spots and technique from many qualified skippers.
Fishing is not what it used to be down Baja way in the SOC but it still beats it up here, although we are having a good striped marlin season locally
and the big albies are in the Morro Bay area, but that is north of Point Conception where the Pacific is not so Pacific.
However, the Mag Bay to Abreojos area is still great, as Whistler knows and is on my fall plan.
Time to go fire up the boat and make some macks, marlin season is here.
Keep up the fishing posts, we'll be hauling south soon, just waiting for the weather God to give us one chance at the Morro albies and fish marlin and
dorado locally while waiting for that chance.Skeet/Loreto - 9-7-2005 at 06:55 AM
Pomp. I am sure you know that at one time Saul had a Whrimpting Operation over at San Carlos.
anyway I would recommed in Loreto for anyone to contact the Murillo Bros, or some of the old timers around the docks. Go out with them, try to go a
little further, have them teach you about the Waters and the Movement fo fish from one place to the other. Signs!
Old Tio Don O'Neil could leave the Beach at 7;00 AM be back at 10;00 with 2 or 3 Good size Yellows and still be in sight of his Papala!!
Manuel Fernandez is still one of the best fisherman in Loreto, He can catch Yellow all Season Long.
SkeetSkeet/Loreto - 9-7-2005 at 06:56 AM
Shoud be Shrimping OperationSkeet/Loreto - 9-7-2005 at 08:00 AM
Pomp.
Did you ever know of a Mexicano/Negro who did Carnitas at the Hotel Mulege very Saturday?
He had a brother named "Feliauci" who lived at San Nicholas?Loreto. I was told that they were Desecendants of the Original Black Horse Soldiers
stationed at La Paz many years ago.
I use to fly in to the Hotel Mulege when Saul was running the Place, went Grouper Fishing on the Cruiser that looked a lot like your old boat.
that strip can get a little hairy on a Hot Day!!
Skeetbajaden - 9-7-2005 at 11:48 AM
Thanks for the advise guys. I know Saul and will talk to him. I do frequent Jungle Jims on occasion and do know some of the people there. I will not
mention names so as not to taint their reputation by knowing me. By the way Pompano, I will buy you a drink.Skeet/Loreto - 9-7-2005 at 12:54 PM
Pomp:
I started out with the Loreto Murillo's. lived at San Nicholas with Papa Murillo before the North road Opened., fished "Barquette" at 300 Feet with
Papa Murillo when he was 80. He climbed the tallest Palms at San Nicholas to build my Palapa. One Hellva man!!
The picture of your boat looks just like the one I went on. I think Bill Benzger at the Hotel Oasis had a very Similar Hull.
Did you ever catch any Ling Cod{Greenies} out of Mulege? The one and only placc I caught them was around Pulpito about 100 yards out over the rocks .
Largest Lobsters were just North of San Sebastian. I bet they are still there!
SkeetMarinero - 9-7-2005 at 02:22 PM
IMHO, fishing is the art of learning and not catching. First timers in baja would do well to look at the total experience and not just "landing a
lunker". There are plenty of fish to be caught a variety of ways. My advice is to start with very light tackle and increase line test, rod &
reel size, etc. only if you are breaking off lots of fish. More action, more fun.
BillSkipjack Joe - 9-7-2005 at 04:46 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by barbourbill
IMHO, fishing is the art of learning and not catching. First timers in baja would do well to look at the total experience ....
Bill
Absolutely, positively correct!!!! Hat's off to you.
No need to be humble about it. I will support you on this every time.
People miss that point all the time. All this talk about tournaments. Learning for learnings sake - not for the catch. Once you've learned it the
catching is boring - no matter what size you catch. There is so much more to fishing than meets the eye.
More on this in a later post.
[Edited on 9-7-2005 by Skipjack Joe]Bob and Susan - 9-7-2005 at 04:53 PM
you are absolutely correct.....eating the catch is where the FUN really is!!!
Valhalla
Skipjack Joe - 9-7-2005 at 05:20 PM
I was telling my son Alex the story which I am sure all of you have heard.
After a full lifetime the fisherman dies and passes on to the hereafter.
He is wading in a Montana spring creek. Fish are rising everywhere all day. He casts and promptly hooks an 18 incher that fights like a demon. He's
overwhelmed with joy.
Now this is great, he thinks to himself. This is just how I imagined it would be.
He casts again - another 18 incher immediately inhales his fly.
He casts again - yet another beauty. This continues all day.
As evening approaches he starts to lose interest. Fishing stops being fun.
He turns to the angler next to him and says:
"Hey, this heaven isn't that great"
The angler turns to him and replies:
"And who said you're in heaven?"
[Edited on 9-8-2005 by Skipjack Joe]Marinero - 9-8-2005 at 10:31 AM
Thanks for the positive feedback. Experienced fisherman handicap themselves all the time to make catching more difficult. Fly-fishing, which I love
to do, is the art of making catching all but impossible. Still, when that one fish finally gets hooked...........
BillMarinero - 9-8-2005 at 10:32 AM
BTW, Joe, great story.
Bill
I just now found this thread
Al G - 9-8-2005 at 02:33 PM
Thanks Pompano, whistler, vandenberg, Skeet/Loreto
and all. I am overwhemed at your generosity and depth of knowledge. I will hire a guide (if any are available) and now plan to come earlier to
practice and hopefully meet all of you. I agree learning is the best part of all of life. In that I am not a beginner.
Can any of you meet in town( or???) a few days early?
Al
