BajaNomad

Surf Fishing at secret spot near Asuncion

shari - 1-14-2008 at 09:03 AM

Juan & I took a day off to enjoy the balmy windless weather at our favorite secret spot about 45 minutes north of Asuncion. We took off at dawn and got there right at high tide...there was really huge surf so we doubted we could fish but on Juan's first cast he landed a nice size boca dulce which might be a pacific croaker. He got another one right away but then the tide started to go out and so did the fish. We are minimalist campers so we found an old lobster trap and cut out a piece of it for a grill...lit up some manzanita wood (better than mesquite) and just grilled those babies up over a slow coal fire...O M G...they were spectacular and tasted smoked! absolutely divine...sometmes simple is best...no mayo, no salsa, no tortillas...just heavenly fish and tecates. The water was very chilly but we had a couple of dips and spent the day reading, playing sax and relaxing. Ahhhhhh Bajjjjjjja

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shari - 1-14-2008 at 09:04 AM

this beach is one of the most amazing wild areas I have seen and the fishing is great

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shari - 1-14-2008 at 09:06 AM

nothing like a little live music with dinner

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shari - 1-14-2008 at 09:09 AM

never mind the recipe books...

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Martyman - 1-14-2008 at 12:51 PM

Hi Shari;
Are you willing to give up any hot tips for surf casting?

4baja - 1-14-2008 at 06:26 PM

surf pole, squider. case of pacifico and a lounge chair. will be down marty on the 20th of feb, will check your place if yo want me too.

shari - 1-15-2008 at 11:37 AM

Juan just uses a crokodile and surf pole...trick is to get out there the last bit of high tide just before it starts going out. I saw on another post fish that sure looked like boca dulce which they called corvina???? So can anyone identify these as pacific croakers? they are such a fabulous sweet tender fish.

Fish ID

Russ - 1-15-2008 at 12:33 PM

Here's a great site to put in your favorites. Here's the yellow fin croaker page.
http://www.mexfish.com/fish/yeyecrok/yeyecrok.htm
And the main fish index site:
http://www.mexfish.com/fish/fish.htm

[Edited on 1-15-2008 by Russ]

shari - 1-15-2008 at 01:43 PM

thanks for that fish ID link...well they look more like corbina than the yellowfin croaker?????

Russ - 1-15-2008 at 01:55 PM

Shari, I think Juan's fish, above, are croaker. The corbina's mouth is lower or faces downward with a barble on the chin. When I fished for them in my yute I just baked them with salt & pepper and dipped them in butter. Poor mans lobster. I really need to grab my surf gear and make a visit to your wonderland.

Russ - 1-15-2008 at 05:45 PM

Shari, it bugged me that I may have come across as an authority (know it all) on corbina so I did some more checking and this photo pretty much but me in my place. You're right again.

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shari - 1-15-2008 at 07:16 PM

Yup, that's the same sweet fish we ate, when I looked at the link it really sounded like corvina...that made sense as it was soooo delicious and had a cute little barb on it's chinny chin chin...thanks Russ...when I posted it on the scsurf fish board as a corvina, someone said it was a croaker too...they are plentiful here...look forward to casting with ya.

Wiles - 1-15-2008 at 08:33 PM

All pictures on this page are of yellowfin croaker. No doubt whatsoever.

Nice fish Juan & Shari

Russ - 1-16-2008 at 07:29 AM

Thanks everyone. My last photo of the "Corbina" that isn't was ID'd as a corbina so I believed it. After seeing the last couple post I went back to searching for corbina photos. Not a lot of good stuff out there. I but this together with what I could find.

Corbinas-1.jpg - 47kB

shari - 1-16-2008 at 09:22 AM

oh oh, NOw we're in trouble...wiles says No Doubt!!! But those corvina pics look much more like our fish...it's in the lips...they are fuller...more pronounced....maybe croaker with botox? the croaker has that kinda fatter look...or maybe our fish had liposuction??? Is anything for sure? I need a beer that's for sure.

bajadedom - 1-16-2008 at 11:33 AM

All croaker until Russ' last shots - which ARE corbina....Both very good eating though.

baitcast - 1-16-2008 at 12:21 PM

Shari when you talk corvina look for a couple of fangs up front,we got to get you staighten out:lol: BUT you do good girl:biggrin:

You have got those boys on the surffishing site all worked up.
Rob aka BAITCAST

They are talking about a road trip for a surf fish off.

Russ - 1-16-2008 at 12:53 PM

I just can't help myself. Sheri's Secret Spot next week.

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baitcast - 1-16-2008 at 02:10 PM

Thats just too much Russ :lol::lol:

Santiago - 1-16-2008 at 03:32 PM

Sax on the beach

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rts551 - 1-16-2008 at 06:27 PM

looks like what we used to catch North of Rosalillita

rts551 - 1-16-2008 at 06:33 PM

Variety beach.

baitcast - 1-16-2008 at 08:14 PM

Those are SOOOO NICE,Ive got a few but not nearly as big,truely fine fish,that must have been a hoot:biggrin:

Both on the beach as well as on the plate!

[Edited on 1-17-2008 by baitcast]

Ron Rock

Skipjack Joe - 1-16-2008 at 11:13 PM

He used to be mentioned in some of the magazine articles in the late 70's - early 80's. Nick Curcione seemed to be good friends with him. I think Curcione learned a lot about fishing baja from Ron. In those days Nick rarely wrote about flyfishing. He told me Ron died in a road accident on the windy road around El Rosario.

Capt. George - 1-18-2008 at 09:10 PM

dem looks like me stripered bass whistler...........


mainland Mexico stuck here right now lots of beautiful places, but, "IT AIN'T BAJA!!!!!"

looking forward to getting back.

All corbinas are croakers but not all croakers are corbinas

Skipjack Joe - 1-19-2008 at 10:41 AM

Corbinas vs yellowfin croakers

a. both have same downturned mouth
b. both have barbels
d. y.c. have yellow dorsal, caudal, and anal fins.
e. corbinas have grey dorsal, caudal, and anal fins.
f. corbinas have a more elongated body
g. y.c. has brighter, shinier scales
h. corbinas often feed in 6 inches of water, y.c. seldom do

corbina.jpg - 49kB

Russ - 1-19-2008 at 10:58 AM

Skipjack Joe, Now that is a fisherman with a prize catch. Reminds me of me at that age in N. Laguna.

Skipjack Joe - 1-19-2008 at 12:21 PM

Russ, they tell me that Lake Laguna Niguel has some of the best trout fishing in the southland from a bellyboat. Is that true?

Russ - 1-19-2008 at 02:02 PM

Skipjack Joe, I don't know now. I've been here for 16+ years and before that 10 years in Washington in Kitsap County so that would put me in Laguna...... many moons ago. Before Laguna Niguel was developed much and I would poach Niguel reservoir for bass & ducks.