Originally posted by Don Alley
1961
First thing I did upon arriving on my first trip to the Sea of Cortez was head for the water. There was a short concrete pier, and from it I could see
fish! Many fish, many kinds of fish, and some really big ones, at least they seemed big to my 10 year old eyes.
Two Mexican men came down onto the pier. One unwound a long marlin leader, you know, the old wire leaders with a blue plastic covering we used to use
for marlin. With a huge hook on the end. The other man unwrapped a fish over a foot long, and in answer to my English and gesture said "lisa." He cut
the "lisa" in half, put half on the huge hook and the other man swung the bait out into the water. In less than a minute, he pulled in this big fish,
bigger than any fish I had yet to catch. "Cabrilla," one of the men said. Then they left, their evening meal in hand.
Over the next week, we fished every day, alternating offshore for marlin and inshore for cabrilla, pargo and ladyfish. Those days we had no live bait
or modern offshore lures; we fished dead flyingfish on outriggers for marlin and inshore trolled lures, mostly chrome Spoofers, a lure long out of
production. The three of us each caught a striped marlin each offshore day, the smallest 165 lbs. Inshore, cabrilla, pargo. All consistent with the
many stories and photographs my dad and his brother had collected over the years.
Seven years fishing Loreto and I have never, ever had a single day of fishing for cabrilla as good as any of those days fishing inshore, despite
Rapalas, Yozuris and live bait tanks.
Those days have set my "baseline" for fishing in the SOC.
One of the biggest problems in arresting declines in fish populations is "shifting baselines." Despite a decline in gamefish populations, the newer
generation of fishers (or observers) sees the new low population numbers as the norm. So, for example, I have seen new to Loreto anglers return from a
day on a chartered panga describe the fishing as "great" because one of them caught a 25lb yellowtail. They are unaware that once they could each have
expected to catch five of them, close to town. And if fishermen say the fishing is good, then management remains static.
It is also illogical and unscientific to describe a one or two day snapshot as the norm for the area, and, in the way Skeet puts it, surprisingly rude
coming from a man I consider a gentleman.
There is a larger audience than just Baja Nomad regulars here. We are addressing real problems with the possibility of real change, and irresponsible
babble does not help.
Finally, I have heard that the park was interested in the removal of the nets, and at least on Isla Carmen fish camp is gone. Possible progress.
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They also set the nets and run 'em using wet suits, snorkles,
hookah rigs, and anything else available. 
Somebody will be wondering what
happened to the grouper fishery.
There are many other things that attract people to Baja, but the fishing was my #1
reason for spending time there.
Admittedly, it was during the winter and my fishing was
restricted to within a couple miles of shore, but there were days that I didn't even get a bite.
Regarding all of "what's his names" rants about how great the fishing is in
Baja in the Sea of Cortes and the various left-wing groups, I'd join 'em in a minute as a dues-paying, card-carrying member if they could restore the
fiheries to what they were 40 yrs. ago.
....But even they have those Fancy Dan Fishfinders and GPS.....if they would just
go back to using their noses and sniff the fish out
Will check the moon & stars forecast tonight....toasting for calm weather on the
horizon. Tight lines, all.
