boe4fun - 1-23-2009 at 05:45 PM
We're going to be taking down a 13 1/2' Gregor in February. If it's not too windy, we plan on fishing at San Lucas Cove near the haystack on the way
down. On the way back we'll have more time, so we're thinking of maybe fishing the mangroves at Puerto San Carlos on Mag Bay, maybe running out to
Agua Verde for a couple of days (but I'm not too sure of towing a boat trailer on that particular road), perhaps stopping again at SLC, and maybe side
trips over to Bahia Asuncion and BoLA. I've got a 25 HP Merc 2 stroke, and can install a live bait well if it's needed. Any suggestions on boating
gear and tackle would be appreciated. Paul Boe
woody with a view - 1-23-2009 at 05:49 PM
i may be wrong but the bait tank is not needed. bring stuff that shines and a bunch of swim baits. i assume you'll stay in close so these should
suffice.
edit:add some rapalas and mirro lures for the run out and back and you'll be good...
[Edited on 1-24-2009 by woody in ob]
boe4fun - 1-24-2009 at 09:58 AM
Thanks Woody, Yep, we will be fishing near shore on the Pacific side, but may venture out a bit farther on the Cortez if the wind is down (maybe out
past horsehead island). I was planning on using chrome crocs, various rubber on leadheads, rapalas and the like. The mirrolures I have are larger
and I was planning on using lighter tackle, maybe I should take along one pole rigged with heavier line?
[Edited on 1-24-2009 by boe4fun]
bajabass - 1-24-2009 at 01:44 PM
I would pack at least on 30-40lb. set up. In the triangle between San Lucas Cove, San Bruno , and Isla Marcos, you can run into monster cabrilla and
jurel. I was rocked several times by unknown monsters of the not so deep. 
Skipjack Joe - 1-24-2009 at 02:34 PM
If you troll blue and chrome fastrac rebels between the mouth of SLC and Haystack in February you could do well on small yellowtail and sierra.
Fish the same lures at Mag Bay by casting them to deeper holes in the mangroves for broomtail grouper.
Asuncion is different.
4baja - 1-24-2009 at 03:35 PM
in bola i would at least give it time to make bait(up to a hour) because you allways do better with bait. wach the weather but on a no wind day i
would head to barnabies reef south or guadalupe north (7mile reef) if you have the gas capacity. with such a small boat you may be lmited to local
islands. good luck.
boe4fun - 1-24-2009 at 04:47 PM
Hi Again, I think the guadalupe reef is north of Isla Coronado and the barnabies reef is southwest of Horsehead, but I'm not sure of the distances -
any information? Also if we make bait we probably would try near the lighthouse. Any other suggestions on where to make bait? Thanks.
Hook - 1-24-2009 at 05:20 PM
The distances to Guad. reef and Bernabe are too great to try in a 13 foot tin boat in February. Strong wind too likely. Also, I've not found it easy
to make bait in BOLA in February.
In fact, I think I'd bypass BOLA completely in February, when it comes to fishing. Your other destinations will be much better.
From what I've read here, towing into Agua Verde is not going to be fun.
I'd bring some 6-7 oz knife jigs for SLC.
For bait fishing there, bring some 5/0-7/0 circle hooks with some sliding sinkers. Also bring some torpedos (4-6oz) for fishing dropper loop with
bait.
Your Mirros are probably not too big. Bring some reels with 40# at least, both low speed and high speed retrieve.
[Edited on 1-25-2009 by Hook]
yellowtail67 - 1-25-2009 at 06:39 AM
pm sent
boe4fun - 1-25-2009 at 12:05 PM
yellowtail67, check your U2U
yellowtail67 - 1-25-2009 at 06:23 PM
Back at ya Paul
vacaenbaja - 1-25-2009 at 08:25 PM
I have car topped a 13 ft valco on a 1987 pathfinder 4wd all over the remote areas of baja. no need to tow a boat for that size of boat. (unless you
have stuff that protrudes like chairs or a stearing console). Parking is easier and it makes off road travel easy.Yakima and Thule both make cartop
carrier systems. Check out Craigslist ect. for deals on used basic systems. The basic systems are always for sale used. That way you may only have to
pay full price for the
cartop adaptor. Check out The Baja Catch for suggestions on
what where when and how you can fish. As always come in way before the wind comes up and keep an eye out for surprise waves that can come at you from
abeam.
Pescador - 1-27-2009 at 07:40 PM
You probably do not need a live bait tank for fishing the Haystack and up to the cliffs towards Santa Rosalia, or even down towards San Bruno, but
boats your size do make the trip to the north end of San Marcos Island when the water is calm, like it was this week, and you might want to be
prepared for a big yellowtail.
Now, if you are trolling the haystack and inshore areas, spinning or lighter tackle, up to 20 lbs, is fine and will more than do the trick. Small
rapala type lures with wire leaders are the major producers. Silver and blue, firetiger, green and white, are the major producers, but be sure to
attach to a small wire leader with black swivels. I would balance both shallow runners with a few deep divers in the 3 3/4 to 4 1/2 inch size.
Spoons will catch fish, but are not as productive as the Rapala type lures.
There is some really great Spotted Bay Bass fishing in certain areas and in my opinion these are the best eating fish in the area. We commonly find
fish up to 5 pounds that succumb to 3 or 4 oz. jigs fished with a bit of yellow tail belly on a single siwash hook. If you have a good depth finder,
the roaming schools of Bass are easy to locate and can usually be found inanywhere from 50 to 135 feet of water.
If you decide to try for yellowtail you need at least a 4/0 outfit with a minimum of 50 lb line, 5/0 circle hooks and 3-6 oz. sliding sinkers with
live bait. But there has never been a yellowtail produced that eats as well as a batch of bay bass.
Skipjack Joe - 1-27-2009 at 11:03 PM
If Pescador is still at SLC in February you might ask him to show you how to catch blue crabs in the cove. They are delicious, far better than our
market crabs in california, the dungenness crab. Pescador gigs them.