The real San Roque fish report

Fish Report from San Roque
Whenever I tell my friends Im going to Baja, they all start in with. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll be killed, robbed, arrested, die in a car crash, get lost out in the desert” or a whole slew of other horrible tragedies. Whenever I tell them, I’m taking my kayak out on the ocean to fish I get the same sort of neurotic questions. So this time, when I told them I was going to Baja and taking my kayak to go fishing, All they could do, was nod their heads give me “That Smile.” Since this is a Fish Report/Fish Story, I promise I will tell the truth this time.

Sat morning in San Roque 6:00am ZZZZZZZZ 8:00am ZZZZZZZ Got up around 9:00am spent two hours getting ready. Spent another hour getting my kayak set up. By now its after 11:00. There are #^$*& huge waves breaking on the beach and I need to get out past them without drowning. After several attempts, “Thank God I was wearing a wetsuit and a life vest” I finally get the kayak off my truck and drag it down to the beach. By now its starting to get windy. I figure I can get maybe three hours of fishing/ paddling in before it gets too windy. My plan is to kayak along the north shore and fish the kelp and boiler rocks. Work my way to the point.
I trolled repalas along the shore for about 30 minutes. All of a sudden I get this great Idea. “Why don’t I paddle out to Isla San Roque? It doesn’t look that far, I can do it. “Haven’t kayaked in over a year.” What the Hell was I thinking. About half way across I realized I’d bitten off a little more then I could chew.
Barb was probably watching me from the beach and there was no way I was gonna quit half way with her watching. By now I was closer to the Island then the beach by the house, so I pressed on.
It took what seamed like three days to get to that island. My arms felt like they were gonna fall off. According my friends, San Roque must be somewhere near Cabo.
As I pulled up about 50 yards/meters off the island, I hook up. Since Im somewhere near Cabo it must be a Marlin. After fighting it for what seamed like hours, being pulled from one end of the island to the other and nearly being pulled off my kayak, I finally haul the fish aboard.
A nice fat “Calico” marlin about 2lbs. I released him.
I had been trolling two repalas. “I know Im not supposed to, but I was” I realized I had a fish on the other rod too. This one went straight into the rocks. It turned out to be Mr. “Calico” marlins’ Bigger, fatter brother. I released him too.
I realized it was time to head back when I noticed the wind howling through the guides on my fishing polls. What had started out to be an easy day paddling around and fishing had now turned into a !@#$%^&* nightmare. Im two miles offshore and where I need to get to is into the wind.
After having left both my arms floating somewhere over by the island, I couldn’t make any progress. I was using the tip of the island as a reference point. I was using the old church in San Roque as another. I decided to head toward the beach. It wasn’t quite into the wind and I could always beach it and walk the 2 miles back, get my truck and drive back to pick up my kayak. Seamed like a good idea until I got near the shore and heard the crashing waves. I chickened out.
Plus, I didn’t want Barb to see me walking back. I turned into the wind and closed my eyes and paddled.
As I finally pulled close to shore by the house I rested, looked around noticed that the wind had died down and there were no waves to speak of. I made a break for shore just as Barb came down to watch. Wouldn’t ya know it? It was just a break between sets. I got hammered and flipped over. While underwater, the kayak hit me in the back of the head. I managed to get up and drag everything out of the water. Somehow I was still wearing my sunglasses but my hat was floating. It had a rapala stuck to it. Barb was laughing so hard the shame nearly killed me.

Sunday morning I decided to get up before sunrise and get an early start. That way Barb wouldn’t see me crash and burn in the 2ft surf on my way out. This time I paddled straight for the Island. Seamed like 20 minutes to get there. I went to the same spot and caught the same fish, kept two. Only this time I had company. A pack of Seals. I say pack because I think they are really just dogs in wetsuits. They barked at me. I just nodded my head and smiled a lot. Seamed to work for a while. Then they started to look like they were getting peeed at me for stealing their food. They had me surrounded. It was time to leave.
I headed for the point across the bay but only made it a third of the way before I had to stop and rest near to a bunch of birds maybe 200 that were floating there. Being bored I dropped a jig down to the bottom. WAMM !! I hook up. For the next hour and a half every drop. Big Fat Paralabrax clathratus and an archosargus probatcoephalus. Now Im too tired to paddle vary far so after a little ways I stop. The birds have gone and the fish have gone with them. I paddle in.
This time I go to the cove where there’s no serf and Barb can’t see me crash and make it in without drowning. Kept five Calicos and one Sheepshead.

THAT’S MY STORY AND I’M STICKING TO IT

Paralabrax clathratus

Otherwise known as Calico Bass

Absolutely fantastic fishing report - the best! I was glued to your story while drinking my morning coffee (with a mickie).
Bob H

Is it time to put an outboard motor on that kayak?

Fun report--thanks!

Great report DanD!! You fish like I used to except you tell it better

Great report! Thanks for the morning chuckle!! You really are a good story teller!!

Fun story. What do you feed that pug to make it so big?

[Edited on 2-28-2009 by Russ]