BajaNomad

Trip Report Loreto & Mag Bay July 6 - 13, 2009

bajajurel - 7-16-2009 at 10:28 AM

The first day we fished Loreto we had zero bites and did about 60 miles on the boat! The second day we did about 80 miles on the boat and landed 1 sailfish and lost a few other sails and a marlin but only saw a few Dorado. My buddy and I landed one Dorado that both of us had hooked up.

My buddy got a severe case of diarrhea at a restaurant in Loreto - Mita Gourmet, plus I think he was dehydrated from the heat (boy was it hot in Loreto!). No Sargasso was anywhere to be seen and we had some of that green slime in places + a full moon didn’t do us any good (I personally will never schedule another trip local or otherwise around a full moon). If we had listened to a friend of ours we should have headed north to Pulpito reef where they were pulling in Jurel to 40 pounds but such is fate.

When we went to Mag bay my buddy was tied to the bathroom and then laid in bed the whole time. So I went fishing with a local guide who was great! We went out of Boca Soledad at low tide and came back in on high tide – both events were a very interesting experience on navigating the channel and I learned a lot from Sergio (I have phone contacts if anyone needs them). We trolled mostly and jigged off of rock formations about 8 -10 miles offshore and hit a lot of skipjack, one yellowtail, one sierra, and some barracuda and two other strange fish I could not identify. Also I landed a good size Dorado female. We then headed inshore and north into some mangrove spots and got hits from small grouper but didn’t land anything. The sea outside was rough with swells to 4’. We found that launching on the beach next to the ramp was better at low tide to avoid the rocks just behind the launch ramp. It is an extremely beautiful place around the island and mangroves. The accommodations are not very appealing and not much in the way of food in Lopez Mateo.

My buddy was still suffering after 4 days and so we headed straight back to San Diego with a nights rest at the Hotel Malarrimo in Guerro Negro and gave up on 3 more days of fishing we had scheduled in Loreto. So we did over 1700 miles driving and were disappointed to say the least! My buddy’s luck was still holding on when we arrived at the border and we were directed into secondary for another 20 minute delay - two old farts pulling a boat really look suspicious.

Also, the gringo bum at Catavina was still there – he’s been there for about 4 years now and lives like a desert rat. They call him “got a peso” cause that’s what he always asks you. They are building Pemex stations everywhere. Gas was P 7.41 / liter. Mex 1 is getting better in spots but it is still like a carnival ride - you never know if you can get off! We figured that after taking the new bypass around TJ 4 times now and ending up at Otay Mesa crossing it’s about a wash compared to going through San Ysidro crossing.

[Edited on 7-16-2009 by bajajurel]

bajajurel - 7-16-2009 at 10:42 AM

Got it! Thanks - I don't know how that gibberish showed up.

David K - 7-16-2009 at 11:07 AM

Looks good!

What did he eat at Mita... I was going to take Baja Angel there after reading so many great reviews?!

bajajurel - 7-16-2009 at 12:08 PM

He ate the carne asada.

cajhawk - 7-27-2009 at 01:25 PM

I hope it was the dehydration. I have eaten at Mitas at least 10 times and think it is one of the best in Baja. I go for the fresh fish of the day seasoned with garlic butter and the "cheesy clams" appetizer. Muy bueno!

DianaT - 7-27-2009 at 01:28 PM

Sure hope you get to go back down soon and have much better luck!

Diane

Cypress - 7-27-2009 at 01:34 PM

bajajurel, Your buddy must have a sensitive stomach.:)

bajario - 7-27-2009 at 05:36 PM

I ate Mita gourmet last week. The Pescado Diabla or something. Delicious. Washed down w/ 4 cervezas I was a happy camper. This was after the oysters at happy hour over at Auggies. No problemos.

cause and effect?

bill erhardt - 7-27-2009 at 07:04 PM

A meal at a restaurant followed by sickness naturally raises suspicions of a causal relationship, but the recently ingested food is not necessarily the culprit. I have been a regular customer of the Mita Gourmet since it opened in Loreto five years, or so, ago, and based on my experience if the Mita is the restaurant in question I would have to look for a cause elsewhere. The Mita Gourmet is my favorite restaurant for dinner in Loreto and whenever I have friends or family visiting at least one night is spent dining with Juancarlos and Marta. Often the night at the Mita is the highlight of the visit. Such was the case most recently when friends visited last week from Cabo and Lopez Mateos and found the fishing pretty much as bajajurel and Bob did a couple of weeks earlier. It is a shame that Bob got sick and the trip was cut short because of it, but I don't believe for a minute that the illness was caused by food at the Mita.

David K - 7-27-2009 at 07:35 PM

When we walked by Mita's it was busy... Phil C, his amigo Russ and us two walked to Islas. Our dinner at 'Islas' was so good, it would be hard to imagine better restaurant food could be found in Loreto... it was that good!

We tried to meet Pam, but her office was closed last Wednesday... We were shooting for Mita's until her post!:rolleyes:

Anyway, good places can get bad food sometimes...

flyfishinPam - 7-28-2009 at 12:24 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
When we walked by Mita's it was busy... Phil C, his amigo Russ and us two walked to Islas. Our dinner at 'Islas' was so good, it would be hard to imagine better restaurant food could be found in Loreto... it was that good!

We tried to meet Pam, but her office was closed last Wednesday... We were shooting for Mita's until her post!:rolleyes:

Anyway, good places can get bad food sometimes...



Sorry I was at the marine park meetings wed Thursday and fri kinda important as we were voting on new regs and zones

Cypress - 7-28-2009 at 12:37 PM

Food poisoning isn't that complicated. If it hits within 3 or 4 hours it's due to a toxin caused by staph and a combo of no telling what, boiling water won't degrade that stuff. Other critters such as salmonella can take up to 12 hrs. to ring your bell.:o

Bajahowodd - 7-28-2009 at 01:58 PM

And you can get food poisoning anywhere. One minor slip up, even in a top-notch restaurant in the States, and it could happen. Personally, even if he did get it from Mita, I wouldn't write off the restaurant unless it became a commonplace experience.