Cabrilla on Swimbaits

Fishing pictures from our latest trip. First the lure. It's about 7" long.




This is pretty much the typical size leopard grouper we caught along the shoreline.





Fee didle de deee
A pirate's life for me.




Notice this one was caught on a rapala. More about the subsequent events to this picture in a later thread.




All these fish were released. One smaller cabrilla was kept for consumption for the entire trip. Barbequed next to our campsite, it was delicious.



:Spelling repair

[Edited on 1-19-2010 by Skipjack Joe]

Your were right Igor,its up 30 beats a min

Ken,

Perhaps the most important thing is figuring where they're gonna be. A very obvious spot are the rocky points that have large boulders next to shore. But they're also in coves when the underwater structure is right.

Basically you motor up to within 50' from shore and set the boat sideways. We used stout rods with Torium and Saltist reels with braided line topped with 40 and 50lb mono. We also had maybe 6' of 80lb leader at the very end. You need to be able to make 50' casts without backlashes.

You cast the line to within a couple of feet of land and immediately start the retrieve (or you get hung up). The strike isn't real hard at first but it is followed by an all powerful lunge that needs to be stopped. This is so strong that line comes off the reel no matter how tight the drag is set. The trick is start them coming in as soon as the strike occurs so that they are facing you all the way instead of downward.

They're much harder to catch than calicos because of the habitat. And they grow to a larger size.

We tried various other methods, many of which worked, but this proved the best.

BTW, the 'Baja Catch' trolling technique doesn't work very well on these boys. By the time you put the motor into neutral, turn around and start the battle the fish is either in his hole or is so close to it you have no chance. Only if you're lucky to get a take in a more cobblestone area will you land those fish and that's not their favored habitat. And that's also why it's not their favored habitat. So we come around full circle.

Last year we hooked these guys from shore and never landed a single one. But we observed. Alex was the one who dialed in to them. I was satisfied with spotted bay bass (which these guys feed on).

Thanks for the help with the jig heads! now just pick what I think will work for me and choose them all. Thanks

Looks like you had a great vacation, Igor. Even with the catch-release mindset, I'm surprised you kept only one for eating. I love cabrilla! Would have had to eat some every day.

I can't get over your son - how fast he's growing - a full-fledged teen now! Seems like the bigger Alex gets, the bigger fish he catches.

Nice t-shirt btw.... it becomes you.

nena

The Longfin has a huge selection of swimbaits and jigheads! I leave there with a much lighter wallet every time. My wife loves the swimbaits because there is no live bait stench, or even worse to her, frozen squid! I own an automotive shop in Orange. If any Nomads are in the area,U2U me and stop by some time. Always ready to spend time talking about Baja and fishing. The Longfin is only a couple miles from my shop.