BajaNomad - San Marcos Mike No Longer

San Marcos Mike No Longer

ElFaro - 5-24-2010 at 07:56 AM

Saw this on Bloodydecks site...looks like with the economic downturn and personal reasons Kanzler has permanently left San Marcos island for the indefinite future.

http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/baja-mexico-fishing-report...

BajaBruno - 5-24-2010 at 08:57 AM

Too bad. Mike is a yellowtail fishing machine. I had no idea the village took such a hit in employment.

Trueheart - 5-24-2010 at 10:04 AM

I've heard stories about this Mike and yellow tail. He has the "great fisherman" reputation. His leaving is a step backwards. Wish him well. Steve

doradodan - 5-24-2010 at 11:19 AM

Met him once at the ramp in SLC, he was a jerk to us. What comes around goes around.

Pescador - 5-24-2010 at 04:30 PM

Geez Doradodan, give it a rest. Mike was a roadie on a grunge group who came to San Lucas Cove on a vacation and get it together kind of trip. He had some interest in fishing but did not really understand what was going on in the area and a guy named Spencer talked to him one morning and asked if he would like to go fishing. Mike agreed and the next day they went fishing and this was the very start of a Baja legend. Spencer, over the next few days, taught Mike most of what he knew, and he was a great fisherman from the San Diego fishing club, and Mike took that knowledge to heart and started working at about 150% to see if he could do something with that knowledge.

Well, the rest is history folks and Mike developed the techniques and knowledge of the San Marcos/Tortuga area like no one before or after had ever done. He developed the live bait technique and sliding sinkers that literally wreaked havoc on the local yellowtail population. The second thing that he did was to dry himself out and fall in love with a local girl from San Marcos Island. They had three children, two girls and a boy. Mike was always controversial but as my late wife said, he was a true gem and a real baja character and while he sounded rough and base on the radio, he was a true fisherman in the best sense of the word and never did he not share information or techniques with everyone who wanted to know.

He did a guiding operation out of his place in San Marcos and relied on a friend in San Lucas Cove to help operate things, but those who were lucky enough to fish a day with him knew that they had learned a lot of lessons and it might take a long time to grasp all of the things that they learned. Of course he had his detractors who thought that they could outfish him but the truth was that he was on the water probably 250+ days a year and there is no way that some clown with a two week vacation could even grasp the enormity of what Mike knew instinctively in his head. I had the good fortune of spending a lot of days with Mike on the water and he reluctantly admitted that I was one of the hot upcoming sticks but I know in my heart that he will always be the one with the experience and know how to find the fish on the tough days and figure out some new method that no one had ever considered to unlock the secret of catching another yellowtail.

So I read the post in Bloodydecks with a lot of mixed emotions. No one will ever hold a candle to what Mike accomplished in the years that he was here and very active. But I am saddened that another era has passed in which we were lucky enough to have him here even though some days you just wanted him to go somewhere else and leave you alone. One day he had lost some of his waypoints at Tortuga Island and when we talked on the radio, I said I would share all the points if he wanted to come out, but I got totally immersed in catching billfish that morning since they were really on the chew, but he chewed me out big time when I was not on the yellowtail hole since I had told him I would be there, and I had to admit that I had told him I would be there and he had done the same for me so many times, that I gave up on a really hot sailfish bite and went in to catch yellowtail so that he could have the locations as I had promised.

So Doradodan had a bad experience and for that I am sorry that he did not meet up to your expectations and I am sure in your long life you have never had a bad day, but perhaps you missed the great opportunity to meet and interact with a true Baja Legend that we will talk about around campfires and get togethers for a long time. I can tell you that I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to spend time with San Marcos Mike and to have had the chance to spend a little time picking the brain of one of the true mastes of what Baja is all about.

[Edited on 5-26-2010 by Pescador]

shari - 5-24-2010 at 05:30 PM

what a nice tribute....we all have bad days!!!!

classicbajabronco - 5-25-2010 at 06:58 AM

yeah great tribute....but it would be far easier to read if it had spaces between the paragraphs...I kept losing my place and my eyes hurt by the end of reading it....

Everyone has bad, or really bad days...I for one have way too many....as my patience is used primarily when fishing and not in the other aspects of my life. :?:

Thanks for backing up your buddy.

[Edited on 5-25-2010 by classicbajabronco]

ElFaro - 5-25-2010 at 10:22 AM

Kansler's tale of trying to live and earn a living in Baja has been attempted many times by other non-mexican male Gringos before him over the decades. They all seem to fit the same scenario...visit Baja, "fall in love with Baja", don't want to go back to the north, try to somehow fit in, can't speak Spanish so marry a local mexican gal, establish a family, eke out a living that doesn't take away from local employment issues, etc., etc. It looks like he was forced to return to the US to earn a living.

In the early 90's I met a young guy in the Muertos Bay area who was attempting to do the same thing...he was trying to earn money by taking Americans out on diving trips. He was from the LA basin and hated to go back so he married a Mexican gal in the area, had kids, etc. But later I heard he and wife got in trouble for not having proper papers for a business and fines not being paid...so the local Mexican authorities wanted to kick him out of the country (Baja). I think he and wife were forced to leave Baja and return to Los Angeles.

BTW...as far as Kansler is concerned I distinctly remember him on a fishing radio show a few years back talking about his guide service. I called in and asked him how his earning money down at San Marcos doesn't take away from local employment. I remember him saying he was a retired fireman obviously implying he had money coming in from a US retirement. But his story doesn't mention any of that. What gives?

KAT54 - 5-25-2010 at 12:59 PM

He looks pretty young to be a retired firefighter does not he?
How do you retire at 35?
How can you make money fishing with a rod?
How much is yellowtail a pound in mexico?
Did newspapers pay him for his stories?
Did not he say he got a divorce from the mexican woman?

doradodan - 5-25-2010 at 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KAT54
He looks pretty young to be a retired firefighter does not he?
How do you retire at 35?
How can you make money fishing with a rod?
How much is yellowtail a pound in mexico?
Did newspapers pay him for his stories?
Did not he say he got a divorce from the mexican woman?

a real saint.

Timo1 - 5-25-2010 at 01:44 PM

Obviously Kat54 never qualified for a day pass at whatever institution IT may be in

Hook - 5-25-2010 at 02:18 PM

I guess this just made it official. I cant recall him making any weekly reports from the area for about a year before mexfish.com stopped doing reports. The last fishing report on his site is nearly two years old.

ElFaro - 5-25-2010 at 02:56 PM

What's interesting to me is Kanzler's report of the Gypsum companies situation. I should have assumed they would have taken a major hit when the construction industry virtually grounded to a halt in the Southwest. With no houses being built let alone sold it's no wonder they are down to one ship per month or less.

You don't hear many hard news reports coming out of Baja of large business downturns as a result of our economic slowdown. Mostly you hear of shops GOOB along Blvd. Revolution or Rosarito. Do any of you remember the big Truss and lumber mfg. yard just west of Tecate alongside the Toll Road? After you take the TiJuana-Tecate free road east it crosses the Tijuana-Mexicali toll road. At the crossing there is a small toll booth to get on the toll road from the free road. After your on the toll road it curves to the left and the big Truss yard was on the right. Three to four years ago that Truss yard was exploding with business...alot of employees, trucks, trusses, loading, etc. Now...completely deserted...one giant fenced in asphalt yard...not a human in sight. There's another yard west of Tecate that has hundreds of parked semi-trailers in it. They look like they haven't moved in many many months. A slowdown indeed.

ElFaro - 5-25-2010 at 02:59 PM

Oh...almost forgot

Tijuana economically is in bad shape...A friend of mine who works in a Missions org. in Tijuana told me recently that Mexicans who would normally not ask for help are now asking for help with daily needs of food, clothes, shelter materials, etc.

And...he said alot of kids are dropping out of school because its too expensive.

bajabass - 5-26-2010 at 10:01 AM

The economy everywhere is dismal. It will continue to take it's toll NOB & SOB. The drop in business was more due to travel fears. It all went downhill when several people heading north or south were robbed. There is no easy way in to that area, and casual tourism is dead. Hard to get consistent business under those conditions. No commercial flights even close, limited Loreto flights, and you are still 3 hours away. I have driven from Orange to San Bruno in a day, but a very long one. You really need 2 days each way, and a couple to fish. I am sorry to hear he left, I could have learned a lot of things from him. Well worth a couple days charter costs. I too went to Baja and fell in love with it, and a beautiful Dra. from Ensenada. I too am leaving everything I dislike here, and leaving for BCS full time. I am lucky enough I can fish at will, and not need to make a living at it. Oh, nice post Pescador, well written and honest! Sorry your friend had to go.

Osprey - 5-27-2010 at 01:19 PM

Okay, I got dibs on the very next Baja fisherman who dies or leaves. I'll start out about how we'll miss him and then show everybody how much better I am including pictures of somebody else holding a fresh water fish (to prove it). Just put me down for the next guy -- remember, Osprey gets the next one.

Pescador - 5-27-2010 at 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Osprey
Okay, I got dibs on the very next Baja fisherman who dies or leaves. I'll start out about how we'll miss him and then show everybody how much better I am including pictures of somebody else holding a fresh water fish (to prove it). Just put me down for the next guy -- remember, Osprey gets the next one.

You know it is not the issue of who is the best fisherman because I have that issue firmly set in my mind having seen all of the above parties fishing and watching from the sidelines, but the thing that amazes me is not the discussion on sliding egg sinkers, that is a moot point, I just find it amazing that I would make a positive statement about what someone added to the fishing scene in the Santa Rosalia area, and those accomplishments were great, and it degenerates into who invented the stupid sinker.

Guess I will have to wait till Roger leaves to give his Eulogy.

[Edited on 5-27-2010 by Pescador]

Cypress - 5-27-2010 at 03:26 PM

About those sliding egg sinkers....

Skipjack Joe - 5-27-2010 at 04:59 PM

The best fisherman I've ever met is Benson Kanemoto.

Who?

Benson Kanemoto - that's who.

For every Dan Blanton and Lefty Kreh there are many better fishermen who never write or publish anything but that can outfish either of those big names.

I once stood in a line of about 20 guys fishing shad on the Sacramento River for about 2 or 3 hours. Most guys got skunked with 2 fish being the high count. Benson was standing with the rest of us - 28 fish. He was using the same equipment and flies as everyone.

Do you know how annoying a guy like that can be?

dtbushpilot - 5-27-2010 at 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
The best fisherman I've ever met is Benson Kanemoto.

Who?

Benson Kanemoto - that's who.

For every Dan Blanton and Lefty Kreh there are many better fishermen who never write or publish anything but that can outfish either of those big names.

I once stood in a line of about 20 guys fishing shad on the Sacramento River for about 2 or 3 hours. Most guys got skunked with 2 fish being the high count. Benson was standing with the rest of us - 28 fish. He was using the same equipment and flies as everyone.

Do you know how annoying a guy like that can be?

Yes, I do, just ask anybody who has fished with me :lol:

.....dt

classicbajabronco - 5-27-2010 at 08:10 PM

Quote:

This reminds me of an simpsons episode where Homer, starts using Crack cocaine as bait and cleans up and gets all the fish hooked on crack.

Sure ol' Benson didn't lace his flys with Crack?

baitcast - 5-29-2010 at 08:54 AM

Benson Kanemoto,the name brings to mind since I took up fishing the salt full time which means 50+ years of cattle boats and the out back of Baja.

I haven,t seen any of these fisherman you have mentioned but if I,ve learned one thing after all these years its guys of asian ancestry who seem to have a feel for this sport whatever that is,early on the cattle boats I noticed these guys always were hooked up why is that ? I thought.

When then on I made it a point to be close as possible and copy every move however small it seemed to no avail,finally in desperation I began to ask questions lucky me fisherman are only to happy to give advise,most of the time you can,t shut them up :lol:

As Igor mentioned many of the finest fisherman have never wrote a word and won,t,so that means you will just have to watch and learn.
Rob