Newbie to Baja, looking to fish

Hopefully heading down to Baja in the next week or 2. Want to get some good fishing in. I grew up in Florida and am familiar with our style of surf-fishing.

Usually a ~10ft heavy pole, double-dropper rig and a pyramid weight of around 1-3 oz depending on waves. We dig up some sand fleas or cutbait and sling it out there then bust out the beers and wait

Sound about right for Baja?

I also have a smaller rig (7ft mid-heavy) for flats/inshore fishing that I am going to bring along.

I believe we will be sticking mostly the the Eastern shores.

Heres a nice Redfish I caught in the flats off of Floridas east coast, I miss fishing back home, this Northern California fishing is way to cold for me!

Surf fishing was one of the main draws for my family to go to Baja in the 1960's.

The prize surf fish for us is the California Corbina and two varieties of Croaker (Yellowfin and Spotfin). Caught close in, under the breakers on all sandy Pacific side beaches as well as the upper Sea of Cortez on incoming tides... cut bait, mussels, clams being the primary bait.

Photo from 1967, at Bahia Santa Maria (nothing there back then), 23 miles south of San Felipe. Pair of corbina...

On the Pacific side of Baja... 76 miles south of Ensenada, turn west at Colonet to San Antonio del Mar...

Here's a closeup of a corbina... it has a bottom facing mouth with a barb on the chin... excellent eating... best time of year to catch is late summer & fall.

The croaker, also a bottom feeder, makes a croaking sound out of the water like a frog or pig! The Yellowfin croaker is called a 'boca dulce' by the locals. Here on Nomad, 'Woody' has caught what may be the world record spotfin croaker... See his and other Baja fish varieties on http://www.MexFish.com

Or if you travel south to the tip of Baja you may catch something like this roosterfish I caught right off the beach.

I'll assume you meant Sea of Cortez side

The fishing is great on the Sea. This is my main area for fishing. I do lots of rock and surf fishing. Boating out is good way too....if you have the time and patience.....otherwise rent a panga for the day ($70.00 per person)(somewhat). I tell you to rent a boat because ramps are far and few on the Sea.

Ten foot rod is not my prefers. I go with 3-5 rods of various length and flex strength pending what hole I am at and the wind conditions. My favorite is the seven footer with 40 pound test line. Use a steel led if you are going after Trigger fish. Sinkers....no. Too much loss from the cobble stone and rock of Baja (unless you are in a boat). We use finely manufactured ROCKS! Yes....I said rocks. Try before laughing.....

Do not leave home without this bible!
"The Baja Catch"

http://www.amazon.com/Baja-Catch-Fishing-Camping-California/...

Does it work, the info from this book? Yes.....I have duplicated the exact set of of the gear / boat and have stories to tell.......


http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=48739#pid5615...

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=48757#pid5616...

Start fishing at Puertecitos and NOT north of this town (it stinks). Work you way down to Gonzaga Bay.


BEST MADE BAIT SECRET:
Best fish to use for making your bait, in this order:
Spanish mackerel
Sand Crab
Mussel
Claim
Shrimp

Start with a box of kosher salt. Do not use iodized salt. Select a container with a flat bottom suitable for the size bait you want to cure.....Mayonnaise jar works great too BTW. Place twice the thickness of salt in the bottom as the thickness of the bait to be cured. If your bait is 1 inch thick, put 2 inches of salt in the bottom. Place the bait on the salt followed by another layer of salt over it the same depth as the starting layer. DONT GO CHEAP ON THE SALT! You can continue building layers a bait and salt until all the bait is covered in salt. Do not seal the container. If you want to cover it just place a towel over the top. It needs to be exposed to the air to dry out. Seal before you go on your vacation...it be fine by then. Unseal when vacation is over.

Small pieces of shrimp can cure in a day or so. Whole fish can take several weeks. It all depends on how much of the raw meat is exposed to the salt. All the moisture has to be drawn out of the bait by the salt before it will be cured. That’s why a whole fish can take so much longer.

The bait stays on the hook....really nicely. It almost tough to get on the hook in matter of fact :-) Less bait being stolen......if any!

It's a knock out - got you boy - yahoooooo bait!


A true story:
Learned this bait trick, down in Point Mugu , Santa Monica Mountains ocean side, in the late 70's. Old man Murf was living in a beat up station wagon...living off his catch and I assumed pension money. He was on the road for a long time...Point Mugu he was there for several years. We saw him every week end. Just a Irish of a guy. Lonely. Shaved needed. Wash clothes needed. I caution my first born about him.

He taught me how to surf fish...and boy did he! I never seen Surf Perch so big....Buttermouths....oh Gods! Without this bait...I caught zip. With it....whoa.

Old man Murf would fry the fish on his green camp stove...placed on the tailgate. Cooked to perfection! One night there as he was cooking, I asked him just what did he do for a living...he looked at me with a embarrassing smile and said "I was the VP of Firestone! Yes...it was true for I checked it out.

Anyhow...enjoy the bait secret. Older it gets ....the better. Keep reading the fishing post here...I am bout ready to drop a secret fishing hole location that will blow your socks off :-) The big ones....




Now...really important:
Rid the brown outfit you are wearing in the picture you posted. You look like a Game Warden!

Good fishing to you Sir.



[Edited on 2-8-2011 by mcfez]

BigOly, that's an epic rooster!

To the OP, I would suggest that you head far South. Here is my catch from New Years Eve 2010 off the beach in Cabo (Pacific Side).



My setup is a 7ft Seeker MH rod with a spinning reel spooled w/ 40lb spectra and 25lb flouro topshot.

I would suggest getting a Baja Catch book. There is a lot of good info. You might also want to look on youtube for how-to and technique videos for Baja. I have seen footage of guys using bigger poles in the surf line with great results.

defrag4, Welcome aboard! Those reds are sure fun to catch, also to eat. Spent the better part of Dec. and Jan. fishing the marsh country down in MS, lots of reds and specs. Looking forward to your fishing report.

Quote:

Originally posted by ddawson Quote: Originally posted by BigOly Or if you travel south to the tip of Baja you may catch something like this roosterfish I caught right off the beach. BigOly, that's an epic rooster! To the OP, I would suggest that you head far South. Here is my catch from New Years Eve 2010 off the beach in Cabo (Pacific Side). My setup is a 7ft Seeker MH rod with a spinning reel spooled w/ 40lb spectra and 25lb flouro topshot. I would suggest getting a Baja Catch book. There is a lot of good info. You might also want to look on youtube for how-to and technique videos for Baja. I have seen footage of guys using bigger poles in the surf line with great results.

Reel???

Quote:

Originally posted by BigOly Or if you travel south to the tip of Baja you may catch something like this roosterfish I caught right off the beach.