BajaNomad

Mag Bay, Oct. 13 - Wahoo limit when wind lays down

bill erhardt - 10-14-2011 at 08:48 PM

Usually in October the wind lays down on the Pacific outside Mag Bay and there are about an equal number of calm days suitable for small boat fishing and days when it is uncomfortable to be offshore. This year, in particular for the past month or so, it has been pretty much non-stop wind. Yesterday it laid down a bit and I went out and stole a day that probably wasn't really there.
I launched in Lopez Mateos at 4:30 and eased out Boca de Soledad in a fog bank that cleared about six miles out. The waves were big, but I made it out without taking on any water. A couple of hours later at sun-up there was a solid line of breakers at the boca and most boats turned back.
Once outside the boca conditions allowed about 20 knots to the high spot. I put lines out about 20 minutes before sun-up and before I had them set both lures were hit. I boated one of the two, returned only one lure to the water and had another fish on that bit through the SS leader at the boat before sun-up. Shortly after sun-up the long range boat Excel rolled in and was hooked up almost immediately. I caught two more singles and finished off my limit with a double hook-up that were aboard before 9:00.
The Excel was the only other fishing boat I saw all day.
By 10:00 the hoos were cleaned and on ice and I was looking for yellowfin.
I found no tuna, my motor broke down, and I had to get a tow back to port, but that's another story.
This story is about wahoo that have arrived outside Mag Bay to go along with the marlin and dorado that have been there for awhile.

Attached is a photo of the first wahoo of the day coming in the back door before sun-up:

1013bn1.jpg - 42kB

bill erhardt - 10-14-2011 at 08:50 PM

The double hook-up that topped off my limit for the day sporting the lures they bit:

1013bn2.jpg - 47kB

bill erhardt - 10-14-2011 at 08:53 PM

Five hoos in the box with an Avet LX and a can of Red Bull for scale (The fish were 45 - 60#)

1013bn3.jpg - 41kB

bill erhardt - 10-14-2011 at 08:56 PM

The sun setting behind Isla Magdelena from the estero as I returned to Lopez under tow:

1013bn4.jpg - 41kB

Bajaboy - 10-14-2011 at 09:20 PM

Nice:!:

woody with a view - 10-14-2011 at 09:32 PM

too bad Mag is so far for us, or not!

LaTijereta - 10-15-2011 at 08:40 AM

Nice Day... "Reel Bloody Deck" image!

Sorry to hear about that motor..That Suzuki has now hung you out a couple of times..
Nice to hear you got someone to come out on the Pacific side to get your boat back in safe...

Pompano - 10-15-2011 at 09:15 AM

Nice! Great photos to go with a fun day for you, Bill. The hoos are beautiful and sooo tasty. Your friends and neighbors are well-stocked & happy, I imagine?

I canned some wahoo once...and, against all reason, left the case of canned fish with my brother and his family. You can't do that with Norse folks, as they cannot control themselves around anything fishy...even a mullet.

Sorry about the Susie woes... as you well know, they're 'usually' great motors. Glad your friends answered your hail. Getting towed in is good....drifting out with the current is not.

I'm taking the boat and motorhome down to Mag Bay..inside for flyfishing.... and trolling outside over the hump a few times between November and May.

Hope to see you offshore. Tight lines, my friend.

bill erhardt - 10-15-2011 at 09:45 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by LaTijereta
Nice Day... "Reel Bloody Deck" image!

Sorry to hear about that motor..That Suzuki has now hung you out a couple of times..
Nice to hear you got someone to come out on the Pacific side to get your boat back in safe...


Yes, 7 hours into break-in last August the impeller came apart around the 30 - 30 and Randy towed me in with "Jig's Up". (Us Bluewaters have to stick together) And now after 720 hours, this. This problem turned out to be more minor than the impeller. I towed the boat back over the hill yesterday to Loreto and David Cunningham spent about an hour flushing out sand from the cooling system that I apparently picked up in the boca. On a half hour test run late yesterday afternoon it ran like a top. I think I'm back in business.

Roger.....It is kind of lonely out of sight of land or any other boats even if the drift is toward shore. It was Ruben Duran who came to the rescue (for the third time). If my fate coming through Boca de Soledad is to be in anybody else's hands, I would have it be Ruben. We got back to the ramp around dusk. Yesterday morning the Lopez Mateos Pemex attendant stopped by where I spent the night to pick up 1,072 pesos for gasoline that Ruben didn't have the money to pay for to come out and get me.
Fishing is good right now in the Mag Bay estero, as well as outside, and it should hold until you get down in November. Wednesday of this week Ruben fished inside with friends from Loreto and loaded up with multiple species including 2 snook - one around 20#, pargo, corvina, etc......

jakecard - 10-15-2011 at 09:54 AM

How far out did you have to go for wahoo?

What water temperature do wahoo like?

At what depth do they strike?

Do they seem to prefer live bait or lures?

I don't know anything about fishing.





Jake

Pompano - 10-15-2011 at 09:57 AM

Excellent, Bill. I am hyped to get there soon.

Am in San Diego now and headed for Fisherman's Landing & Squidco to feed my tackle box.

What rods/reels/lines/lures setups would you recommend for my wahoo fun? I am in need of new gear...as fishermen always are.

bill erhardt - 10-15-2011 at 10:31 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pompano
Excellent, Bill. I am hyped to get there soon.

Am in San Diego now and headed for Fisherman's Landing & Squidco to feed my tackle box.

What rods/reels/lines/lures setups would you recommend for my wahoo fun? I am in need of new gear...as fishermen always are.


I use Avet LX 6/3s unless I have to wrestle the fish away from sea lions. I break out the 3.0s to drag away from the P-nche lobos. Both spooled full of spectra. No top shot.

Rods that will handle the 22# drag an LX will hold, or the 35# of a 3.0

I usually troll an 8 1/2" yo-zuri bonita on one side and a skirted lure on the other - hooknobs, bigbiteoffshore and Ilander are good skirted wahoo lures.

480# SS 49 strand cable leader.

Pompano - 10-15-2011 at 10:56 AM

They are on my shopping list now, Bill...gracias.

Tell you what..just for fun, I'll post some pics of the shopping event for all that gear. After all, I've got lots of time.

wessongroup - 10-15-2011 at 11:55 AM

Thanks Bill ... nice trip ... enjoyed a lot... the sunset was really cool way to cap off the day... and getting home... :):)

UnoMas - 10-15-2011 at 05:32 PM

Glad it worked out for you Bill, broke down outside would not be a fun thing especially when there are no other boats around. Ruben is Da man and I agree if I needed someone to tow me through the Boca I would want Ruben to be the one:yes:

bajajurel - 10-18-2011 at 11:10 AM

Bill,

Thanks for the report. We were going to try to fish there the end of the month but have decided to go back to La Bocana / Abreojos. Not quite so far. Sorry to hear about your motor but sounds like the flush worked. Having been through that cut with Ruben at the controls of our boat was scary enough but doing it in the dark like you did is why you practice it so many times. I gotta get there and fish again before it all ends for me.

I am super envious! I haven't hooked a Hoo in 7 years now.

Keep up the good reporting.

Best Regards,
Jerry

Pompano - 10-18-2011 at 12:01 PM

Bill, I never like being towed, but sometimes it happens...you go with the flow and try to make it a one-time event.

On the other hand, some people do NOT LIKE being towed ...even just once....and will never let you forget it....period.


See you in Mag Bay. Wahoooooo....solo most likely. :yes:






"Our Perfect Storm."

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=13673#pid1150...

wessongroup - 10-18-2011 at 01:35 PM

"Our Perfect Storm."= great story too... thanks to all...

acadist - 10-22-2011 at 03:51 PM

Nice fish! Bill you always find 'em. Tight Lines