La Paz, Better late than never

Sorry for the late report, by the time we got home and the work week I haven't been online all week.

Fished out of Muertos Mon 7/22, Tues, and Weds with Pancho from Tailhunter and the boys. Not the best fishing we have had there but some quality fish. Trolled for wahoo and got plenty of bonito for bait, moved to the shark buoys finding more good bait. Caught a small yellowfin tuna, I kept him seeing the perfect dinner portions, this was the whole fish



Kept working the buoys trolling live bonita on 40# test and zzzzzzzzzzzing, the 330GTI goes off, I hook the fish and call Sean over and Pancho says 'no amigo, too big for him'. Fight on! A quality dorado. I am on the rail fighting and look down right next to the boat in the water and see a marlin, yell to Pancho and he gets his bait in the water and he is on! Pancho fights him for about 10 minutes and he gets off, no worries I am almost ready to boat the Dorado. As Pancho is gaffing the fish the other rod he had put back in the water goes off, I jump to it and the Marlin is back! He is a strong brute and I fight him for another 45 minutes (Avet LX, green 40# test, 60# leader). The boys shot video with my phone of the end of the dorado/beginning of the marlin, it is the most hilarious 6 minutes of video with one marlin jump and their discussion of how the dorado is Sean's and the Marlin is AJ's. I get the marlin to the side, Pancho estimates 140# and we let this awesome fish go. After being on the reel for about an hour straight with 2 fish I am spent, a drink of water and time for a photo of Sean with 'his' dorado



Back to working the buoys and get a bite that feels like another marlin, I do a poor job setting the hook and it's off. About 10 minutes later get another bite and learning my lesson I let it get a good run swallowing the bait and fish on! Another Marlin! He is not as strong as the first and we get him to the boat in about 20 minutes, we pull him up for CPR so AJ can get a shot with a marlin



about 120#, released to play again. One other good bite, went to where the fleet was trying for tuna, trolling a cedar plug got a nice bite and run but the hook did not set. All in all a good first day for Dad.
Day two I tell Pancho this is the boys' day, even if it is big. Work the area for wahoo again and catch bait (bonita). AJ gets one on and does a great job reeling it in, a nice Jack Crevalle.



it was hooked in the gill plate, explained why it did not fight too hard and we thought he was pulling in a large bonita. Pancho got a call and some bait was available so we bought some sardines. Trolled the buoys for nada and heard were the tuna were so made the run out. The live bait were the ticket, only boats to catch any were using sardines. The boys each caught one and farmed one





we ran out of live bait and so worked our way back with no bites at the buoys. Saw a really cool sight on our way in, a dorado free jumping 3 times chasing bait, we got lines in the water but there was another boat in the area and he hooked it. Dinner at the shack, Travis is making his great burgers, BBQ pit wasn't ready yet. Fries were great(lol) and $1 happy hour Modelo drafts were nice and cold.
Day three: The plan was just me and Pancho to go find the big tuna, a 20 mile run. Mom didn't want both boys so AJ came with me. Got out and it was windy and choppy, not that many boats headed out. We decided to go slowly out around the area we got the tuna Tuesday. Not even much bait, water was turned over and green. Trolled hoochies for the tuna for nada. After nothing for most of the day decided to go play on the reef with the triggers, something is better than nothing. AJ and I had fun trying to get the buggers before the stole our bait. Never got under them but a boat that did had 2 nice quality pargo on the beach to show for it. Even on the beach not much fish, the double whammy of the full moon and wind turning over the water did it to us!
One more picture of the dorado with Sean as the point of reference



Another great trip to La Paz! The yeti cooler did great, on the boat the ice lasted 2 days (opening constantly for drinks) and the fish stayed frozen on the flight home, although had to pay overweight charge. 10# of dry ice bought in La Habra didn't last as long as expected but we did drive to Palm Springs and it was way tooooo hot there, another 10# lasted until Tuesday.

Thanks Udo! Dorado last night for dinner, tuna tonight......it's a rough life. Next trip is to your corner of Baja

The boys aren't bad either