BajaNomad - LA BAY fish camp report?

LA BAY fish camp report?

steve5555 - 7-25-2014 at 10:32 PM

MY family has got 6 days and are looking for some beach camping (with some space between patrons or primitive campaing) and good fishing we can do our of our inflatable boat. How is LA bay looking for YT or some DODOS?

If the fishing is any good I will b looking for a good spot to camp too.

Usually we have more time and camp at Putna chivato.

steve

Cliffy - 7-26-2014 at 07:06 AM

July/August in BOLA HOT HOT HOT I did that once and the wife said never again

David K - 7-26-2014 at 08:05 AM

La Gringa at the far north end of the bay is great for beach boat launching, open camping (no facilities) and both sand and gravel beaches. There are also spots on the outside of the bay, across from Smith Island. Here are some photos:

MMc - 7-26-2014 at 08:57 AM

We like Archlon when in town. Camping is getting harder to find in BoLA.There will not be many folks in town. I would also consider Bahia las Animas for camping too. Check Bloody decks and the Bay of LA board for fish reports.

A few photos taken at water's edge...

David K - 7-26-2014 at 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MMc
We like Archlon when in town. Camping is getting harder to find in BoLA.There will not be many folks in town. I would also consider Bahia las Animas for camping too. Check Bloody decks and the Bay of LA board for fish reports.

Bahía las Animas...

Russ - 7-26-2014 at 11:02 AM

Bahia Asuncion is about the same driving time as Punta Chivato. There are many places to camp either North or South. Getting a beach launch would be questionable this time of year but some coves may be okay. Fishing from rocks or the beach this time of year can be flat out fantastic with corBina and halibut both being in the surf. San Roque comes to mind 1st for boat launch and surf fishing. There are so many coves to fish over there you'd really enjoy it. And you wouldn't have to but up with the heat but bring warm clothes.
edit: Campo Renee is worth a glance too

[Edited on 7-26-2014 by Russ]

steve5555 - 7-26-2014 at 11:16 PM

What I did not say is that this year I would like a shorter drive than PC since we only have 6 days. I see that people are saying that BOLA is HOT. Is it hotter than Punta Chivato, if everything else is equal? We can take the heat of PC this time of year, so maybe we would be OK.

I was thinking of asuncion too but I want a shorter drive.

steve

Hook - 7-27-2014 at 03:57 AM

BOLA is hotter, in my experience. Too hot for tent camping, IMO.

If you are unfortunate enough to have the strong winds coming off the desert, you can see days around 110 and nights around 90-95. During those periods it is less humid than Chivato, but it is still brutal.

It's getting to be the time of year when it's really nice along the Pacific side. Why not consider beach camping north of Santa Rosalillita? About the same distance as BOLA. Others more familiar with the area might know if a beach launch is possible. How big is your inflatable?

Or, bring yaks and fish off the yaks and shore.

woody with a view - 7-27-2014 at 06:44 AM

it isn't an issue to launch since the waves are flat this time of year. clams are plentiful for shore fishing. YT are around....

shari - 7-27-2014 at 06:59 AM

YOu could camp on the beach at Sta.Rosalillita which is closer than Asuncion by 4 hour, is nice and cool and a sweet little village. But take your own food as there is only a couple small stores for staples. Not much swell right now so you could launch a boat probably by watching the locals launch their pangas. Ask for Martin Arce...my husbands cousin and he will dial you in!
Let us know how you did!

steve5555 - 7-27-2014 at 08:58 AM

It looks like I am getting some good advice here, thanks!

Hook - 7-27-2014 at 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by woody with a view
it isn't an issue to launch since the waves are flat this time of year. clams are plentiful for shore fishing. YT are around....

Looks like TS Hernan could have something to say about that. :yes:

woody with a view - 7-27-2014 at 02:46 PM

the HOOK of the peninsula keeps it flat in summer. wind is another story.....

MMc - 7-27-2014 at 03:48 PM

Another idea is Punta Morro Santa Domingo a little father south on the pacific side. There is a launch site use by the locals and a lagoon that runs south for miles. It can get shallow at low tide. Read The Baja Catch for more info. The camping is on or just above the sand and the water stays swallow for a long ways out. This is a yak fishman's heaven we love camping there this time of year. There will not be many others around.

Millers landing is another place that is cool this time of year. Both of these places most drive by and don't know they are missing.
I thought you were set on Bay of LA, I would go to the pacific side and go for the butts a YT just off shore this time of year.
I sure someone will post a map.

NO MAPS NEEDED.....

woody with a view - 7-27-2014 at 04:09 PM

this one's for Rob (baitcast) wherever he is!

oh jes, another jello!

name that hat!

you'll have a GREAT time and it'll be empty.......

[Edited on 7-27-2014 by woody with a view]

Hook - 7-27-2014 at 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by woody with a view
the HOOK of the peninsula keeps it flat in summer. wind is another story.....

Now, you've done it. Hurricane David will be along, shortly, to chastise you for an image beyond the means of Nomads to display correctly! :lol:

Looks like The Hook could be bypassed......

steve5555 - 7-27-2014 at 07:59 PM

What about Punta Baja? Maybe take our surfboards and leave the boat. fish from shore and surf. Any good camping there? I read that it can be windy. I wonder if the surf is any good this time of year.

2 August is when we are going.

steve

redhilltown - 7-28-2014 at 12:27 AM

Hot! is so true this time of year at L.A. Bay but that is when the Dorado are around. La Gringa as DK said is a very primitive yet very accessible and easily launched spot...but unless the surface YT are around or Dorado you won't really catch much to garner any excitement. but you could do both...if La Gringa isn't working out take the relatively short drive to Santa Rosalillita and see what is shaking there? Las Animas is amazing as to what you are looking for but you are adding a few hours of driving and last year the road to the turn off was pretty beat up...not 4X4 per se, but you kind of wish you had it. If you are set up for primitive camping and you have a few extra hours, I would go for Las Animas...it is beautiful, isolated, and the fishing can be excellent...bring the deet and water proof your camp at night from the coyotes (the real ones that is).

steve5555 - 7-28-2014 at 07:38 AM

Yes we are set up for remote camping and I have 4WD. However, we are HEAVY. Trailer, Boat, gas, water, buggy, food, freezer, etc.. See pictures below of last year at PC. In deep beach sand we get stuck with the slightest turn or up hill.

Las Animas looks perfect, although I read in my Baja Catch that there gets to be long stretches of really soft sand.

steve5555 - 7-28-2014 at 07:40 AM

I could always go to LA bay - then with the buggy scope out Las animas. Although once we unload all of that crap we are generally not enthused about moving. :lol:

bajabuddha - 7-28-2014 at 08:45 AM

SHEEE-ITT! Youse guys are still Young Bucks and loaded for bear! WHAT HEAT?? You'll survive, whatever you choose.

Just remember, anywhere on the east side it's going to be hotter than I think you realize; but, you can spend most of your time just bobbing in the water. Biggest challenge will be to find and keep ice. Most towns don't 'close-up' entirely, but stores cut back their hours with long siestas in the afternoons because of the misery and lack of business. Nobody 'moves' in the afternoons. Pacific side will be cooler, but bigger surf to deal with launching your Zodiac. Keep your manual bilge pump handy.

If you DO get sand-stuck, be sure to have a small compressor for tires; STOP as soon as you start to bottom out, let air down to 10 PSI before even attempting to move. Stay in 2WD until problems, use 4x4 to get out. You have your buggy to help. And, you're YOUNG, ya Goll-Darn young Whippersnappers! Wherever you go, have fun, and rip a few lips for me. Keep smilin', send money... er, pics.
bb :bounce:

Oh, and take 3 - 4 cans of cheap orange-lid OFF.... EACH.

[Edited on 7-28-2014 by bajabuddha]

steve5555 - 7-28-2014 at 08:58 AM

Haha, Yes those are young guys. My son and his friend. I am the old dude shown with my son building a patio cover below.

bajabuddha - 7-28-2014 at 09:32 AM

Make 'em set camp, you're in charge of cooler management.

Skipjack Joe - 7-28-2014 at 12:00 PM

BOLA in August has to be experienced to understand it. Sweat pouring out of you at all hours of the day. Hard to breath. No escape except for air conditioned motel.

Even the Mexicans stop moving after 10am. It think you can acclimate yourself to it after a certain amount of time. But when you first get there it hits you bad.

When I was younger we would go on those Tony Reyes trips in July to the midriff islands. As long as panga kept moving it was bearable. Forget yoyoing for yellowtail in mid day. If you got the top bunk bed there was a faint breeze you could feel. In the mornings all the decks were soaking wet from the condensation a few hours earlier.

P.S. DK once posted that he slept there with a warm blanket in the summer. hah.

woody with a view - 7-28-2014 at 12:39 PM

i'll bet that blanket was warm.....

Cliffy - 7-28-2014 at 12:44 PM

I can remember the days of dragging a hotel behind me. Now a cool hotel room looks a lot better. Age makes one wise! :-)
Do you keep a couple of 6X2 ft chain link fence fabric pieces with you?
Jack the wheel up, fill the hole and lay down the fence fabric and just drive away.
Nothing could be easier.
BTW, you do have a high lift jack, correct?
Went beach riding with a good friend at BOLA 30 yrs ago and he got stuck way down at the south end. I said, "lets get your jack out and fill the hole", his response was, "what jack?" I walked back to BOLA to get a jeep to pull us out in AUGUST! OH, and the tide came in and buried his VW to boot while he waited for me.

David K - 7-28-2014 at 01:52 PM

Not me... no blanket needed. July is nice but August is humid and hot.

Bob53 - 7-28-2014 at 02:23 PM

I'm heading down there on Friday. Hoping there is a breeze.

steve5555 - 7-28-2014 at 02:40 PM

I like your idea of the chain link fence, thanks. I DO have a hi lift jack, my issue is finding a spot to take the shoe of the jack on my rig. I do not see any good spots along the side of my F350. I can use my 2" recovers front and back.

I also have a winch. The winch works great if I can find something to winch against.

I am kind of leaning towards BOLA and hoping for the best. If someone had recent experience with towing a trailer into Las Animas then I would consider that too.

steve

Quote:

Originally posted by Cliffy
I can remember the days of dragging a hotel behind me. Now a cool hotel room looks a lot better. Age makes one wise! :-)
Do you keep a couple of 6X2 ft chain link fence fabric pieces with you?
Jack the wheel up, fill the hole and lay down the fence fabric and just drive away.
Nothing could be easier.
BTW, you do have a high lift jack, correct?
Went beach riding with a good friend at BOLA 30 yrs ago and he got stuck way down at the south end. I said, "lets get your jack out and fill the hole", his response was, "what jack?" I walked back to BOLA to get a jeep to pull us out in AUGUST! OH, and the tide came in and buried his VW to boot while he waited for me.

steve5555 - 7-28-2014 at 02:42 PM

If you get a chance and you get on line I would like to hear how things are going WRT fishing and camping. No pressure.

steve

Quote:

Originally posted by steve5555
I like your idea of the chain link fence, thanks. I DO have a hi lift jack, my issue is finding a spot to take the shoe of the jack on my rig. I do not see any good spots along the side of my F350. I can use my 2" recovers front and back.

I also have a winch. The winch works great if I can find something to winch against.

I am kind of leaning towards BOLA and hoping for the best. If someone had recent experience with towing a trailer into Las Animas then I would consider that too.

steve

Quote:

redhilltown - 7-29-2014 at 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by steve5555
MY family has got 6 days and are looking for some beach camping (with some space between patrons or primitive campaing) and good fishing we can do our of our inflatable boat. How is LA bay looking for YT or some DODOS?

If the fishing is any good I will b looking for a good spot to camp too.

Usually we have more time and camp at Putna chivato.

steve

Btw, where are you starting from? You could always drive to L.A. Bay and get a hotel the first night and then see what is shakin. Though as mentioned, some of us old farts would have trouble leaving the a/c behind! Camp and take day trips and we often will do both and go out with Igor for one day of high powered fishing. Check Bloody Decks as to whether the Dorado are in town.

steve5555 - 7-29-2014 at 06:02 AM

I will be leaving from beautiful downtown Jamul. haha. It is in San Diego county.

I could not find a link to the BD fish report. I saw some general fishing reports but nothing specific.

steve

Quote:

Originally posted by redhilltown

Quote:

4baja - 7-29-2014 at 06:30 AM

heres my 2 cents worth .go out to enrendira and turn north. get to almaja or punta cabras and have a great time. great area and stays cool, fun fishing and surfing. only problem can be local thiefs so lock up everything when you leave your camp. I personally have never had a problem.

steve5555 - 7-29-2014 at 06:49 AM

Thanks for this info. Punta Cabras is a good idea but we go there all the time. Probably every 6 weeks we are cruising by that surf spot one way or another. So, given that we have 6 days we want to do something different. I have never had any trouble at Punta cabras either.

Quote:

Originally posted by 4baja
heres my 2 cents worth .go out to enrendira and turn north. get to almaja or punta cabras and have a great time. great area and stays cool, fun fishing and surfing. only problem can be local thiefs so lock up everything when you leave your camp. I personally have never had a problem.

bajabuddha - 7-29-2014 at 06:59 AM

Jeezo, a whole SIX days to vacation in Baja? It takes me that long just to drive down to my spot and back here again in New Mexico. How's the real estate market in Jamul right now??
:yes:

Martyman - 7-29-2014 at 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by woody with a view
i'll bet that blanket was warm.....

LOL

steve5555 - 7-29-2014 at 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Martyman

Quote:

Originally posted by woody with a view
i'll bet that blanket was warm.....

LOL

I know that 6 days is pitifully short. But it is what it is, trying to fit it in around everything. :yes:

Real estate in San Diego has been on an upswing for the last two years but has now flattened out. Jamul is rural-ish and mimics its own (lower) curve than many other SD neighborhoods. I really like it here. Close to SD, close to Mexico, and lower price than other places in SD for a piece of property. steve

willardguy - 7-29-2014 at 05:55 PM

hey steve, I'd rather be young and taking 6 day vacations than being old and being down here everyday, any day! :lol:

and yeah, jamul looks like a pretty cool place to call home!

steve5555 - 7-29-2014 at 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
hey steve, I'd rather be young and taking 6 day vacations than being old and being down here everyday, any day! :lol:

and yeah, jamul looks like a pretty cool place to call home!

Haha that is a good one. Funny that it is almost a sliding scale between youth and time off. You get to be 90 and you have all the time in the world and no commitments!

Skipjack Joe - 7-29-2014 at 11:40 PM

Then we agree that:

It's better to be young in 90 degree temperatures than to be 90 in pleasant weather.

redhilltown - 7-30-2014 at 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Then we agree that:

It's better to be young in 90 degree temperatures than to be 90 in pleasant weather.

Depends on the fishin :spingrin:

jimgrms - 8-2-2014 at 07:55 AM

on having a winch ,but nothing to hook to, bury your spare tire in the sand and hook to it

steve5555 - 8-2-2014 at 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jimgrms
on having a winch ,but nothing to hook to, bury your spare tire in the sand and hook to it

haha, yes that is a good idea. Easier said than done, but it can be done. What I need is a good friend that will let me borrow, this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wPCF9LePdU

:biggrin:

steve5555 - 8-10-2014 at 10:00 PM

Hey, thanks to everyone for their input. We ended up going to La Gringa and staying there. It was PERFECT! The nights were warm to cool; the breezes were light; we had good space between our camp sites; we made some new friends; we swam with the whale sharks; we fished every day; we did a good amount of exploring by buggy.

WRT the fishing. It was actually pretty good. We had most of our success at the north half of Smith Island on the inside. Every day there were multiple boils of skipjack with dorado to 12-14 pounds underneath. A moderate amount of birds working. We got tired of the skippies but could catch 3-4 dorado each day in 2-2.5 hours of early morning fishing. We did not need bait we had plenty of action on feathers. The other cool thing was right off of the la gringa beach we would get some 4pm action of crevalle jack in the 20+ pound range which were a ton of fun to catch. The water was 84F off of smith island and the colors that worked best for us were black/green and black /purple. We actually caught fish on about any color. The entire week we had no storms- the winds were mostly light but also to as much as 12knots.

We were charged 200pesos per night to camp but they threw in a single 55gallon drum of fresh shower water and picked up our garbage every day. It seemed high but - we paid and we had a great time.

I tried to take the buggy down to las animas to check it out. It was really hot out in the desert the mid-day we tried to go. We got almost to the turn off and my buggy started to act up. I was at 3/4 throttle on a long gradual uphill- tried to give it more gas and it would lose rpm and power. Idle fine but not want to accelerate or even hold speed in some situations. I did not know if the buggy as getting ready to break or if it was just bulking at the load and heat we were putting to it. It felt like a blast furnace to the face as we drove. Anyway, as much as I wanted to explore the turn off I did not want to go forward with a funky situation on the buggy. We turned around- the symptoms got less and less and the buggy was fine by the time I got back to town. Go figure. Next trip.

So, thanks again for the advice. You all are a wonderful resource to the rest of us occasional baja travelers.

steve

redhilltown - 8-11-2014 at 12:32 AM

Great report and thanks for checking back in! Sounds like you had a blast. Good job.

bajabuddha - 8-11-2014 at 12:39 AM

200 pesos a day??? HIJO LA CHING-GADA!!

[Edited on 8-11-2014 by bajabuddha]

J.P. - 8-11-2014 at 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jimgrms
on having a winch ,but nothing to hook to, bury your spare tire in the sand and hook to it

Down south we always carried a 15lb. boat drag Anchor works well when there is nothing to tie to and they dont take up that much room. I always left mine hanging on the front bumper.

David K - 8-11-2014 at 08:49 AM

Did you go to the El Toro copper mine? It's about 7 miles north and west from La Gringa. The copper ore was shipped out at La Gringa... it was piled just north of the beach.

Paulina - 8-11-2014 at 11:07 AM

I'm glad you had a good trip. We ran into another group with a large trailer in town, went and said hello thinking it might have been you. They were on their way to PSF with their heavy load. It sounds like La Gringa worked out perfectly for you.

P>*)))>{

steve5555 - 8-11-2014 at 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Did you go to the El Toro copper mine? It's about 7 miles north and west from La Gringa. The copper ore was shipped out at La Gringa... it was piled just north of the beach.

Yes we did although I did not know what they were mining. It was surprising to me that the road was still in such good shape. At least good shape for our polaris ranger. We met a couple kids that were telling us a rumor that someone was going to re- open a gold mine in BOLA.

steve

Warning fish being caught picture

steve5555 - 8-11-2014 at 09:28 PM

[Edited on 8-13-2014 by BajaNomad]

steve5555 - 8-11-2014 at 09:30 PM

High tide. haha close one.

[Edited on 8-13-2014 by BajaNomad]

steve5555 - 8-11-2014 at 09:33 PM

[Edited on 8-13-2014 by BajaNomad]

steve5555 - 8-11-2014 at 09:35 PM

early morning

[Edited on 8-13-2014 by BajaNomad]

ehall - 8-11-2014 at 11:23 PM

Wow, that was a close one. Great pictures. Glad it wasn't too hot. I will be headed that way in 5 weeks, hope to find the fish.

redhilltown - 8-12-2014 at 12:24 AM

I see the Easy Up lying there still in its case while your own canopy seems to be working quite nicely!!!! Sounds like a great trip.

Paulina - 8-12-2014 at 10:25 AM

Great photos, thank you for sharing them!

P>*)))>{

David K - 8-12-2014 at 05:58 PM

Nice, but BIG photos for Nomad... The gold mine is on the back side of Mike's Mountain, off the San Borja road (or one of them anyway).

edit: Thanks to BajaNomad for resizing them to fit on the page.

The first post in the Nomad Photo Gallery Forum has the easy how to size the pics to fit without stretching the whole page off the screen.

[Edited on 8-13-2014 by David K]

MMc - 8-12-2014 at 07:06 PM

Nice fish!!! I glad you had a good time. I would not want to pull that rig into Animas, you would get stuck.

Pacifico - 8-12-2014 at 07:50 PM

Great photos! Nice fish from the beach!