BajaNomad - BOLA May 30-June 2

BOLA May 30-June 2

Santiago - 6-7-2016 at 06:01 AM

Lobsterman covered this time period in detail, I completely forgot he was there or I would have looked him up. Waning quarter moon, nearly new moon by the end.
Absolutely spot on regarding the time period for the yellowtail bite. Had to be out very early or nada; 7:30-8:00am the door slammed shut.
Very little bait in the water, but huge blooms of tiny red things, maybe shrimp? The gulls would bob on the water above the blooms and dip their beaks into the water over and over again.

69-to 71 degree water, depending on where you were. We fished the north areas, up to Guadalupe, did not go south to Animas this trip.

To be honest, the entire area felt lifeless, nothing happening. It was not unusual for boats to come back to the ramp with only one or two bass. Ugh.

Even the pelicans weren't diving. Some whales, humpbacks or finbacks, a few schools of porpoise. Temps changed from nice spring weather to hot near the end of the week. Thursday was flat calm all day - just love those days, full tank of gas & go anywhere you want. Love it.

Local fisherfolks were setting out octopus traps everywhere and I mean every point had something on it. Made trolling ala Baja Catch impossible not that you would have been able to catch anything.

I love fishing the top 10 feet of water - BOLA is not the place for this kind of fishing and last week proved that. But, the water is warming....

mtgoat666 - 6-7-2016 at 06:04 AM

The Pelicans arrived last week, always a good sign.

Hook - 6-7-2016 at 07:25 AM

So, the YT WERE around, in force, just a few weeks earlier, but then disappeared?

Your conditions sound like the conditions present whenever I arrived earlier than the 2nd or 3rd week of June. I stopped going earlier than that in the 90s. But all years are different, I suppose.

In the absence of bait, what were you forced to use? Iron and trolling plugs?

Hey, that reminds me..........what were the results of Guillermo's annual Memorial Day tournament?

Santiago - 6-7-2016 at 11:06 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

In the absence of bait, what were you forced to use? Iron and trolling plugs?

Iron mostly, although I like knife jigs. Each day, there was a morning window on the tide change, around 10-11am, that you could fill up on 2-3# bass in 100'-200' of water.

bajabuddha - 6-7-2016 at 04:34 PM

"Tiny red things" krill perhaps?

Not good for whales that late in the bay; Dr. Benjamin told me many years ago when whales come in it's from the south up the SOC shoreline; the opening to BOLA is narrow, all northern channels are very shallow and it's very difficult for the ballenas to find their way back out again when nature calls, so they keep circling the Bay until the inevitable happens. The more whales in the bay in the winter, the more carion...... and environmental mayhem...... on the shoreline in summer. Inevitable as the tides, but sad to see.

So no cochito on the far south point, deep rocks? No flatfish from some flounder up northern way? Not even just for the halibut? (pun intended) :coolup:

Santiago - 6-7-2016 at 05:08 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajabuddha

"Tiny red things" krill perhaps?

Not good for whales that late in the bay; Dr. Benjamin told me many years ago when whales come in it's from the south up the SOC shoreline; the opening to BOLA is narrow, all northern channels are very shallow and it's very difficult for the ballenas to find their way back out again when nature calls, so they keep circling the Bay until the inevitable happens. The more whales in the bay in the winter, the more carion...... and environmental mayhem...... on the shoreline in summer. Inevitable as the tides, but sad to see.

So no cochito on the far south point, deep rocks? No flatfish from some flounder up northern way? Not even just for the halibut? (pun intended) :coolup:

We caught small triggers, a few big mouths (ling cod by locals), octopi, the colorful sheaphead, the kind with the reddish purple sides with a yellow strip and long tail ends mixed amongst the usual suspects. Two very small halibut were caught, very surprising.
Who is Dr Benjamin? Are you referring to Abraham Vazquez?

55steve - 6-7-2016 at 06:45 PM

Captain Juan from San Quintin was down 5/28 to 6/4 and did very well.
He always seems to do well wherever he fishes though...

http://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/bahia-de-los-angele...

[Edited on 6-8-2016 by 55steve]

Hook - 6-7-2016 at 07:45 PM

Yeah, he might have had a bit more range in a 32 Whaler than a tin boat with stern steering. Bernabe to La Guardia? That's some range.

Really impressive leopard grouper fishing. I never really saw what they were throwing, though. Plastics? I saw the one kid with a double on an X-Rap or some such lure.

bajabuddha - 6-7-2016 at 08:22 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Santiago

[
Who is Dr Benjamin? Are you referring to Abraham Vazquez?

Uh, yeah..... just checked my driver's licecnse to make sure it wuz me answering. Dr. Abrahim from Campo Gecko. Sowwy, been at least 15 years.

I KNEW it was one of them biblical nombres.

redhilltown - 6-8-2016 at 12:03 AM

Quote: Originally posted by 55steve

Captain Juan from San Quintin was down 5/28 to 6/4 and did very well.
He always seems to do well wherever he fishes though...

http://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/bahia-de-los-angele...

[Edited on 6-8-2016 by 55steve]

Captain Juan is awesome. Seems to be fishing in the Cortez more and more. We were just at Gonzaga Bay over the last (hot) weekend. Not THAT far north of LA Bay...birds crashing but very small bait. Sierra and Barracuda balling them up and in the bay itself small Roosterfish were punching thru as well. Caught some nice Leopard Grouper that were lurking near the bait party. Not to change the thread, but not really sure how to target the Roosterfish in that sort of situation.

55steve - 6-8-2016 at 12:17 AM

Quote: Originally posted by redhilltown

Quote: Originally posted by 55steve

The roosters eat the croc just like every other fish in Baja.

bajabuddha - 6-8-2016 at 01:24 AM

Red:
Roosters don't like boats much; I like to get in close to the frenzy (they're SOOOOOOO fun to see!!) and cast in with a 5/8 oz silver Krok or spoon, or anything heavy enough to cast out far enough with. Or, if trolling reel (no cast) get close, parallel, let out line and ring around and pull through fairly fast, and have your drag set light.

Side note; big roosters are not good eating, so play 'em easy and release. Lil' ones are tasty as cake, but the big'uns, worse than liver.

A heavy surface rooster feed is one of the most exciting things I've seen on SOC. I spent days and days at Roca Frijole in Bahia Concepcion watching, waiting, and loving those monsters. Freddy Kruger ocean-style! Woof.

woody with a view - 6-13-2016 at 10:20 AM

We fished on the 8th and went south with live macs from the ramp. We stopped just north of animas point for YT and WSB to 25#s. Another stop south of the Eco- camps near Soledad? for grouper to 15#s. Basically, another perfect week in Baja.

Oh, we also played around the south coves and caught taco meat. Snorkeling we saw bazillions of 1/4" fish in the weeds and 12" YT. The bay isn't dead by a long shot.

BornFisher - 6-13-2016 at 11:25 AM

Quote: Originally posted by woody with a view

We fished on the 8th and went south with live macs from the ramp. We stopped just north of animas point for YT and WSB to 25#s. Another stop south of the Eco- camps near Soledad? for grouper to 15#s. Basically, another perfect week in Baja.

Oh, we also played around the south coves and caught taco meat. Snorkeling we saw bazillions of 1/4" fish in the weeds and 12" YT. The bay isn't dead by a long shot.

WTG Woody. Congrats on the WSB!! How was the bladder (JK)???

willardguy - 6-13-2016 at 11:37 AM

where da pictures? :?:

woody with a view - 6-13-2016 at 11:45 AM

Gotta poach them from the GoPro this week.

[Edited on 6-13-2016 by woody with a view]

woody with a view - 6-13-2016 at 06:23 PM

Trifecta!

24baja - 6-13-2016 at 06:40 PM

Nice pics Woody

barcodemarco - 6-14-2016 at 03:08 PM

Good report Woody. Congrats on the big Croaker.

I saw a panga stop well north of animas point on my trip. Sounds like the same place you fished. Seemed pretty far out to fish the drop-off. Is there a high point there, or just good current?

woody with a view - 6-14-2016 at 03:10 PM

there were two sardine boats on the hook there. it was a reef about 200'+ and the tides were swift.