BajaNomad

San felipe fishing and paddle boarding, family fun.

Patrick T - 1-1-2018 at 01:15 PM

Ok newby to Baja, and beach fishing. First trip into baja. Me my wife and 2 daughters,8 and 13 will be heading to san felipe first. We've rented a hose jan13 for a month. We love paddle boarding back in Idaho on freshwater. Never have in the surf. So we were hoping to do lots of fishing and paddle boarding and exploring. So looking for any recommendations and would love to meet some like minded people. Also looking for ideas on moving South after the month in SF. We also have fat tire bikes with us. Looking forward to meeting everyone. Patrick

David K - 1-1-2018 at 01:34 PM

Welcome to Nomad!
It would be great if you took some of that month and explored the rest of Baja... at least for a quick look. San Felipe is not like any other place in Baja. It is great if you love the desert, sand beaches, and endless off roading... It is my favorite area of Baja to go to repeatedly, all my life. I camp about 20 miles south of town, on Shell Island. No facilities!
Also, there is no 'surf' as the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) is like a giant lake (except if the wind blows)!
The most interesting thing about the upper gulf are the giant tides... some of the world's greatest. During the full and new moon phases, twice a day, the tide drops 20 or more feet and goes out a half mile or more! Very amazing. My daughter in law did a time-lapse photo shoot last May on our family Memorial Day Weekend trip to Shell Island.


Shell Island (at high tide). The lagoon to the right empties out at low tide.

Time-lapse looking east at the gulf side of the island begins at sunrise (nearing low tide) and ends at high tide. Note the sandbars way-way out:
https://www.facebook.com/Buster.TeethIn/videos/1021075862145...

Patrick T - 1-1-2018 at 02:22 PM

Yes we will explore other areas. We will have untell around March 10th. Patrick

bajabuddha - 1-1-2018 at 02:33 PM

Pat, you'll find San Flip to be pretty chilly and windy in January so take wetsuits if you have em. It's also pretty fished out there so I wouldn't expect too much, but ya never know.

Patrick T - 1-1-2018 at 02:47 PM



PSX_20180101_134654.jpg - 60kB

del mar - 1-1-2018 at 02:48 PM

its only 50 miles to puertecitos, plan on making this trip to find a shot at catching anything. some beautiful beaches to the south:yes:

Patrick T - 1-1-2018 at 02:54 PM

Great thanks for the info. We think 70 is warm. We are from the north!lol
So what's another location that's good for family that's farther South? Patrick

del mar - 1-1-2018 at 03:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Patrick T  
Great thanks for the info. We think 70 is warm. We are from the north!lol
So what's another location that's good for family that's farther South? Patrick


another 50 miles and you're in gonzaga bay.:yes:

woody with a view - 1-1-2018 at 03:10 PM

And still there is no surf. Unless the nortes blow and then its a matter of life and death.

David K - 1-1-2018 at 03:58 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Patrick T  
Great thanks for the info. We think 70 is warm. We are from the north!lol
So what's another location that's good for family that's farther South? Patrick


Patrick, Baja is 1000 miles of fun and adventure for the whole family. San Felipe is pretty much where it starts on the east side of the peninsula.

The old Spanish missions and ruins are a great educational and photographic resource on the peninsula... I wrote a book in 2016 about them.

There are fantastic desert gardens, palm-filled oasis dotting the desert, mountains with pine forests, 3,000 miles of coastline, old mines, geologic wonders, great people who live off the grid in the mountains, wonderful pre-historic cave paintings and rock art... the list just goes on and on!

See my website www.vivabaja.com for a few ideas of what to see or read through the Baja Nomad Trip Reports forum.



[Edited on 1-1-2018 by David K]

advrider - 1-1-2018 at 05:23 PM

SF is a good intro to Baja, it's a cool little town. I would plan some day trips and maybe an over night or two down to the Bay of LA. As David said there is a lot to see and the time will go fast!

bkbend - 1-1-2018 at 05:57 PM

I agree with advrider, it'll be a nice first trip. Don't do all your shopping at Calimax, find a panaderia, a tortillaria, a carneceria, or a taco cart. Do the 50 + mile trip south if you want to fish. Fish off the rocky points that start to appear. Access from the new highway is more limited than in the past but roads lead into houses at the coves. Drive in and ask someone where you can park and play. The kids can hang out on the sandy beach and you can walk out on a point or take the paddleboard out to one. If the wind comes up it will be out of the north (98% of the time) so paddle north so it can blow you back.

Patrick T - 1-1-2018 at 06:51 PM

Great advice thanks

Bugs and water hazzards!

AKgringo - 1-1-2018 at 08:12 PM

I have not spent enough time around San Felipe to know what the mosquito and biting gnats are like, but in other parts of Baja they can be a problem! The mosquito bites don't bother me much, but the no-see-ums tear me up, so if they are around I use a repellant.

I also have an antihistamine in my first aid kit, and a topical ointment for pain, itch and swelling relief. I think I am more sensitive than most people to their bite.

The ointment also helps with jelly fish stings if you happen to encounter them. Another water hazard you should read up on before you leave are sting rays. The sooner first aid is applied, the less severe the symptoms will be!

I am not trying to scare you out of the water, just be as prepared as you can, especially if you travel to some of the more remote areas.




[Edited on 1-2-2018 by AKgringo]

willardguy - 1-1-2018 at 08:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
None of that in San Felipe. Noseeums are a tropical bug. It is cold at night in winter, very cold, however. The only bug that has bothered me sometimes are Africanized bees the past 10 years a few times between Coco's Corner and San Felipe. Just make sure anything wet with fresh water is not left out, including a can of beer. Again, pretty rare but has happened.




yeah david's got it! the only no-see-um's you'll find in baja will be south of the tropic of cancer....:rolleyes:

can't wait for this guidebook, its gonna be a doozie!:lol:

willardguy - 1-1-2018 at 10:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
I guess I have just been lucky? The only no see ums (ems?) I ever got was in San Blas, Nayarit! I don't know about the Arctic Circle variety.

The guide is a road guide, not a bug guide. Happy trails to you all.


well keep on spewing your boolchit to the unsuspecting novice traveler as the gospel....they'll feel enlightened by it ;)

willardguy - 1-1-2018 at 10:58 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
It is just conversation... not life or death stuff. Are you able to have a fireside chat or is it only your way or the highway? Lighten up, it is the first day of a new year, after all. I am not arguing there aren't noseeums in non-tropical areas, I just said it was something I never experienced in Baja... Tiny gnats sure, but not the noseeums that can get through screens.


happy new years pauls liquor:yes:



[Edited on 1-2-2018 by willardguy]

David K - 1-2-2018 at 12:22 AM

I have no idea what "pauls liquor" means, sorry. Happy New Year.
To stay on topic for Patrick's question, how about deleting the off topic personal jab posts? I removed my replies that were not about Patrick's question to clean up the thread. Let's not chase away another newbie with infighting, okay? I will delete this reply as well. Peace!

redhilltown - 1-2-2018 at 01:50 AM

Welcome! You'll need to head south as to any sort of decent fishing...but Bahia de San Luis Gonzaga is a beautiful place to spend a day or two..or three...or cancel your San Felipe house and end up there! All along the coast from San Felipe to Gonzaga there are many small roads to pull over...after Puertecitos there should be some sort of fish around...triggers and spotted bay bass if nothing else...both excellent eating (fishing snobs may pooh pooh the spotted bay bass but dont listen to them...you are catching dinner, not winning a fishing tournament). Small hooks and some frozen squid...or a chrome krocodile lure.

San Felipe is a great introduction...but head south, head south!

del mar - 1-2-2018 at 11:32 AM

Quote: Originally posted by willardguy  
Quote: Originally posted by David K  
It is just conversation... not life or death stuff. Are you able to have a fireside chat or is it only your way or the highway? Lighten up, it is the first day of a new year, after all. I am not arguing there aren't noseeums in non-tropical areas, I just said it was something I never experienced in Baja... Tiny gnats sure, but not the noseeums that can get through screens.


happy new years pauls liquor:yes:





[Edited on 1-2-2018 by willardguy]


reference to a famous highway 5 petroglyph? :lol:

JZ - 1-2-2018 at 01:48 PM

I can't say this strongly enough, cancel your reservation. San Felipe is probably the crappiest place in Baja.

Go to someplace like Loreto instead. SF is ugly, the beaches are chit w/the tide, no islands, full of rednecks and crazy Mexican partyers because it is so close to the border. It would be absolutely terrible to try to paddle board or fish there with kids. Very bad intro to Baja for them.

I wouldn't spent a month in SF if you paid me $10K to do it.

Even places like Bay of LA, Gonzaga Bay, or Conception would be infinitely better. Nice calm waters.

Loreto is where you want to be though. There is a bay/beach 25 miles above Loreto called San Jaunico that is magical for that type of stuff. SF is just a really bad idea. :O


[Edited on 1-2-2018 by JZ]

willardguy - 1-2-2018 at 03:12 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ  
Quote: Originally posted by Patrick T  
Ok newby to Baja, and beach fishing. First trip into baja. Me my wife and 2 daughters,8 and 13 will be heading to san felipe first. We've rented a hose jan13 for a month. We love paddle boarding back in Idaho on freshwater. Never have in the surf. So we were hoping to do lots of fishing and paddle boarding and exploring. So looking for any recommendations and would love to meet some like minded people. Also looking for ideas on moving South after the month in SF. We also have fat tire bikes with us. Looking forward to meeting everyone. Patrick


I can't say this strongly enough, cancel your reservation. San Felipe is probably the crappiest place in Baja.

Go to someplace like Loreto instead. SF is ugly, the beaches are chit w/the tide, no islands, full of rednecks and crazy Mexican partyers because it is so close to the border. It would be absolutely terrible to try to paddle board or fish there with kids. Very bad intro to Baja for them.

I wouldn't spent a month in SF if you paid me $10K to do it.

Even places like Bay of LA, Gonzaga Bay, or Conception would be infinitely better. Nice calm waters.

Loreto is where you want to be though. There is a bay/beach 25 miles above Loreto called San Jaunico that is magical for that type of stuff. SF is just a really bad idea. :O


[Edited on 1-2-2018 by JZ]


you're focusing on the negative.....best part of san felipe? NO JZ!:yes:

shari - 1-2-2018 at 04:03 PM

It would be cool to take your daughters out to meet some baby gray whales while you are in the area at Ojo de Liebre near Guerrero Negro...the girls would love it...and so would you! eAsy drive from SF.
Tomorrow I am taking my grandson Izaak who is 6 out....cant wait!!!

Tomas Tierra - 1-2-2018 at 07:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by shari  
It would be cool to take your daughters out to meet some baby gray whales while you are in the area at Ojo de Liebre near Guerrero Negro...the girls would love it...and so would you! eAsy drive from SF.
Tomorrow I am taking my grandson Izaak who is 6 out....cant wait!!!



Excellent advice!!! One of the most unique (dare i say life changing?) experiences Baja has to offer

TT

mtgoat666 - 1-2-2018 at 08:04 PM

Quote: Originally posted by willardguy  
Quote: Originally posted by JZ  
Quote: Originally posted by Patrick T  
Ok newby to Baja, and beach fishing. First trip into baja. Me my wife and 2 daughters,8 and 13 will be heading to san felipe first. We've rented a hose jan13 for a month. We love paddle boarding back in Idaho on freshwater. Never have in the surf. So we were hoping to do lots of fishing and paddle boarding and exploring. So looking for any recommendations and would love to meet some like minded people. Also looking for ideas on moving South after the month in SF. We also have fat tire bikes with us. Looking forward to meeting everyone. Patrick


I can't say this strongly enough, cancel your reservation. San Felipe is probably the crappiest place in Baja.

Go to someplace like Loreto instead. SF is ugly, the beaches are chit w/the tide, no islands, full of rednecks and crazy Mexican partyers because it is so close to the border. It would be absolutely terrible to try to paddle board or fish there with kids. Very bad intro to Baja for them.

I wouldn't spent a month in SF if you paid me $10K to do it.

Even places like Bay of LA, Gonzaga Bay, or Conception would be infinitely better. Nice calm waters.

Loreto is where you want to be though. There is a bay/beach 25 miles above Loreto called San Jaunico that is magical for that type of stuff. SF is just a really bad idea. :O


[Edited on 1-2-2018 by JZ]


you're focusing on the negative.....best part of san felipe? NO JZ!:yes:


I loathe to admit, but I agree with jizz, san Felipe is a chithole. anywhere in baja would be better.