Pompano
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"Reina" - Golden Grouper - The Legend
We were sitting around late last night after watching that beautiful lunar eclipse...and the talk got to what an moon eclipse might do the fishing,
and so on. That in turn led to an event that happened during a full moon time a few years back....this is what happened.....the day of the .....
GOLDEN GROUPER
Ever caught what you first thought was some escaped goldfish grown to immense proportions? If so, you are fortunate to have caught a Golden
Grouper..and IF you followed local traditions, your fishing future will be blessed with good luck. Such is the Baja legend of this
fish.
Golden grouper..or golden cabrilla....are not really a distinct species, but are rather an uncommon subset of a very common Baja fish, the
bread-and-butter, fill your ice-chest fish called the leopard grouper If you want to be really bored, the official name is
Mycteropercarosacea...sigh..let’s just call it leopard grouper, okay?
A golden one is very rare and considered most lovely by pangueros, who call it 'reina'..queen.
And it has a legend to go with it....
There are stories of goldens saving lost divers, leading them to chests of Spanish gold, and herding schools of baitfish into the jaws of their
brown-skinned brethren, the plain leopards. (Ray Cannon expounded on this and said it was one of the most amazing things he had ever seen....'this
fish with that much intelligence'...hmm..well, Ray was truly a great storyteller.)
The first golden grouper I caught was in 1973 when I was fishing with mi amigo Manuel Diaz, a diver and panguero. We were just off Isla Tortuga. He
got pretty excited when he saw what I had on the line and explained to me that this was a special fish..not only considered to be the
queen of fish..but one that brought good luck..buena suerte and good karma to whoever caught it..and released it. I
knew Manuel enough by then to know he was not just kidding me, but that this was a real custom. So in respect for him, for the tradition, and for
the ocean’s beauty and mystery ....that fish went back in the water unharmed.
I have always been blessed with good fortune in fishing, commercial and sport, but I am confident that my enjoyment and appreciation
on the water has improved many, many times over because of that day.
This is the day I caught my second reina.
On this particular outing 3 years ago, we were fishing along the rocky points near Punta Teresa, which is about 30 miles south of Pt. Conception,
Mulege. We had been having fairly good luck trolling Mirrolures about 25 feet down over a 30-50 foot bottom range. We would trigger a hook-up with
the fast-trolled Mirrolures, then use our light tackle to cast iron in that area for better coverage and sheer fun.
Casting to targets is a whole lot more enjoyable than simply trolling, plus it nice and quiet...you get to fish each rock and hole...test barbless
lures...and find out what’s in there. We had caught and released a number of species in that area before..all kinds of pargo, roosterfish, triggers,
sierra, firecrackers, and many ufos...you get the idea...we have all been there at some time, right?
One cast I made to a hole with a 3 oz. silver crocodile produced a slamming hit, then a strong dive.... and I knew this was a grouper who would cut me
off quickly if I didn’t stop him right away.
The combination of rod and drag overcame the fish’s strong bottom lunge and I worked him away from the rocks below. He made quite a few more rushes
here and there until I finally
got him to where I could see color...and what a color it was! I looked into the depths and a brilliant golden fish appeared. ‘Hey!’
I thought..’I’ve seen that guy before...about 35 years ago!’ It was a Golden Grouper The sight of that rare and beautiful fish brought such a good
feeling to me that I almost forgot to keep pressure on him.
Thinking of both the past and present events together, I carefully got the fish under control and slowly brought him alongside the boat to where I
could admire him..and signal to my buddy, Two Dogs, to come over closer in his boat and take a photo. With as little stress as possible I brought
the golden to the boat and eased him from the water, removing the barbless hook. I held him up for the photo and bingo..there you have it! The
second golden grouper of my life.
The legend must be obeyed, however...so....
...I gave this guy a little pat on the head, lowered him over the side, and let him slap me with his tail as he plunged for the bottom. Oh Yeah!..If
a chubasco had flipped my boat over at that moment, I would have called it A 'Legendary' Fine Day. 
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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TonyC
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That was cool. Great story, thank you for sharing it.
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cbuzzetti
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And a very fine Golden Grouper. Nice catch and release!!!!
BajaBuzz
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vandenberg
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Yeah Pomp,
Always heard that same story. Never had the good fortune to catch one, but have seen a few of Monserrat and Catalina while snorkling. They are quite a
sight, and my friends ,whom are spear fishermen, never attempt to take one of them, for that same reason. Killing one will bring bad luck !!
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ligui
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Thanks for the story , brought back good feelings of time spent in Baja. Yah , got to love that place .
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Sallysouth
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Great story Pompano! I posted a story quite some time ago about a Golden Grouper that lives in Puerto Escondido.I have seen him while snorkling, as
have others, and even back when we could fish off the pier , he was always lurking around the fish we caught! Rumor was that guy has been there for
many years, and not once has he even nibbled a bait or lure.!I never knew about the "magic"connected with la reina tho.Thanks for another great
tale!!
Happiness is just a Baja memory away...
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Skeet/Loreto
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Thanks PomP!
With your consent, I too have hadseveral experinces with the Golden Grouper. When I first started fishing with Alvaro Murillo, I caught a Golden
Grouper and had it for Supper. Later I caught another and Alvaro told me the Story of the Golden. At that time it was told that you were only to take
one, No More.
Later when Fishing and Snorklin off of Pulpito, I had the chance several times to watch the Legend at Work. Many times off of the Point to the West i
would observe a large Group of Regular Grouper with as many as Three Large Goldens leading them to Bait Fish. It is a True Story, they actually are
Caretakers of the Dark Grouper. They would locate a Group of Bait, return to the Herd and lead them to the Bait. An Awsome Sight.
It was another example for me of the results of the Supreme Being in Action!
I too feel that gaining the Knowledge of the Golden, respecting their Beauty, respecting their place in Life, has given me even more than I can ever
Repay.
Skeet/Loreto
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Don Alley
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I've caught one, fishing from the shore of a small island near Ligui. He was released, too bad I had no camera with me.
Last one I saw was last year at the Loreto marina; it was part of a load of fish being loaded into a truck by commercial gill net fishermen.
"Cabrilla" I hear are fetching $120MN a kilo, more than Sonoran T-Bone steak. So I guess those guys don't release them, or maybe they die in the nets.
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elgatoloco
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Thanks for the story. My wife caught this in Bahia de Los Angeles.
MAGA
Making Attorneys Get Attorneys
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Baja Bernie
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Don Pompano
The reverence is there as is the story and its meaning for all who would read and understand it.
I am no fisherman but each time you go back to your tackle box you land me, yet, once again.
I salute you and all of your deeply held thoughts.
My smidgen of a claim to fame is that I have had so many really good friends. By Bernie Swaim December 2007
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Natalie Ann
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In one of his books Rudolfo Anaya writes of the legend of the golden grouper. From him I first learned the tale of this reina de pescas, as he tells
of two young boys and their quest to momentarily capture this wonderful fish. And yes, the bigger dark grouper is there in the story too.
I think it might be in his book "Bless Me, Ultima".... but not certain about this. I enjoy reading Anaya's works for just this kind of learning -
traditional beliefs and legends of Mexico.
Nena
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.
.....Oscar Wilde
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Skipjack Joe
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The Golden Fish - a tale
Once upon a time, in a land far-far away lived a very poor couple in a shack not far from the edge of the sea. Their only means of food was the fish
that the old man caught in the sea. One morning, as was his usual routine, the fisherman took his fishing net down to the sea. But on this day
something unusual happened, on this day the fisherman caught the Golden Fish. The Golden Fish begged for the fisherman to spare his life, and offered
in return to grant the fisherman any wish he would like. But the kindhearted fisherman asked for nothing, and returned the Golden Fish to the sea.
However, the fisherman's wife was not so kindhearted, she became irate when he related the story to her, and sent him back to the sea to catch the
Golden Fish and to wish for a loaf of bread. The fisherman did as he was told, he caught the fish and wished for a loaf of bread. When he returned
home he found a fresh baked loaf of bread on the table.
The fisherman's wife then decided that she wanted more than just a loaf of bread. The next morning she sent her husband to ask for a new. He returned
home to find his wife with a new washtub, but she still wasn't satisfied.
The following day the husband was sent to the sea to find the magic fish and to wish for a new house. This wish was, like the ones before it, granted
to the fisherman. But the fisherman was sent back again the next day to wish that his wife would become governor. This time he returned home to find
his wife dressed in riches and ordering about servants. But the woman was still unhappy, and demanded to become Queen of all the land.
Eventually, even being Queen of all the land did not satisfy the wife, and so she sent her husband once last time to the sea to catch the Golden Fish
and to wish that she would be ruler of the sea and of all creatures who live in it. The fisherman caught the fish, and made the wish. However, when he
returned home his wife was dressed in her old rags, standing by her old broken washtub, inside the old shack, with not even a loaf of bread to eat.
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Pompano
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Hola Igor, ..bravo y gracias...your 'Golden Fish' tale is truly a classic of Pushkin's talent. I love old Russian folk-lore, so rich with mankind's
foibles.
[Edited on 1-4-2009 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Skipjack Joe
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I'm hoping this one brings me it's legendary luck.
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Pompano
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Hey...nice golden, Igor!
Now tell me....Did you have it fried..or on the grill? 
tick-tock tick-tock
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Skipjack Joe
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Naw, it's bad luck to keep one of those.
We always let em go.
But there is always a lot of excitement when we bring one in to the boat. Like pullig out your favorite candy out of the bottom of the jar.
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Pompano
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I knew you knew.
Here's another angler who caught a golden...and also followed the Legend.
Congrats to San Diego's Cole Chavira for catching this beautiful golden grouper while aboard a Tailhunter charter north of La Paz near Espiritu Santo
Island a couple of years ago. Actually April, 2009. Young Cole was wise enough to release his prize, as most fishermen consider it bad luck to keep
and eat the rare goldens. On the other hand, if you release it unharmed....the legend says you will have much good luck.
He was with his Dad..and I'm sure, like Alex and you, will be re-telling this story many years from now. It's all about believing in doing the right
thing...
....and 'getting lucky' ain't bad either!
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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AmoPescar
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Long Live La Reina!
Thanks for the great story Roger!
And...Legend or not, Thanks for the 'Catch and Release'!
ALSO...SO GOOD to have you back posting........missed your humor, stories and pics!!
Have a good one!
Michael   
Nomad Amigos...Here\'s hoping you all have safe Baja travels, amazing sunrises, sunny days, comforting breezes, beautiful sunsets, tasty tacos,
cold cervezas and frosty margaritas!!
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baitcast
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Thank God!! fish storys at last and pictures saw one once at BOLA,
Rob
Anyone can catch fish in a boat but only \"El Pescador Grande\" can get them from the beach.
I hope when my time comes the old man will let me bring my rod and the water will be warm and clear.
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JESSE
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Saw one in the fish market this morning.
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