tattuna
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Registered: 1-29-2008
Location: In a van, down by the river
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Castros Camp 8/31-9/1
Got an invite from my buddy Doug to hit up Castro's in Erendira. He said the dude that runs the camp loved the sheephead I did on him and wanted to
get one. So Doug said if I hooked him up he'd pay for my trip. No brainer!
Met up with my friends Doug, Abel and new friend Pete and headed south. Hit up this taco stand in Ensenada they kept goin on about. Turns out they
weren't lyin. Possibly the best tacos I've had. If you're ever in Ensenada, you gotta hit this spot.
Easy 5-6 hour drive from L.A.and we're there. I wanted a beer so bad, but there was work to be done. Quickly set up shop in one of the rental rooms
and got things goin.
To say he was happy with the work would be an understatement. The look he gave me when we were done was the biggest compliment I could ever receive.
He didn't have to say a word, but he said he had no idea tattoos could look that way and compared them to a couple old tattoos he ad done at the Pike
some time ago.
Lots of drinks and bulls hittin then off to bed and ready for some fishin the next mornin.
Decided to head off shore to see what was happenin. Made bait quick and easy out front then shot 35 miles off shore and found some 71-73 degree
water. Worked it for 6 boring hours trolling through dolphin pods and hittin empty paddies til the rod next to me goes off then Pete's goes off right
after and got a couple small yft to the boat.
After that we kept workin the dolphins and pulled out about 6 more yft from 10-20 lbs over the next hour. All on feathers except for one I got on
bait.
We saw a paddy in the distance and headed for it as the yft bite was a tough pick. Pulled up on it and it went off with dodo's. We could see em
cruisin around as we were pullin up and capitan Eggy threw a surface iron as the panga slid to a stop and it was on! All of us hooked up on 10-20
pounders and it was pure mayhem so I didn't get many pics. We eneded up gettin 10 off that paddy before the rest scrammed.
It was gettin late & gas was gettin low so back to the barn we went after a long day. Kids at the camp hooked up the fillets for us.
Everyone's related here and they're all very hospitable and respectful people. Abel tipped one of the kids a $20 and he went off to his uncle for
change and came back and gave the other 3 kids $5 a piece. He could've easily pocketed it and nobody would've known. Shows a lot on how they raise
their kids.
Next day we decided to avoid the boring boat ride and stay inshore. Conrado Sr. joined us with his fresh tattoo and worked the kelp for some c&r
bassin and misc. rockfish while his youngest son Eggy drove.
We were workin our way south to a yt spot but kept gettin distracted by rockfish on the meter. Finally saw some bird action just north of Punta
Colonet and hit it. Abel hooked up first on a baby mac. From there we kept chasin the birds and the rest of em were all on surface iron.
Weather and fishin were great, but even better were the Castro family. Friendly, respectful people. Eggy and Conrado jr. are the 4th generation of
Castro's keepin the operation goin. These guys can fish, gaff, and handle the panga as good as you can hope for. I was very impressed. The area and
people are 2nd to none!
Last night there Conrado jr. comes up to me and hands me a thank you gift from his dad for the tattoo. Tried to get a pic of it, but it wasn't very
easy by that point
Our last night was nothin but drinks and laughs. Conrado Sr. pulled out an old photo album to show me some of their catches. I wouldn't have believed
it if I hadn't seen it myself. Swordfish, marlin, a few king salmon from 22-36 lbs. and a 5 foot sturgeon! A FRIGGIN STURGEON!!!
This is one of those places I'll be goin back to forever. Hot during the day, cold at night. Bring bug spray! The rooms are cool, but still a bit
rugged. Two 3 tier bunks, but four's comfortable. One big problem here is that the water supply gets cut off every couple days so bring some wipes for
a baby wipe bath when you can't shower.
Inshore fishin's $160 for 4 people. offshore's $200 for 4. Rooms are $35 per night. No charge to launch the yaks. Halibut in close, rockfish at 30
feet, and wsb at the edge of the kelp.
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55steve
Senior Nomad
Posts: 857
Registered: 4-24-2006
Location: Warner Springs, CA
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Wow! Excellent ink AND a great fishing experience - I'm jealous and I thought I had it going on!
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estebanis
Nomad
Posts: 279
Registered: 11-11-2002
Location: Stuck North of the Border. They won\'t pay me
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I am forwarding this to Panfilo! He is a wonderful person. I am very proud to be a friend of his. I have a place just up the road.
Esteban
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64723
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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What a great report! My parents and I fished with Castro's many times in late 70's and the early 1980's... looks like it is still a great deal! Tom
Miller turned us on to the place.
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Paulina
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3810
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
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Great report, nice fish and what a tattoo! Scales and all. Very nice.
P<*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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pascuale
Nomad
Posts: 224
Registered: 2-20-2005
Location: Somewhere South
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Mood: Lets fish!
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Awesome report. Havent been down there in a couple years. How is the little town doing and Castros Camp? Is that the taco shop just north of Ensenada
on the toll road? Thanks for the cool report, didnt know the boats out of Castros went out that far for tuna and dodos etc. Any sight of WSB.
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
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Mood: undecided
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tattuna, Thanks for the pictures. On and off your arm.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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anyone have contact info and prices? are reservations needed?
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4baja
Super Nomad
Posts: 1339
Registered: 9-4-2003
Location: morro bay ca
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thanks for the pics, wont be long now!!!
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tattuna
Junior Nomad
Posts: 61
Registered: 1-29-2008
Location: In a van, down by the river
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| Quote: | Originally posted by woody in ob
anyone have contact info and prices? are reservations needed? |
Reservations are needed as there are only a couple boats and rooms available. The Mex # is: 01 (646) 154-41-69 U.S. # is: 011 52 (646) 154-41-69
I believe the cost is $160 for 4 people fishing inshore and $200 offshore. I may be wrong, but I think that's what I heard. Rooms are $35 for the
night. Bunks for 6, but 4's comfortable.
pascuale: I don't remember exactly where that taco shop was, but I think you're right. No WSB this trip.
I forgot to mention it only took us 12 minutes to cross the border back into the U.S. 12 minutes!!!
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duke62
Nomad
Posts: 112
Registered: 11-16-2007
Location: La Mesa & Erendira
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Best trip report in some time.
Dios Mio! I was there at our place just south of Erendira that same weekend and I needs some new tattoos. Sadly, the boys I was with were too lazy to
go fishing. SIGH.
Excellent job on the Sheepshead tattoo. If you are down in those parts again, I want a particular Calavera tattoo, that I have been talking about
with artists at a tattoo salon (that is what they call them these days) in Barrio Logan (Two Roses). I could get others intrested. Talk about a
fiesta. And, I too would subsidize the fishing....
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tattuna
Junior Nomad
Posts: 61
Registered: 1-29-2008
Location: In a van, down by the river
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| Quote: | Originally posted by duke62
Best trip report in some time.
Dios Mio! I was there at our place just south of Erendira that same weekend and I needs some new tattoos. Sadly, the boys I was with were too lazy to
go fishing. SIGH.
Excellent job on the Sheepshead tattoo. If you are down in those parts again, I want a particular Calavera tattoo, that I have been talking about
with artists at a tattoo salon (that is what they call them these days) in Barrio Logan (Two Roses). I could get others intrested. Talk about a
fiesta. And, I too would subsidize the fishing.... |
My buddy Ben Grillo works at Two Roses. He does incredible work and recently tattooed a halibut on my hand.
If you got the boat, I've got the ink. I'm always up for bartering.
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pascuale
Nomad
Posts: 224
Registered: 2-20-2005
Location: Somewhere South
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Mood: Lets fish!
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tattuna,
Next time you have a trip planned, let me know. Ive been fishing in Baja since I was little and worked on a tuna boat out of San Diego for a couple
years. Now im working 60 hour weeks after college and my old friends are losers. Would like to make some new fishing friends ad have some good fishing
knowledge. Thanks
Ethan
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duke62
Nomad
Posts: 112
Registered: 11-16-2007
Location: La Mesa & Erendira
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tattuna. That would be a fun trip to Erendira. Ben Grillo is from Oceanside me thinks? What a fun trip that would be. Perhaps, the Baja 500 weekend.
Or, my buds from the states play Erendira's beisbol team every July/August for a charity event. Their (Los Monos) website claims they are the most
tattooed baseball team in San Diego. 
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