La Paz, Baja, Oct 23-30

Like all good adventures, our trip this time started with a bunch of  hiccups on the flight down.  Never mind that we (Paul, Mike, and  myself) rolled out of the gate in San Jose only to pull right back up  and be told to get off.  Only to miss our connection in LAX and have to  take the flight to Cabo instead, followed by a 3 hour bus ride to La  Paz.  That was nothing compared to Wali starting his journey on the  Friday night only to not get to the boat until Monday.  He had a hard  copy ticket in hand, but apparently Priceline didn't pay up so the  airlines didn't honor it.  Wali had to fly standby via Mex City only to  get in Sunday night.  But our boat, the Sea Fortuna had left the dock  by then (with the other 3 of us on it!), so Wali had to hitch a ride on  a panga to get out to us.
 
  Ah ... the Sea Fortuna, home for the week.
 
 
 
  For those other than Wali, our sea journey started at noon on Sunday,  still not knowing exactly when Wali would show up.  We had to get some  licenses and provision up for the week.  Once that was done, we were  under way.  Since we got a late start we decided to troll up the coast  a bit and see what was around before crossing the channel over to Isla  Espiritu Santo to our first anchorage.  Without Wali, we felt somewhat  incomplete, but at least we started it off with a couple of "cane  knives", aka dinner!!!
 
 
 
  This trip was a kayak fishing mothership, but the Sea Fortuna cruised  at 6-7 knots, which is trolling speed, so we are always fishing.  In  fact, on this trip we traveled pretty far from port so we were fishing  off the Sea Fortuna probaby 1/2 the time.
 
  We got on anchor in the late afternoon and Paul and Mike splashed the  kayaks for the first time.  I stayed on the boat and prepared dinner.   I was getting sporadic reports of "large" fish followed by cutoffs.   Seems like there were some Sierra in the flats wreaking havoc with the  mono leaders.  The evening was however filled with triggerfish and  ladyfish.
 
 
 
 
 
  Pretty much anywhere we anchored, we encountered a bunch of these.  Fun on 12 pound tackle!!!
 
  By evening we heard Wali was on his was to La Paz and the plan was laid  to get him out to us in the morning.  The night went fast only to find  the 3 of us up a 4AM.  What do to ... go fishing of course!!!  So we  splashed the boats and paddled by the full moon.  Hooking (and  releasing) needlefish at night is about the only time you'll hear me  referring to these fish as exciting!!!
 
  The next morning Wali arrives.  Captain Raul's son runs a panga and  ferried him out to us.  They stopped along the way to net some bait ...  Sardinas!!!
 
  Our plan was to cross the channel over to Isla Cerralvo and fish the  rocks at the north end.  We put the lures out and off we trolled.   Pretty slow crossing other than a sailfish that came through but didn't  even notice our offerings.  We got to the spot and while the others  were preparing to launch, I dropped a live sardinas in the water and  was instantly rewarded with a hookup.  Bonita ... aka bait!!!
 
  We finally get us all into the kayaks and Mike is going the wrong way  despite our radioing over to him to follow us.  It wasn't until later  that we found out why.
 
 
 
  He launched right into a couple of dorado!!!  Well, we fished this spot  for a bit with only more bonita to show for our efforts.  Wali got a  nice one that gave him a bit of a sleigh ride.
 
 
 
  Not seeing what we were looking for, we decided to run down the island  to the south end.  So on the troll we went.  Along the way we ran into  this 18# snake.
 
 
 
  We got to the south end of Isla Cerralvo late in the afternoon and back  on the hook for the night and more ladyfish and triggers.
 
  Up the next morning and fished bank at the south end.  More bonita and  it didn't appear like there was much of a tuna bite.  Made the call to  head offshore to the shark buoys at the Ocho Ocho bank.  We got there  and hit 2 dorado right as we were passing the first buoy.  Put out some  bait and got hit by small bonita.  Only the captain seemed very happy  about these 12" fish.  Apparently they are perfect bait size for  dorado.  We splashed a couple of kayaks and Mike and Wali went looking  for more dorado.  Paul and I fished up a bunch more "bait".
 
  Couldn't find any more fish of interest and decided to troll back in  for the evening wahoo bit at South Cerralvo.  Almost back and we take a  good takedown on the trolled Yozuri plug.  Short story ... 3.5 hour  fight on 40# tackle, busted rod, tied to another rod, busted line,  nothing but silence.  Ouch!  Never did see the fish, but it had to be a  very LARGE tuna.
 
 
 
  The next morning the captain was up at 6AM and ready to fish.  I could  sense an excitement in his voice.  He wanted to hit the bank for wahoo  before sunup, and more importantly, before the other boats arrived.   Good call because on the first pass, we hit these, 32# and 36#.
 
 
 
 
 
  And we got another one a 36# too!!!
 
 
 
  Splashed the kayaks again and again, more bonita.  Oh where, oh where are the tuna?!?
 
  Got some more bait from a panguero and he said cross over the Punta  Gorda, so off we went.  By the time we got there the currents came up  big as did the wind.   We did hit some big jacks and, you guessed it,  bonita, on the troll.
  Hid behind some wash rocks and got on the anchor to wait out the wind.   It calmed in short order and I grabbed 3 baits to see what was  offshore.  3 baits in and 3 baits gone.  But I did get some monster  needlefish.
 
 
 
  Back to the boat for more bait.  Raul hand me a bunch of strips he cut  from a larger bonita.  Back on the troll.  More of those damn  needlefish!  But I did get a hookup on a dorado.  He jumped one way and  my bait flew right out of his mouth the other way.  By now the others  were working their way out to me.  I was heading in to prep some  dinner.  The water glassed off and I radioed to the guys to head south  and we'd troll with them from the Sea Fortuna.
 
  The afternoon bite must have started.  Paul radios in that he got an  large 18# pargo.  We got 3 dorado from the Sea Fortuna.  Mike got 2  from his yak.  The lighting was great on this shot with the yellows in  everything coming out.  I'd like to change "yum yum yellow" to "dorado  gold"!
 
 
 
  And Paul got yet another dorado.
 
 
 
  The next morning we awoke to dead batteries.  While we were waiting for  the mechanic to make his way out to us (a whole other story), we did a  little fishing.  Here's me with a CNR dodo.
 
 
 
  We never did find the tuna ... next time!
 
  -Allen
 
 
 

Take one dorado, add a fish-be-good-stick, and add one Wali ... what do you get?  DAMHIK!!!

-Allen

Awesome pics & report P^2!


fierce fish porn



Looks like Wali is going to need a new NWKA shirt, that one got a little bloody!

Great trip and report.  It's awesome to see the Sea Fortuna in all her glory.  And those wahoo were sweeeeeet.  Must have given you a great second run when they saw the boat.  Tasty too.  I'm getting the itch.

Take one dorado, add a fish-be-good-stick, and add one Wali ... what do you get?  DAMHIK!!!

-Allen

I'm hoping thats all fish blood!

I'm hoping thats all fish blood!

Isn't it amazing the way those beautiful fisheys start to look like the   creature from Alien after the wood shampoo and clipping the gills? Guess I wouldn't look to chipper after that either though.

Yes, it was yet another unbelievably lucky adventure. But no, that's all Dorado blood. 

The one nice thing about my DAMHIK's is that they seem to involve less personal blood letting as I get older. 
(I guess I must be running out! )

Great report guy's!!!  Looking at the pictures it looks like the last trip I was on that boat in the spring.
 
Allen,  your trip sounds like my trip in the spring,  we started to taxi out and we went back,  changed planes, luggage, food and 3 hours later (and quite a few drinks)  we were on our way.   I took that bus to La Paz and I have to say it was the nicest bus I was ever on and the trip was not that bad.
 
It looks like you all had a great time! 
 
Let's see some more pictures.
 
Danny V

Thanks for the report Allen. I miss those open water fish. Dead batteries?! Were you having flashbacks of Valdez? Awesome wahoo. Those are a good substitute for tuna!

Howard

Thanks for a great report!!!  That blue sky and water makes foggy Seattle a real darn shame!!  Great fishing and thx for the pix!!!

Ahh, the fuel of dreams! Thanks for the report and great pics. Sounds like it was a successful and fun trip. One if these days, I'm going to have to head down there for that awesome fishing...  one of these days.
It will have to be some place with a nice little point break nearby, though!

Thanks for a great report!!!  That blue sky and water makes foggy Seattle a real darn shame!!  Great fishing and thx for the pix!!!

The Ocean was like bath water and ridiculously clear. I spent almost as much time in it as I did on it. No waves though. They are on the other side.



I had a lovely time playing Jacques Cousteau. So much so, that I exceed the 30 immersion time on that  camera

Guys, thanks for a shot of summer on a rainy fall day!

Tom

Thanks for the awesome report!

Nice report Allen!!!  Looks like you guys had a great time.
 
Wali, I'd trade you a day of springer fishing for a day of dorado fishing any day!  At least it only takes me 30min to get to the springer!   
 
-Spot- 

Great anemone porn!!   I think the 30 minute immersion is just a CYA for the mfr, at snorkelling depth you caould probably push it for hours, no problem.