That's My Story

DON’ PUT AWAY RODS – PUBLISHED AUG. 2004 – WESTERN OUTDOOR NEWS

Well, I guess the trolling rotation has come around and I’m up and putting my best colors out for the team and into the prop wash! Hope it’s long and productive for all of us!

It seems that just when we were finally getting used to the summer bite around Baja and trying to figure it all out, fall is here. While I’m sure a lot of you might be thinking more about new school clothes for the kids and football in the states, don’t miss out on what’s happening south of the border!

Even when I was in California and working boats up north, it never surprised me that just about the time everyone was putting out the last embers of that Labor Day barbecue, they were also stashing their rods and reels too! Take a look at the counts at your local landing sometime. It’s like the numbers of anglers fall off the edge of the planet! It seems that some folks think that the fish just roll off the chew and stop biting once summer is over! I notice that even moreso here in Baja. With the exception of some weeks when the big tournaments rumble into Cabo and the East Cape, things get a bit ghostly at times! But re-think that! Fish aren’t reading any calendars…at least not the type you and I hang up on our refrigerators! On the contrary, fall fishing can be some of the best fishing of the season. I mean…there MUST be a reason that all the big money tournaments by Western Outdoor News, Bisbeees, Gold Cup, etc. are held in the fall!

But, it’s not just the well-know spots like Cabo and the East Cape! From the Pacific border of Esenada to San Quintin and south. And on the gulf side from Rosalia to La Paz and all the little pueblitos, bahias, puntas and playas in between, the fall is ripe for some outstanding fishing! Even before I set up my operation in Baja, I would always set out my calendar and chart up all the spots I was going to fish during the coming year. I would ALWAYS circle September or October in Baja and make at least one or two trips. The hardcore boys and Baja vets know what I’m talking about!

There’s a few reasons that the fall months can be especially good for you:

First, chances are, it’s gonna be a little cooler than in the summer. It can still be hot and there could still be bouts of humidity, but generally speaking, you’re not looking at the blazes of July toasting your coconut.

Second, again generally speaking, the summer storms are over, especially the deeper you go into the fall. Waters can be just as warm as summer without the air heat as well as clear and flat…just perfect for spotting those tuna boils 100 yards away; that kelp paddy up swell; or those finning dorado or tailing marlin! As well, water visibility can be incredible for getting bait, or if you’re a diver or spearfisher, for some awesome underwater activities.

Third, crowds are gone. Absent showing up right in the middle of Cabo’s Squid Roe during a tournament, many of the summer crowds are gone. Pick your spots. You could be the ONLY person on the beach or the only panga on the honey hole! Smaller crowds translate to less fishing traffic hammering the fish. Baja has more than 2000 miles of coastline so there’s a lot of choices without having to bang elbows and combat fish with 20 other boats on the same meter mark! Fish still have to eat. You might as well be the person to feed ‘em and drag a lure across their faces or drop a bait on their heads!

Fourth, prices seem to go down. Air rates often drop after Labor Day although they could , of course, be higher during tournament dates or to popular locations. Same with hotel rooms, in that there are some deals and packages to be had if you look around. Hotels want heads-on-beds! If you’re driving the Baja, look for less tourism traffic near the border as well as along the Transpeninsular. Hotels will have better vacancies. . Gas availability will generally be better. If you stay away from driving during holidays, you also tend to get fewer cargo trucks and local traffic as well.

There’s a few caveats, no doubt. Like all places near the ocean or involving ocean activities, I speak only in generalities because things can and do change. The deeper you go into the fall, the greater the chances the winds will come up and start rolling out’ve the north. This is especially true inside the Sea of Cortez. If you start looking too deeply into say…November, fishing could change drastically in terms of species and weather. Where I am in La Paz, winds could start shifting in late October. Same for the East Cape. Loreto and points north could get winds even earlier. Or not! Also, book as far in advance as possible to get the best rates and availabilities and if at all possible…Do NOT travel on Sundays! Everyone wants to go places on Sundays (like back to work the next day!) and it’s traditionally the most crowded and most expensive time to travel.

Just some food for thought, amigos. Fall is a great time for the Baja!