That's My Story

CATCH PHOTO RELEASE – Published March ’05 – Western Outdoor News

It was one of those good days when you pull onto the beach after being on the boats all day and everyone is on the beach. Boats are lined up bow pointed up and motors still getting lapped by the small waves. Before we even run the panga up the berm, I could already tell it was a good day. I could see guys taking photos and I could hear the laughing and horseplay. I could hear ‘em all talking smack to each other and if I listened carefully, I could just about detect the sound of icy Pacificos being clinked together in celebration.

I could see fish being cleaned and the best tell-tale sign of all…birds diving for scraps and scores of pelicans looking for any handouts and ready to do battle with any gaviota willing to get in the way of some bit of carcass. Just like that kid’s movie “Nemo” I could hear the gulls milling thickly overhead yelling “Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!” in unison. I say “hear” because there’s no way I was gonna look up and perchance catch a “present” in my eye. Guys could see our panga pulling in and were happily waving us to charge up onto the beach. I could tell there were anglers who wanted their photos taken “by the guy from Western Outdoors” (Grinning)

When you’re in the business of putting people on fish, you can’t help but exhale a bit when you know at the end of the day that everyone is happy. You do your best to control the things you can control, but in the end, guys in our business really have no control over the very thing our customers are buying…fish! Nor can I control the weather or the wind or any of those things and it sometimes makes for a nervous day on my part in a sometimes perilous career. I’ve often said that when it’s a funky day on the water, I can literally feel the “bulls-eye” growing on my back.

Today was not one of those days and today my conscience and backside would remain un-marked. Hijole! There were a lot of fish today. Everyone had lots of dorado…and tuna…and some roosters over there…and skipjack…and this guy got into some amberjack and several of the boats were high-fiving themselves for finding the wahoo “honey-hole.”

“Your operation is the best, Jonathan!” or something like that was heard more than once, but hey…I really don’t have anything to do with that. The fish bit. I didn’t make ‘em jump in the boat nor did I have anything to do with the bait or currents. Baja was just good to us today. But I guess I’ll take the back-slaps now to make up for those days when it’s also my fault when the fishing is bad and I have the “worst operation in the Baja.”

As I watched all the beach activities and especially at all the ice chests that were getting filled, I was approached by one of my senior skippers who handed me a beer and nodded that guy-bonding thing we all know when a good day’s work has been done. We clinked long-necks and took a frosty pull. I asked him something I’ve always wanted to ask.

“You have been fishing these same waters for 30 years, Victor. Is the fishing still as good? Can we keep fishing like this?” I asked as we leaned against the gunwale of a panga and watched all the fish being loaded.

He paused before he answered in Spanish. His eyes narrowed and he spoke slowly.

“Jonathan, I think the tuna and dorado are OK. Some years they are better than others, but mostly they are fine. I am happy that I see more gringos and even captains, especially the younger ones, putting fish back in the water. However, I think many of the other fish are gone. Commercial fishing for garopa (grouper), cabrilla (seabass), huachinango (snapper and pargo) and other fish like sharks are all gone. We took too many. They are still taking them.”

I guess it wasn’t the right question to ask on a day when we should have been celebrating. Victor took a swig from his beer and somberly walked back to tend to the cleaning of his panga with a heavier gait in his stride. Something to think about amid the laughs. “We took too many,” he had said. Hmmmmmm…

I guess I notice how more anglers, captains and fleets are encouraging catch and release. I hear more of my own clients ask if it’s OK to release fish or is it OK if they just take some fish for dinner. I see more billfish released each year and guys actually get testy when someone drags a bill back to the beach. But, I’d by yanking your chain if I told you that I don’t get worried sometimes. I’m as guilty as others. I started fishing in an age when we thought there would always be fish. The ocean had an unlimited supply. But times have changed and there’s something about not throwing rocks in glass houses. I make a conscious effort to keep an eye on my own catch. I really try to not bust so many fish and release more and encourage it in my clients. But, in Baja, it’s not easy. Not when fishing can be incredibly WFO.

I was watching one of Mike Fowlkes excellent “Inside Sportfishing” videos once. It was one of his Baja features. Don’t ask me which ones, but Mike has always been an excellent writer. He said something to the effect that (with apologies to Mike), “We have to practice C.P.R….Catch Photo Release more often. The time to think about releasing a fish is NOT when you’re in the heat of battle and the bloodlust is strong. It’s BEFORE you ever get bit.” I gotta remember that.

That’s my story. . .
Jonathan