That's My Story

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED WEEK OF SEPT. 17, 2006 IN WESTERN OUTDOOR NEWS

PICKING THROUGH THE TRASH!

So there I was this past week working the panga with clients hunting for dorado on the fishing grounds. After a storm, especially like the huge hurricane that ripped through the Baja two weeks ago, you’re crazy not to go out and chase the mahi.

I hate when we have storms. I mean, I love watching it and it’s nice to get some “change” instead of 100 degree sunshine day-in-and-day-out as long as folks are safe. However, from the perspective of fishing, it’s the pits. We have to cancel trips. We have to refund money and there’s nothing more surly than a group of anglers being told they CANNOT go fishing. The longer they sit around drinking beer too, the grumpier they get! Can’t say I blame ‘em.

However, once the sun comes blazing back out, it’s prime time dorado season as far as I’m concerned. Mainly, there’s so much junk in the water, it’s like putting cookies on the table in front of 2nd graders and seeing if they’ll eat ‘em!

When I say “junk” I use the term lightly. To me, it’s not necessarily trash. Indeed, in most cases it’s not. Generally it’s all the stuff that gets washed off the terra firma and into the water. Sure, it certainly can mean trash (aka garbage!) as well as parts of houses, buildings and other man-made items that got launched then laundered by the storm. However, moreso it’s all the grass, sticks, brush and even whole trees that get carried to sea by Mother Nature.

You folks in S. California chase fish under kelp paddies, right? You know how prolific the right paddy can be, right? Well, imagine a kelp paddy the size of a city block or a line of paddies several miles long snaking along a current line. Well, that’s the kind of debris I’m talking about and it can be dorado city if you hit it right! Not only that, but other fish also take up residence in these areas.

Very often, the lines of clutter will follow current breaks. Fish of all kinds, not just dorado, but also marlin, tuna and other species hang out in current breaks but now have the benefit of the cover provided by the debris. Additionally some fish such as flying fish, dorado and other species lay their eggs in these areas providing food for small and larger fish alike and soon a whole eco-system…a food chain if you will…suddenly materializes within days of the storms. A smart angler knows how to work the trash lines!

If you have a fish finder or temp guage, use your tools and learn to distinguish between a submerged log and a school of wahoo or dorado. Remember, logs and trash down swim and don’t move against the current. With your temp guage work the warmer sides of the current break. Also, for Pete’s sake, while you’re looking at all the toys on your instrument panel, don’t forget to look up once in awhile while you’re driving the boat. Don’t be a Gilligan! There’s nothing like hitting a submerged palm tree or a tangle of mesquite branches with your hull or props to screw up your warranty or ruin your fishing day! Definitely, don’t go blasting through the zone full throttle.

Slow troll the area with live or dead bait or slow swimming lures like Rapalas or skittering lures like your spreader bar, birds or flat headed lures that “pop” and jump like flying fish or other baitfish. One trick one of my captains uses is to catch bonito and strip them out. He then ties chunks to submerged logs in an area. He then comes back later and often there’s fish congregated in the area. Keep your eyes open for feeding fish or birds diving an area of trash. It can produce great results! If you get to a mass of brush, throw a handful of baits at it and see what pops up. I have seen dorado near the surface, tuna underneath and marlin on the perimeter of one of these fish hotels.

Also, sad to say, a lot of animals also get washed out to sea. Cows and other wild critters like seals get killed in the maelstrom. Floating carcasses can also hold a tremendous amount of fish as small bait feed off the body attracting the larger predators.

On a more important subject, I just got some information from our amigo, Eddie Dalmau, who reps the Van Wormer Resorts on the East Cape and wanted to share it with you:

EAST CAPE HURRICANE RELIEF I’m getting a lot of phone calls and e-mails from folks eager to lend a hand to those Baja residents who’s lives were devastated by Hurricane John on Sept. 1st. The category 3 storm ripped up areas of La Ribera, Buenavista, Los Barriles, Mulege, Santa Rosalia and pueblitos in between. Most of the hotels have recovered, but many in the community are not so fortunate to have the means to re-build as they live on or near the poverty level.

As most of you have already heard, Hurricane John made landfall in the East Cape area of Baja California on Friday, September 1, 2006. This category three hurricane, with winds clocked at more than 150 mph devastated the local communities of La Ribera, Buena Vista, Los Barriles, Mulege and Santa Rosalia. As the hotels in the area continue to rebuild, many in the community are not as fortunate. According to Eddie Dalmau who reps for the Van Wormer Resorts, Charlene Wenger of the East Cape Community Urgent Care Clinic, has informed him that they have set up several command centers in the area to help those in need. They are distributing food, water, clothes, building materials, and financial aid to those effected. Funds are limited and diminishing quickly. For those of you who would like to show your support for the residents of the East Cape, the clinic is asking for cash donations. Any contribution will be greatly appreciated. 100% of the money collected will go to the East Cape relief effort. Please send your donations to: Van Wormer Resorts, C/O: East Cape Community Urgent Care Clinic, 24007 Ventura Blvd, #265, Calabasas, CA 91302. Please make all checks payable to: East Cape Community Urgent Care Clinic, AC. By the way, I’m typing this up and we’re waiting for tropical storm Lane to turn into a hurricane this weekend. What a year! I better head to the store to load up on water and batteries again! I’m trying to send this to the California office before I lose power again!

That’s my story. If you ever want to reach me, my e-mail is riplipboy@aol.com.