That's My Story

PHOTO: Small roosters on the splasher! Catch and release. Single barbeless hooks are best to minimize damage to the fish and fascilitate releases.

ALL THAT COMMOTION!

Originally published the week of May 15, 2008 Western Outdoor News

Admit it. It’s fun to torment small animals. I don’t mean in a bad way so please no cards and letters! I do not hate animals.

But being high up on the food chain, we upright single-eyebrow-Neanderthals like to exert our superiority over the lesser species. C’mon. Before you judge me, how many times have you guffawed while rolling a ball past your cat watching him pounce on it over and over? Or taken your flashlight and run your poor family pooch all over the house and up the wall chasing the bouncing beam of light?

Yea, you know you do! That’s why American’s Funniest Home Videos made a zillion bucks.

Well, the last few weeks, I’ve been doing more than my usual share of topwater fishing with light tackle. The waters around our spot here in La Paz warmed early bringing with it a multitude of species we normally don’t see so early like dorado and marlin mixing it up with inshore species like pargo, jack crevalle, roosterfish, sierra, plus non-stop bonito and skipjack. In fact, these are just a few of the many species that have shown up.

Not that I’m bored or anything, but if you want to have some fun, try fishing surface poppers and other top water tackle on these fish. Even when fish are finicky, the predatory instinct in them that causes them to pounce and strike is an irresistible urge. It’s much like your kitty who yawns at a ball of yarn that just sits there, but will leap across the room to assault the yarn if it’s rolled across the floor.

Fish are like that too. Especially the hunters who can be enticed if you make a commotion or drag something across their faces.

Poppers and splashers are my favorites because there’s nothing like seeing a fish on the surface attack a lure where you can see the viciousness of the attack. For those of you who grew up fishing in S.California waters, you remember the old bonito splasher rigs. Essentially, they were cone shaped styrofoam , cork or wooden cylinders that had a big concave mouth.

The main line was tied to the big-mouth end. A leader was tied to the other with a streamer fly or even a shiny spoon. Cast out and cranked as fast as you could, that poppler splashed and gurgled and resulted in huge hits.

The same thing works in Baja. I’ve had roosters, snapper, sierra, not to mention tuna and dorado simply fight each other to get the noise-maker popping on the surface.

The same effect c an be used with large commercial-grade poppers sold by numerous manufacturers. Just don’t chitty-pop them like you’re fishing for largemouth bass at the reservoir. The more and faster you crank it seems the most hits you’ll get. Just hold onto the rod. For some reason the largest fish in the school is often the one gets to the lure first.

Another great method is “skip-jigging.” Basically, you throw lighter surface iron as far as you can. Rather then letting it sink you wind like your shoulder is going to fall off. You make that jig skip along the waves. Maybe it looks like a flying fish or escaping bait fish, but I’ve gotten some of my largest fish on this technique.

Now, for the real fun…take off the hooks!

This is when you can really amp up the entertainment value. Fish will attack the lures. They sometimes bump heads in mid-air trying to jump on the splasher. Dorado knocking into each other. Tuna wacking each other out of the air and back into the water! Often, one fish will grab the lure and run. The line goes tight like you have a hook-up. The rod bends… but there’s no hooks! The fish lets go. It comes flying back.

It hits the water with a splash only to be picked up again by another fish who tears off with it. It’s like when you a kid playing keep-away. One guy grabs it and runs from the pack being chased by everyone else. The fish is only running with it! BOING! It comes flying back out of it’s mouth and another fish grabs it.

That one lets go and the lure flies back and hits the water again. And the cycle repeats itself. Hours of cheap entertainment. Get several of you on the boat doing the same thing and watch the waters foam!

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