LIGHTEN UP!
Originally Published the Week of March 3, 2010 in Western Outdoor News
So, the airlines are making it hard to bring all your toys on your Baja trip. They’re charging for everything (or taking it away if it looks anything like a weapon). Well, it is what it is. Times have changed.
No matter what we feel about the airlines and how much we want to gnash our teeth lie on the floor and kick our feet in the air that we’re getting “ripped off”, I have news for you. Just like you and me, the airlines are in business to make money. At least, they don’t wanna lose money!
So, just accept that the days of hauling down giant ice chests and 30 rods are long gone unless you want to pay extra. So, it’s time to “go guerilla” and figure ways around the baggage games.
For rods, your two key words are “shorter” and “fewer.” Since airlines generally are going to charge you for things being over-sized and/or overweight, go for shorter rods. As much as you’d love to bring along that 9-foot throwing stick, you’ll be fine with rods under 7′. Most of my own Baja sticks are closer to 6′ actually.
As well, if you’re going with a buddy, each of you doesn’t need 10 sticks just to fish a few days in Baja. That’s overkill. Combine both of your rods into one rod tube and bring only what you honestly will use. This way you share the costs.
For ice chests scale down as well. The days of hauling down the big white “coffins” are long gone. Most international flights now limit you to only 50 pounds on the average. Sure, you can pay extra and sometimes it’s worth it for those extra fillets (hard to get fresh dorado in Wyoming!) , but usually beyond a certain limit, the airlines won’t even take it. So, if you fill a 100 qt. ice chest full of fillets and it weighs 100 pounds, the airlines might turn you away.
In our experience over the years, a 35-40 quart ice chest full of frozen fillets weighs just about 50 pounds. One other thing, if you buy ice chests with wheels, those wheels add an extra few pounds to the overall weight so take that into consideration.
Also, those ice chests that advertise staying cold for multiple days are great, but they do have more insulation and hold less fish. Think about it. In most cases, you’ll be home the same day you leave Baja, your fish will be fine in a regular ice chest.
On thing you may want to consider is purchasing an ice chest in Baja. This serves two benefits.
One is that you’re not paying extra to bring an empty ice chest down to Baja. The 2nd thing is that when you come home, you can go shop for an ice chest that specifically accommodates your frozen fish.
In the past, ice chest used to be quite expensive in Baja and in many places still are. However, with the advent of the big Mexican chain stores like Aramburo, Gigante, Centro Commercial, La Ley, City Club as well as COSTCO, Sam’s Club and Walmart, everything is getting cheaper. Still pricier than back home, but much better.
As long as you’re packing that fish, whether you or your captains/deckhand cleans your fish or you have someone else clean and pack your fish, consider having you fish cut as lean and clean as possible.
Given that every extra bit of weight counts, there’s no sense in bringing home pieces of fish with blood lines in it, heads, tails or other parts that you don’t plan to eat or will trim yourself later anyway.
Most boat crews are happy to do it. Toss them an extra buck or two. If your fish is being vacuum sealed for you, see if they’ll re-trim the fish.
One technique that has always worked for me in the past was to take my ice chest dow, but pack all my clothes in a duffle. I never needed much clothing in tropical Baja anyway. I stuffed the duffle into the ice chest to take it down.
Coming back, the duffle full of stinky fishing clothes now becomes a carry-on and my ice chest is now full (hopefully) of fish! No extra bags and no empty ice chests.
Several of our more ingenious clients purchase their fishing clothes at outlet stores and swapmeets. They buy inexpensive shorts and t-shirts. Then, when they depart, they leave the clothes in their hotel room. The clothes will get washed by someone and used again, but now, the anglers come home without the weight of extra clothes.
That’s our story. Jonathan is the Baja Editor for Western Outdoor News. If you’d like to contact Jonathan directly, you can e-mail him at riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com
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