Just having bait isn’t enough if you don’t know how to use it correctly!

“HOW YOU WIGGLE YOUR WORM”

Originally Published the Week of June 10, 2013 in Western Outdoor News

In the annals of bathroom graffiti, it’s probably not hall-of-fame material as far as that genre of graffiti goes.  But in our Tailhunter Restaurant here in La Paz, someone scribbled this in the men’s restroom:

“It’s not the size of the rod, it’s how your wiggle your worm.”

Any business owner knows that you have to wear many hats. Being the big-time chief executive officer and chairmain of the board and also head of bathroom graffiti eradication, I happened to be scrubbing it off the wall chuckling.   Beyond the most obvious bathroom connotations,  there’s a point of pescatory wisdom in there as well.

How one wiggles, jiggles or shakes one’s “worm” does make a difference and those nuances can make a big difference in your fishing experiences on a given day.

A perfect example is the type of fishing being experienced in many Baja locations this time of year.  We’re in a “transition” period as waters warm and we move out’ve spring and into summer conditions.  Cooler waters can still be found but there’s quite a mix of water situations both on the surface as well as vertically through the water columns with different thermoclines changing as the waters deepen.

The result is that the spring and early summer can often be a mecca of so many different varieties of fish and opportunities for anglers looking for changing angling experiences.

Here in La Paz is a perfect example.

Cool water inshore species such as yellowtail, amberjack, cabrilla, pargo, sierra and pompano can be caught while in the warmer water areas, billfish such as marlin and sailfish are starting to rev things up.  Likewise, bluewater species such as dorado, wahoo and tuna can be caught as well.  Add in roosterfish, jack crevalle, bonito and others and you probably won’t find this kind of variety during any other time of the Baja fishing season.

However, bait presentation a.k.a. “wiggling your worm” can make a big difference over what you catch.

For instance over all the decades here in Baja working and guiding plus working  on other boats out’ve S. California, I’ve noticed a few things.

Take dorado.  They don’t like dead bait as much as spirited live bait.  In fact, the livelier the better.  It’s like a cat.  If you put a ball in front of kitty, he’ll just stare at it.  But, if you roll that ball past Kitty, he pounces.  Same with dorado.

Big baits or small baits don’t matter to dorado.  I’ve seen 18-inch juveniles attack 10-inch mackerel or big caballitos.  I’ve seen 40-pound bull dorado fight each other for 4 inch sardines…as long as the sardines are moving!

On the other hand, tuna can be fussier in their own way.  The smaller ones will take anything live or dead.  But, I’ve seen a tendency for a bit of laziness.

Tuna…and especially the larger ones…in a given school prefer the smaller baits.  And, they don’t mind slurping up dead ones or parts of dead ones!  That’s why chumming and chunking are so effective.

Chunks of dead bait are just fine.  They’re lazy fish.  They don’t necessarily like to have to chase their food.   So, if you don’t have small dead baits, then chunks of bigger baits like squid, mackerel, jacks are just fine by them!

Rock fish like cabrilla, yellowtail and amberjack won’t generally eat dead baits but yellowtail and amberjack don’t want to chase too hard for their live baits.  Somewhat like larger tuna.

However, these “structure fish” tend to stick close to protection and will dart out to strike their prey.  Therefore, the closer you fish that live bait to their hiding spots like rocks, reefs, weeds and cliffs, the better your chances.

Yellowtail are a bit pickier…the FASTER and LIVLIER that bait, the more it gets their juices rolling.  That’s why yo-yo jig fishermen prefer high-speed reels when they fish their lures.  That’s to get those lures moving FAST through the water.

Beach and shore fish like jack crevalle, pompano and roosterfish have a weird tweak.  They don’t even need to be hungry to chase a bait.  They’re just aggressive fish.

But, they will take the liveliest bait and run with it and not eat it!  They will tear into sardine schools, ballyhoo, caballitos, mullet and lady fish and simply terrorize the school.  Just because!  No other reason!

I’ve seen them rip into the baitfish and leave dead and thrashing baits lying around on the surface or grab a big baitfish like a ladyfish (sabalo) and merely gnaw it up like a bit dog gnaws on socks.  Then, tosses it into the air and lets it go.

While other species might come back for injured baits, some of these “beach bullies “simply swim off and let the gulls and pelicans deal with the maimed!

So, fishing for these fish, just be prepared for the bite with the liveliest bait  but then give it time so make sure the fish also has the hook!   If it drops the bait, even if the bait seems dead and floating, some quick jerks on the line can cause the jacks to turn and erupt for a second pickup…and your hookup!

That’s my story!

Jonathan

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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004.  Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico  www.tailhunter-international.com.  They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront.  If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com  or drop by the restaurant to say hi!

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Jonathan Roldan’s

Tailhunter International

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