Archive for May, 2014

A DEARTH of ‘DINES

Posted in airlines, aquaculture, bahia de los muertos, bahia de los suenos, Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja fishing lures, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Baja Rockfish, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, camping, car, cerralvo, cerralvo island, charity, charters, circle hooks, donations, dorado, driving, east cape, ecotourism, el sargento, espirito santo, family, farm-raised, fish, fish farming, fish pens, Fishing, fishing blogs, fishing hooks, Fishing lures, fishing packages, fishing reports, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tips, fishing tournaments, fishing trips, fishing videos, flyfishing, freediving, giant squid, green, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, jack crevalle, Jonathan Roldan, kids, kids fishing, La Paz, La Paz Fishing, la ventana, las arenas, Leisure, light tackle, Living in Mexico, los barriles, marlin, Mexican, Mexican business, Mexican culture, Mexico, Mexico economy, Mexico life, outfitters, packages, packing, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, pompano, rentals, road trip, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, Sea of Cortez, seafood, sierra, spearfishing, sportfishing, squid fishing, Sun stroke, sustainable, Tailhunter International, techniques, tourism, tours, transpeninsular highway, Travel, tuna, tuna tournament, Uncategorized, vacations, vehicle, wahoo, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged amberjack, bahia de los muertos, bahia de los suenos, bahia magdalena, bait, baja, beach, billfish, blogs, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, catch and release, cerralvo, charter, charts, children, costa baja resort hotel, discount, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tourism, el sargento, espirito santo, family, fish, fish farm, fish pen, Fishing, flyfishing, freediving, green, guides, holiday, hotel, hotel 7 crown, hotel el moro, hotel marina, hotel perla, igfa, images, isla, Jonathan Roldan, kids, la concha beach resort, La Paz, la ventana, las arenas, los barriles, mahi mahi, marlin, mexican, mexico, morro, outfitters, packages, pargo, photos, reports, roosterfish, sailfish, san jose del cabo, sardines, sea of cortez, sierra, snapper, snorkel, spearfishing, sportfishing, sustainable, swimming, tackle, Tailhunter International, techniques, tips, tours, tuna, vacation, video, wahoo, website, western outdoor news, whale, whalesharks, whalewatching, wife, women, world records, yellowtail on May 25, 2014| Leave a Comment »

NO MAS????

A DEARTH of ‘DINES

Originally Published the Week of May 27, 2014 in Western Outdoor News

It’s an early Baja morning and the sun was just starting to light up with golden blue hues against the western horizon. The heat would soon follow, but for now, the dawn was still freshly-tinged with the salty residue of the retreating night.

It is early enough that skippers and anglers alike still hunched shoulders in windbreakers and sweatshirts against the nippy breeze and spray knowing full-well that the sun would soon throw open the furnace blast of another Mexican day. But, there was no hiding the anxious anticipation of another grand fishing day in the Sea of Cortez.

The panga motored as quietly as possible into the little rocky cove. Several other pangas were already up against the craggy shoreline of the island. In the bows, a skipper or assistant could be seen with cast nets draped over shoulders and squinting sunglassed-covered eyes into the shallow waters.

The captain of this particular launch cut the motor and drifted toward a little warren of rocks. He jumped lightly forward to the prow. Readied his net and with a circular fling; expertly tossed the cast net into the air where it hung; pancaked open; and fell flatly into the waters.

As the captains pulled the drawstring of the net enclosing the snare and drew it towards the waiting panga and anxious anglers, something appeared wrong. Usually, the “pull” of the net would be evidenced by some bit of strain and effort by the captain.

But, he pulled the net effortlessly up.

Normally, with a grunt, the skipper would heave the bulging net up-and-over above the live bait well and with another pull a “zillion trillion” thrashing, splashing, struggling dark-backed sardines (‘dines) would tumble en masse into the waiting waters of the bait tank.

Two or three quick tosses more and the panga would be loaded. Then it would be a sprint to the fishing grounds heavily bulging with hook-sized bait and high on anticipation for another day of bent-rods and bloody decks.

But, this time there was no grunt-and-heave. The net came up virtually empty. Four mini-sardines…FOUR…were released into the bait tank. A dozen more net tosses and 90 minutes of searching and scouring produced only a handful of baits for their efforts.

Each fruitloss toss-and-retrieve caused shoulders to sag.

Nothing like starting the fishing day where elation and anticipation backslids into deflation. No bait?

The other pangas did not do much better. They would end up making the best of the day with sliced bonito; a few live ballyhoo; some scrounged mackerel and some chopped-up squid. Just not quite the same as being able to chum handfuls of sardines into the water to get the fish going.

It’s been happening with increased frequency in Baja waters. Especially this year as a combination of variables seems to be combining for a “perfect storm” in terms of bait.

Part of it can’t be helped. It’s nature. Nature does what nature does and it’s like trying to stop sand from getting in your hot dog at the beach. It’s gonna happen.

This appears to be an El Nino season. But, moreso, the scientists are saying maybe it’s a “super” El Nino season with the warmest water and air temperatures in the history of recording el Nino conditions.

The cycle pops up every few years and, in a nutshell, means warmer ocean conditions along the Eastern Pacific coast along the western side of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Warmer waters mean more storms; higher incidence of hurricane. It’s the reason folks in Washington encounter stray dorado and tuna that lose their way in the warm currents and head far more north than their usual comfort zone.

But, these warmer waters mean the colder waters from the deep trenches don’t come to the surface. The cooler waters bring the nutrients. The nutrients bring the bait fish. The bait fish provide food for the sportfish. Are you following this? One big circle of nature. And tag…this is us this year. Warm waters = less bait.

The other side of the equation is perhaps more ominous. Some would say even a bit sinister. Because we’re doing it to ourselves. We can’t do much about El Nino. But, us humans aren’t doing much to help ourselves either.

It’s the fish pens. You’ve heard of them. The controversial but apparently successful capture of juvenile tuna and yellowtail in huge nets then raising them in a net-like corral. Grow ‘em big and sell ‘em off. It works. It’s great. It’s economical.

Supply and demand. The planet craves seafood. Heck, it needs food period! The fish pens help fill the need. If it didn’t work, they wouldn’t be using it.

Here’s the rub. Everyone gets the impression that fishing farms are “green.” And there’s a lot of controversy about that. I guess it depends who you’re reading.

But, I’ve read that it takes anywhere from 3-10 pounds of “bait food” to grow a tuna one pound bigger. . So, let’s see…to grow a 50 pound tuna? Do the simple math. Hmmmm…that’s a lot of food. It has to come from somewhere.

Arguably, wherever they have set up these “pens” they have depleted the bait stocks. Pretty much raided everything in the waters that could be used or ground up into fish meal. It reminds me of those days when the cattle or sheep came to an area and ate all the grass that held the soil. Resulting in dust bowls. Are we headed for a “toilet bowl?” Are we destined to be live-sized versions of the Tidy Bowl man adrift in blue water?

Here, in La Paz, the head of La Paz Tourism, Sr. Pedro Aguilar told me that the fishfarmers are prohibited from taking bait in the bay and around our two islands. However, our local sportfishing captains tell me that the bait guys from the pens are out at night scouring those very areas capturing all the bait they can get.

The other side is that all the “waste” product has to go somewhere and it’s going right into the waters and creating a whole separate ecological issue. Tons of “fish poo” isn’t a good thing, especially in these shallow areas where the pens are located and ocean currents aren’t there to sluice out the after-product.

If you’ve ever even seen what your kid’s goldfish can do to a home fish bowl after a few days of not changing the water, imagine what a net load of fat tuna can squeeze out.

It’s not just here. It seems to be happening all over. And again, we have the challenge of balancing the need for food; the ecosystem; the sportsmen…and then, of course the corporate interests.

So…a double whammy curse on us. And I don’t know what to do about it. Awfully discouraging.

That’s our story!

_______________

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!

______________

Jonathan Roldan’s

Tailhunter International

TAILHUNTER FISHING FLEET #1 Rated on Trip Advisor

TAILHUNTER RESTAURANT BAR #1 Rated in La Paz on Trip Advisor

Now follow us on FACEBOOK TOO

Website: www.tailhunter-international.com

U.S. Office: 8030 La Mesa, Suite #178, La Mesa CA 91942

Mexico Office: 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:

http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate

“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”

Read Full Post »

“FIRST TIMER CHECKLIST”

Posted in airlines, aquaculture, bahia de los muertos, bahia de los suenos, Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja fishing lures, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Baja Rockfish, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, camping, car, cerralvo, cerralvo island, charters, circle hooks, Dehydration, donations, dorado, driving, east cape, ecotourism, el sargento, espirito santo, family, fish, Fishing, fishing blogs, fishing hooks, Fishing lures, fishing packages, fishing reports, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tips, fishing tournaments, fishing trips, fishing videos, flyfishing, freediving, giant squid, Heat stroke, highway, holidays in mexico, humboldt squid, ice chests, inshore fishing, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, jack crevalle, Jonathan Roldan, kids, kids fishing, La Paz, La Paz Fishing, la ventana, las arenas, Leisure, light tackle, Living in Mexico, los barriles, luggage, marlin, Mexican, Mexican business, Mexican culture, Mexico, Mexico economy, Mexico life, Mexico neighborhood, outfitters, pack for a purpose, packages, packing, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, planning, pompano, rentals, road trip, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, saving money, Sea of Cortez, seafood, sierra, spearfishing, sportfishing, squid fishing, suitcases, Sun stroke, Tailhunter International, techniques, tourism, tours, Travel, trolling tips, tuna, Tuna jackpot, tuna tournament, Uncategorized, vacations, vehicle, wahoo, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged amberjack, bahia de los muertos, bahia de los suenos, baja, billfish, blogs, bonito, booking, Cabo San Lucas, charters, day tours, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tours, el sargento, family, flights, flyfishing, freediving, girl, holiday, hotels, isla cerralvo, isla espirito santo, jack crevalle, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, la ventana, las arenas, lodging. packages, los barriles, luggage, marlin, mexican, mexico, outfitters, pargo, pez gallo, photos, pompano, reports, roosterfish, sailfish, san jose del cabo, scuba, sea of cortez, snapper, snorkel, spearfishing, stories, swimming, Tailhunter International, techniques, tips, tournaments, tours, tuna, vacation, wahoo, wife, women, yellowtail on May 12, 2014| Leave a Comment »

FIRST TIMER CHECKLIST FOR BAJA MEXICO

Originally Published the in Western Outdoor News the Week of May 14, 2014

Despite the media blitz about violence…despite past warnings of swine flu…and a downturned economy, Mexico has one of the fastest growing tourism economies in the world right now. In fact, it’s breaking records with something like 24 million visitors last year.

World-wide, folks are simply realizing that Mexico is a great value for a vacation destination whether they are coming from Europe, Asia or even just coming across the border whether flying from Portland or driving from Phoenix or San Diego.

For many of us, who have been visiting or actually live in Mexico, we’ve come to just take it for granted on so many levels. Especially, for fishermen in the southwestern states of the U.S. going to Mexico is about as routine as taking a camping trip to Yosemite or a run to Vegas.

But, from the perspective of someone who lives and runs a sportfishing business here in Mexico that specifically caters to tourists and sportsmen and women, we’re seeing an increased number of first-timers! Great for us, but so many questions show a commonality of interest.

You might even think that many folks who read this publication must surely know about fishing in Mexico, but there’s many who have never been south and are thinking about it.

So, a few things to think about:

First, yes, you MUST have a passport. I get this question all the time. The old days of simply having your drivers license and a copy of your birth certificate won’t work these days, especially after 9-11. For sure, you want to be sure they let you back INTO the United States after your vacation!

They are relatively easy to obtain and you can get the process started online by just hitting your search engine for U.S. passports. Or check this: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/costs.html

The thing is, just don’t wait until the last minute! Especially, as vacations times like summer…Thanksgiving…Christmas… get near. It only takes a few weeks, but slows down during high seasons and you don’t want to be “sweating bullets” waiting for the mailman as your own vacation gets closer.

Next, do some research. It can be confusing. There’s almost TOO MUCH info out there, but better to have too much than too little.

Do some research about the destination itself. Just because all of your neighbors have been there, it might not be your cup of tea. If you’re not into jet-skis and paragliding and crowds then maybe you want to check out a slower-paced place to put your toes-in-the-sand.

Or, if your wife is really into gourmet dining and shopping, then find a place that has those things. If you’re trying to use some of your time-share weeks, not all places have time shares, nor do all airlines fly every day of the week to all destinations.

Next…

Another advisory…don’t believe everything you read online. Like anything else, online websites are heavy into self-promotion. Good or bad…that’s just the way it is.

For example, if a place says it’s “near the beach” that can be two blocks; a 10 minute walk; or one mile. What exactly does “near the beach” mean?

You might also ask or find out what’s nearby to wherever you’re staying. It might look great in the online photos, but of course, they might not tell you that there’s a raucous nightclub next door that goes until 4 a.m. every morning. They might not tell you that there’s a fish processing plant upwind that provides some wonderful fragrances in the afternoon breeze.

Or, if it says, “near the beach” or “on the beach” is that a beach you can swim at? Or is that a beach that they have “no swimming signs/ no fishing signs” posted?

If you’re going to be fishing is there a freezer? If you plan to bikeride, do they have rentals? If you’re going to be windsurfing, is there a place to store your gear or will you have to carry your rig on a burro down to the beach?

If you can’t walk stairs (Mexico is a land of stairs and very few elevators) find out if there’s an elevator or do they have first-floor rooms.

Or it’s going to be too windy. Or too hot. Of it’s too far from town. The more you do ahead of time, the less you’ll have to worry about later when you’re supposed to be on vacation.

Figure out what you want to do. If you plan to fish, then go to a place where they have fishing. And find out specifically, if it’s the type of fishing you want to do at the time you want to go there.

I once got asked, “When is the salmon run in La Paz?” No lie.

I hope you’re not planning to fish for salmon in Mexico, but seriously, it makes no sense to book a place in February expecting to catch marlin. Then, you find out there’s no marlin until July!

Another time, I had a family all set asking to take surfing lessons…in Loreto…which is about 350 miles from the nearest shore break. They were sure disappointed when I had to give them a small lesson in geography.

A little research goes a long way. All places are not created equally and Mexico runs a wonderful gamut of places that are very touristy to places where you’ll be the only tourist in town! Lots of folks are finding exactly what they’re looking for south of the border.

That’s my story!