BENT RODS AND BIG SALTY HEARTS

November 9, 2015 by riplipboy

All the fishermen for just one of so many Baja tournaments! This one the Los Cabos Western Outdoor News Tuna Jackpot.

BENT RODS and BIG SALTY HEARTS

Originally Published the Week of Nov. 10, 2015 in Western Outdoor News

As I write this, we have just completed the first day of the 16^th Annual Western Outdoor News Tuna Jackpot Tournament here in Cabo San Lucas. If you’ve never seen or participated in something like this, or any major sportfishing tournament, add it to your bucket list.

It’s an incredible spectacle.

This year, we have 143 fishing teams and almost 600 anglers. Add in non-fishing friends, family, crews, sponsors, celebrities and support staff, this is a 5-day fiesta on a massive scale for about 2000 people! This makes it the largest tournament in Cabo San Lucas. Actually, it’s the largest in Baja.

In terms of prize money, the awesome Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin tournament has a bigger payout. But, almost $700 thousand in prize money here right now is nothing to sneeze at and it’s a lot of fun.

This is just one of so many tournaments here in Cabo San Lucas. Bisbees actually hosts two tournaments here in Cabo and another on the East Cape. When international tournaments like this current Western Outdoor News Tuna Jackpot; the Bisbee’s; and others take place, they can pretty much take over a town. From the largest cities to even the smallest fishing pueblos, where it can be the social event of the season.

It’s like that for tournaments in from Loreto, to the East Cape and Ensenada to Mulege naming just a few. The circus comes to town. And the music, clowns and hoopla come with it.

I heard one disgruntled ex-pat grumble under his breath that, “The tournaments bring nothing but noise and traffic and turns the town into ‘gringo-landia.’”

I found that rather amusing. Here was an ex-pat gringo living in Cabo San Lucas, a world-wide tourism mecca, complaining that Cabo was too “gringo” during the tournaments.

That’s like saying Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles or East Los Angeles is too “Mexican.”

The grumpy guy had a point. Yes, a lot of gringos come to town for tournaments. I mean, that’s the point.

But, they bring a lot more than just noise, traffic and a lot of whoop-dee-doo at the margaritas bars. All these visitors fill hotel rooms; eat at restaurants; use gas; buy bait; rent boats; use services; buy a lot of t-shirts and souvenirs; etc.

Even our own tournament here right now in Cabo…2000 people have to sleep somewhere. They consume a lot of food and spend a lot of money.

Today 143 boats full of fuel, bait, boxed lunches and cases of beer went out. That’s a lot of economic well-being for the locals. That’s a lot of charter boats and crews, captains and gear.

That’s a lot of tax revenue as well. And, as I write this, they’re going out again tomorrow and still have 2 more days of events.

And this happens with all of these “gringo” events. Wealth gets spread around!

A lot of “wealth” comes back in terms of prize money also. Sure, there’s money and prizes to be won. You hear so much about some of these big-money events.

But, what often isn’t publicized is how much these sports events benefit the local communities in other non-direct ways.

Last year, after devastating Hurricane Odile rampaged through Baja, this current tournament raised enough donation money and sales from t-shirts and other items to build 15 complete homes for families who lost their houses to the storm. Several huge truckloads of clothing and shoes were also brought down as well.

This year, donation are benefitting Cabo Smiles International which provides dental and oral surgery for impoverished kids. As I write this more than $3000 is already in the kitty.

The Bisbee Tournament organizers have been donating to the communities for many many years on many levels. For instance, two weeks ago, they donated marlin provided food for a reported 1600 people.

Many folks think the popular “Stars and Stripes Tournament” is all about Americans. Actually, the “stars” stand for the kids who benefit from medical supplies and medical equipment and the “stripes” are the striped marlin of the tournament.

Since 1993 in Loreto, the “Fishin’ for the Mission” Yellowtail Tournament has benefited not only the historic Loreto Mission, but also the Loreto orphanage. This tournament is very unique because ALL of the money goes to charity as well as extra funds raised during the tournament through sales and auctions.

The Lynn Rose East Coast Classic Tournament is another prominent example of generosity in Los Barriles on the East Cape. For many years, the money raised has built playgrounds as well as provided school buses and vans for the local kids.

In La Paz, where we live, smaller scale events have raised supplies for school kids; food for the senior citizens homes; scholarships for underprivileged families.

These kinds of things go on weekly at events up and down the Baja peninsula. Without a lot of fanfare or recognition.

I am reminded that as a gringo myself in Baja for 20 years, we are guests of Mexico and American ambassadors to this host country. We are grateful that we are allowed to do what we do and bring down other gringos to share so many things that Baja has to offer.

By the same token, we’re grateful to all the big hearts who take away memories, fish filets and Kodak moments, but also leave something behind because of their generosity. It’s win-win all the way around.

That’s my story!

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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

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