NO BATTERIES NEEDED
Originally Published the Week of Feb. 13, 2023 in Western Outdoor Publications
Many years ago, when hand-held GPS’s first came out, I proudly and anxiously took my new device out on the water. I was already living and working in Baja so I dailed-up my favorite captain, Victor, who was also my panga fleet manager at the time.
Just to put this in context, this was before Google maps and smart phones and every electronic doo-dad we have nowadays that can pinpoint a needle in a haystack.
This was almost 20 years ago.
Boy, I was excited. Technology at my fingertips. Imagine, a Global Positioning System just like the government and military had. It would put me on all my favorite fishing spots!
What a concept!
I showed it to Victor and told him, “Someday all the captains need to get one of these.”
He laughed and shrugged. Yea, right.
Well…I’ll show him. Seeing is believing!
So, out we went. Oh yea! I had programmed in all kinds of waypoints that I had found on various fishing maps.
And then my little electronic wonder, with all it’s orbiting satellites, beeped “stop here!”
So we did. The hotspot!
Victor cut the outboard. I looked about the flat morning sea.
We were maybe 200 yards from the beach just outside a little bay. Cerralvo Island in the distance. Famous sands of Punta Arenas just to the north.
I baited a hook with a live sardine with the anticipation of a kid at Christmas. I couldn’t get it into the water fast enough.
I tossed it into the drift and I got ready to be pulled out’ve my socks.
I told Victor in Spanish, “C’mon, amigo. Get a bait into the water!”
He laughed and sat down on the gunwale. Folded his arms. “No, gracias. Quiero mirarte. I want to watch you instead. No thanks.”
Well, I was ready. I’m gonna get hit so hard. Here it comes!
…and nothing.
…and more nothing.
Let me check the GPS again. Maybe I’m holding it wrong.
Yup, the satellites say this is the spot alright. Maybe I need to change my bait.
Reel up. Pin a new live sardine on the hook and let ‘er fly.
Now, we’re cooking with gas! Now, the rod is going to get torn right outta my hands. Here we go…
…and nothing.
…and still more nothing.
I look back at Victor. Smirking and smiling. Arms still crossed across his chest sitting there being very entertained.
I hated seeing that stupid-a#% grin!
“Que pasa, amigo? Hay algo mal con su machinito?” he laughs. “What’s happening? Is something wrong with your little machine?”
“Possible se quebro!” He adds with a hiked eyebrow. “Maybe it’s broken!”
More laughs. Actually more like a guffaw.
“Si, pienso que no esta funcionando.” Yes, I think it is not working. I responded in frustrating Spanish.
Yes, that must be it.
He stands up off the gunwale. Big exhale.
He gazes shoreward to the north. Then a slow turn south. He stretches his calloused tanned fingers about 6 inches between thumb and forefinger.
Holds his fingers at arms length.
He lines up an old shack on the beach.
He smiles. And he winks at me.
Starts the outboard. And moves the panga about 30 yards closer to the beach.
Cuts the motor.
“Aqui, amigo. Ponga su linea aqui,” he cackles. Put your line in here. “Vamos a ver que pasa”. Let’s see what happens.
New bait on the hook. Line in the water.
Within seconds, line is ripping from my reel. I set the brake.
FISH ON! BENDO!
I look back at Victor. Still smirking. Arms across his chest again. He shrugs his shoulders and laughs his self-satisfied laugh.
Pretty proud of himself. He got me.
He beat my techno-toy with some simple triangulation borne of 30 years on the water.
As I fight the tuna on the end of my line, Victor busies himself at the stern of the panga. I hear him say to himself, but loud enough for me to hear.
“Soy mejor de jugetes electronicos. Ellos se quebran. Victor nunca! No faltan baterias.
(I’m better than electronic toys. They break. Victor never breaks. And I don’t need batteries.)
…and that laugh again! So entertained by himself.
“No baterias pero a veces una cerveza” (…no batteries but maybe at times a beer)
Victor said this more loudly looking at me …and then at the ice chest …and back again to me.
I put away my GPS. Go ahead amigo. You earned it. I smiled back and gave him a thumbs-up.
…and grab the gaff too. I got color.
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.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: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
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Jonathan Roldan’s
Tailhunter International
Website:
www.tailhunter-international.com
Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
U.S. Mailing Address: Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA 91942
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863
.
Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report: http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/
Tailhunter YouTube Video Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvdHL_p4-OAu3HfiVzW0g
“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.”
That's My Story 
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