Archive for the ‘Baja Rockfish’ Category

ZING-POWIE FISH!

Posted in 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, cerralvo island, charters, circle hooks, crankbait, deep sea, dorado, 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, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, jack crevalle, kids, kids fishing, La Paz, la ventana, las arenas, light tackle, Living in Mexico, los barriles, marlin, Mexican, Mexican business, Mexican culture, mexican food, mexican food stands, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Mexico life, midriff islands, outfitters, packages, packing fish, panga, pargo, pompano, road trip, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, Sea of Cortez, spearfishing, sportfishing, storm, Tailhunter International, tours, Travel, trolling tips, tuna, Uncategorized, wahoo, Western Outdoor News, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged amberjack, bahia, Baja Mexico, beaches, billfish, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, Cerralvo Island, charter, deep sea, diving, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tours, espirito santo island, family, fish, Fishing, fishing report, Fishing Techniques, fishing tips, fishing video, fly fishing, fly fishing. Spearfishing, gray whales, grey whales, guide, holiday, igfa, inshore, jack crevalle, jill roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, los barriles, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos bay, offshore, outfitter, package, panga, pargo, pompano, rooster fish, sailfish, scuba, sea lions, sea of cortez, seabass, sierra, snorkeling, sportfishing, suenos bay, swimming, tailhunter restaurant, tuna, vacation, wahoo, whale sharks, whale watching, women, world records, yellowtail on May 19, 2019| Leave a Comment »

ZING-POWIE FISH

Originally Published the Week of May 21, 2019 in Western Outdoor Publications

DOG-TOOTH SNAPPER…THEY GET ALOT BIGGER!

There are some things we tangle with in life that we sort of lump into one big group. It’s just easier.

All facial tissue gets called “KLEENEX.”

All whirlpool tubs are called “JACUZZIS.”

On the freeway, everyone who tailgates you is a “JERK.” Everyone who blows by you at ultra speeds is “MORON.” (or worse!)

As fishermen, in many places, we call all bottom fish “ROCKFISH.”

Conversely, there are those things in life that defy description or categorization. In fact, there’s a group of fish here in Baja, that fall into that amorphous category and I call them like I see them.

They are the species I call “ZING-POWIE” fish!

So many folks come to to fish looking for the glamour species like marlin, tuna, wahoo and dorado. The ZING-POWIE fish are often overlooked.

That’s because it’s not generally perceived as “big game” or “deep sea” (I hate that term…yes, the sea is deep!) fishing.

Because the ZING-POWIE fish don’t live out there in the blue water. They’re not out on the high seas.

ZING-POWIE fish could be right in front of your hotel. They live right in the rocks there by the shore. They inhabit reefs and shallow high spots.

Cabrilla! Note the proximity of the rocks and shallow water.

You don’t need a giant sportfisher to get them. You don’t need complicated gear to get them either. Sophisticated state-of-the-art electronics can be left at home too. You don’t need 20 satellites to find the honey holes.

It’s pretty simple. Locals catch them in a tin boat with fishing line and a spark-plug for a sinker. In fact, the good ones make a living off catching ZING-POWIE fish.

I call them ZING-POWIE fish because that’s the sound it makes when you hook up one of these fish. And then lose it in the blink of an eye!

I’m referring to a group of fish that encompasses cabrilla (Mexican seabass), grouper, amberjack, barred pargo, mullet snapper, dog-tooth snapper and to some degree yellowtail and several other species.

The infamous pargo liso…mullet snapper!

They inhabit rocks and reefs and other structure.

Some can be monsters in the 50-100 pound range or larger. But even the “smaller ones” can frustrate and challenge even the best anglers.

They’ll hit live bait and lures and when they hit, it’s like a freight train. The water can be relatively shallow. Often you can see the fish under your boat.

Their method of feeding is to ambush their prey with powerful lightning strikes then retreat back to the structure. Snatch and go!

So, for the angler, there’s no time to react!

PULL HARD!

You don’t let them “nibble.” You don’t let them “take a little line.” There’s barely time to set the hook!

Imagine that you are fishing only 20 feet of water. You get hammered by something big. In nano-seconds, it takes line. Your rod also bends a few feet. You slam the brakes!

It’s already in the rocks. You lose! ZING-POWIE! Your line snaps and your rod flies back in your face like a spring! BOING!

That fish with all it’s power, has sharp teeth…powerful jaws…sharp gillplates…sharp scales…and he lives in razor sharp rocks and reefs.

And they have the power of a pitbull on steroids and the tenacity of a German Shepherd hanging onto a burglar’s pant leg!

Before you even realize what happens, your line goes…ZING-POWIE!

ALL TEETH, MUSCLE, ARMOR and POWER!

And it snaps! Even before your captain can fire up the motor and hopefully pull the fish out’ve the rocks!

It’s a game that tests even experienced anglers. If you use heavier line, the ZING-POWIE fish have sharp eyes. You won’t get bit. Forget braided line. It is way too visible.

Lighter line gets you bit more often, but that can be like going after an elephant with an air-rifle. Of course, it’s Murphy’s Law that when you have your lightest gear is when an 80-pound amberjack strikes or a 150-pound grouper decides to chomp your bait! ZING-POWIE!

But, even the smallest fish have the odds in their favor given their physical attributes and treacherous environment. When I guide, I’ve often told clients, this will be both fun and frustrating.

If we get 3 out of 10 fish to the boat, that will be a good day!

The frustration in this type of fishing isn’t just losing the fish after getting jerked out’ve your socks. It’s that often you can see the fish right under the boat or behind the boat in your chum line.

Pargo, for instance, when they spawn in the shallow waters looks like a Japanese koi pond on steroids. Basically, 20-60 pound “red carp” that looks like an undulating carpet of copper and red.

As you chum them to the boat, waters explode with huge backs and wide tails blowing up the water. One client said, “They look big enough to put a saddle on them!”

Fascinating to watch.

And then they hit your bait while you’re entranced with all the action. With no warning. No nibble. Just a sucker-punch-in-the-gut and your reel screams and your rod bends…and ZING-POWIE!

You’ve already lost the fish! Oh, the agony!

I have clients who come year-after-year to pit themselves against the ZING-POWIE fish! A new rod…a different reel…a new type of hooks…some new tactic they read about in a magazine!

This is the year, they will NOT be mastered by some stupid fish!

As one of my clients said after a fun but unsuccessful day, “It’s like playing a slot machine in Vegas. It’s so tantalizing close. The next quarter will surely bring success.”

Then he laughed…

“And in the end, the house always wins.”

“But, I can’t wait to give it another try tomorrow!”

That’s my story!

signature June '18 two 1

Jonathan

______________

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!

_____________

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.”

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They Don’t Bite All the Time!

Posted in 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, cerralvo, cerralvo island, charters, circle hooks, crankbait, deep sea, dorado, east cape, ecotourism, el nino, 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, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, jack crevalle, Jonathan Roldan, kids fishing, La Paz, La Paz Fishing, la ventana, las arenas, light tackle, Living in Mexico, los barriles, marlin, Mexican, Mexican business, Mexican culture, mexican food, mexican food stands, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Mexico life, outfitters, packages, packing, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, pompano, road trip, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, Sea of Cortez, sierra, spearfishing, sportfishing, Tailhunter International, tourism, tours, transpeninsular highway, Travel, trolling tips, tuna, Tuna jackpot, Uncategorized, vacations, wahoo, Western Outdoor News, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged amberjack, bahia, Baja Mexico, beaches, billfish, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, Cerralvo Island, charter, deep sea, diving, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tours, espirito santo island, family, fish, Fishing, fishing report, Fishing Techniques, fishing tips, fishing video, fly fishing, fly fishing. Spearfishing, gray whales, grey whales, guide, holiday, igfa, inshore, jack crevalle, jill roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, los barriles, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos bay, offshore, outfitter, package, panga, pargo, pompano, rooster fish, sailfish, scuba, sea lions, sea of cortez, seabass, sierra, snorkeling, sportfishing, suenos bay, swimming, tailhunter restaurant, tuna, vacation, wahoo, whale sharks, whale watching, women, world records, yellowtail on May 5, 2019| Leave a Comment »

FRANK ANNETTE BROOKE tags 9-18

THEY DON’T ALWAYS BITE!

Originally Published The Week of May 5, 2019 in Western Outdoor Publications

A couple of years ago, I was out on the water in one of our pangas guiding. I had a number of clients on pangas that day fishing.

I liked being out there and I would often go from one panga to another y’know…just to see how they were doing…get a laugh…take a photo…talk a little smack.

I came up on Jerry and Janice. Two of the nicest sweetest folks ever. Had been retired a few years. They often fished with my fleet.

Janice was especially sweet. She’s like everyone’s fairy godmother who would bake cookies and adopt cats.

Today was not a cookie and kitty day.

Janice was in the stern hard bendo on a big tuna. It was the kind of tuna that humbles strong men.

The strain was evident on Janice as she sat on the bench seat. I mean, she was putting everything into it and at any moment, it looked like the rod would snap!

Her concentration was so fierce, she didn’t see us approaching.

Her husband Jerry was up at the bow. Kinda casually dangling a rod and seemingly not putting much effort into it. Looking off into the distance.

Not even paying much attention to his embattled wife in the stern of the small panga.

I asked my captain who was on the boat with them. He was standing amidship (amid panga?) looking a bit helpless.

And he was not helping either Jerry or, more importantly, Janice.

What gives? He looked at me with a smile and shrug that said, “Not much I can do. She’s on a fish!”

So, I asked Jerry if he was OK.

“Sure. I’m just staying outta HER way!” he said rolling his eyes back towards his wife grunting and grinding in the stern.

What?

“I want to help her. So, did our captain. She just barked and growled at both of us and told us to stay the ‘EF’ outta her way and leave her alone! “

“So, that’s what we’re doing. I’m staying waaaaay up her in the bow before she bites me! I’ve never seen her like this.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. I understand the sentiment!

We backed our panga away as well to give Janice lots of space. She cast a slightly evil eye my way too.

I heard Jerry grumble under his breath, as husbands have been known to do, but I still heard him say, “It’s like she’s possessed!”

Indeed, who was that woman in the stern and what did they do with our sweet loveable, Janice?

She eventually got her fish…all by herself after almost fighting for 2 hours. A big tuna and no one was prouder than her…or all of us!

More and more of the ladies are out there on the water and I like the changing landscape…er sea-scape, if you will.

And they’re not just going out to watch everyone else fish. They’re rocking the fish and refusing to sit on the sidelines or be catered to. It’s awesome.

Grit and determination!

I once had a mom and her football-sized adult son on a panga. The young man expressed aloud his amazement that mom never passed off the rod; gave up; or asked him for help.

She laughed at him and said, “I birth’d you, kiddo! There’s not much a fish can do to me after that experience or a fish that I can’t handle!”

Point taken and adroitly articulated.

Gotta love it.

It’s good to see and great to get the attitude too.

And I think the ladies make not only good fishing buddies but good anglers as well. My own mom didn’t fish with dad and I until she was in her 60’s. She’d let us fish or, if she went fishing with us, she was very content to just read a book.

Then, a trip to Alaska followed by a trip to the Sierras changed all that and she was literally hooked. She found what she’d been missing. And then she was all-in!

I think the ladies are fast learners and much more patient than us guys. They are very coachable in that respect. And, they know fewer cuss-words when they’re frustrated…which is rarely.

Us guys think we can do it all. We lack patience and basically think anything can be accomplished by brute force and strength and we will bend the world to our wills!

No smack talk against my own gender, but brute force doesn’t always work.

So, next time, your gal…wife, girlfriend, daughter or mom is on a fish, if she tells you she doesn’t need help, give her some space and smile. And make sure to drop all the props on her when she lands the big one!

Even if it’s bigger than yours! You’ll be glad you did.

That’s my story!

signature June '18 two 1

Jonathan

______________

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!

_____________

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.”

Read Full Post »

I’m Voting You Off the Island!

Posted in airlines, 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, cerralvo, charters, deep sea, dorado, east cape, ecotourism, el nino, el sargento, espirito santo, family, farm-raised, first aid, 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, Heat stroke, highway, historical, 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, luggage, marlin, Mexican, Mexican business, Mexican culture, mexican food, mexican food stands, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Mexico Christmas, Mexico economy, Mexico life, Mexico neighborhood, midriff islands, missions, outfitters, pack for a purpose, packages, packing, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, passport, pompano, rentals, road trip, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, Sea of Cortez, seafood, sierra, speaking spanish, spearfishing, sportfishing, Sun stroke, sustainable, Tailhunter International, tiburon island, tourism, tours, transpeninsular highway, Travel, trolling tips, tuna, Tuna jackpot, tuna tournament, Uncategorized, vacations, wahoo, weather, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged amberjack, bahia, Baja Mexico, beaches, billfish, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, Cerralvo Island, charter, deep sea, diving, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tours, espirito santo island, family, fish, Fishing, fishing report, Fishing Techniques, fishing tips, fishing video, fly fishing, fly fishing. Spearfishing, gray whales, grey whales, guide, holiday, igfa, inshore, jack crevalle, jill roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, los barriles, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos bay, offshore, outfitter, package, panga, pargo, pompano, rooster fish, sailfish, scuba, sea lions, sea of cortez, seabass, sierra, snorkeling, sportfishing, suenos bay, swimming, tailhunter restaurant, tuna, vacation, wahoo, whale sharks, whale watching, women, world records, yellowtail on March 24, 2019| Leave a Comment »

20190209_133520

I’m Voting You Off the Island!

Originally Published the Week of March 23, 2019 in Western Outdoors Publications

Is it just me?

We have now been on the road cross-crossing the country since just after Christmas. All these fantastic fishing/hunting/ sportsmans shows from Denver to Seattle and Long Beach to Salt Lake City and many more.

Jill and I haul our booth and a zillion pounds of brochures and flyers in our vehicle and promote our Tailhunter Sportfishing operation in La Paz but also just visiting Baja and Mexico.

It’s been a wonderful run.

For almost 25 years we hit the road for almost 4 months. Add in another 15 other years for other fishing businesses and that’s about 40 years of shaking hands; smiles and good will.

It’s been a privilege and an honor to see so much of our great country and visit so many wonderful folks. Even moreso to host them, their friends and family with us in Baja.

Most of our clients become our friends. And we’re now into 2 or 3 generations. It has been one of my life’s great joys.

So, what’s changed? And indeed is it just me? Or are all of us just a little more on edge? More flinty. More intolerant. Less sensitive or overly sensitive at the same time. Sometimes over the same thing and at the same time.

It started a few years ago during our shows.

People directly confronting us or out of the side of their mouths saying things like:

“Why’d they let people like YOU into this show?”

“All dirty Mexicans like you should be killed.”

“We can’t believe you’re up at this show trying to make people go to THAT country!”

I’m not proud to say that a few times I rose to the bait and we had some confrontations at the booth. I hate when someone gets in my face and jabs a finger in my chest, especially when I’m trying to get everyone to stand down.

Some don’t dare say it to me, but I hear them say it to my wife. And, that I won’t take. Say it to my face if you have something to say.

And, no, it wasn’t isolated in just certain places. It happened in almost every state and city we visited. But only now and then.

I just chalked it up to ignorance. Or too much alcohol walking around through the show. Can’t fix stupid.

And believe me, it’s just one tiny-eenie-weenie part of the thousands of folks we chat with every year.

No, we’re not Mexican. We’re very American and very proud of it.

But, I’m also proud of the work we do and all the happy times we’ve provided. I’m proud to also represent Mexico and it’s people and hopefully open a few eyes to new experiences and a wonderful culture.

By the same token, I feel we represent Americans as well. We strive to be good ambassadors in Mexico because well…we’re Americans and we will be judged by our actions.

So, what’s happening?

At the shows, the complexion of people seems to have changed. So many folks still come to our booth to ask about fishing and vacations and laugh over fishing stories.

But, increasingly people come up to the booth not to ask about vacations or if the hotel rooms have air-conditioning or how big are the fish in August.

They have opinions to share. And we’re sitting ducks in our booth.

More belligerent. More confrontational. More argumentative. More contradictory. More profane.

You say that something like “Sir…In the past 10 years, the best time to catch tuna is the summer months!”

Here’s a response…

“Well, you’re full of crap. I have a friend-who-has-a-friend and he fished twice there in Baja and he caught tuna in winter!”

And it’s said with emphasis on the C-word and inches from my face. A challenge.

“OK, Sir. I don’t doubt your friend’s friend has caught tuna, but I’ve been in Mexico almost 30 years and…”

Before I can even finish…

“So, you’re calling me a liar? I guess just like all Mexicans, you just wanna take people’s money and talk sh-t!”

Or this conversation:

“We never listen or care about limits. Whenever we go to Mexico, screw the limits. We kill whatever we want to kill and as much as we want.”

“Amigo..uh..That’s illegal!”

“So what? Every Mexican captain or Mexican can be bought off if you give him enough money. (Ha!Ha!) That’s why we go to Mexico because rules don’t apply! We can do whatever we want. Who cares what Mexico or Mexicans think?”

“Well, that’s not how it works for me. Or my employees or my captains. It’s not only illegal and unethical, but I don’t know any LEGITIMATE operator where we live that would tolerate that or would risk their business or reputation doing that!”

“Then you’re all idiots! (Guffaw guffaw!) “

And he makes a point to point that stupid finger at my face. Cute.

He tries logic.

“Like when we catch marlin. Last time we went, I caught and boated a marlin. There’s 3 other guys on the boat. It’s not fair to them that they don’t get to kill a marlin too, is it?

“The limit is one per day, Pal..”

“Well, it’s a stupid rule and you’re stupid for not letting your clients catch what they want because if you don’t, there’s plenty of other Mexicans willing to play ball!”

My hackles are up…count…1, 2, 3, 4, 5…take a breath.

Look…I have a business to run and payroll to make and I surely love earning a buck. But, for the first time in decades, I’m reserving the right to fire clients. Sometimes even before they are clients…

I do the same to folks who stand at my booth and rail on all the things wrong with the U.S. and Americans and how it’s all gone to hell-in-a-hand-basket. And on and on.

There’s a time and place. The counter of my booth isn’t it. It’s a fishing booth not your soapbox to tell me all the things you hate about our country or people.

“You just need to move on. I really don’t want you down to visit us. I do not want you or your money or your business. You’re not worth the energy. “

And their eyes pop open! And they go…

”Whaaaa…? You don’t want me?”

As if they’ve paid their entry ticket to the event and it entitles them to spew vitriol at me and I’d better well stand and listen to it. And how dare I refuse to listen and not want their business or listen to their opinions.

Well, yes I can. You have a right to your opinon, but I have a right not to have to listen either.

Yessir. You, sir, are voted off the island! Seeeee ya!

And these are no longer isolated incidents. That’s the sad part.

A day doesn’t seem to go by at the shows these days when at least once or more when someone has something to get off their chest on us. It’s either because we’re handy targets or directly fired at us because of what we do.

People are angrier.

They’re more emboldened to say their mind with no filters. Maybe it’s social media. Maybe it’s just the times we live in. Maybe it’s just me lacking patience for haters.

In that respect, I’m angrier too. And it takes a lot to get me angry.

Just be on notice.

If you’re gonna spew hate and nonsense about me, my work, my wife, employees or both my countries of Mexico AND America, I have no hesitation to telling you that I don’t need you. You’re already wrecking my day standing in front of me yapping your pie-hole.

Twenty years ago…heck even 5 years ago, I’d have sucked it up and smiled and accepted their money and booked them to come down and fish. I’m learning to say “no” in my old age. I can be a butt-head too.

I’m not going to let that ugliness ruin it for so many other incredible folks who just want to have a good time with friends and family.

Nor will I let you come down and show our Mexican friends another side of ugly Americans and let you taint all of us. No, sir. Not everyone is like you.

Just my two cents.

That’s my story…

signature June '18 two 1

Jonathan

______________

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!

_____________

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.”

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When Fishing Is Not So A-Peeling!

Posted in airlines, 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, charters, deep sea, dorado, driving, east cape, ecotourism, el nino, el sargento, espirito santo, family, 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, Heat stroke, highway, historical, history, 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, marlin, Mexican, Mexican business, Mexican culture, mexican food, mexican food stands, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Mexico Christmas, Mexico economy, Mexico life, Mexico neighborhood, outfitters, packages, packing, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, passport, pompano, road trip, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, San Jose del Cabo, Sea of Cortez, seafood, sierra, speaking spanish, spearfishing, sportfishing, squid fishing, Tailhunter International, tiburon island, tourism, tours, transpeninsular highway, Travel, trolling tips, tuna, Uncategorized, vacations, wahoo, weather, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged amberjack, bahia, Baja Mexico, beaches, billfish, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, Cerralvo Island, charter, deep sea, diving, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tours, espirito santo island, family, fish, Fishing, fishing report, Fishing Techniques, fishing tips, fishing video, fly fishing, fly fishing. Spearfishing, gray whales, grey whales, guide, holiday, igfa, inshore, jack crevalle, jill roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, los barriles, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos bay, offshore, outfitter, package, panga, pargo, pompano, rooster fish, sailfish, scuba, sea lions, sea of cortez, seabass, sierra, snorkeling, sportfishing, suenos bay, swimming, tailhunter restaurant, tuna, vacation, wahoo, whale sharks, whale watching, women, world records, yellowtail on January 28, 2019| Leave a Comment »

bananas1

When Fishing Is Not So A-Peeling!

Originally Published the Week of Feb. 1, 2019 in Western Outdoor Publications

“Life is full of banana skins. You slip, you carry on.”
—Daphne Guinness

It’s been about 15 years since I last wrote about a subject that seems to keep popping up. And lately, I’ve had several folks ask about it.

Most folks say they’re not superstitious.

But, they’ll still wear their raggedy “good luck” basketball socks. They refuse to throw away their best bowling shirt.

Do you still have a pair of “tidy-whitey” underwear in your drawer that’s you won’t throw away even if it has no more elastic and your wife nags you about it?

Do you refuse to open your eyes when your team’s kicker lines up for the game-winning field goal because it’s “bad luck?” Still have your bloody-splattered fishing t-shirt from when you were in college when you were 100 pounds lighter?

So, what’s the deal about bad luck bananas and fishing?

To some, it’s just something to goof with and talk smack about.

I’ve seen guys “plant” bananas in their buddy’s tackle box or fishing boots. I’ve seen guys tie a banana on hotel-room doors or toss a banana onto a buddy’s boat.

To other’s it’s deadly serious. It’s grounds for fighting words and coming to blows.

I’ve seen boats catch fire. Bananas were later found in the galley.

I’ve been on boats where everyone is catching fish except the boat with bananas but start catching fish when bananas were tossed overboard.

I was working as a deckhand where a guy broke his leg in a freak accident . Bananas were in an ice chest on deck. Another time a guy had to be air-lifted after having a heart attack on a boat that had bananas.

If bananas were found in the galley of any boat that I worked on or had chartered they were quickly discarded or discreetly “disappeared” at night when the boat was underway.

Rumor has it that Fruit of the Loom underwear used to have a banana on their label, but the banana was eliminated.

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So, what’s the source of the superstitious myth?

There’s a number of theories.

Bananas Stink

Back in the days of sailing ships, fresh fruit and vegetables were pretty important. Having bananas aboard, the bananas ripen pretty quickly and emit a gas and odor that can quickly ruin the food stores of a crew. Lacking fresh produce on those long voyages could lead to malnourishment at best. At worst, death.

No Slowing Down

The fact that bananas ripen quite quickly could also give credence to the lack of fish caught on board. Speed was essential to cargo ships carrying bananas.

Normal ships could travel at regular speeds. Often crews would fish to supplement their diets and the diets of passengers.

Banana boats did not have that luxury. They had to scoot. No slowing down to troll. It was essential to get from point A to point B.

Word got out that you didn’t want to crew or travel on a ship carrying bananas because those ships “never caught fish!” Seems logical.

Hidden Critters
Bunches of bananas could often hide snakes, spiders and other creepy-crawlers that could get loose aboard a ship. Many areas in Africa also were home to a voracious wood-eating termite that could get loose when bananas were brought about those old wooden sailing ships.

A Dark Chapter

If you remember your history, banana boats were often used as slave ships. If you suddenly woke up manacled, crowded and in a dark place smelling of bananas, life was about to take a turn for the worse.

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Davey’s Locker

Similarly, bananas float. When a ship would sink, among other things, floating bananas would often be indicative of the final resting place of a vessel.

Here’s another one…

Good to Be King

From my part of the world where my family originated, in Hawaii, only royalty were permitted to have bananas. A commoner found in possession of bananas could be grounds for execution…the ultimate bad luck!

So, what do you think?

I’m not superstitious, but you’d still better not bring bananas on any boat that I’m on! Why tempt luck?

That’s my story~!

signature June '18 two 1

Jonathan

______________

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!

_____________

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.”

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GOOD ENUFF

Posted in 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, cerralvo, cerralvo island, charters, deep sea, dorado, driving, east cape, ecotourism, el nino, el sargento, family, fish, fish farming, fish pens, Fishing, fishing blogs, fishing packages, fishing reports, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tips, fishing tournaments, fishing trips, fishing videos, flyfishing, freediving, giant squid, holidays in mexico, hurricane, 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, mexican food, mexican food stands, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Mexico economy, Mexico life, Mexico neighborhood, midriff islands, outfitters, packages, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, passport, planning, pompano, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, Sea of Cortez, seafood, sierra, speaking spanish, spearfishing, sportfishing, Tailhunter International, tiburon island, tourism, tours, Travel, trolling tips, tuna, Uncategorized, vacations, wahoo, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged amberjack, bahia, Baja Mexico, beaches, billfish, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, Cerralvo Island, charter, deep sea, diving, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tours, espirito santo island, family, fish, Fishing, fishing report, Fishing Techniques, fishing tips, fishing video, fly fishing, fly fishing. Spearfishing, gray whales, grey whales, guide, holiday, igfa, inshore, jack crevalle, jill roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, los barriles, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos bay, offshore, outfitter, package, panga, pargo, pompano, rooster fish, sailfish, scuba, sea lions, sea of cortez, seabass, sierra, snorkeling, sportfishing, suenos bay, swimming, tailhunter restaurant, tuna, vacation, wahoo, whale sharks, whale watching, women, world records, yellowtail on January 13, 2019| Leave a Comment »

GOOD ENUFF

Originally Published the Week of Jan. 16, 2019 in Western Outdoor Publications

In addition to our fishing fleet, we have a little bar and restaurant in La Paz where lots of our fishermen trade stories; watch sports; and have a few cold ones. Most will tell you it’s a fun little place.

We also have live music a few nights a week. Our guys are pretty good. But anyone is welcome to join in.

If you think you can strum a guitar; carry a tune or bang two tin cups together, step on up. Put your beer down or bring it with you.

I guarantee, alone or with the band no matter. We love it. The band loves it. The crowd loves it. You’ll love it.

Enthusiasm counts for a lot more than talent, skill or ability.

I’ve played guitar for years. I’ve played in bands. I’ve been in front of crowds. But, by my own standards, I’m a hack. I get by if I have to.

But, I was hesitant to play with our guys at first. I don’t know why, but I didn’t think I was good enough.

It was the leader of our house band who finally said, “Are you good enough to have fun? If the answer is ‘yes’ then come on up to the stage.”

And that kinda did it. I’m not as good as these guys, but I’m good enough to play WITH these guys and I have a world of fun. And they have fun with me on stage and the crowd seems to enjoy it too.

For some reason, I got two e-mails this week from two different dads. In both cases, they wanted to come fish with us in La Paz.

One wanted to bring his young son.

Another was going to bring a son and an older daughter, but not his youngest daughter.

I also got a phone call from guy who had never fished in salt water, but was hesitant.

In all three situations, “not good enough” was mentioned.

I had to think about that for a moment before responding to each situation.

I rarely hear that someone “isn’t good enough.” Not about fishing. How good do you have to be?

No matter how much someone tries to make of it, I’ll tell ya a secret. In almost 5 decades of fishing, it’s NOT rocket science. Fishing is not curing cancer. Fishing is not winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

We often forget that.

And for some reason, I remembered about my guitar playing. I only have to be good enough to have fun. That’s all. Have a good time.

I asked each father if their kids enjoyed the outdoors? Did the kids like fishing at all? Do they have fun? Did the fathers have fun with their kids?

Both answered in the affirmative.

I put the same question to the freshwater guy that was nervous about saltwater fishing. He didn’t want to look foolish or under-gunned if he came to fish with us.

“Well, do you have fun fishing?”

“Yes, I love it!”

Well, what’s stopping you? Step on up. If it’s a kid, they’ll never get good at all if you don’t start ‘em somewhere. Same with the freshwater guy.

If you’re good enough to have fun, you’re good enough. That’s all you need to know.

You don’t need to be stronger or bigger. You don’t need to have all the best equipment. You don’t need more experience. That will come.

I’m in my 60’s now. I have a new first grandson myself. He’s not even two-years-old yet but we’ve already taken him fishing.

Some would say he’s not old enough.

Heck, he’s not even potti-trained yet! That will come, right?

But, he had fun so that means he’s already “good enough” and I can’t wait to take him again. Or the younger sister that just got born two months ago.

We’ll have her on the water in good time and I have no doubts she’ll have fun.

I won’t be around to see either of them fishing when they’re 60. But, I hope they remember their grandpa taking them out.

Time is precious. Moments are precious. Get those kids out. Get yourself out. Tomorrow is already here.

You’re good enough. Jump up. Jump in. The water is fine!

That’s my story!

signature June '18 two 1

Jonathan

______________

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!

_____________

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.”

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CAN’T HAVE TOO MUCH

Posted in 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, cerralvo island, charters, deep sea, dorado, east cape, ecotourism, el sargento, espirito santo, family, fish, Fishing, fishing blogs, fishing packages, fishing reports, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tips, fishing tournaments, fishing trips, fishing videos, flyfishing, freediving, giant squid, historical, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing, jack crevalle, Jonathan Roldan, kids fishing, La Paz, la ventana, las arenas, light tackle, Living in Mexico, los barriles, marlin, Mexican, Mexican culture, mexican food, mexican food stands, Mexico, outfitters, packages, packing, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, pompano, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, Sea of Cortez, sierra, sportfishing, Tailhunter International, tourism, tours, Travel, Uncategorized, vacations, wahoo, Western Outdoor News, yellowtail, tagged amberjack, bahia, Baja Mexico, beaches, billfish, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, Cerralvo Island, charter, deep sea, diving, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tours, espirito santo island, family, fish, Fishing, fishing report, Fishing Techniques, fishing tips, fishing video, fly fishing, fly fishing. Spearfishing, gray whales, grey whales, guide, holiday, igfa, inshore, jack crevalle, jill roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, los barriles, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos bay, offshore, outfitter, package, panga, pargo, pompano, rooster fish, sailfish, scuba, sea lions, sea of cortez, seabass, sierra, snorkeling, sportfishing, suenos bay, swimming, tailhunter restaurant, tuna, vacation, wahoo, whale sharks, whale watching, women, world records, yellowtail on December 16, 2018| Leave a Comment »

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CAN’T HAVE TOO MUCH

Originally Published the Week of Dec 18, 2018 in Western Outdoor Publications

In my last column, I had written about the fact that when fishing in Mexico, live bait sometimes just isn’t available. This can be especially true during the winter months due to weather or other variables that can’t be controlled.

So, what do you do? Cancel the trip and go back to your hotel room? Throw or troll lures all day?

Over the years, I’ve often been asked about bringing down frozen bait like squid. Frankly, I never say no. Even if there’s plenty of live bait available, if someone wants to bring some down or buy some, that’s fine by me.

It’s one of those things like being rich…or being too skinny…you can’t be too rich or too skinny. Relatively speaking.

And in my book, bait is one of those things that it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I’d rather have too much than not enough.

To me, the best universal bait in Baja is squid. Pretty much everything eats squid. There are even times when squid works better than live bait. For example, I’ve hooked some of my largest tuna, on squid.

Trolled, chunked, cast, jigged…it all works. And it’s better than nothing and sometimes it’s better than anything.

But, you don’t just want any kind of squid.

Leave that frozen stuff they sell at the bait shop home. Fresh dead squid is the best. Believe me, fish know the difference.

If it’s fresh caught and never been frozen, all the better. That would be my first choice.

Rather than bring it down to your Baja destination, see if one of the local markets has some fresh squid or the fish sellers at the farmer’s market in town. It’s not only fresh, but it’s as cheap as you’ll find it short of catching your own.

Absent that, if you’re bringing some from home, again hit up the fresh stuff from the seafood market or fish counter at the supermarkt. If it has to be frozen stuff, make sure it’s table quality squid that’s for human consumption.

To bring it down, you’ll have to freeze it anyway. If you have a vacuum sealer, great. If not, use small ziplock-style freezer bags and portion it out, so you use only what you need for the day.

There’s nothing worse than defrosting a 5-pound chunk of frozen squid on a boat in an ice chest, bait tank or…in the sun!!!

It’s not only going to make a stinky mess, but at the end of the day, you’ll have issues with the un-used squid and storing the goopy glop for the next day’s fishing.

Year’s ago, I had some fishing clients who forgot their defrosted squid in the trunk of their rental car. By the time they remembered it, it was late and after a few dinner margaritas.

They figured it would be OK. It was night.

Well, nights in Baja are still 85 degrees and the plastic bag leaked right into the trunk carpeting…right under the rear seats and into the floorboards.

Come morning, they couldn’t even get into the rental car without gagging. Good thing they bought insurance!

Once you have the squid ready to use, there’s no end to the techniques.

Slow troll a whole squid behind the boat.

Pin a whole squid or strips of squid to a trolling lure for scent and action and drag it behind the boat.

Pin some on a lure and cast or jig with it.

Send some down on a hook with a weight, dropper loop style, and a half-dozen reef beasts will be all over it including, pargo, cabrilla, grouper, snapper and more.

Chunk with it.

Cut it into chunks and toss handfuls into a slow current as you drift. In the middle of the sinking chunks bait up another chunk of whole squid on a hook.

With your line slack and in freespool, let your baited hook drift down with the rest of the chunks. This is a dynamite way to get hooked up.

Keep your line slack and in freespool so it stays with the rest of the chunks. If your line suddenly starts ripping up, remember “dead bait doesn’t swim.” Flip the brake and set the hook!

There’s some fish, like dorado, that specifically like live bait. Dead stuff doesn’t get them too interested unless they are already in a frenzy.

But, you can use the chunked squid as chum. It gets the dorado coming to the boat so you can toss a lure or a whole squid and them and “swim” it back to the boat.

You can also cut up and pulverize a bunch of squid and make a chum bucket using a small mesh bag hung over the side of the boat or weighted down and hung at depth to attract fish.

If you want to supercharge it, add in some commercially bought fish scent to the bag as well. It’ll leave a nice slick of scent in the water and you never know what might show up!

If you have limited live bait, there’s one really nifty trick I learned years ago from one of my captains. You can put a live bait into the body cavity of a squid. It will swim! Just put a hook into it and let it do it’s stuff.

And, as a fallback…if all else fails!

Fresh squid great deep fried or made into calamari salad!

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That’s my story!

signature June '18 two 1

Jonathan

______________

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!

_____________

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.”

Read Full Post »

NOT A SURE THING

Posted in airlines, 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, cerralvo, charters, deep sea, dorado, east cape, ecotourism, el nino, el sargento, espirito santo, family, fish, Fishing, fishing blogs, Fishing lures, fishing packages, fishing reports, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tips, fishing tournaments, fishing trips, fishing videos, flyfishing, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing, jack crevalle, Jonathan Roldan, kids fishing, La Paz, La Paz Fishing, la ventana, las arenas, light tackle, Living in Mexico, los barriles, marlin, Mexican, Mexican business, Mexican culture, mexican food, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Mexico life, outfitters, packages, packing, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, pompano, rentals, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, Sea of Cortez, sierra, spearfishing, sportfishing, Tailhunter International, tourism, tours, Travel, tuna, Uncategorized, wahoo, Western Outdoor News, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged amberjack, bahia, Baja Mexico, beaches, billfish, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, Cerralvo Island, charter, diving, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tours, espirito santo island, family, fish, Fishing, fishing report, Fishing Techniques, fishing tips, fishing video, fly fishing, fly fishing. Spearfishing, gray whales, grey whales, guide, holiday, igfa, inshore, jack crevalle, jill roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, los barriles, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos bay, offshore, outfitter, package, panga, pargo, pompano, rooster fish, sailfish, scuba, sea lions, sea of cortez, seabass, sierra, snorkeling, sportfishing, suenos bay, swimming, tailhunter restaurant, tuna, vacation, wahoo, whale sharks, whale watching, women, world records, yellowtail on December 2, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Bait…it is what it is and you make the best of it!

NOT A SURE THING

Originally Published the Week of Dec. 4, 2018, in Western Outdoor Publications

With the cooler months descending rapidly over the Baja, a fisherman recently asked me, “Where’s all the live bait that was around all summer?”

Good question. In many areas, live bait gets harder to acquire during the winter months and for good reason.

Many “warm month” fishermen who visit Baja assume that bait is ALWAYS around and ALWAYS available to either catch or purchase. They come down in the other times of the year and it’s a different ballgame.

For many reasons.

First, it’s the weather and conditions. During the cooler months in the Baja, winds are stronger. There’s a lot more wave action and rougher water.

As many of you regulars know, there are some days when it’s impossible to launch a panga. Even in a big cruiser, you can go out and just get beat up getting tossed and bounced on an angry ocean.

Maybe in my younger days, I’d be out there. I’m older and smarter now. Fishing is supposed to be fun…especially in Baja.

It’s not an exercise in endurance. So much nicer to hang out at the pool with a cold one and work on that tan!

But those same waves and winds batter the bait areas. Bait tends to stick together, especially if you’re talking sardines or mackerel. It’s all about survival.

To that end, they like shallow sheltered areas or areas where there’s structure be it rocks, reefs, docks, floating objects and similar. Or at least shallow areas along a beach or bay where they can feed, breed and not be subjected to as many predators.

If waves are crashing on those beaches or smashing into rocks and docks or currents are impeding their abilities to stay together, they’ll find somewhere else.

Or, alternatively, they’re so scattered so they’re difficult to locate and catch.

I often get fishing clients who say, “Two years ago, we caught tons of bait over by the wreck,” or “The south end of the island had tons of bait according to the reports.”

“How come we don’t go there to get bait?”

Or. . .

“Why is it taking so long to catch bait now? It was easy last July!”

Yes, bait moves, amigos!

If there was someplace easier to find or easier to catch, don’t you think we’d be doing it? Duh.

Some folks think it’s like a big bait receiver out there in the ocean and you just take a big dip net; throw net; or Lucky Joe rig and get all you want.

Like going through the drive-through at McDonald’s. You order. You drive up. No big deal. It’s not like that.

There’s another aspect of the bait dilemma as well. It’s the human element.

If the bait sellers are having a hard time finding bait, it’s gonna take awhile for them to get enough to sell.

Or, maybe that’s ALL they might have to sell for the day. And their prices will be…well…whatever their prices will be.

It’s a seller’s market.

Better to “light one candle than curse the darkness” is the old saying. You take what you can get and make the best of it.

If you have to wait, you wait. If you can only get a handful of bait, you go with it. You pay the going-rate.

You’re not going to pay a couple thousand on a fishing trip then argue because bait costs $30 instead of $20. If the bait guy doesn’t sell it to you, the next guy will surely take it.

What are you going to do, go fishing with no bait? Troll all day?

You can’t get mad at the poor bait guy who’s been working all morning or night doing his best to have enough to sell. He needs to make a living too.

Sure, it’s frustrating. However, believe me, getting angry with the bait guy, your captain or your outfitter won’t make bait magically appear.

The other aspect to remember is that if the bait is hard to get, the bait guys may feel it’s not even worth going out. Why waste the energy? No one likes to work for small returns on effort.

Conversely, during the winter, there’s a lot fewer fishermen on the water.

The bait guys might not go out at all if there’s no one to buy their bait in the morning. You might just have shown up on one of those days. It’s like getting rained on the day YOU decide to go fishing. No one to blame.

So, just either be patient or go with whatever is happening. You might find yourself catching your own bait or using something unusual like chunks of bonito or squid. Or trolling.

It is what it is. You’re still in Baja. You’re not at work. You’re not at your desk or whatever you do. There’s worse places to be.

In the next column, I’ll chat about some ways to fish dead bait like squid.

That’s my story!

signature June '18 two 1

Jonathan

______________

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!

_____________

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.”

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REALITY CHECK

Posted in airlines, bahia de los muertos, bahia de los suenos, Baja Fishing, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Baja Rockfish, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, camping, car, cerralvo, cerralvo island, charters, deep sea, dorado, 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, 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, mexican food, Mexico, Mexico Christmas, Mexico economy, Mexico life, outfitters, panga, pargo, pompano, road trip, Salt Water Fishing, San Jose del Cabo, Sea of Cortez, seafood, sierra, speaking spanish, spearfishing, sportfishing, Tailhunter International, tourism, tours, Travel, tuna, vacations, wahoo, weather, Western Outdoor News, women fishing, tagged amberjack, bahia, Baja Mexico, beaches, billfish, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, Cerralvo Island, charter, diving, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tours, espirito santo island, family, fish, Fishing, fishing report, Fishing Techniques, fishing tips, fishing video, fly fishing, fly fishing. Spearfishing, gray whales, grey whales, guide, holiday, igfa, inshore, jack crevalle, jill roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, los barriles, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos bay, offshore, outfitter, package, panga, pargo, pompano, rooster fish, sailfish, scuba, sea lions, sea of cortez, seabass, sierra, snorkeling, sportfishing, suenos bay, swimming, tailhunter restaurant, tuna, vacation, wahoo, whale sharks, whale watching, women, world records, yellowtail on November 25, 2018| Leave a Comment »

REALITY CHECK

Originally Published the Week of Nov. 13, 2018 in Western Outdoor Publications

If you spend anytime watching U.S. news or surfing the internet, listening to the radio, or social media, it doesn’t take much to figure the U.S. has a lot of problems. Yikes.

If you even got a smidgen of the TV ads for the recent elections, it was an inundation of mind-boggling battering. It was numbing. I happened to be in the U.S. for just two days for a family emergency and it was inescapable.

Jill and I still vote (absentee ballot) of course from down here in Baja. But it’s easy to say at times, “Dang, I’m glad I live in Mexico!”

And we do. And we’re blessed.

But it wasn’t to escape anything back home in the U.S. Indeed, we miss the heck out’ve it. But, through a weird and convoluted series of happenstance, this is where work took me and the business just grew.

In fact, I was on my way out of Baja, but it grabbed me by the ankles…pulled me back… and wouldn’t let go.

And before I knew it two decades had passed. And we’re still here. Funny how careers are made.

But, we’re not far removed from being reminded how especially fortunate we are. Despite all of America’s plethora of problems and shares of idiots, there’s a reason folks are desperate to get in.

I mean, I don’t see caravans of people from Chicago trying to bust into Mexico or people from Seattle trying to smuggle themselves into China.

We love our many friends and employees here and I have watched their kids grow over the years. And I wonder what opportunity awaits.

What opportunity lies ahead when 6^th grade is the highest level of mandatory education here in Mexico? Or, even a college degree down here means you’re now qualified to work at the reception desk in a hotel. Is that really it?

I know kids that honestly “aspire” to flip burgers at Burger King. The bar is not very high.

Can you imagine, “When I grow up, I hope to learn to work at McDonalds.”

American tourists toss 20-dollar bills around while on vacation.

I doubt many of them realize that twenty bucks is 3-days wages for many Mexicans. Most earn less than 10-dollars-a-day and probably paid 4 dollars to ride the bus to get to work and back home. And probably having to feed a family.

Your own kid working that summer job at Dairy Queen is probably making 100 bucks a day for “spending money.” Not to buy food or pay the family rent.

Just the other day, I heard a gringo complain that he had been “ripped off” by a street vendor who didn’t have 75 cents change in American. C’mon, Man.

We know a friend who just found out she has breast cancer. Serious. It took a MONTH between the biopsy and diagnosis and the cancer had grown tremendously.

But there’s no openings for surgery for THREE months. And even then, the date might come up and there might not be a surgeon available.

A death sentence. But, there are no other options.

And she’s “lucky.”

She has government-provided socialized “medical insurance.”

It means everyone has the right to medical care in Mexico. It just doesn’t necessarily mean you get it “right now” when you need it or the right kind of treatment.

If you live in the outlying areas as many folks do, medical treatment means you also have to travel to a doctor. I asked one of our captains many years ago what do you do if you can’t get to a doctor?

He said sadly, “We just die.”

As many of you know, we drive a beat- up Honda down here. I’m not proud. It’s a junker. But it goes forward and reverse. And the air-conditioning works…sometimes. At a whisper and often blows dust in our faces.

Recently the door handle just fell off. So, we duct taped it back in place, You get the idea.

Although not stylish, we have the means to get from Point A to Point B.

As long as it’s not far. Or involve hills. We cannot make the 100-mile drive from La Paz to Cabo San Lucas without overheating.

Everyone has a car back home in the U.S. Or even more than one car. Last time in Los Angeles, I was stuck 2 ½ hours driving 20 miles.

But, a car here is a luxury. And we know it. There are times when we have not had a car and it restricted every aspect of our life.

There were several of those early years here in Baja that I did not have a car. I relied on two legs, my thumb or a generous friend.

People make fun of Mexican cars, mine included. But, it sure beats not having one at all.

Back-in-the-day in the U.S., it was a right-of-passage at 16 to get that driver’s license and get a car, no matter how hard you had to work for it.

Most adults I know down here do not have a driver’s license. Or know how to drive.

What for? They will never own or have a car in their lifetimes.

If you do own one..insurance? Maintenance? They can barely afford gas. So, make all the fun you want.

I was bitching a few days ago because our apartment (once again) did not have hot water. About 20% of the time, we don’t have hot water.

I guess you get used to it, but after a long day, you look forward to that shower and instead, there’s only cold water…it gets old.

I was going on-and-on to a friend. He just smiled then said, “Our house never has hot water.”

“Never? “

“Not ever. “

“How do you shower? Cook? Wash clothes?”

“Nunca. Never, Jonathan. And sometime no electricity either.” He shrugged and smiled.

“You get used to it.”

End of conversation. I shut up. You take something for granted and you just assume that everyone has it.

Reality check and you say a little prayer of gratitude.

Oh…by the way, Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

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WHEN NOTHING WAS EVERYTHING

Posted in bahia de los muertos, bahia de los suenos, Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja fishing lures, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Baja Rockfish, cerralvo, cerralvo island, charters, dorado, east cape, el sargento, espirito santo, fish, Fishing, fishing blogs, fishing packages, fishing reports, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tips, fishing trips, fishing videos, flyfishing, historical, history, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, Jonathan Roldan, La Paz, La Paz Fishing, la ventana, las arenas, light tackle, Living in Mexico, Mexican, Mexican business, Mexican culture, mexican food, Mexico, Mexico life, outfitters, packages, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, pompano, road trip, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, Sea of Cortez, sportfishing, Tailhunter International, tourism, tours, Travel, Uncategorized, vacations, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, tagged amberjack, bahia, Baja Mexico, beaches, billfish, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, Cerralvo Island, charter, diving, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tours, espirito santo island, family, fish, Fishing, fishing report, Fishing Techniques, fishing tips, fishing video, fly fishing, fly fishing. Spearfishing, gray whales, grey whales, guide, holiday, igfa, inshore, jack crevalle, jill roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, los barriles, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos bay, offshore, outfitter, package, panga, pargo, pompano, rooster fish, sailfish, scuba, sea lions, sea of cortez, seabass, sierra, snorkeling, sportfishing, suenos bay, swimming, tailhunter restaurant, tuna, vacation, wahoo, whale sharks, whale watching, women, world records, yellowtail on August 25, 2018| 4 Comments »

WHEN NOTHING WAS EVERYTHING

Originally Published the Week of Aug 28, 2018 in Western Outdoor Publications

Back in the day, I used to teach fishing seminars and give fishing classes at the venerable old Hotel Las Arenas east of La Paz and about 30 miles north of the East Cape. Sitting on a small hill on about 9 miles of beach, it looked right across at Cerralvo Island.

It’s been closed for many years now, but it was a gem.

Some sprocket guys from Europe in skinny tight black pants and “Flock of Seagulls” bleached-gel haircuts bought it to turn into a Club Med or something (“We don’t want ‘stinky fishermen’ in our hotel!” they told me.), but it never got off the ground. LOL.

I’m glad it didn’t. The old girl was too good for that indignity.

The last 10 miles were on a dirt road. As the hotel was built on the reverse slope of a hill facing the sea, you never saw the hotel until you came over that last rise.

And suddenly you were there!

What a place. Old Mexico.

An oasis of two long white 2 story buildings nestled in the palm trees with curved tile roofs. An administrative building where Patricia, the manager checked you in; assigned rooms and gave you the fishing schedule. (She loved getting a bottle of red wine!) And a dining hall, bar and the swimming pool.

Carry your own bags, Senor.

You know how hotels have marquee signs that tell you all the amenities they offer? (pool…cable TV…etc.)

The wooden sign for the Hotel Las Arenas would have been funny.

“Welcome to the Hotel!”

No designer beds. No laundry. No in-room coffee maker or hair dryer. No TV. No ice machine. No phones. No room-service. No spa. No Air.

What else did you need?

You kept the windows open and let the breeze blow through.

The hotel had thick old walls that held out the Baja heat and cool tile floors you could lie on after a long day of hot fishing. The tiles would simply pull the heat out’ve your body while a tired overhead ceiling fan bumped and whirred.

But, the hotel had the three most important things in a hotel back then. It had a bar.

It had a great bartender who had a mighty arsenal of all the drinks he could concoct. And Gabriel had a great memory. He not only knew everyone’s name he could remember your favorite drinks.

And it had ice.

No craft beer. They had Corona, Pacifico and Modelo. They were cold and that’s all that mattered.

It had an old tile pool that was just deep enough to reach your shoulders. Any deeper and your beer would get wet. No one swam. That would have been bad form.

Everyone just sort of bobbed with a beer bottle in hand. It wasn’t a swimming pool. It was a bobbing pool. A dozen fishermen with a Corona-buzz would have laughed you out’ve the pool if you started actually swimming.

No menu. It was whatever the great kitchen staff cooked. But it was always fresh and no one complained and always centered around homemade Mexican dishes the Mexican moms in the back whipped up.
Tacos…enchiladas…bistec ranchero…ceviche…guacamole…fresh fish and salsas… You have not eaten until you’ve had a Mexican mom cook for you!

You could always smell the fresh tortillas, chorizo and other spices across the compound.

Three hearty meals a day. If you missed it, you waited until the next one. It was always communal and a great social event. No one missed!

Breakfast was early because everyone wanted to get going fishing. Lunch was a bag carried down to the waiting pangas on the beach along with ice and your fishing gear. Those were exciting mornings.

Dinners were always fun and lively after a long fun day of fishing.

You definitely did not skip dinner which was always followed by bull-sessions around the pool or back on your room balcony to watch the sunset over the ocean.

The lights of the hotel would wink on while the setting sun painted the Baja twilight.

With no TV’s and in the halcyon days before laptops, ipads and smartphones, people actually talked. After a day of fishing; a full happy tummy and some sipping tequila nothing better than fun conversation among fishing friends.

No one retreated to isolation unless it was to sleep or read a good book.

With nothing else around, darkness would come quickly.

But the ambience always held the congeniality of a campground as ambient laughter or the sweet smell of someone’s cigar wafted through the evening.

Like all fishing trips, mornings would come early. Sometimes too early.

With no alarm clocks in the rooms or cell phones to set a wake-up, one of the staff would knock on your door about 4:30 a.m. to tell you to come down for breakfast.

One evening, I had just gone to bed. Having about 20 anglers there at the hotel taking one of my seminars, I was beat.

When you’re tired, the nights go quickly. It seemed like I had just gone into deep sleep when I got the wake-up knock on my door.

I opened the door and Salvador, the night manager told me it was time to get up. It was still dark. Of course.

So, I sleepily went around from room to room and woke everyone up as was my habit when I had a group. I then went back to my own room to get ready for the day and get down to breakfast so we could get to the boats.

It was then, Salvador came running frantically up to my room. In a panic. It wasn’t 4:30 in the morning. It was only 2 a.m.!!!!

Salvador’s battery-operated clock in his office had stopped.

Guys were already coming down with fishing gear…bleary eyes…and looking for the coffee pot. If anyone had actually looked at their wrist watches, they’d have figured something was wrong. But no one questioned the wake-up!

He and I crazily had to run around to all the room to tell everyone they could go back to bed! We also had to tell the hotel staff as well, as they had already started cooking breakfast! Turn off the ovens and stoves! Put the eggs back in the frig.

There was a little grumbling and a few choice words were thrown my way, but everyone was more than happy to go back to bed. Me included.

I can’t imagine that happening these days at a Hilton or a Wyndham Hotel.

Old Baja, back in the day. You really had nothing, but you had everything.

Thats my story!

signature June '18 two 1

Jonathan

______________

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: jonathan@tailhunter.com

Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!

_____________

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.”

Read Full Post »

BAJA SMORGASBORD

Posted in airlines, 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, cerralvo, cerralvo island, charters, dorado, east cape, ecotourism, el nino, 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, highway, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, jack crevalle, Jonathan Roldan, 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, mexican food, Mexico, Mexico life, outfitters, packages, packing, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, pompano, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, Sea of Cortez, sierra, spearfishing, sportfishing, tourism, tours, Travel, trolling tips, tuna, Tuna jackpot, tuna tournament, Uncategorized, vacations, vehicle, wahoo, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, yellowtail, tagged amberjack, bahia, Baja Mexico, beaches, billfish, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, Cerralvo Island, charter, diving, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tours, espirito santo island, family, fish, Fishing, fishing report, Fishing Techniques, fishing tips, fishing video, fly fishing, fly fishing. Spearfishing, gray whales, grey whales, guide, holiday, igfa, inshore, jack crevalle, jill roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, los barriles, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos bay, offshore, outfitter, package, panga, pargo, pompano, rooster fish, sailfish, scuba, sea lions, sea of cortez, seabass, sierra, snorkeling, sportfishing, suenos bay, swimming, tailhunter restaurant, tuna, vacation, wahoo, whale sharks, whale watching, women, world records, yellowtail on April 22, 2018| Leave a Comment »

SIX DIFFERENT GOOD-EATING SPECIES ON ONE DAY and OTHERS RELEASED! (Pargo mulatto…red snapper…yellowfin tuna…yellowtail…cabrilla…white bonito)

BAJA SMORGASBORD

Originally Published the Week of April 24 in Western Outdoor Publications

I was on the beach a few days ago waiting for our fishing fleet pangas to come back that afternoon. I could see them slowly making their way towards me maybe 10 or so minutes out.

I had my toes scrunched in that fine warm Baja sand, having kicked off my flip-flops and my drivers and fish cleaners were all waiting to see what showed up.

Dang, that sun felt warm on my shoulders. Not too hot. No humidity. Just a slight off-shore breeze. My legs sure need some color. Too many days in long pants.

Just one of those awesome spring days in Mexico.

I think spring-time is my favorite time to be here. It’s the “tweener” time between the end of March and the beginning of June. It’s not quite winter. Not quite summer.

It’s always sunny. Temps in the low to mid-80’s. Nights, you still use a blanket. Good to have a sweatshirt or light windbreaker in the morning for fishing. It comes off quick enough!

There can still be some strong bouts of wind, current and swells as winter doesn’t always slide out easily. But, much of the time, it’s just something I call “non-weather,” It’s so pleasant you don’t even think about it.

Conversations don’t center around how hot or cold it is. No one talks about how cloudy or rainy it will be. You just know the sun is up and then it goes down and in between, it’s mighty pleasant.

After Easter and before the summer vacation, it’s also a slower easy time. The big summer crowds aren’t here yet. A lot of visitors are refugees from wherever they spend their colder wet winters like Canada, the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. If even for just a few days. Or so it seems. I can’t blame them.

When they arrive, they tell me about snow on the ground or not having seen the sun “back home” for several weeks. They just want to see the big warm yellow “orb” in the sky. They often don’t even care if the fish are biting or what’s biting!

And that’s one of the really special things about fishing during this time. I thought about that as I continued to revel in the warm sun on my back waiting for the boats.

You honestly just don’t know what you’re going to catch.

There’s a lot of anglers who will argue that the hotter warmer months are their favorites. That’s when the “glamor” fish like tuna, wahoo, billfish and dorado are centerstage. And rightly so.

But during the springtime, there seems to be a lot of variety.

The cooler water fish are still around like yellowtail, amberjack, several varieties of pargo and snapper . You can find cabrilla as well as triggerfish and sierra.

There are some fish much more specific to this spring-time bite like roosterfish, pompano and palometta as well.

Additonally, as the waters warm or you find the patches of warmer currents, you’ll also get shots at the aforementioned bluewater species like the sailfish, marlin, yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dorado.

Then, there are always the seemingly ever-present fish like bonito, jack crevalle, bullet tuna and others.

I’ve had our fleet come back with as many as a dozen species in a single day scattered among the various boats. You might not catch a lot of any one species, but you might get some of these…two of those…3 of these and another of that!

And the next day might be completely different. Even two boats next to each other might have completely different catches.

Several years ago, I had one Outdoor TV crew that wanted to see how many different species they could catch in a single day. By the end, we tallied 16 different species of fish!

By the same token, anglers can return to a “hot spot” from the day before and find completely different fish have taken over the area the next day. Or what was biting one day has completely changed depending on conditions.

This offers some incredible challenges to anglers.

It’s a super time to check off some fish on the bucket list, but also presents new twists on fishing. Does one use light tackle or heavy tackle? Spinning gear of conventional gear? Maybe a flyrod if the winds are down?

Are you fishing the warmer water where conditions are blue and clear or will you be fishing the cloudier colder waters? What about depths? With both warm and colder waters mixing it up, there will be different temperature thermoclines holding different layers of fish. Should you use weights? Jigs? Plastics? Will the fishing be offshore or closer to shore?

Or geographically, where are you fishing? The Pacific side of Baja or the Sea of Cortez? Also what’s happening in Cabo San Lucas is probably way different than what’s biting in Mulege or San Quintin!

Many times during the year when fishing Baja you can get away with one or two rigs and be good for 90% of the targeted species. But during the spring, you just never know.

It does make for some interesting decision making and trips to the tackle store. Next time, consider a trip in the spring. It’s a pretty fine time.

That’s my story!

Jonathan signature

Jonathan

______________

Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!

_____________

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.”

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¡Bienvenidos Amigos!
Jonathan has written for:

Western Outdoor News
Western Outdoor News Magazine
Pacific Coast Sportfishing
Discover Baja Magazine
Baja Life Magazine
The Log
Fish Taco Chronicles
Sportsman's Channel Magazine

His articles also appear in:

San Diego Union Newspaper
Los Angeles Times Newspaper
Sacramento Bee
San Francisco Chronicle
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That's My Story

Tailhunter International, La Paz, Baja Sur

Archive for the ‘Baja Rockfish’ Category

ZING-POWIE FISH!

ZING-POWIE FISH

They Don’t Bite All the Time!

THEY DON’T ALWAYS BITE!

I’m Voting You Off the Island!

I’m Voting You Off the Island!

Originally Published the Week of March 23, 2019 in Western Outdoors Publications

When Fishing Is Not So A-Peeling!

When Fishing Is Not So A-Peeling!

Originally Published the Week of Feb. 1, 2019 in Western Outdoor Publications

GOOD ENUFF

GOOD ENUFF

Originally Published the Week of Jan. 16, 2019 in Western Outdoor Publications

CAN’T HAVE TOO MUCH

CAN’T HAVE TOO MUCH

Originally Published the Week of Dec 18, 2018 in Western Outdoor Publications

NOT A SURE THING

NOT A SURE THING

Originally Published the Week of Dec. 4, 2018, in Western Outdoor Publications

REALITY CHECK

REALITY CHECK

Originally Published the Week of Nov. 13, 2018 in Western Outdoor Publications

WHEN NOTHING WAS EVERYTHING

WHEN NOTHING WAS EVERYTHING

Originally Published the Week of Aug 28, 2018 in Western Outdoor Publications

“Welcome to the Hotel!”

BAJA SMORGASBORD

BAJA SMORGASBORD

Originally Published the Week of April 24 in Western Outdoor Publications

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