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“Lupe and Lorenzo Don’t Work Here Anymore”

Posted in Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Mexican, Mexican business, Mexican culture, Mexico, Mexico economy, Mexico life, Mexico neighborhood, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Sea of Cortez, Tailhunter International, Uncategorized, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »

For four decades there wasn’t too much you couldn’t find in Lupe and Lancho’s little store. If you couldn’t find it, you probably didn’t need it. But a part of the community changed because Lupe and Lancho don’t work here anymore.

“LUPE AND LORENZO DON’T WORK HERE ANYMORE”

Originally Published the Week of Sept. 28, 2012 in Western Outdoor News

The old ceiling fan slowly whirred awkwardly off-kilter and barely moved any of the humid air that had rusted the  dusty mechanism and the tips of the blades once painted white.   Wohp…wohp…wohp…wohp…

You could keep time by the pulse of the rhythmic blades…Like a beating heart.  Slowing down with time.

The cracked-tile floor had seen decades of footsteps.  Bare brown cement peeked out where tiles long ago crumbled and cracked.

For 42-years-Lorenzo carried boxes of onions and stocked limes. He arranged the stacks of  fresh tortillas wrapped in wax paper for display in the little glass case.  He made sure the one-lone stand-up cooler had a stock of cold Pacificos, Coke and Fanta Orange soda. Some cheese. Some cold cuts and a few bottles of cold water next to the margarine.

He dusted the bottled salsas and re-arranged the dish soap and assorted sugar cookies and toilet paper.  Two jars of mayonnaise.  Four cans of beans.  Six of corn.  Some cooking oil.  Salt.  Bread.  Assorted soups. Toothpaste and bleach.  A little of everything, but  not much of any one thing.

Inventory was not difficult.

The shelves were  of  whitewashed wood.  Dry and blistering through several old layers of paint from the Baja aridness.   Several were noticeably leaning.  But who noticed?

He built them himself from wood that is hard to come by in a land that has few trees.  So boards, screws and nails often did not match.  If it worked and did what it was supposed to it was fine.  He could smile.

Construction-wise…The worn wooden table along the wall was not much better.  It  held small boxes or bags of beans, rice, onions and dried chilis and assorted fruit.  Nothing shiny and waxed.  No “mood” lights to make the produce look better.  Just a simple light bulb fixture globe on one wall.  The dust and dead bugs of ages silhouetted in it.

Lorenzo tidied up the stacks of brooms and smiled at his Guadalupe…Lupita (Little Lupe) … as she quietly re-stocked some cigarettes, batteries and candy bars behind the counter.  No cash register.  Just a rusty scratched lock box in a drawer.

Married for 40 of the 42 years he had worked at the store.  Her parents had owned it back in the day.  He worked for them in the store doing whatever needed to be done as well as at their home which was attached to the back of the little store.

As he tells it, he was just a kid and having an afternoon job wasn’t as important as being close to the little girl with the big dark eyes; long dark hair and disarmingly shy smile. His Lupita.

He still sighs when he looks at her.

He once told me, “After so many years with her, I always have the final word in our home.   It’s always, ‘Si, mi amor!’ (‘Yes, my sweetheart!’”)   He laughs heartily every time he tells that story.  And he hikes up his pants and continues sweeping and shaking his head with a smile beneath his bushy grey mustache.  He has amused himself again.

Lupita hears the story and shakes her own head with a smile and rolls her eyes.  She’s heard it a million times and it still makes her heart skip a bit.  It’s been a good life.

They were never blessed with kids, but she thinks of all the school kids that have passed through. She watched them grow up. They were like their own.  They called him “Don Lancho” and she was affectionately called, “Senora Lupita.”  

Generation after generation.  After-school ice cream bars and sodas.  Pencils and salty snacks. Teasing and flirting.  Little feet always underfoot with laughter.  Lancho and Lupita watched the “ninos” grow up to have kids of their own who then had their own kids all stop in after-school to spend a few pesos and laugh.

Blessed with laughter.  Nothing better.

The adults in the little barrio would come to hang out as well.   The little mercado could often be the hub of  the neighborhood social scene.

Buy a beer. Microwave some instant coffee or a cup of noodles eaten with a plastic fork.  Lupita would often have little tasty chili verde burritos for sale at the counter wrapped in wax paper.  Just a few pesos.  Everyone loved them.

The wooden bench on the sidewalk and some plastic chairs worked well to share neighborhood gossip and sports stories. There was always a radio playing Mexican ranch music.  Lupita’s favorite.

Evenings were the best after it got cooler.  Under the lone street light.  The occasional moth and bug flittering through the dusty glow.   After work.  After chores.  No kids. The neighborhood dogs would loll around the bench as well.  The dusty concrete was cooler than lying in the gravel road that was still radiating the Mexican heat and there was always the chance of a scrap or two!

42- years…there won’t be a 43rd.

There’s a padlock on the door now.  I wasn’t close enough to know them intimately but they were always kind and smiling and easy to chat with.  They were always there.

And now they are gone. No note.  Nothing on the metal door.  I’m not even sure who I would ask.  You just always assumed Lupe and Lancho would always be there.  Now, it doesn’t feel right.  A part of the neighborhood just isn’t there anymore.

I hope there wasn’t a tragedy or someone got sick.   I will miss stopping by for a Coke.

Maybe they just succumbed finally to the big box stores like Sam’s Club and others popping up way on the other side of town.  But those are way on the other side of town.

Folks are reluctant to travel far to shop and fiercely loyal to the little stores.  To a point.  Driving costs gas…and time.  And there’s no one to chat and gossip at the big store.  But like so many places around the world, at some point the big stores are convenient.

But I see more and more empty storefronts in town.  Even here on this side. Away from the big shopping centers.  No one is hanging out anymore.  The neighborhoods are changing with time.  Like the wohp…wohp…wohp of the old ceiling fan.  Time ticking down.

Sadly, I look through the smeared dirty windows into the darkened shop and see only my own reflection.  Lupe and Lancho don’t work here anymore. I think they are missed on so many levels.

That’s our story…

Jonathan

_____________

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

_________________

Jonathan Roldan’s

Tailhunter International

 

TAILHUNTER FISHING FLEET #1 Rated on Trip Advisor

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

 

Now follow us on FACEBOOK TOO


 
Website: www.tailhunter-international.com
U.S. Office: 3319 White Cloud Drive, Suite A, Hacienda Hts. CA 91745
Mexico Office: 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.
Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:
http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate


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

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“CHANGES IN ATTITUDES REVISITED”

Posted in Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Baja Rockfish, Cabo San Lucas, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tournaments, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Mexican, Mexican culture, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Mexico life, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Sea of Cortez, Tailhunter International, tuna tournament, Uncategorized, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 19, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Me and Jilly in our booth at the International Sportsman's Expo Salt Lake City UT. Just tryin' to sell smiles one fish at a time.

CHANGES IN ATTITUDES (“ARE YOU TALKING TO…ME?” REVISTED)

Originally Published the Week of March 23, 2012 in Western Outdoor News

So, here it is.  As I’m writing this, we’ve been on the road 78 straight days now hitting all the major fishing/hunting shows…Denver, Sacramento, Portland, Vegas, Seattle, Long Beach…just to name a few.  New show every week.  13,000 miles of driving and, by the time you’re reading this, we’ll be at our 11th show at the Fred Hall Show in Del Mar near San Diego.

So, we see thousands of you all at these shows and many of you have asked about the experiences we had last year on our promotional tour. If you remember, last year, several times at every show we were actually accosted…mostly verbally…sometimes physically by knuckleheads telling us to:

“Go back to your country!”

“How did people like US get into the show?”

“Everyone of you effing people from Mexico should be killed…”

Y’know…lovely pleasantries like that.  Every city.  Every show.  Not just the cities like Boise, Idaho or Billings, Montana either.

The worst were at the shows in Sacramento and Long Beach, California.  Yup…you’d have thought folks in these hubs might be a bit more enlightened. So did we!

It’s a bit unsettling when a guy in an Izod polo shirt with a Tag Heuer watch and a wife looking like she just came from the spa grits his teeth, reaches across the counter at my booth and pokes his finger in my chest and hisses at me, “They oughta just nuke the whole stupid country.”

Well, we got hundreds of e-mails and letters about our experiences.  Outrage. Embarrassment.  Support.  Most agreed that there’s some folks out there that just have their underwear on a little too tight.  We didn’t take it too personally.

But after decades of doing shows and meeting the public, it seemed like the rage and frustration towards Mexico directly and us indirectly came out’ve left field.

So, what about 2012?

I don’t know what everyone was drinking or smoking in 2011, but it’s almost like someone someone threw the light switch the other way. Thankfully, we’ve had very few incidents this year.

In fact, just today while here at the Salt Lake City ISE show, someone did tell me, “I’m not going there to Mexico where they cut off everyone’s head!”  He didn’t stop at our booth to say more or have a discussion.  He said it loud enough for others to hear and his buddies to laugh.  But that was it

.

We’ve had maybe only half-a-dozen actual heated exchanges.  And they were quickly dissipated.  Either we got the person to walk away. (No loss…anyone that tight will never visit Mexico anyway so why waste the energy!)

Or, in two or three situations, the angry person unknowingly walked up while our booth was surrounded by friends and clients who quickly bristled and got their own dander up.

The guy opens his mouth and gives us a piece of his mind.  Party foul!  Don’t call out the host in front of the host’s friends!  The bad guy gets chased away really really fast by friends who give him a bit of his own vitriol.

“Buddy, you need to take a hike!”  “You’re a jerk, keep walking.” “Back off, amigo, you’re full of…”   Well, you get the idea.   It’s hard to suppress a grin still thinking about it.  Thanks guys!

But honestly, I don’t know what’s changed.  Maybe people are coming around and are untangling fact from sensationalism and realizing that, while Mexico has a lot of problems, much of what the media feeds us isn’t the whole story and is not reflective of ALL of the country.  It’s a big place.

The bad guys are not targeting tourists.  Like pretty much anywhere else, there’s places in every city you shouldn’t visit places and things you shouldn’t be doing no matter where you are.  I mean…why would anyone need to go into a dark alley in Ciudad de Juarez? Or, one in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco or New Orleans, etc?  Common sense!

In fact, statistics show that American tourism to Mexico has been on the rise the past year.  Last year alone,  something like 15 million Americans visited Mexico and you know what happened…NOTHING!

What we’ve found instead this year is people walking up to us and asking,

“What do you think about the violence?”

“What’s the real story down there?”

“Is it really that dangerous?”

They really want to know.  They want someone to give another side. And they listen.  Really listen.  And instead of a confrontation, it becomes an exchange of ideas.  They may never come down to visit, but most times, I hear them say, “Wow, I didn’t know that.  That’s really interesting.” They shake our hands and thank us. Hopefully with a little better understanding.

Now, I do hear people say that the ONLY reason we’re pimping this is that we have a vested interest in getting folks down to Mexico.  Of course we do.  We have a fishing business and a restaurant.  To me, what’s good for us is good for everyone.  A little understanding goes a long way.  But, no matter what I say, people will still call it a sales job.

Well, just this week, none other than the  U.S. State Department officially recognized and declared that “no advisory” is “in effect for La Paz and the entire South Baja region.” (that includes Cabo and Loreto!). According to the State Department the report was compiled at the behest of American business groups worried about employee safety and NOT to appease various boosters of Mexican tourism, e.g. self-serving “salesmen” like me!

So, there you have it.  The U.S. Government finally telling folks something most of us in Baja already knew.  Come enjoy!

_______

HOLD THE PRESS…just after I wrote this and it went to publication to the editor, we had two people walk up to us at the booth in Salt Lake City Sportsman’s Expo..  Just as we were thinking we had made it through with a kinder, gentler, season.  Just after I wrote the above column the night before…two folks walked up to us and hissed…”WE HATE MEXICANS!”  And walked on. Didn’t even stick around long enough for get a response from me or my wife.  Both the woman and the man said the same thing and made a point of walking right up to our booth. “ I HATE MEXICANS.”  Dangit…I guess there’s still knuckleheads out there.  Sad.

_________

Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004.  Along with his wife, Jill, 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!

That’s our story…

Jonathan

 

Jonathan Roldan’s
Tailhunter International
Website: www.tailhunter-international.com
U.S. Office: 3319 White Cloud Drive, Suite A, Hacienda Hts. CA 91745
Mexico Office: 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.
Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:
http://www.tailhunter-international.com/fishreport.htm

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate


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

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“DIFFERENTLY THE SAME”

Posted in Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tournaments, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Mexican, Mexican culture, Mexico, Mexico life, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Sea of Cortez, Tailhunter International, Uncategorized, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, yellowtail, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 5, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Only two guys who've fished together for awhile like Captain Jorge and Steve would mug like this. Just two guys fishing together!

DIFFERENTLY THE SAME!

Originally Published the Week of March 8, 2012 in Western Outdoor News

I’m just saying.   I think the world might just be a better place if we all just did a little more fishing.  It might solve a few problems, or at least not have so many. 

 Nations and,  even neighbors,  are pulled-apart by such complicated issues as religion, culture, politics and language or such silly stuff as, “I hate the music that jerk plays! ” 

 

There are simply countless reasons NOT to like each other.  So many reasons to polarize us all. I’m as guilty as the next person.  I probably let a person’s differences jump out at me more often than they should.

 But put two knuckleheaded guys as dissimilar as night and day in a boat… keep some fishing rods handy… and give them the mutally-advantageous goal of trying to fool an animal with a brain the size of a pea…

And it’s amazing to watch what develops. I see it happen all the time. 

One guy speaks Spanish.  One English.

One knows how to run a fishing boat.  One knows how to run a million-dollar company.

One has 3 kids and lives in a cinderblock home with a tin roof and a chicken or two in the yard.  The other has 1 ex-wife, two mortgages and rents a roof-top condo on the west side.

One has spent 30 years learning the waters that provide his livelihood and survival.

One has two advanced university degrees.

One can fix a Mercury outboard or Chevy engine with duct tape and a butter knife.

One can do Power Point presentations before a Board of Directors.

One makes the best goat-meat barbecue in his neighborhood. 

One makes a mean happy hour martini. 

In any other context, there’s hardly a single reason for these two guys to care a wit about the other.  But, put them in a fishing boat…

And they get along just fine!

All the disparate petty things that pull drive us apart or keep us from getting to know each seem to take 2nd chair to the overall goal of putting a dumb fish in the boat!

Language barriers are overcome with the simple universal communication of a smile or a laugh. 

Often, both guys try extra hard to actually LISTEN more carefully and WATCH more closely.  They SPEAK more carefully and simply to each other…even in their own languages, because they really WANT to be understood! 

We have smart phones, Facebook, Twitter, Google and Skype…all the technology in the world, but we’ve forgotten the skills of LISTENING, WATCHING and SPEAKING SIMPLY! Two guys in a boat wanting to catch a fish will resort to animated and creative hand gestures to make themselves understood!

At the end of the day…smiles…and maybe a photo or two…and a handshake. Both understand “Gracias” and “Thank you.”

 

“Tomorrow” says one.

“Manana!” says the other.

By the next day, more grins on the beach as they meet to go out.  The captain pulls out a little foil packet of grilled fish burritos that his wife made for the client and wants to share. 

“Delicious! exclaims the client surprisedly. 

“Delcio-SO!” confirms the captain proudly with a grin. 

“Hey, Spanish and English are almost the same!” says the client through another mouthful of burrito.

“Si!…Yes!” replies the smiling Captain

“Good…uh…BIEN” laughs the client.

“Correc-TO!” confirms  the Captain as he revs the motor.

The client rummages through his bag and pulls out a box of juice to share with the captain. Gratefully accepted.  Smiles and nods.

And they head out for another day of fishing. 

…and the language barriers start to diminish.  And with each passing hour, the other barriers don’t matter.  They never really did.

At the end of the day, the client “thinks” he understands that the Captain has a younger son who likes baseball. Both have daughters about the same age.  The Captain now knows the client likes the N.Y. Yankees (Captain likes the Red Sox) and the client lives in San Diego.  They both think politicians in both countries are the same…idiots!  Laughs.

And so it goes.  At the end of the day, more handshakes and photos.  More smiles.  The client gives the captain some lures as a gift.  His eyes light-up gratefully!

“Mil Gracias!…Mucho thank you’s” says the captain grasping the precious lures.

“Thank YOU very much” answers the client pointing at the captain  “…Gracias gracias, mi amigo!”

 And then the next year, the client comes back. 

 Hands clasp.  And there are big grins and smiles and anticipation of another great time on the water. 

The fisherman shows photos of his kids on his cell phone and photos from the last trip!  The captains smiles proudly looking at the photos.  Using hand gestures and simple words he demonstrates that his kids have grown “this much…”  He uses another hand gesture to happily say his wife has another baby coming! 

 

And every year it grows…3, 4, …7…10 years of fishing together. And it’s no longer captains and client.   A friendship grows. And not a hint of politics…or religion…or cultural differences. And they learn from each other.

He’s become a better fisherman and learned to love barbecued goat and fish jerky and how to catch his own bait.  

The captain has picked up quite a bit of English and has enjoyed bagels and cream cheese.  His son has a new baseball glove and a N.Y. Yankees ballcap.  The captain proudly uses a new reel from a place called “Cabelas.”

Oh…and over the years, they just happen to catch a few fish too.  But it never seemed to be as important or as fun as just two guys hanging out. 

Yup…the world might be a bit better if everyone just went fishing. We’re so differently the same.

 

That’s my story!

Jonathan

__________________________

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

 

Jonathan Roldan’s
Tailhunter International
Website: www.tailhunter-international.com
U.S. Office: 3319 White Cloud Drive, Suite A, Hacienda Hts. CA 91745
Mexico Office: 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.
Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:
http://www.tailhunter-international.com/fishreport.htm

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate


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

Read Full Post »

“YELLOW FEVER REVISED”

Posted in Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja Mexico Fishing, Baja Rockfish, Cabo San Lucas, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tournaments, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Mexican, Mexico life, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Sea of Cortez, Tailhunter International, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 19, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Amigo, Rick Hosmer has the right idea after a big day of yellowtail fishing!

YELLOW FEVER REVISED

Originally Published the Week of Feb. 20, 2012 in Western Outdoor News

I’ve been writing columns and stories for various publications now for about 25 years and for Western Outdoors now for about 8 years.  Usually, I pop them out in the middle of the night, press “send” …sigh that I got another one in the can and forget about it.  I go to bed.  Morning comes early.

We don’t get the publications down in Mexico so I never see them again and, unless someone mentions something about it, I don’t think about it again.  Another deadline pops up soon enough!

But every now and then, I’ll go back and check out the backlog of stories.  A phone call this past week  from prolific San Francisco Chronicle outdoor writer (and WON columnist) Tom Stienstra got me to look back at some of the many columns from the past.

I noticed that as much as Baja has changed.  So has my writing.  The more fishing I’ve done, the more I’ve thought differently about fishing as well. Techniques change.  Gear has changed.  Technology has changed and even in some cases, the fish themselves have changed.

Yellowtail for instance.  I found I had last written about yellowtail in this column back in 2008.  Other than tuna, I don’t think any other fish generates more interest or even frenzy among veteran Baja fishermen than yellowtail. And…co-incidentally, it’s yellowtail season in Baja!

The big jacks are not only real sluggers on rod and reel but can attain trophy-size proportions not to mention being great eating.

But, after you fish for a certain species a certain way, you can get set in your ways.  I mean, if one technique works, then if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.  I see a lot of Mexican captains like that.  Grandfather, dad, brothers and cousins all used a certain technique so why change?  They roll their eyes and grin when the gringo client shows some new-fangled lure or reel “guaranteed” to produce fish!  Lo que sea…”whatever!”

For example with yellowtail, I was convinced that the tried-and-true colors for casting lures (throwing iron) would be blue and white.  With some variation at times for green and yellow or scrambled egg (white, red, orange, yellow).  It seemed that everyone was always catching yellowtail on those colors.  Well, it might also have been a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Everyone was ONLY using those colors because everyone, like me, had bought into the same mantra!  Ergo, yellowtail were ONLY getting caught on those colors because that’s the only colors anyone was using.

However, like with many lures, I’ve found it’s not so much the color.  It’s how you fish it.  A variation on the saying, “It’s not worm, it’s how you wiggle it!”

Generally speaking, fish any lure color at the right speed, depth and action and if the yellowtail are there, their predatory instincts kick in and they’ll bite!  Like a cat.  They don’t care about the yarn ball.  If it rolls past their noses, they’ll pounce!

Some of my BEST yellowtail action came when I had LOST my preferred colors and had to dig in my tackle box and fished with pink (lost that)…went to lime green (lost that) then found my “jewel”…an un-painted ugly  lead-colored jig that slammed fish-after-fish.  Next time out, everyone else was using the “colored” lures and my ugly jig outfished most everyone!  I used that lure for years until it was so scarred from teeth and until it too was finally lost!

Another “revision” to my yellowtail hunting.  Structure.  My amigos fishing Cedros, Benitos, Mulege, Loreto and Santa Rosalia might agree or disagree with me as they fish yellowtail a lot more than we do in La Paz where I am, but yellowtail move around a lot!

I used to always think to fish them deep or at least around structure.  Off southern Cal waters we’d search for them under kelp paddies.  In Baja, we look for them around reefs and high spots on  submerged mounts or generally deep areas over structure.

I’ve now come to believe that, like most fish, find the food source and, like most fish, you’ve got a half-way decent chance of finding the big yellow forktails.  They love mackerel.  But they also love sardines, caballitos, smaller jacks, and squid.  You don’t see it as often as in the Baja glory days, but yellowtail will boil on the surface and I’ve caught yellowtail over sandy bottoms where the there was absolutely no structure and only a few feet deep.  They key was finding the food source.  Just common sense.

Finally, when nothing else works…troll!  Ewww…that ugly word.  But yea…you’ll cover more water and hopefully roll up on some fish by dragging something behind the boat.  If slow trolling a big slab greenie mackerel or caballito isn’t available then those big-lipped deep-diving Rapala, Yo-Zuri, Braid,  or similar lure in the magnum size will often work when nothing else will!  Bigger the lip, the deeper the dive, but just don’t get hung up on any rocks!

That’s my story!

Jonathan

___________________________

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

Jonathan Roldan’s
Tailhunter International

 

TAILHUNTER FISHING FLEET #1 Rated on Trip Advisor

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

 

Now follow us on FACEBOOK TOO

                       

 
Website: www.tailhunter-international.com
U.S. Office: 3319 White Cloud Drive, Suite A, Hacienda Hts. CA 91745
Mexico Office: 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.
Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:
http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate


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

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“WINTER MAX FISHING”

Posted in Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Mexican, Mexico, Mexico life, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Sea of Cortez, Tailhunter International, Uncategorized, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, women fishing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 23, 2012| Leave a Comment »

A ittle planning before heading out is not a bad idea!

“WINTER MAX FISHING”

Originally Published in Western Outdoor Publications the Week of January 26, 2012

I might be committing a bit of heresy. Fishing can be crap in the winter.  OK, I said it. But, hold on. Before I’m ex-communicated from the fishing brotherhood, let me explain.

We’re doing all these fishing and hunting fishing shows and expos for the next three months.  Just finished Denver and, by the time you’re reading this, we’ll have just finished the ISE show in Sacramento and are on our way to the Seattle area for the next show.  These expos are great.  It’s an incredible opportunity to chat with old amigos and folks interested in coming to fish in Baja.

But, so often, I hear:

“We’ve fished down in Mexico 3 times and didn’t catch a thing.”

“Long boat ride. Just trolled all day.”

“Five trips and no marlin. No tuna.”

“They always lie and tell us there’s a lot of fish but we never get much.  Really disappointing.”

Then, I ask them, “What time of year did you go fishing?”

So often I hear, “Uh, December.” 

“Christmas”

“January”

“Winter time.”

I kinda shake my head.  I can certainly understand when I speak to these good folks who live in the frozen, wet, cold winters of Montana, Colorado, Alaska, Canada and Washington. There’s a definite need to toss off the down jackets and thermals and bolt as fast you can to the land of flip-flops and margarita!  If you’ve ever spent any time in these beautiful places, there’s only so much you can take until you crave some sunshine and Vitamin D.

But just cuz the sun is shining south of the border doesn’t necessarily mean the fish are biting.  At least not ALL the fish!

Sure, the brochures and websites all look good with all those pretty fish and sunny beaches, but so often, folks fail to check whether those gamefish species are biting during their vacation.  Just ask!  Or they fail to take a look at fish reports (like those in Western Outdoor News) or online reports. 

Although you really never know what you might hook when you fish in Baja, historically, most species run during particular seasons.  Just like anything else and everywhere else on earth, there’s a time for the whales to migrate; a time for the salmon run; for geese to fly south and yes…for marlin, dorado and tuna to show up as well! 

Very often tourists will book a boat and just tell the captain, “We want to catch a marlin” or “Let’s go for tuna!” 

The Mexican captain and crew, anxious to please, and understandably sometimes lacking the ability properly verbalize other alternatives,  fire up the engines and off  they go with a shrug and as much enthusiasm as they can muster.   If it’s a good day, the captain is a hero.  If it’s a bad day, he’s a goat. 

The better option would have been for the clients to ask what’s biting (no matter what time of year!) and pursuing those species or just letting the captain fish.

  Give the green light. Tell him you want some action.  (It’s an easy word in Spanish…”accion!”)

 Most captains I’ve known over the years that are worth their salt and lime don’t want to go on a long boat ride anymore than you. Pragmatically, why burn the gas for nothing?  Believe me, they want to catch fish as much as you do! When our own captains in our fleet hear the word “accion,”  I usually see big smiles and hear an enthusiastic, “Vamonos!” (Let’s go!”)

 Especially, for Mexican winter-time fishing, when there can be so many variables in wind, current, tides and fish,  find out what’s going on and do a little research before booking your trip. It will be worth your effort.  Maybe you’ll find out it’s better to go another time; change your fishing strategies or even go somewhere else! 

The Baja is 1000 miles long with about 2000 miles of coastline and bordering two different oceans.  What’s biting in Cabo isn’t the same as what’s biting in Mulege.  What they’re catching in Ensenada or off Cedros Island isn’t the same as the catches in Bahia de Los Angeles.  Common sense!

I often get prospective clients telling us, they are coming in the winter and “I want to catch a marlin.”  Or, “I’ve never caught a dorado.”

I’ve found it’s better to possibly lose the booking and be up front. Better to have a happy satisfied client than disappointing a client that had unrealistic expectations. 

So,   I tell them when the optimal time would be to catch the fish they are looking for or, if their vacations are already set, I make sure to give them realistic expectations for what they are most likely to encounter.

For instance in winter it might be cabrilla…pargo…snapper…sierra…jack crevalle…bonito…yellowtail…etc.  I also throw in the kind of weather and ocean conditions that might arise as well.  Of course, Baja being Baja and the fish gods often being fickle, if they do catch some trophy blue water fish, expectations have been exceeded. We’re suddenly heroes and my captain is the best thing since the invention of the tortilla.  

But, lacking that, I encourage folks to ask what’s biting and be flexible about the fishing as the best way to avoid disappointment. Nothing is ever guaranteed in fishing, but plan your fishing as carefully as you plan your hotel and the rest of your vacation and you’ll max your vacation memories.

_________________

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

Jonathan Roldan’s
Tailhunter International

 

TAILHUNTER FISHING FLEET #1 Rated on Trip Advisor

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

 

Now follow us on FACEBOOK TOO

                       

 
Website: www.tailhunter-international.com
U.S. Office: 3319 White Cloud Drive, Suite A, Hacienda Hts. CA 91745
Mexico Office: 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.
Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:
http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate


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

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“WINTER OBSERVATIONS FROM BAJA”

Posted in Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Baja Rockfish, Cabo San Lucas, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Mexican, Mexico, Mexico Christmas, Mexico life, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Sea of Cortez, Tailhunter International, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 26, 2011| Leave a Comment »

A quiet winter evening on the La Paz waterfront

La Paz' busiest intersection on the watefront...no parking issues!

A quiet winter game of the Mexican verson of "BINGO" in the town square downtown.

WINTER OBSERVATIONS FROM BAJA

Originally published the week of December 29, 2011

I pulled the hood of my sweatshirt a little more snuggly against my neck as the cool ocean breeze was starting to send a few chilly evening fingers down my back.  As I walked down the old boulevard, I smiled at others also out for an evening stroll.  Long pants.  Hands stuffed in down jackets for warmth.  Girls wearing furry boots.  Guys covering their heads with watch-style pull down stretch hats to cover ears against the blustery night.

          Everyone you pass has a nod and a smile all somewhat grinning about being so bundled up.  It’s an inside local joke.  In addition to my hoodie, I’m wearing thermals, my Levis and my hiking boots with actual socks!  Quite a divergence from the flip-flops that adorn my feet the majority of the year. 

          Despite all the sunny palm-tree travel posters and brochures, yes, Baja does get winter.  And yes, it does get “cold.”  For us in La Paz, that means down to about the mid-50’s at night.

          Relatively speaking,  that translates to about a “3-dog-night” up in Alaska where the frigid evenings are judged by how many dogs one must sleep with to keep warm. 

          The few tourists, mostly snow-birds escaping places that really ARE cold like Canada, New York and Montana, continue to stroll in shorts and loud Hawaiian shirts and laugh to hear us talk about using drinking hot cocoa and “electric blankets” and staying in-doors at night because it’s too cold to go out!

          For the visitors that normally come down to enjoy the warmer months, it’s sometimes a shock that the sun isn’t always out or that everyone isn’t down at the beach or out drinking margaritas on the terraza or fishing or how windy it can be!

          I remember a few years back a guy wanted to build his dream boutique hotel on one of our beaches.  He had been a visitor for many years enjoying the sun, sand, fishing and diving for many years of summers.  He finally had all his papers in order.  He purchased the beach-front land and got the work crew to break ground…in December! 

          Revelation!  The winds howled.  Scaffolds blew over.  Sand and concrete scattered.  Half-the-days, the work crew couldn’t work.  The owner had never spent any winters in Baja! He thought it was 90 degrees and sunny year-round.   But in winter…No fishing.  Very few tourists.  After two months of futility, he packed it up.

          But, it’s a nice time to be in Baja.  It’s a time, many of our anglers and regulars don’t get to normally see since most fishermen visit the Baja from March to November.

          Yes, it can be windy and (for us) chilly too! But, generally, the sun is out and there’s a certain tranquility that descends on each place from the desert to the beaches and from the smallest pueblo to even the larger tourist cities. There’s even a word for it “tranquilo.” (calm or quiet).  And it’s a good way to describe it.

          The sun light is different.  It’s more subdued and the days are shorter although the days can be brilliant as a winter day.  Beaches are relatively empty.  So are the streets.

          Don’t be surprised to find you have a store or restaurant all to yourself to enjoy the full attention of the staff.  There just aren’t that many tourists around!

          If you thought Mexican “manana” was a leisurely pace, try “manana” in the winter! There’s no urgency.  There’s no “prisa” (hurry).  Lo que sea! (Whatever!).

      No one’s rushing around for office parties; setting up the electric Santa on the roof; cookie bakes; midnight sales; Christmas cards; parking lot crushes…”Calmate” (Take it easy) is the attitude.  No stress.  No underwear-bunching is allowed!  You will never be late and there’s no such thing as a cocktail dress or an ugly Christmas sweater.  Imagine that!

      It can take some getting used to for folks that move down here.

      Gringos get frustrated because we’re used to the frantic pace of Christmas and the holidays.  Here, the “holidays” start about mid-November and go until after the feast of the Three Kings in January.  So, no sense in getting frustrated.  No one is real motivated to get much done so you just roll with it!

     People sometimes don’t leave their homes. People don’t go to their offices.  For about a month, government and municipal employees barely work or are on hiatus with diminished staffs (sounds like a lot of government offices, doesn’t it!).  So, if you need anything “official” done, forget it. 

      If you need to rush or get something done RIGHT NOW…wait until February! 

     It’s not a bad way to look at things no matter where you’re spending your holidays. 

     Take it down a notch.  Park your sled and give the elves and reindeer the day off. Whether you’re eating menudo or Aunt Mary’s cheese log with crackers, take the time to enjoy the moments.  Savor your family and friends.  Tomorrow can wait.  Put it off until February like we do in Mexico!

     Best to you and yours for many blessings now and in the coming year!  And thanks too for reading my two-cents columns all year long too! Cheers!

That’s our story…

Jonathan

__________________________

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

________________________

Jonathan Roldan’s
Tailhunter International

 

TAILHUNTER FISHING FLEET #1 Rated on Trip Advisor

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

 

Now follow us on FACEBOOK TOO

                       

 
Website: www.tailhunter-international.com
U.S. Office: 3319 White Cloud Drive, Suite A, Hacienda Hts. CA 91745
Mexico Office: 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.
Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:
http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate


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

Read Full Post »

“LOST FISH CAPTURED MEMORIES”

Posted in Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Fishing, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, holidays in mexico, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz Fishing, Living in Mexico, Mexican, Mexico, Mexico life, Panga Fishing, Salt Water Fishing, Sea of Cortez, Tailhunter International, Uncategorized, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Win some...lose some. It's part of the sport. But certain fish leave lifetime memories.

LOST FISH CAPTURED MEMORIES

Originally Published the Week of Sept. 22, 2011 in Western Outdoor News

I think I was about 9-years-old and my uncle had taken me out on my first real trip in Mexican waters.  It was a multi-day trip on the old party boat “Holiday.”   I had never fished the big boys before and was obviously thrilled like any little boy. Sky high and feet off-the-ground-excited. 

 

That day we got into a big bluefin and albacore bite.  It was exciting and like a proverbial three-ring-circus.  Bent rods. Screaming reels. Blood splattering. Guys cursing and yelling and big thick fish bodies hitting the deck! Oh man…pandemonium like a little kid had never seen!

 

I didn’t know what I was doing.  My uncle got lost in the melee.  I had an old Mitchell Garcia ocean “coffee grinder” spinning  reel as I hadn’t yet learned how to use conventional gear.  I think I had 30 pound line purchase from Thrify Drug Store.  I had a beat up Roddy fishing rod.  Being a little brown kid,  I wanted to stay out’ve the way so I wandered to the bow all by myself and cast an anchovie as far as I could!

 

As soon as it hit the water, there was a huge splash.  The reel was in gear so it was almost launched out’ve my hands!  I remember digging my heels in and slipping down on my butt but still holding onto the rod which was now torqued against the gunwale with my knees arched and my feet braced against the Holiday’s white fiberglass…and holding on for dear life.

 

I somehow managed to stand up.  I did the best I could to just hang on.  I turned the handle when I could.  Gritted my teeth and remembered the butt of that spinning rod digging into my chest and hurting under my armpit. Forget backbone!  That rod was like a big noodle in my small hands and almost doubled with the big fish!

 

Oh, please! Oh please! I remember frantically looking around hoping someone would come help me. But everyone was jammed back in the stern.  No one missed the 9-year-old by himself up at the bow.

 

I don’t know how long I held on up there.  Maybe 15 minutes?  Time has little relevance when you’re on a big fish let alone when you’re 9 years old and can barely tell time!

 

I really didn’t know what else to do!

 

“Hey, there’s a kid in the bow with a fish!  Someone go help him!” I heard a booming voice yell from the wheelhouse above me.

 

Bodies came running up.  Hands wrapped around me and around my rod. I didn’t look up.

 

“Hang in there, kid! Oh man, you have about a 50-pound bluefin on there!  You been up here all alone?  That’s the wrong outfit to be using for these fish!”

Certain things get etched in your brain.  I remember those words to this day more than 40 years later.

 

I was straining for all I was worth.

 

“Hey, it’s coming up!  It’s coming up!  Get the gaffs! “

 

I turned the handle of that old Mitchell.  It was like pulling a refrigerator up the side of a building. 

 

“Oh wow.  It’s a big one, Kid! Just a little more.  Just a little more!”

 

I peered over the side of that tall rail.  What I saw was the fat blue and silver body that seemed close enough to touch.  The eye of that massive fish must have matched my own that were the size of pizza plates.

 

That fish looked right at me.  Then it surged with one last burst.

 

The rod dug into my groin and chest and I remember my knuckles getting slammed against the wooden rail.

 

And the line popped…then and there.  KER-SNAPP!

 

Where?  Where’s MY fish? 

 

I found myself crumpled on the deck.  Alone.  All I remember was people walking away and I think I heard, “Tough luck, Kid.”

 

Looking back, the deckies were busy in the stern with other bent rods.   They had other things to attend to, but for a 9-year-old, I wanted to cry.  I wanted someone to tell me how I lost that fish.  And why? 

 

I wanted someone to pat me on the back or give me some props.  I wanted an “Attaboy.”  But you don’t get an “attaboy” for losing fish.  My uncle didn’t even know I had been up there in the bow. Where was my mom, dangit! She’d understand. 

 

To this day, I remember that eye still looking at me!

 

I remember Micheal Jordan once saying he won alot of basketball games with last-second shots.  But he also said that there were other games when his last-second shot clanked off the rim.  He said he remembers those games he lost more than the games he won.

 

I have caught many big fish over my fishing career.  But…I remember more every big fish I lost.  Perhaps none more than that first one adventuring into Mexican waters almost 50 years ago.

__________________________

 

Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004.  Along with his wife, Jill, 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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