That&#039;s My Story

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

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

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

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“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.”

“Big Bait Big Fish…No Bait No…?

Posted in airlines, aquaculture, bahia de los muertos, Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja fishing lures, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Baja Rockfish, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, camping, car, cerralvo, cerralvo island, charity, charters, chubasco, circle hooks, crankbait, donations, dorado, driving, east cape, ecotourism, el nino, el sargento, espirito santo, family, farm-raised, fish, fish farming, fish pens, Fishing, fishing blogs, fishing hooks, Fishing lures, fishing packages, fishing reports, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tips, fishing tournaments, fishing trips, fishing videos, flyfishing, freediving, giant squid, green, Heat stroke, highway, history, holidays in mexico, humboldt squid, hurricane, hurricanes, ice chests, inshore fishing, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, jack crevalle, Jonathan Roldan, kids, kids fishing, La Paz, La Paz Fishing, la ventana, las arenas, Leisure, light tackle, Living in Mexico, los barriles, luggage, marlin, Mexican, Mexican business, Mexican culture, mexican food, mexican food stands, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Mexico Christmas, Mexico economy, Mexico life, Mexico neighborhood, missions, outfitters, pack for a purpose, packages, packing, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, passport, planning, pompano, rental car, rentals, road trip, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, saving money, Sea of Cortez, seafood, sierra, spearfishing, sportfishing, squid fishing, storm, storms, suitcases, Sun stroke, sustainable, Tailhunter International, techniques, tourism, tours, transpeninsular highway, Travel, trolling tips, tuna, Tuna jackpot, tuna tournament, Uncategorized, vacations, vehicle, wahoo, waterspouts, weather, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged accommodations, activities, amberjack, bahia, baja, baja editor, baja sur, bars, bay, beach, Bill Boyce, billfish, blogs, blue water, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, catch and release, Central Washington Sportsmans show, cerralvo, certified scale, charter, children, chubasco, costa baja, day tour, deep sea, del mar fairgrounds, discount, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tour, el sargento, espirito santo, extreme fishing, family, fish, fishing and boating shows, fishing and hunting shows, fishing sportfishing, flyfishing, fred hall, free dive, get-away, girls, grey whales, grouper, guide, guide service, holiday, hotel, hotel marina, hotel perla, hotel seven crown, hunting, idaho sportsman’s show, igfa, images, inshore, International Game Fish Association, international sportsmans expo, ise, isla, island, jack crevalle, jillene roldan, jilly roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, la ventana, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, lodging, los barriles, mahi mahi, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos, northwest sportsmans show, offshore, outfitter, pack for a purpose, package, panga, panga slam, pargo, photos, pompano, portland expo center, Puyallup Fairgrounds, reef fish, reports, restaurants, rockfish, rooster fish, rooster fish foundation, sailfish, saltwater, san jose del cabo, scuba, sea bass, sea of cortez, sealions, shuttle, sierra, snapper, snorkel, spearfish, suenos, swim, tackle, Tailhunter International, tailhunter restaurant bar, techniques, tips, tour, tourism, travel, trolling, tuna, tuna jackpot tournament, updates, vacation, video, wahoo, Washington Sportsmans Show, weather, western outdoor news, WFN, whale watching, whales, whaleshark, wife, women, World Fishing Network, yellowtail on May 9, 2016| Leave a Comment »

BIG BAIT BIG FISH…NO BAIT NO…????

Originally Published the Week of May 11 2016 in Western Outdoor News

Yikes! Hijole! What’s wrong with this picture?

You may have heard the old saying in fishing. “Big Bait Big Fish.” Basically, to catch a big fish, use a big bait. Makes sense.

So, what if there’s no bait? No bait no…?

For the past two-to-three-years and maybe even a touch longer, there’s no doubt that something is up with the bait stocks here in Baja. What’s up with that?

Here in the “Aquarium of the World” as Jacques Cousteau called it, we are used to huge dark undulating ribbons of millions of Mexican sardines. We are used to giant baitballs of mackerel. We’re used to having a cornucopia of all the green jacks, cocineros, ballyhoo and other baitfish we needed for sportfishing.

So, what’s going on and why have we all been scrambling to find bait? In the local Baja waters where we took bait for granted, we’re lately perplexed, annoyed, troubled and sometimes angry at the dearth of stuff to stick on the hook!

The commercial bait guys used to pull up to our cruisers and pangas and they’d be hawking and competing against each other to sell you all you wanted. They’d be zipping around in their own pangas like gadflys from customer-to-customer trying to make a deal in their best Span-glish…

“Almost free, amigo! Almost free! Cheap bait, Senores! Best quality! C’mon! C’mon! How much you want to buy? Vamanos. Let’s go. No waiting! Sure, we got change! Twenty dollars, no hay problema! Si, senor!

And we surely used it too! We burned through it like a sailor burns through his money roll on a 24-hour liberty.

We tossed handfuls out for chum. If a bait wasn’t looking exactly real good or lively, we tore the hook out and pinned on another one.

Feed the pelicans and seagulls? What fun. Sure!

Dead bait? Don’t need it. We scooped it over the side and watched the trigger fish chomp it or the scavengers in the marina water frenzy on it.

The times have changed.

Before, there was so much bait, the bait guys eked out a living because there was such an abundance and so much competition, prices were low. Now, they eke out a living because they can only find a few bits and pieces and gringos are willing to pay dearly for each precious piece.

But so often, fishermen now pull up on the commercial bait guys in those early mornings and find the carniceros still trying to catch or net the enough to sell.

And, to a greater degree, anglers are met with a shrug and frown and hands turned up in resignation.

“Sorry, amigos. No bait today.”

“No mas, amigos. No more bait today. Ya los vendemos. We sold it already.”

“Si, pero tenemos solo poquito. We have just a little to sell.”

And we get angry with them or wrongfully blame them or our crews. And can’t understand why we don’t have bait today. Heck two years ago, we had all we wanted. Or we think that the bait guys just didn’t work hard enough on YOUR day that YOU want to fish! It’s THEIR fault!

Actually, believe me. If they had it, they’d sell it to you. There’s families to be fed and kids need shoes.

Chances are by the time you’re ready to go fishing at 5 a.m., the bait man has been trying to catch bait for you all night. He’s as ticked, perplexed and disappointed as you.

So, que paso? What happened?

I speculate that it’s a combination of things.

As a matter of nature, we’re in an el Nino cycle. Waters are much warmer than normal on this side of the Pacific.

The cooler waters from down deep never came up bringing with it the micro-nutrients that the bait fish need. The bait fish either starve or don’t re-produce in their normal numbers or simply follow their food source somewhere else.

That applies all the way up the ecological food chain.

With altered and diminished food sources, the sportfish also lack their usual chow. They are smaller. Or they starve. Or they move to other areas. Simple natural logic.

The other part of the equation is points directly at us.

There’s more pressure on the current bait stocks, small as they are.

There’s more anglers on the water. There’s more boats and charter operations. Everyone wants bait. Everyone expects it! Plus…

As sportsmen we’re used to having all we want and we will use all we can get. And we’ll also use anything we can find.

Whereas, before, we might use 4 or 5-inch mature Mexican sardines, now we’re taking one-inch fry. We’re sticking 3 or 4 of them onto a hook at a time because one doesn’t cover the hook.

Conversely, the bait sellers are using nets with smaller and smaller mesh-holes to trap the smaller baits. Nothing gets to grow up.

As one bait vendor sadly told me, “I know we’re not supposed to use nets so small, but I am just trying to make a living. I know that this is taking all the small baby baits. “

The other side of the commercial coin is acuaculture. Huge stocks of bait are being used to grow marketable fish in the fish farms. It takes many POUNDS of baitfish to grow one of these market fish a single pound larger.

There’s a hungry world out there and the demand for seafood exceeds the supply.

Simple economics.

The earth is doing it’s thing. And it’ll cycle around again. El Nino is supposed to be slacking off this year.

I’m not sure what we’re doing about our end of things. But, I know I sure don’t take those little fish for granted anymore.

That’s my story…

Jonathan

_______________

______________

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

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

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

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:

“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.”

HOW YOUNG DO YOU FEEL?

Go ahead! What’s the worse that can happen?

HOW YOUNG DO YOU FEEL?

Originally Published the Week of April 26, 2016 in Western Outdoor Publications

“We love Baja and I want to bring my family, but I have a 6-year-old and I don’t think he’s old enough yet. “

“My dad is 85 and he has always wanted to fish in Baja, but he thinks he’s now too old. “

I get comments like this all the time. Too young. Too old. Whatever.

But, it’s a common question as the parameters of Baja visitors change. Although it is still “la frontera” (the frontier) and there’s more than enough ruggedness in the Baja to go around. There’s no debating that this is not your grandfather’s Baja.

For better or worse. It’s a kinder-gentler Baja.

There’s no doubt more families; more kids; more wives and girlfriends are now coming down. And they’re not just here to splash poolside at posh resorts; drink infused martinis; go to spas; and line up at the all-inclusive buffet lines.

They’re fishing; surfing; off-roading; zip-lining; scuba diving and grabbing their vacation by the two-fisted-double tortillas. The spirit of adventure is far from dead. It’s just that nowadays, there’s a safety net.

If your car breaks down now, the vultures won’t start circling overhead. There are very few roads that don’t have a gas station or convenience store nearby. And…Walmart probably has your part.

If you run out’ve water or ice, it’s no longer an emergency. (Well, maybe running out’ve ice IS an emergency to SOME people!)

But, you simply walk down the hall to the ice machine. Or call the front desk.

Boat radio goes out? Grab you multi-satellite cell phone.

You get my drift. No pun intended.

Mistakes, accidents and quirks of nature, are much more forgiving in Baja than back in the day. Back then, venturing to the Baja was sometimes about like going on safari.

You carried enough parts to rebuild your car or boat engine. You had everything from cables to belts and hoses to air filters.

You strapped on enough extra jerry cans of gasoline to cover those long stretches of desert highway. Or build a big enough bonfire if you had to signal for rescue. (That actually happened to me once…but that’s for another story).

This was Baja in the year “BC.” (Before cell phones).

You brought a first aid kid that would have made a trauma team proud. And you never went anywhere without duct tape, some rope, shovel, some rope…and the simple necessities like toilet paper!

Hope hoped for the best. Planned for the worst.

Usually, for most of us, nothing happened harsher than bad hangovers, mosquito bites, a touch of Montezuma’s dance, a dinged surfboard or a few flat tires. But with each trip, we always left with a lifetime of memories.

In that respect, it hasn’t changed THAT much!

But, back then it was good to have a just a bit of madness in you; a pirate spirit and it didn’t hurt to have a hearty constitution.

However, now Baja truly is accessible to everyone. There’s stuff for everyone to do.

So, when I get a question about someone’s age and the ability to visit Baja, it’s not an issue of how old you are. At least not chronologically.

I have 4-year-olds who have the time of their lives. I’ve had 92-year-olds who outfish and outlast the “youngsters.” Conversely, I’ve seen “30-somethings” that should have stayed home and had no business down here mixing it up.

It’s not how many rings on your personal tree trunk; crow’s feet at your eyes; or candles on your cake. To me, it’s how young your heart is.

If you’ve got enough “play” in your heart and in your spirit, Baja has a lot to offer.

If you still don’t mind the occasional skinned knee to go along with a good laugh and believe a little sunburn is a small price to pay for a little adrenaline rush or a memory of a lifetime, then you can never be too old or too young.

If you think you can break away for a few days to a place where everything is not climate controlled and hermetically sealed…where you might only get 1-bar on your cell phone…where you might not find your favorite diet soda…where nothing and no one moves faster than they have to…where there’s no happy meals but you love the greasy street tacos cooked up by a smiling amigo in a threadbare New York Yankees shirt…you’re gonna do just fine down here.

Believe me, there are some folks who can’t handle that! I’ve seen them freak out down here!

If you can handle miles of beach that has no lifeguard station; dusty cobblestone streets; unfettered sunshine on blue waters; friendly people who speak a different language, but say more with smiles and their eyes then you’re used to…

Then…

…Don’t ask about how old you need to be. Ask how young you want to feel? How young do YOU feel?

I’ve always believed that we don’t stop playing because we get old. We get old because we stopped playing. Come down and play!

That’s my story!

Jonathan

______________

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

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

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

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:

“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.”

MEN OF THE (Hawaiian Print) CLOTH

Posted in airlines, aquaculture, bahia de los muertos, bahia de los suenos, Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja fishing lures, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Baja Rockfish, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, camping, car, cerralvo, cerralvo island, charity, charters, chubasco, circle hooks, crankbait, Dehydration, donations, dorado, driving, east cape, ecotourism, el nino, el sargento, espirito santo, family, farm-raised, fish, fish farming, fish pens, Fishing, fishing blogs, fishing hooks, Fishing lures, fishing packages, fishing reports, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tips, fishing tournaments, fishing trips, fishing videos, flyfishing, freediving, giant squid, green, Heat stroke, highway, history, holidays in mexico, humboldt squid, hurricane, hurricanes, ice chests, inshore fishing, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, jack crevalle, Jonathan Roldan, kids, kids fishing, La Paz, La Paz Fishing, la ventana, las arenas, Leisure, light tackle, Living in Mexico, los barriles, luggage, marlin, Mexican, Mexican business, Mexican culture, mexican food, mexican food stands, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Mexico Christmas, Mexico economy, Mexico life, Mexico neighborhood, missions, outfitters, pack for a purpose, packages, packing, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, passport, planning, pompano, rental car, rentals, road trip, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, saving money, Sea of Cortez, seafood, sierra, spearfishing, sportfishing, squid fishing, storm, storms, suitcases, Sun stroke, Tailhunter International, techniques, tourism, tours, transpeninsular highway, Travel, trolling tips, tuna, Tuna jackpot, tuna tournament, Uncategorized, vacations, vehicle, wahoo, waterspouts, weather, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged accommodations, activities, amberjack, bahia, baja, baja editor, baja sur, bars, bay, beach, Bill Boyce, billfish, blogs, blue water, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, catch and release, Central Washington Sportsmans show, cerralvo, certified scale, charter, children, chubasco, costa baja, day tour, deep sea, del mar fairgrounds, discount, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tour, el sargento, espirito santo, extreme fishing, family, fish, fishing and boating shows, fishing and hunting shows, fishing sportfishing, flyfishing, fred hall, free dive, get-away, girls, grey whales, grouper, guide, guide service, holiday, hotel, hotel marina, hotel perla, hotel seven crown, hunting, idaho sportsman’s show, igfa, images, inshore, International Game Fish Association, international sportsmans expo, ise, isla, island, jack crevalle, jillene roldan, jilly roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, la ventana, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, lodging, los barriles, mahi mahi, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos, northwest sportsmans show, offshore, outfitter, pack for a purpose, package, panga, panga slam, pargo, photos, pompano, portland expo center, Puyallup Fairgrounds, reef fish, reports, restaurants, rockfish, rooster fish, rooster fish foundation, sailfish, saltwater, san jose del cabo, scuba, sea bass, sea of cortez, sealions, shuttle, sierra, snapper, snorkel, spearfish, suenos, swim, tackle, Tailhunter International, tailhunter restaurant bar, techniques, tips, tour, tourism, travel, trolling, tuna, tuna jackpot tournament, updates, vacation, video, wahoo, Washington Sportsmans Show, weather, western outdoor news, WFN, whale watching, whales, whaleshark, wife, women, World Fishing Network, yellowtail on April 10, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Just regular dudes hanging out!

MEN OF THE (Hawaiian Print ) CLOTH

Originally Published the Week of April 12, 2016 in Western Outdoor News

The first time these “guys” came down to fish, I was a little pensive.

Let me ask you something.

Did your shorts ever get a little tighter when you were a little kid and you found out your teacher, priest or minister was coming to visit…or to dinner…or sat at your table at the pancake breakfast or scout meeting?

There are certain people in life’s journey who occupy a special pedestal. Being a good Catholic kid, priests and teachers…nuns and lay teachers in my case… come to mind.

I mean…you’re little. You were down here close to the floor. Then there were your parents. Then there were these unassailable folks waaaay up here on levels where you tread lightly.

I was a pretty outgoing kid, but around these particular individuals, I was slack-jawed and goofy-brained. I would scuff my shoes around and never ever make eye contact!

Heck no. They could fix you in those tractor-beam eyes and then you’re done. Or something could happen.

They thought I was rude or shy. I was just scared!

So, in those social events that we all go through like school festivals, Knights of Columbus spaghetti dinners, Christmas pageants and the like. It was giggle-and-point time to see such esteemed personage chowing on barbecue; dressing down in regular-people-clothes; picking up a bat at the softball game (and clubbing it) ; or bringing their spouse to the PTA dance.

Hard to believe they did “normal people things!”

“Hey, Sister Mary Paul is eating a real hot dog!”

“Mrs. McNulty is here with her (gasp) husband!”

“Father Flynn is wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the dunk tank!”

Whoa!

So, it was with some apprehension many years ago when Rabbi Bernie booked his group of other rabbis and members of his congregation to come down to fish. Including the clergy, it also included Jewish lawyers, Jewish accountants and Jewish executives. All from the same temple.

This would be interesting.

Back in the day, I actually used to go to the airport to pick up our clients and wasn’t sure what to expect.

I knew they were not Hassidic so I didn’t expect the long black robes, hats and beards, but as they arrived through the terminal, I admit I was relieved to see shorts, sandals and Hawaiian print shirts and baseball hats! Whew.

And each of them greeted me with the biggest hug and told me how glad they were to be there, as if we were old friends!

The next few days dispelled any anxiety I might have had.

At dinner that evening (I made sure there was no pork), it was nice to see them sip a beer. Put their feet up. Relax.

As one of the rabbis told me before headed to bed, “It’s nice to decompress. Nice to not be under a microscope. Just like normal dudes!” Dudes? Did he just say “dudes?”

The next day on the pangas, I was out there with Rabbi Bernie. He wasn’t exactly fishing too hard with a lot of energy.

I was trying to imagine this man in his temple vestments. Today, he was “styling” with Ray Ban sunglasses; a pirate-print bandana and a very loud red Hawaiian shirt.

He leaned back against the gunwale with his feet up, “You know, I don’t care if I catch a fish or not. Out here, there’s no phone. There are no emergencies. If I want to belch or have an occasional beer or have Rabbi Jerry pull-my-finger, I don’t have to worry that someone might see and judge me.” He laughed.

I never thought of it like that.

He then started to softly sing a Hebrew song in a wonderful resonant voice that had graced many a congregation. His voice swelled.

As water will do…his voice carried to another panga. And the song was picked up by the rabbi and the lawyer in that panga.

As I was told later, it was a biblical song about prophets finding an oasis in the desert of Israel. How appropriate.

It was picked up by another voice… then another. Beautiful manly voices carried across the water. Glorious. Uplifting. Spiritual. Every fisherman on every panga stopped to listen!

And then it stopped. A moment of silence. And then one-by-one, there was a hand clapping. And another. And another. And soon a dozen captains and their fishermen blended their applause and cheering!

“That was cool!”

“Awesome, dude!”

“Que bueno…excelente!”

And then the craziest thing…

The rabbi broke out into the rousing Broadway tune “OKLAHOMA” from Rogers and Hammerstein! Four others joined in and we had rip-roaring-deck-stomping a-capella going! With gusto!

“OOOO-kla-homa where the wind comes sweeping down the plain…!”

“…and when we say…YEEOW! A Yippie-yo-kai-yay…”

It was an incredible treat for everyone who witnessed it. And heard it.

At the end, again the applause and hoots!

Rabbi Bernstein sat down on the panga bench seat with the biggest smile. He shrugged like it was no big deal. He winked.

“Several of us were theater majors in college as well as theology students, “ he revealed off-handedly with a laugh as he tossed a new bait into the water.

“God can be glorified in many ways… in many languages and I’m sure he likes a lively Broadway tune now and then!” He laughed again. And so did I.

I have no doubt that God also smiled on us that day.

Later at dinner, one of the rabbis said, “Jonathan…Before we were ever members of the clergy, we were all guys. Regular guys. And we did guy things. Trips like this are an opportunity to be regular guys again, and that’s why these fishing trips to Baja are so special. Thank you for having us.”

They toasted.

It was I who was grateful.

Shortly after, I saw a half-dozen 50-and-60-year-olds start a spit-wad fight with straws and wadded napkins.

In the restaurant.

You never heard such laughter. Boys will be boys. A guy has to do what a guy has to do. And when a target presents itself…I grabbed a straw and joined in. I hadn’t done that since 2^nd grade! Duck!

When they left after 3 days of fishing, Rabbi Bernie pressed a little note into my hand. He had scribbled…

“Sometimes it is better to sit in a fishing boat thinking about God. Than to sit in a church thinking about fishing.”

Shalom Jonathan. Peace.

I never forgot. And to this day, I remember the words to “Oklahoma too.” And a special day in the Baja sunshine

########

That’s my story!

Jonathan

_______________

______________

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

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

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

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:

“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.”

“How’s the Fishing?”

You REALLY wanna know what we’re catching?

How’s the Fishing?

Originally Published the Week of March 31, 2016 in Western Outdoor News

It was one of those rare days when I was able to get out on the water with one of our favorite skippers and one of our long-time clients. Captain Julio has been with us for 2 decades. Billy has been fishing with Julio and our operation for almost that long. Every year. Twice a year.

Billy’s wife opted out for a day at the spa. And I just couldn’t take another day in the office back in La Paz. Let me out!

So, it was really like 3 old amigos fishing together. Lots of years among us. Families, chins and wastelines had grown. Hair and stubble had gone south. Lots of stories to tell. Good laughs. You know. Guy stuff…

“Remember when…”

“What about the time…”

“There was this girl I met who…

“There was that one fish…”

“We stopped for a quick tequila…”

No one hardly noticed that we hadn’t caught a fish in awhile. Actually none at all. Yawn.

Captain Julio had his rod in a holder and the other lazily draped over the outboard tiller and gripping a cold beer. He was grinning and making an obscure point about Mexican politics and bad soccer teams.

Somewhere under the shade of his ragged straw lifeguard hat, Billy was sipping on another frosty one in between laughs. His bare feet were up on the ice chest and rod loosely under his arm balanced on the gunwale. If a fish bit…Adios! Billy’s rod was going for a swim.

I didn’t even have a rod in the water. I figured if the fish bit, I’d get in the game. I told the boys I was “conserving energy.”

Let Billy and Julio get the bite started. It’s not as if they were exerting a lot of effort. I don’t think Billy even knew if he still had bait on his hook. Julio had let us drift off the “hot” spot half-an-hour ago.

We were so into talking about achy joints and the Los Angeles “Doyyers” that we hadn’t noticed another panga drift up close by and hail us.

“Hey guys, how’s the fishing?” asked one of the occupants hopefully.

“Muy bueno!” responded Captain Julio with a laugh.

“What are you catching?” yelled back one of the fishermen.

“A buzz!” waved back Billy with a Pacifico upraised. He nearly fell over busting a gut with his wittiness…which set me and Julio off as well. I nearly spit out my own beer! Like guffawing knee-slapping idiots.

“What you got in the boat?”

“Bait!” I roared back! Such a smartass…Now I’m doubled. I think Julio almost snorted beer out his nose!

You know how it is. Once you get started everything is funny. No stopping.

I’m sure the other panga mumbled something about us being “knuckleheads and idiots.” And pulled away. We were obviously no help.

Great fishing.

Catching? Less so. At least as far as fish are concerned.

But who cares?

Someone once told me that I was an “alpha dog fisherman.” It was a compliment.

I caught bigger and more. It was important to me. I studied fishing books and magazines. I actually kept records and charts. I poured over “fish porn” on the internet…photos…reports…weather (admit it…you’ve done it too! LOL).

What a nerd. Tunnel vision angler! In many ways, defined by my fishing success.

To me it was FILA…First in…Last out.. as far as my fishing day was concerned. If there was a mud puddle, I’d be looking at it as a fishing hole. All bodies of water were seen in the context of whether it was fishable!

And now here I was, sitting in a drifting panga in the Sea of Cortez. I didn’t even have a rod in the water. Ho-hum.

It just wasn’t that important. I’ve realized that as I’ve gotten older, it’s become less important. I want everyone else to catch fish. I get a bigger kick out’ve that. But, my own rod doesn’t need to be bent.

I was having more fun “catching a buzz” off the day. I was away from the office and e-mails and cell phones. I was drifting in the warm sun on the water and moreso spending time with my THREE good friends…Mr. Billy…Mr. Julio…and the ever-icy Mr. Pacifico (mas fina) !

Nothing to prove.

How many fish would we catch today? Fish limits would not be an issue today. Time was our only limit.

Time.

Not enough time to sit out here forever. Not enough time to laugh about “Los Doyyers”, politicians, bad old girlfriends, legendary fish and funny bar stories.

Three good fishing friends subtley understanding that there were probably more days behind us than ahead of us. And reveling in every moment! Just three knuckleheads drifting in a boat having a great day fishing.

Not catching. Not fish at least.

We were catching a few things probably much more important than fish.

That’s my story!

Jonathan

______________

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

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

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

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:

“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.”

“When Is A Day Not A Day?”

jr3pic18

WHEN IS A DAY NOT A DAY?

Originally Published the Week of March 15, 2016 in Western Outdoor News

A French philosopher once penned, “A drunk mind speaks a sober heart.”

And so it was that I was sitting around with one of our captains that work for us in La Paz.

Stubble-faced leather skin. The “Baja squint” from so many years staring into the glare of the Sea of Cortez. Character lines earned from a lifetime on the water make it hard to tell his age. Maybe 65? Could be 10 year younger. I’ve never asked. He’s never told me.

He’s worked for my fleet for 20 of those years. His salt and sweat encrusted Dodgers hat has to be at least that old.

After a sip or two, people often say things prudence might otherwise put the brakes on. And in this case, after a long day of good fishing, a little pyramid of cans was building on the worn plastic Modelo Beer table with the faded logo.

Some small talk. But then…he looked up at me and said thoughtfully, “Do you want to know what I really think of you gringo Americans? “

Oh-oh. Danger. Danger. Little red lights go off in my head.

It wasn’t said belligerently. It was said the way one guy at a bar talks to another guy when he wants to let the other guy in on something…or get something off his chest.

One of those situations we all get into. Even if you said, “No”, they are going to tell you what they think anyway.

Except, I was his employer. And, although I’ve been in Mexico two decades, the gringo label on my head still hasn’t rubbed off.

But, this wasn’t like the guy from the mail room at the Christmas party slobbering over the CEO. I respected this man and considered him a friend.

No matter what you think of yourself, it’s often harder to hear what others think about you. Or people like you. Tread lightly.

OK. Bring it. But, I leaned back a bit defensively. Arms crossed in classic body language.

“I think Americans are good people. Very generous. Mostly very kind and thoughtful.”

My anxiety eased a tad, but I could hear a “but” coming.

He took a sip of beer. Swirled and swallowed choosing his words carefully.

“But (here it comes)…they have too much money (he laughed). And they do not understand what a day is.”

He paused and let that sink in. I looked curiously and cocked an eyebrow. He had my attention now.

“For example, me and a gringo fisherman are the same age. If we both die at the same time, I will have lived twice as long as him!”

Made no sense. I hoped this wasn’t going to be a one-sided rambling of a guy on a buzz.

Be he explained slowly and pointed at me.

“The problem with gringo Americans is that they are always in a rush. Go here. Go there. Running. Even on their vacations, they are always in a hurry. Their day is always too short. Too complicated. They do so many things. They have too many things. But, they never really enjoy what they have. “

“My day is simple. My day is NEVER too short. My day is twice as long as yours! So, I will live twice as long! “ He said with a emphasis and a laugh.

He swallowed a burp. He slapped me on my back; winked at me; and teetered into his house to the call-of-nature. And to think about what he said.

A drunk mind speaks a sober heart.

Left to contemplate, I sat there in that dusty yard under a tree watching him disappear into the house. A bee buzzed the empty beer cans.

With my own beer in hand, I tried to wrap my brain around the logic of a simple Mexican fisherman who plans to live twice as long as me…twice as long as most of us.

Because he lives slower.

It was a hard logic to rebut.

People tell me I’m “living the dream.” Don’t get me wrong. I’m blessed.

But, I’ve often wished my day was 2 or 3 times longer so I could get more done. I live with a cell phone in one pocket. Another phone in my hand. A clipboard in the other. Two laptops on my desk and an internal clock in my head that’s always ticking.

The only reason I happened to be sitting for a few minutes with my captain friend was because I had to pick up some work-related equipment he had fixed for me.

And I think of so many of our friends and clients who come down to La Paz to see us. They eat at our restaurant and all of them are glued to tablets and smart phones as they eat. Every day of their vacation, there’s an agenda item that requires a schedule. They live full exciting lives. They talk business, family and obligations even while fishing.

They video everything, but I often wonder how much do they really watch later. Who has the time?

Every now and then it’s good to be reminded not to forget the here-and-now. THESE are the “good old days” you’ll be talking about tomorrow.

The way that sun rose over the Sea of Cortez…that day the tuna exploded behind the panga…the day your kids swam with the whalesharks…the afternoon the lady at the taco cart became a new friend… the stupid jokes you and your buddies told over the campfire that night…the day in Baja you did absolutely NOTHING and didn’t see another person on the beach all day.

These are the days that should be savored and locked in our brains and hearts and not just in our cell phones or stored “on the cloud.” Take our lives down a notch. Live slower. Live longer via the logic of a simple country fisherman.

My cell phone rang. I let it go to voice mail. I sighed and pulled another beer from the battered ice chest.

They say the secret to success is to hire people smarter than you. I’m gonna sit for a little longer with my captain friend.

That’s my story

Jonathan signature

Jonathan

______________

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

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

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

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:

“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.”

Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over

Waves generated this week in Hawaii that reach 70′ were attributed to El Nino conditions.

AIN’T OVER ‘TIL IT’S OVER

Originally Published in Western Outdoors the Week of March 3, 2016

As write this, we’re tooling southbound down the highway through the Utah desert. Fueled on pumpkin seeds and ice tea, Jill is driving so that I can work from the passenger seat on my laptop.

We just finished the Sportsman’s Show in Yakima, Washington. We’re on our way now to the big Fred Hall Fishing Show at the Long Beach Convention Center for the show that goes March 2-6.

We’ve been on the road since before Christmas and have hauled our booth to shows in Billings, Montana; Denver, Colorado; Sacramento, CA; Seattle, WA; Portland, OR and last week in Yakima, WA.

The shows are always fun and a great opportunity to talk with folks about fishing in Baja. Hopefully, they’ll fish with us at Tailhunter in La Paz! But, it’s just fun to chat with other Baja fans or folks interested in fishing in Baja or Mexico in general.

One of the big questions that pops up a lot is about El Nino.

In case you’ve never heard of it, it’s the global weather phenomenon that pops up every decade or so whereby warm water currents push up against the western side of the U.S. instead of across the pond over there in Asia.

It has had a big effect on fishing this past year or so. In the rare case you’ve never heard if it, you’ve been affected by it, even if you don’t fish.

The unseasonably warm weather? That’s El Nino. The above-average rain and snow? That’s El Nino. Drought-busting floods ? That’s El Nino. Non-stop winds? El Nino is the culprit.

As I’m writing this, huge ocean swells are hammering California and Hawaiian surfers are all over the 60-70 foot swells slamming the islands north shores.

When the current El Nino descended on us over a year ago, it was predicted to possibly be the largest El Nino since the 1997. Many predicted it to be the largest in recorded history. It still remains to be seen if the present El Nino lives up to predictions. Vamos a ver…we’ll see!

But the scientific community says El Nino is gonna hang with us until at least the middle of 2016 when it will slowly dissipate.

Maybe yes. Maybe no. It’s not like weather is an exact science, and even if it does ramp down, it’s not like it will be there one day and stop 24-hours-later.

Rain might do that. El Nino does not. It will be something gradual. Until the next “weather thing” comes up. Nothing is over until it’s over.

If you’re reading this, then you already probably have some idea of how it has affected ocean-fishing since it’s genesis.

With the unseasonably warm water, many warm water species moved into otherwise unusual areas from Mexican waters. Southern California for the past two seasons has seen a bonanza of fishing.

Yellowfin tuna less than a mile from shore. Wahoo and billfish off the beaches of Los Angeles. Kayak fishermen catching dorado off San Diego kayaks. Anglers on ½-day charter boats limiting on big yellowtail.

Because of the shifts in warm water, some of these species were seen as far north as Washington. I had one fishing outfitter from British Columbia, who fishes a lot in Baja, tell me they caught some pompano (jacks) and he was the only person who knew what they were. He had caught them in Loreto in southern Baja.

Other friends and clients tell me about tuna and occasional dorado in Washington and northern Oregon!

In Baja, I would surmise that the effects have been mixed. Probably more negative than positive.

As mentioned previously, many species normally found in the tropical Baja waters migrated north of the border. That left Baja catches often wanting and below average in size and quantity.

With the warm waters, Baja didn’t get the colder water upwelling from the deep that brings nutrients necessary for bait stocks. Bait was few or non-existent. Sportfishing catches resulted in smaller fish (nothing to eat) or very few fish at all. Baja still had good fishing. Just really different.

The same thing happened up north to salmon patterns. With a dearth of colder waters, the areas lacked nutrients for the baitfish, salmon and steelhead. The result is smaller fish or as one scientist put it, the fish are “starving to death” with long-term effects waiting to be seen.

Further, in terms of simple weather patterns, El Nino has produced a cornucopia of weather issues for us in Baja

Over the past year-and-a-half, the Pacific Coast of Mexico and Baja have been belted by numerous tropical storms and higher incidence of precipitation.

On the other end of the spectrum, there were times over the last two fishing seasons, when we were always on “hurricane watch” with attentions glued to chubascos that seemed to materialize every week. Most did not hit and blew out to sea. However, two of the largest ever, including Odile in 2014 were historic and did tremendous damage.

Even without the rainstorms, every time there was a weather system north of the border, it created heavy wind conditions south of the border. For example this past winter, with all the snow and rain dropped in the U.S. produced one of the windiest winters in memory. This rendered fishing almost impossible many days.

I would venture to say that Odile was responsible for more rugged days of fishing these past two years than anyone could remember and resulted in more canceled fishing days as well.

So, what do I tell everyone who asks about El Nino?

I tell them it hasn’t been really great for us down south. But, on the other hand, rain and snow are needed up north and the fishing has been great on the Pacific side in many areas.

It’s all part of the cycle. Everything comes and goes.

El Nino will come and go as it has been doing long before anyone cared about El Nino and it will continue long after. There’s not much to be done about it except accept it as part of earth doing what earth does.

With all the banner fishing that has taken place outside of Mexico, numerous anglers have rediscovered their enjoyment of fishing. Many first-timers have been brought into the sport as well.

It’s been great for the fishing industry. Great for the sport.

I feel eventually, these folks will expand their horizons and find their way to Mexican waters. And we’ll be ready for them. Personally, I’m looking forward to a great season!

That’s my story!

Jonathan signature

Jonathan

_______________

______________

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

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

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

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:

“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.”

A LURE FOR ALL REASONS

Posted in airlines, aquaculture, bahia de los muertos, bahia de los suenos, Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja fishing lures, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Baja Rockfish, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, camping, car, cerralvo, cerralvo island, charity, charters, chubasco, circle hooks, crankbait, Dehydration, donations, dorado, driving, east cape, ecotourism, el nino, el sargento, espirito santo, family, farm-raised, fish, fish farming, fish pens, Fishing, fishing blogs, fishing hooks, Fishing lures, fishing packages, fishing reports, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tips, fishing tournaments, fishing trips, fishing videos, flyfishing, freediving, giant squid, green, Heat stroke, highway, history, holidays in mexico, humboldt squid, hurricane, hurricanes, ice chests, inshore fishing, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, jack crevalle, Jonathan Roldan, kids, kids fishing, La Paz, La Paz Fishing, la ventana, las arenas, Leisure, light tackle, Living in Mexico, los barriles, luggage, marlin, Mexican, Mexican business, Mexican culture, mexican food, mexican food stands, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Mexico Christmas, Mexico economy, Mexico life, Mexico neighborhood, missions, outfitters, pack for a purpose, packages, packing, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, passport, planning, pompano, rental car, rentals, road trip, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, saving money, Sea of Cortez, seafood, sierra, spearfishing, sportfishing, squid fishing, storm, storms, suitcases, Sun stroke, sustainable, Tailhunter International, techniques, tourism, tours, transpeninsular highway, Travel, trolling tips, tuna, Tuna jackpot, tuna tournament, vacations, vehicle, wahoo, waterspouts, weather, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged accommodations, activities, amberjack, bahia, baja, baja editor, baja sur, bars, bay, beach, Bill Boyce, billfish, blogs, blue water, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, catch and release, Central Washington Sportsmans show, cerralvo, certified scale, charter, children, chubasco, costa baja, day tour, deep sea, del mar fairgrounds, discount, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tour, el sargento, espirito santo, extreme fishing, family, fish, fishing and boating shows, fishing and hunting shows, fishing sportfishing, flyfishing, fred hall, free dive, get-away, girls, grey whales, grouper, guide, guide service, holiday, hotel, hotel marina, hotel perla, hotel seven crown, hunting, idaho sportsman’s show, igfa, images, inshore, International Game Fish Association, international sportsmans expo, ise, isla, island, jack crevalle, jillene roldan, jilly roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, la ventana, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, lodging, los barriles, mahi mahi, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos, northwest sportsmans show, offshore, outfitter, pack for a purpose, package, panga, panga slam, pargo, photos, pompano, portland expo center, Puyallup Fairgrounds, reef fish, reports, restaurants, rockfish, rooster fish, rooster fish foundation, sailfish, saltwater, san jose del cabo, scuba, sea bass, sea of cortez, sealions, shuttle, sierra, snapper, snorkel, spearfish, suenos, swim, tackle, Tailhunter International, tailhunter restaurant bar, techniques, tips, tour, tourism, travel, trolling, tuna, tuna jackpot tournament, updates, vacation, video, wahoo, Washington Sportsmans Show, weather, western outdoor news, WFN, whale watching, whales, whaleshark, wife, women, World Fishing Network, yellowtail on February 15, 2016| Leave a Comment »

A GREAT ASSORTMENT OF LIPPPED CRANKBAITS

A LURE FOR ALL REASONS!

Originally Published the Week of Feb. 18, 2016 in Western Outdoor News

For whatever reason, I got 3 e-mails this week that resonated with a similar theme. Basically, given the erratic weather, fishing conditions and fish species that have come up with El Nino, what would be my number one choice in lures?

Essentially, the fishing this past year was all over the place and unpredictable. It remains so. Anything can happen. Anything can bite.

Does the Baja fisherman go turbo “boy scout” and prepare for anything and bring everything in his man-cave? Highly difficult in these days of high priced airline luggage rates.

Or does one go Spartan minimalist and gnash one’s teeth in anxiety trying to figure out which blue lure stays home and which red feather lure gets to visit Mexico? Oh the agony!

I’ll tell you that my man caves…yes plural…I have several “caves” and several storage units in two countries and three cities…and they are stuffed to the gills with fishing tackle.

I can bring pretty much any weapon of mass destruction on the fish population that I can think of! But, I can’t bring it all. I can’t physically load the whole arsenal everytime I go fishing or need to travel.

So, I have one all-purpose lure that I never leave home without if I’m fishing the Baja. It’s the most versatile fish-catching device in my tackle box.

It might not always come out to play once I’m on the water. But, I know that if I had nothing else, this lure would almost always catch fish.

It’s the lure that bass fisherman refer to as a crankbait and historically, it might just be the most effective fishing lure every conceived.

If you’re not familiar with it, it’s often and usually in the shape of a fish, but is characterized by a metal or plastic “lip” protruding from the front of it. They come in all sizes from an inch-or-two up to giant ones as big as a foot long. The are wooden, plastic, metal or fiberglass and painted in more colors than a rainbow, but all have a “lip” of varying sizes and angles.

When pulled through the water, the “lip” causes the lure to dive. The length of the lip and the angle determines how deep it dives and what kind of “action” (wiggle…shimmy…side-to-side) motion it makes underwater.

Like tissue paper such as Kleenex, many are simply known by the company that makes them such as Rapala, Rebel, Mirrolure, Yo-zuri and others.

Some of these companies have been around for generations and older version of these lures can be as simple as a piece of elongated wood with some hooks attached and a lip stuck on it and a couple of eyeballs painted on the front.

The newer versions have elaborate paint jobs and finishes. Lips tend to be the more durable plastic or acrylic. Hooks are generally treble and can have 1, 2 or 3 sets attached.

The bottom line with these lures is that they catch fish!

You can cast them. You can jig them. You can troll them. The faster you retrieve them or troll them, the deeper they dive depending on the size of their lip.

No bait. No problem. Use a crank bait.

Rough surface water. No problem. Troll a crank bait.

You have a lot of water to cover. No problem. Drag it behind the boat.

Author and my predecessor at Western Outdoor News, Gene Kira, wrote in is book “The Baja Catch” that the most effective way to troll one of these lures was to go in a big lazy “S” shape. This caused the lure to dive, then stall and rise then dive again as the boat moved through the water. There wasn’t a place in Baja that this didn’t work.

He’s right. I can’t think of any Baja fish that won’t bite them.

I’ve seen them attacked by marlin, sailfish, sharks, dorado, tuna and especially by wahoo.

Inshore, you can cast them from rocks or the beach; fishing a kayak or paddle board; float tube; or panga, the list of fish are endless. Huge dog snapper, yellowtail, grouper, seabass, sierra, amberjack, barracuda, roosterfish and others have found crankbaits to be irresistible.

Just be careful. If the rocks aren’t very deep, you want to be sure your lure isn’t diving deep enough to get snagged in the rocks. This is controlled by the size of the lure lip and your manner of retrieval or trolling speed.

If nothing else is working or I’m just looking for some dinner fish, I whip out my crankbaits. Chances are I’ll never go hungry. I will always catch something.

Bring along a few on your next Baja trip. Like having a Swiss army knife. You’ll find them handy to have when you need them!

That’s my story!

Jonathan

_______________

______________

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

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

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

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:

Tailhunter YouTube Videos:

“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.”

VAMOS A FESTEJAR! (Let’s Party!)

Posted in airlines, aquaculture, bahia de los muertos, bahia de los suenos, Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja fishing lures, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Baja Rockfish, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, camping, car, cerralvo, cerralvo island, charity, charters, chubasco, circle hooks, Dehydration, donations, dorado, driving, east cape, ecotourism, el nino, el sargento, espirito santo, family, farm-raised, fish, fish farming, fish pens, Fishing, fishing blogs, fishing hooks, Fishing lures, fishing packages, fishing reports, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tips, fishing tournaments, fishing trips, fishing videos, flyfishing, freediving, giant squid, green, Heat stroke, highway, history, holidays in mexico, humboldt squid, hurricane, hurricanes, ice chests, inshore fishing, inshore fishing in Baja Mexico, jack crevalle, Jonathan Roldan, kids, kids fishing, La Paz, La Paz Fishing, la ventana, las arenas, Leisure, light tackle, Living in Mexico, los barriles, luggage, marlin, Mexican, Mexican business, Mexican culture, mexican food, mexican food stands, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, Mexico Christmas, Mexico economy, Mexico life, Mexico neighborhood, missions, outfitters, pack for a purpose, packages, packing, packing fish, panga, Panga Fishing, pargo, passport, planning, pompano, rental car, rentals, road trip, roosterfish, Salt Water Fishing, Salt water lures, San Jose del Cabo, saving money, Sea of Cortez, seafood, sierra, spearfishing, sportfishing, squid fishing, storm, storms, suitcases, Sun stroke, sustainable, Tailhunter International, techniques, tourism, tours, transpeninsular highway, Travel, trolling tips, tuna, Tuna jackpot, tuna tournament, Uncategorized, vacations, vehicle, wahoo, waterspouts, weather, Western Outdoor News, Western Outdoor Publications, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged accommodations, activities, amberjack, bahia, baja, baja editor, baja sur, bars, bay, beach, Bill Boyce, billfish, blogs, blue water, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, carnival, catch and release, Central Washington Sportsmans show, cerralvo, certified scale, charter, children, chubasco, costa baja, day tour, deep sea, del mar fairgrounds, discount, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tour, el sargento, espirito santo, extreme fishing, family, fish, fishing and boating shows, fishing and hunting shows, fishing sportfishing, flyfishing, fred hall, free dive, get-away, girls, grey whales, grouper, guide, guide service, holiday, hotel, hotel marina, hotel perla, hotel seven crown, hunting, idaho sportsman’s show, igfa, images, inshore, International Game Fish Association, international sportsmans expo, ise, isla, island, jack crevalle, jillene roldan, jilly roldan, Jonathan Roldan, kids, La Paz, la ventana, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, lodging, los barriles, mahi mahi, marlin, mexican, mexico, muertos, northwest sportsmans show, offshore, outfitter, pack for a purpose, package, panga, panga slam, pargo, photos, pompano, portland expo center, Puyallup Fairgrounds, reef fish, reports, restaurants, rockfish, rooster fish, rooster fish foundation, sailfish, saltwater, san jose del cabo, scuba, sea bass, sea of cortez, sealions, shuttle, sierra, snapper, snorkel, spearfish, suenos, swim, tackle, Tailhunter International, tailhunter restaurant bar, techniques, tips, tour, tourism, travel, trolling, tuna, tuna jackpot tournament, updates, vacation, video, wahoo, Washington Sportsmans Show, weather, western outdoor news, WFN, whale watching, whales, whaleshark, wife, women, World Fishing Network, yellowtail on February 1, 2016| Leave a Comment »

It’s time to Party! Carnivale comes this week!

VAMOS A FESTEJAR! (Let’s Party!)

Originally Published the Week of Feb. 4, 2016 in Western Outdoor News

Some twenty years ago, I was on my way to my new job working at a scuba dive shop and setting up a fishing operation in La Paz. I had driven down from San Diego in my road-weary Dodge Caravan pulling a flat trailer stacked with multi-colored kayaks.

There seemed to be a lot of vehicle congestion along the La Paz waterfront and a police officer was directing traffic to a backstreet detour. I followed the cars for several blocks then broke off back towards the waterfront.

As was my habit in those days, I had Led Zeppelin blaring from my van speakers and my windows open. I pulled back onto the waterfront and suddenly…

I was attacked by clowns!

About half-a-dozen clowns jumped on my van and trailer! One jumped into the passenger seat. What the…??? Then, I heard the cheering and yelling and clapping.

I had apparently pulled into a parade and was now one of the “floats!” There were floats in front of me…behind me. There was a marching band and clowns and freaky dressed folks in costumes everywhere. And my own clown posse was bouncing up and down on my trailer and hanging off my van doors whooping it up too!

What the heck. Go with the flow is my motto. I cranked up the Led Zep “Whole Lotta Love” and waved at the crowds like a Rose Parade Queen and pretended I knew what I was doing.

At some point many blocks down, the clowns high-fived me and jumped off my van and went running back to the crowds. I continued on my way with a laugh. Welcome to La Paz!

Actually, it wasn’t until years later that I was informed that I had stumbled into one of the largest of Mexican festivals. I had inadvertently joined the Carnivale Parade and one of six of the most boisterous days on the Baja social calendar.

Carnivale became popular in the middle ages and rolled into the New World with the Spanish who, among other things, brought all the makings for a good party…gunpowder, wine, horses, drums, trumpets, guys dressed in robes and colorful banners and adornments. They also brought a great excuse to party…RELIGION!

Basically, the idea was to party like heathen cavemen before the numbing penitence of Lent descended for 40 days prior to Easter. Bust the moves and get the pent up insanity out’ve your system before the grey-ash days of fasting and sacrifice of Lent.

The local indigenous populations took right to it as it co-incided with many of their own religious holidays.

Party with the overlord Spaniards! Everyone is equal behind the masks. Peasants, farmers, merchants, soldiers, royalty, friars and Indians mixed it up. Everyone is your bro. It’s like the file clerks wearing lampshades at the Christmas party and getting to dance with the boss’s secretary in front of the board of directors. Everyone gets a pass. And God or gods say it’s OK.

A perfect storm. The perfect reason to FESTEJAR! Party! Break the rules. Be all you’ve always wanted to be. Let out the repressed inner child. Cross dressing was fine. Be a nun. Be a clown. Drink like fish. Dance like no one is watching. Lust like bunnies and wear masks and costumes to hide your identity. Be loud and blow horns and make music to chase away the evil was the attitude of the week-long-celebration.

In the 18^th century, the Spanish Crown understandably felt it was getting out-of-hand and aggressively repressed much of the revelry. In the 19^th century post Mexican Revolution, again, the political newbies suppressed the party because of its’ ties to the colonial past.

However, by the late 1800’s the event staged a growing comeback. But, it’s tough to snuff out a good reason to party.

Largely divorcing itself from it’s religious roots and gaining popularity as a huge social and community event, Carnivale spread throughout the Latino Americas and New World.

In many cities like Rio de Janiero, Carnivale (Mardi Gras) has become synonymous with the city itself. Many Americans are, of course, familiar with Mardi Gras in New Orleans which is a direct descent from it’s Spanish heritate.

Mexico is no slouch. Huge celebrations in Veracruz and Mazatlan draw thousands of revelers from throughout Mexico as well as internationally. Like most modern carnivals, they are marked with the election of a carnival king and queen, the burning or condemning of an effigy of “bad humor”, floats, parades, street vendors and music of all types.

Mazatlan has the oldest of the modern carnivals dating back more than 100 years to 1898.

The two major celebrations in Baja take place in Ensenada and La Paz. La Paz’ celebrations also date back to the 1890’s. Ensenada can fill with more than 300,000 visitors during Carnivale.

Taking place over 6 days, hundreds of thousands attend the giant street fairs which are filled with food, music, concerts, parades and activities of all types. Many of the attendees are Californians who come annually from across the border.

If you’re headed to either city or other major cities in Mexico between Feb. 4-9, bring your party dress. It’s a great opportunity to participate and witness a truly grand party. Vamos a festejar!

That’s my story!

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Jonathan

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THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

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We don’t need fancy tablecloths and fancy glasses to have the best food ever! Plastic tables are no problem!

Never judge a place by how it looks on the outside!

Judge a place by how many people are eating the food that comes from inside!

If she’s cooking in the cocina are you kidding me? She KNOWS how to cook!

You’ll never find this place on YELP or Trip Advisor, but tell me this doesn’t look 5-star-good!

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

Originally Published the Week of Jan. 20, 2016 in Western Outdoor Publications

There’s a lot of things over the years that I’ve sworn off for my New Year’s resolution. I won’t get into the list, but most of my resolutions never worked anyway. Action wasn’t quite as strong as the intent.

But, one thing I have never tried to give up was eating good food. Even for Lent. Not candy. Not baloney sandwiches with crushed potato chips. Not black olives. Not mac ‘n’ cheese.

I’d give up watching Batman or reading my Mad Magazines before I’d give up Swanson TV-dinners (yes, even that yummy brown-gravy-Salisbury- steak with the crusty-dry brownie in it).

I’m a foodie. I like to eat. I’m also Asian. Food is part of our culture.

And I’m blessed enough to live smack in the middle of the kind of food I love best…Mexican food!

Given the choice between a hot dog or a microwave burrito with questionable ingredients , I’d probably take the burrito bomb. That’s how bad I am.

There’s a place up in the mountains between Cabo San Lucas and La Paz. It’s a hole-in-the-wall. Well, more like a hole-in-the-rocks. It’s run out’ve a modest little hillside-home tucked into big boulders and a stand of trees next off the gravel of the road.

Plastic chairs. Plastic table cloths over plastic tables. Real flatware, but it’s paperplates. You grab your own Coke or Sprite out’ve a refrigerator on the concrete patio. No beer.

Mama, her daughter and dad serve food out’ve an enlarged window that goes directly to their kitchen. And, it’s not unusual for about a dozen people standing outside that window. Tour buses and shuttle vans cram the driveway.

No wonder. From out’ve that kitchen, mama and the family steam up the best tamales in the mountains. Homemade masa. Sweet roasted pork. Green olives and bits of California chilis and potatoes too.

Out’ve that kitchen come their famous empanadas. Pastry dough stuffed with beef and deep fried until hot golden and crispy. Served with chunks of fresh moist homemade mountain goat cheese and red salsa fresca.

They make 300 tamales a day and 200 empanadas. Once they sell out, they close the kitchen window. Sometimes that lasts until lunch time. Sometimes not.

But there’s no paper bill at the end. You tell them what you ate. They tell you how much it costs. They trust you.

I know another place. Again, run out’ve a home. You’d only know about it because a local had told you to walk around the back and into the patio. And a lot of folks know about it. You’ll find tables, chairs and the soccer game on the TV that never ends.

There’s no menu. Papa and mama walk out and tell YOU what they have in the kitchen. Or you can ask. If they have it or some variation of it, they’ll whip it up for you.

Papa says, there’s no camarones (shrimp) today, but the chickens out back laid lots of eggs and mama just made a big batch of salsa verde and salsa roja.

Just trust him.

Out comes a huge plate of “Huevos divorciados” (divorced eggs). One fresh fried egg gently laid on warmed red salsa and another fried egg laid on the warm green salsa.

The two eggs are divided by a fat strip of homemade refried beans chunky with bits of Mexican chorizo sausage that mama makes fresh and cooks over a big skillet on an open flame.

If you want “bistec” (beefsteak) healthy chunks of beef are also grilled, seasoned and served on the eggs with hot handmade flour tortillas. Coffee is served in chipped ceramic mugs. None of them match. Fifty pesos…about $3.50 for everything.

Take some to go. Papa shakes everyone’s hands and reminds you that Sunday, mama is making menudo and birria (goat soup) so come early before all the rancheros come in to nurse their Saturday hangovers. The spicy soup is guaranteed to force all poisons out’ve their pores!

Seemingly, along all Mexican roads, countless mom-and-pop food stands dot the highways. Some are little more than carts-on-wheels. Some are metal and wooden booths. Some are actual homes.

But, if you really really really want to get into local Mexican eating, outdoor food stands are mandatory. Beef tacos, seafood tacos, pork tacos (carnitas), roast chicken, pork sandwiches (tortas), shrimp cocktails, skewered shrimp, tamales, soups, clams and oysters, Mexican hot dogs…if you can eat it, someone is selling it and it’s all pretty darned tasty.

But, progress is on the way.

New roads. New highways. Traffic is being re-routed so folks, especially tourists can get from Point A-to-Point B faster.

There’s that famous quote about the journey is just as important as the the destination.

The problem is that the super highways are blowing right past the old roads with the cracked pavement, the gravel and the little barrio neighborhoods. They’re bypassing all these family-owned little eateries.

If you really want to know a people and it’s culture, you won’t find it in a big faux steakhouse or white-table-clothed-venue. Eat where the locals eat.

I’m all for the new roads and highways. But, don’t forget the road-less-traveled. There’s some great culinary treasures waiting for you. Getting there should be part of the fun!