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

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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.”

MEN IN TIGHTS

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 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, events, 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, lucha libre, 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, wrestling, yellowtail on November 23, 2015| Leave a Comment »

MEN IN TIGHTS…and YOGA PANTS

Originally Published the Week of Nov. 23, 2015 in Western Outdoor News

It has always been on my bucket list of things to do since living in Mexico all these years.

But, we got invited by friends of ours…to a LUCHA LIBRE (Mexican wrestling) event and just couldn’t turn it down. How could we? The husband had been a former “luchador” himself going by the name of “El Domelador” (The Demolisher).

So, on a chilly fall evening, Jill and I found ourselves wide-eyed and open-mouthed in the middle of several thousand screaming fanaticos in a hastily thrown together concrete outdoor basketball stadium under the stagelights. And we were screaming ourselves having a blast.

The event was sold out. There were lines around the neighborhood block to get in. Our friend, the “Domeledor,” got us ring-side seats to see The Apache Sisters; Stardust; Cibernetico; the Super Doll; The Psycho Clowns and the Renegade Texan among others.

Pudgy hombres in tights…skinny guys in their kids’ pajamas…fat guys in yoga pants…masks…facepaint…glitter…overweight ladies in stretchy body suits. . .elaborate costumes and others that looked like discards from the Halloween bargain bin. Every match was great.

Some guys looked like steroid body-builders. Some looked like they had never seen a gym or the only weights they ever lifted were 12-oz. cans of beer and super-sized burritos.

A lot look like your fat uncle or neighbor next door. Or his wife. One luchador, we found out later, was almost 70-years-old and the bony knees and elbows and hanging arm-skin were not fake!

Some were “professional.” Most were not. At least not full-time. We found out later that “El Elegido” was actually the guy taking tickets at the gate before he event!

But they could sure entertain and the crowds loved them! There thumps and punches; stomps and kicks. And unlike American wrestling, there was much more emphasis on flying bodies as well as tumbling and acrobatics. And, different. The inside ring is canvas-covered wood. It’s not padded. No spring underneath. A thump is a thump!

The interaction with the crowd is more than half the fun. In unison, the “family” crowd chants things that had us cracking up and aghast.

I mean, can you imagine 1000 people all chanting at Hulk Hogan (in Spanish) in the U.S. with…

“Assh___e! Assh___e! Assh—e!” and then him laughing and pointing at the crowd and flipping them the middle finger?

Or the crowd singing “He’s a jerk-o..f” at the referee? And the referee grabbing his crotch and turning to the crowd and telling the crowd, “Shut up Cabrones!”

Or two luchadores pounding the frijoles out of each other then freezing to smile at someone with a cellphone camera then resume smacking each other around?

All in fun.

And I learned a lot too.

Is it rigged? Not as much as you think!

The Domeledor explained to me that it’s a lot of “entertainment” but he would come home with plenty of bruises on his face and arms. His chest would have lots of broken blood vessels. His wife told me about him coming home with lots of swollen lips and faces.

They would not choreopraph the actual moves, but they would train very hard on jumping, flipping, twists and “combinations” of multiple moves.

The one who “orchestrates” things is actually the referee who would guage the mood of the crowd. He would calculate the cheering and the crowd favorite and how things would go.

The referee would whisper to the luchadores about when they needed to speed things up…do a “crowd pleaser move”…and when someone would take a fall. Or hit harder. Or throw the other guy through the ropes!

Yes, there are good guys and bad guys. The “technicos” are the good guys and the “rudos” are the “rude ones” who break the rules. Sometimes the crowd loves the “technicos” and sometimes they root for the “rudos.” It all depends on who is pleasing the crowd more. The bad guys are always the most fun.

He told me about some of the “tricks” of the ring. Here come the “spoilers” for those of you who are really into WWE wrestling…

When someone stomps another luchador, the “slap” is often the sound of the opposite foot stomping the mat or the louder slap is the hand slapping against a thigh.

Face punches and slaps are the sound of the palm hitting against a chest or the palm of another hand…like when you clap your hands.

Smashing a chair against your opponent’s head, one uses the soft part of the folding chair that bends easier and the forward part of the seat that easily folds back to absorb the hit.

However, spit is real. These guys spit A LOT!

But, make no mistake…for all the fake stuff, hits, kicks and punches do land accidentally It’s all part of it. It takes practice to make a hit sound and look violent. But, even a fake hit can hurt.

According to my Domeledor amigo, anonymity is EVERYTHING. That’s why they wear the mask. The Demeledor has lived in La Paz almost his whole life.

He was a champion free-style wrestler in mainland Mexico before he became a luchador and then wrestled for about 10 years in La Paz, where we live. He has rarely ever revealed his identity and still guards it religiously.

They live behind the mask and facepaint and when appearing for any public events they never show their faces. In fact, one of the biggest disgraces is for a luchador to have his mask taken away from him by an opponent. There goes the magic. Sometimes an old luchador will do it as a form of “falling on the sword” in retirement or when a luchador wants to change to another personality.

My amigo explained to me that the promotion company actually owns the “personalities.” The actual wrestlers are usually just “employees.” Employees can get hurt…quit…get fired…but the personality can endure for years or for decades.

So, someone named “El Diablo” might not be the same guy all the time even though El Diablo has dominated his matches year-after-year. Or the guy might put on a different mask and be called “Superfreak.”

Sometimes, just like circus families there are families that are wrestling families and the son or grandson continues on with a family character.

Money is not very big. They earn a meager salary or portion of the gate. Most of the money comes from a percentage of the abundant t-shirts and costume sales at the arena or stadium. There’s no insurance. There’s no workman’s compensation. If you’re hurt, they find someone else to put on the mask.

But, as my friend explained, there’s nothing like the adrenaline of being “in the ring” and having everyone cheering for you or calling you a “cabron.”

Or being able to turn around and flip the one-fingered salute to several thousand people and have them laugh!

That’s my story!

Jonathan

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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.”

BENT RODS AND BIG SALTY HEARTS

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

BENT RODS and BIG SALTY HEARTS

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

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

It’s an incredible spectacle.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That’s my story!

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Jonathan Roldan’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.”

TACKLE BOX NOTES

Originally Published the Week of Oct. 28, 2015 in Western Outdoor News

Every now and then, I pull out just random bits and pieces that I want to pass onto you in this column. There’s no particular theme or subject, just some things you might find interesting and hopefully useful on your Baja journeys!

Just a little more than a year ago, we were in a much different condition here in Southern Baja. Hurricane Odile, the strongest storm ever to hit Baja with winds over 150 mph, had left a path of destruction unseen in our region.

Although the majority of tourists stranded during the storm were home, a month after the chubasco, many of us were still without electricity, water, and phones. We were the “lucky ones.”

At least most of us had places to sleep in albeit damaged domiciles. The hardest hit, usually the poorest, lost everything they had when their homes were leveled by the winds, rains and floods.

Many of us with businesses, suffered extreme damages. Some irreparably and thus causing many lost jobs.

A year later, many of the scars are still there. Many homes never were repaired and, like many businesses, stand vacant. Broken windows, uprooted trees and damaged roofs and piles of rubble that were merely piled and pushed aside can still be found.

But, Baja and it’s resilient folks rebounded well. The new Cabo Airport that was going to take 6-8 months to repair, started receiving flights in a month, even though, it was still missing walls and a roof.

The military and police quickly restored order and the power companies worked around the clock to get the grids back up. They were still going weeks after Odile had left.

Donations of food, water, clothing, generators, water-makers poured in. And, bit-by-bit, Baja stood up again and got onto it’s feet.

(Sidebar note: As I’m writing this, the Pacific mainland side of Mexico is bracing for Hurricane Patricia, which forecasters are saying could be the STRONGEST HURRICANE EVER RECORDED ON THE PLANET IN HISTORY. Category 5 with winds of 200-250 mph. As of the time you’re reading this, we’ll know more. Hoping for the best for our amigos to the south.)

Speaking of airports and travel, the new pedestrian Express Bridge from the U.S. to the Tijuana Airport should be opening by December. The 525-foot private bridge, will allow folks to park their cars; check in; and walk to the airport. For a small fee.

But, the popular new Tijauna airport will now be more accessible and should be a win-win for everyone. Southern Californians will no longer have to drive their vehicles across the border to park or take shuttles from the U.S. side.

Currently, a growing number of Americans, especially southern Californians, utilize extremely economic flights from Tijuana to access destinations like La Paz and Cabo San Lucas. Additionally, the airport is a major hub for airlines flying to numerous tourist destinations on the Mexican mainland as well as Central America and South America.

Making it easier will generate more airline business. Certainly, it will make it a lot easier than having to get through the border then navigating the circuitous series of boulevards and sidestreets of Tijuana to get to the airport.

“MANANA!” Similarly, all of southern Baja is waiting for Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to open the new highway…basically cut the ribbon…for the new toll road that will ostensibly reduce the drive from the Los Cabos area to La Paz in half. Currently the drive takes 3-4 hours.

Given that the state capital of La Paz strangely has no direct flights from the United States into the city, everyone must fly into Cabo San Lucas then make the long drive north. Although a pretty drive, it makes for a laborious travel day for Americans wanting to visit the capital. Commercially, as well, it will save time and expenses for commercial traffic between the two areas.

The new highway has been opened for weeks and, tourists and locals alike are anxious for the ribbon cutting which keeps getting postponed. Actually, the better word might be “frustrated” as hotels and businesses are especially left wondering and waiting. All we keep hearing is “next week!”

Lastly, if you’re planning to come down and visit us here in Baja or anywhere else in Mexico, you should strongly consider changing more dollars for pesos than usual. I know a lot of folks are coming for the holidays and also for fishing tournaments.

Everyone down here still loves U.S. presidents on green paper. Don’t get me wrong.

However, with the devaluation of the peso in recent months, you can get anywhere from 13-18 pesos for the dollar. That means, having pesos in hand goes a lot further when you’re here travelling.

For example, a taco plate and beer on a menu costing 100 pesos a few years ago, or a taxi ride of the same price, would be $10 U.S. when the rate was 10:1 (pesos: dollars). Now, with the dollar growing stronger, 100 pesos is really maybe only $6 or $7 dollars U.S.

If you pay in dollars, especially with small vendors like the taxi driver or a street cart, they might not have change or the change will surely be in pesos. You’ll lose a bit on the transaction coming and going.

Many Mexican banks won’t let you change money, even if you have an account. We have found that the best places and the best rates can be found at the airport, money exchange kiosks in cities and interesting, the larger food market chains.

Safe travels all. Bien viajes!

That’s our story!

Jonathan

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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico http://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: http://www.tailhunter-international.com
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:
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.”

Don’t Leave Fish to Find Fish

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 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 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 October 12, 2015| Leave a Comment »

If you’re sitting on a honey hole, why move?

“DON’T LEAVE FISH TO FIND FISH”

Originally Published the Week of October 15, 2015 in Western Outdoor News

In my many years in the fishing industry, sometimes I think I’ve forgotten more fishing information than I will ever need. As I get older, I seem to forget even more and faster!

I had the privilege of learning from some great old-timers back-in-the-day. First I had Japanese, Filipino and Hawaiian uncles and older cousins who were patient enough with a little kid who had the attention span of a sardine. I don’t know how they put up with the kind of kid who would eat the bait and throw rocks in the water!

All having come from the islands, these were all “watermen.” They could not only fish the beejezzus off anyone I have ever known, but knew things like reading water and weather; tides and waves; currents and structure. No GPS. No internets or FAX reports. Fishing and the ocean weren’t just sport. In many cases, it was food. No fish…no eat! Pretty good guys.

And then, there were the captains I worked with in my years as a deckhand. These were guys who had to make a living of getting customers hooked up and keeping them happy. Fish counts mattered. Happy return customers were the lifeblood.

And then, there have been the twenty years in the Baja working with our own fleet captains here in La Paz. These are brown- weathered men who are a wonderful combination of the others. They fish to feed their families. But similarly, it is also a business…taking sportsmen out to catch fish. You’re good or your family doesn’t eat. You go drive a taxi or harvest chili at a rancho.

And, I’ve picked up a few things over the years. Whether intentionally or not, these guys imparted quite a bit of “water-wisdom” my way.

There were certain “true-isms” that caught on and have always served me well.

You know some yourself:

“No angles no tangles” (keep your lines straight in front of you)

“Big fish. Big Bait” (Bigger the bait, the bigger the fish)

“Twenty percent of the guys catch 80% of the fish.” (the 20-80 rule)

You get the idea.

But one that has really stuck with me was a gem told to me by a skipper I worked for about 20 years ago right here in La Paz. I was working as his deckhand and galleyman on a 65-foot-Hawthorne.

We had some difficult clients aboard. It seemed no matter what was biting or what we were catching, they always wanted to “move the boat” and “go somewhere else.”

The fish were never big enough or a voracious enough. Every time, one of the clients would speak to the skipper, the sentence started out, “ If I were the captain…” or “If I were running the boat…” or “If we really wanted to do some fishing I’d do…”

Well, wanting to keep everyone happy, the skipper would pull lines and spent 45 minutes zigging and zagging around the ocean. Then, we’d hit a spot. We’d stop and he’d tell everyone to toss bait. Everyone would get bit.

Within an hour, the bitching would start again.

So, the captain would pull out. Zig-zag around then stop again and everyone fished. And then an hour into the bite, here come the whining.

And the captain would make another move. And so the cycle went all day.

In the galley, the skipper came up to me and told me, “These knuckleheads will never be happy. I’ve been zigging and zagging and they don’t even know I keep coming back to fish the SAME spot. Just from a different angle.” He grinned and winked.

“Don’t ever leave fish to find fish.”

The skipper is long gone. The boat has moved to the scrap yard somewhere. But, I never forgot.

Several weeks ago, I had a panga client who fished for a number of days. He started out well with some good catches. But, every night, he would come back to the hotel and chat with our other clients.

If someone else did a bit better with a different captain, this client wanted to change to that other captain. Or he wanted to fish at a “different spot.” Every day, a different captain. Every day a different area or many different areas.

Every day, he did worse and worse. And every day, he’s again talk to others at the hotel and find out others did better than him. And he got more and more discouraged. I saw the spiral.

I finally sat him down and told him he was bouncing around too much. And, I also told him the story about “leaving fish to find fish.” It was his vacation and he was certainly welcome to do what I wanted. And, I’d do my best to assist.

However, what he was doing was counter-productive and a waste of time and energy. Even worse, he wasn’t enjoying himself.

I told him to stay the course with one captain for the next few days. Stop worrying about catching more fish than everyone else. Just fish. And fish where the captain wants to fish.

The captain is the expert and wants to catch fish as much as he does. Take it down a notch.

And he did. And he caught fish. And each day was better. And by the end of the week, he was catching more and bigger. And he got that smile back too.

The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. The fish aren’t always biting better at the next fishing hole either.

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.”

DON’T BE AFRAID TO NOT CATCH FISH

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, 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 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 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 September 28, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Trying something different could often be the difference and the fish of a liftime like Kit Luu who rocked this big wahoo using a lure that no one else was using.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO NOT CATCH FISH

Originally Published in Western Outdoor News the Week of Sept. 29, 2015

“How can I be a better fisherman?”

I get asked all the time. What’s the secret? What do I need to do? How can I catch more fish?

The obvious answer of course is, “Go fishing!”

The more the better. You won’t get better watching fishing shows at 6 a.m. sitting on your living room couch with a bear claw, cup of coffee and your bathroom slippers. Like anything else. Put in the time.

Of course, everyone wants to catch fish. I’ve been fishing all my life and probably fish more in a year than most anglers will fish in a lifetime. I’ve run a fishing operation for 20 years.

And I still have so much to learn! There is not a day on the water that I don’t learn something new.

I consider myself more than above-average-for a fishermen. Just a tetch. On a good day. And some days are better than others.

However…the fish has a brain the size of the tip of my finger. With all my fancy gadgets, hi-tech wizardry and supposedly big evolved-brain (my wife laughs!)…the fish usually get the better of me.

The day that every cast to every kind of fish…produces a strike …every time. And it happens all the time in any waters or conditions, is the day I will know I’ve mastered the art.

That’s not likely to happen.

But, that’s what makes fishing fun. There are so many variables that go into making that fish open it’s mouth. And there’s a completely different art to getting the fish to the boat once he’s on the hook too!

It’s actually the guy who tells me he’s “hardcore” and acts like he knows everything that gets me the most nervous. They are usually in for the biggest let-down if the fishing isn’t up-to-par. And also the biggest subsequent meltdown and tantrum-thrower as well.

Obviously, it’s never HIS fault. Plenty of blame. It’s the bad captain. The bad outfitter. Bad boat. Bad moon. Bad bait. Never just “bad luck.”

Look. Everyone wants to catch fish. That’s the whole point. That’s why we go on these vacations. To catch fish.

But, if you want to get better…if you want to take it to the next level…if you really want to be the guy they say, “Man, that dude (or gal) is the hot stick…”

Step outside the box.

Sure, you can do what everyone else is doing. And you’ll catch fish. And you might get better at however it is everyone else is catching fish. But, to get really better, take a chance.

Catch a fish or two. Then do something different. If the bite is wide open is a perfect time to try something different.

If everyone is using bait…heck…anyone can catch fish on a live bait. Try switching to iron. Or a a rubber swim bait. Or a top-water popper. Something that no one else is using. Or that you have never tried before.

You would be surprised how often the guy trying something different gets the biggest fish. Ask guys who throw iron!

Go to lighter tackle. Or, walk on the wild side and whip out a flyrod or really hit the edge and use fresh water gear like a bass rod, spinning rod, flipping stick or noodle rod.

Or ask your captain or guide to fish for a fish species that no one else is catching. What’s the worse that can happen?

You may NOT get it right the first time. But, you have to take the chance.

Don’t be afraid of NOT catching a fish.

Whatever you’re doing might not work. Throwing iron or a lure for the first time, might feel awkward and dangit, you hate those time-wasting backlashes. You might feel weird being the only one not hooting or hollering like the other amigos who are bent on fish. They might look at you like you’re a kook.

But resist the temptation. Keep at it. If something isn’t working, tie on something else.

If everyone is fishing the surface, go deep. If everyone is deep, try something on top. Work that water column. Different fish feed at different depths! Everyone using blue and white lures? Drop down the pink lure for grins and giggles.

I had a friend who was a dynamite rock guitarist. He played with Sammy Hagar and some big stars at Cabo Wabo in Cabo San Lucas. He was quite the star down here.

But, he told me he never got better until he tried a little country…a little jazz…learned some blues…dabbled in finger-playing on an acoustic guitar.

He said it was hard at first sounding like a cherry newbie. But, it made him a better guitarist and a better musician. It gave him new perspectives and appreciation. It also got him more gigs because he was now more versatile.

Fishing can be like that too.

Don’t be afraid of the sour notes. Don’t be afraid to not get bent. Don’t be afraid to grab something different out’ve your tackle box and open up all kinds of new possibilities.

You’ll get better. Guarantee it.

That’s my story!

_______________

______________

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.”

“THE SUN IS NOT YOUR FRIEND”

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 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, dehydration, 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, health, heatstroke, 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 ventana, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, lodging, los barriles, mahi mahi, marlin, medicine, 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, sunburn, sunstroke, 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 September 13, 2015| Leave a Comment »

THE SUN IS NOT YOUR FRIEND

Originally Published in Western Outdoor News the Week of September 17, 2015

This is your yearly public service announcement about the sun because the last memo was too long ago. Also, I’m tired of trying to convince fishing clients here this year that they:

Don’t have the flu from some “bug on the airplane.”
Don’t have food poisoning from the “fish tacos” at a street vendor
Drank bad “Mexican water” brushing their teeth at the hotel
It wasn’t the “extra powerful” tequila shot at dinner

Whether you call it “heatstroke,” “heat exhaustion” or “sunstroke,” it’s all the same and it disguises itself well. Especially in a country where there are so many other stereotypical culprits to be blamed from the food, to water, to contaminated dust to bad tequila, it’s an easy and common mistake. (Not to be confused with “too much tequila.” Big difference but same effect. )

More hangovers, headaches, chills, sweats, bad tummies, Montezuma’s revenges, muscle cramps and other maladies have been blamed on “Mexico being Mexico” than the real bad guy.

And he’s one of the reasons so many flock to Baja!

It’s Senor Sol. Mr. Sunshine. Yes, that yellow orb and object of worship in the sky. The focus of suntans and daydreams. Afterall, what would Mexico be without it’s sun as a giant magnet of tourism?

But, when not respected, the sun is not your friend.

At the minimum many folks are at least conscious of using sunscreen to protect their skin. That much is ingrained in our social psyche.

But, if you don’t use it correctly by re-applying it during the day, it won’t work. If you don’t put it on the tops of your ears…the tops of your feet…the tops or your exposed thighs…you’ll pay in pain later. Your back, arms and face are just a start and you probably shouldn’t be out there fishing without a shirt anyway. That blazing red skin is a very real burn just like if you had been touched by a flame.

I see long-time residents here in La Paz who have had too much sun. I’ve seen their leathery skin that looks like my old baseball glove or seen the skin lesions where melanoma has popped up. It’s not pretty.

But beyond the obvious burn factor, there’s the heat. And to so many coming down to enjoy the Baja, that heat is a the sneaky bad guy. Even during recent months when the sun hasn’t always been shining because of overcast, the heat is still capable of doing damage.

And it’s not so obvious as simply turning red like a sunburn.

Even on the overcast days, the sun is beating behind those clouds. It’s producing humidity from those clouds as well as huge amounts of evaporation from the ocean.

For example a few weeks ago, we had a day that was a “manageable” 101 degrees here in La Paz. Seemingly no big whoop.

But, with the actual heat index measured with the humidity, it was 127 degrees…in the shade! It’s similar to cold and adding in the wind chill. There’s temperature. And there’s the REAL temperature!

Maybe because it has been an El Nino year and we haven’t seen as much sun as normal, I’m seeing more anglers not wearing hats. Not wearing sunscreen. Taking off their shirts. Not drinking enough water.

We encourage water intake contantly. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty. Don’t measure water intake by how much you pee.

The heat is drawing moisture from your body with every breath. You’re sweating out a lot too. Losing salt and electrolytes. If you’re fighting fish or involved in other activities from snorkeling to kayaking and zip-lining to camel rides, you’re losing fluids.

Hate to break it to you, but alcohol does not count as “hydration.” If you are drinking, take it easy. Drink water in between the cervezas or margaritas.

On top of it, the food in Mexico is high in sodium (salt). Hey…that’s one reason it tastes so good! But, from salsa to chips, everything is salty. Carne asada, shrimp, guacamole…it’s all laden with salt let alone that delicious rim of your margarita! Push that through with more water.

Obviously, stay as cool as possible. Stay in the shade as much as possible. Don’t be a knucklehead and ruin your vacation.

I understand. Sometimes you’re just having too much fun and forget the common sense. It happens. But, at best it can ruin your vacation. At worst, you could end up hospitalized.

We had one client several weeks ago who insisted he didn’t need a hat and only drank alcohol for two days. He was having a blast catching fish. Exerting himself in the sun. We ended up sending him to the doctor for dehydration when he got the shakes and turned stone-white and clammy and started throwing up. He missed a day of fishing too. That wasn’t worth it.

It’s not the first time, someone didn’t listen to us or their bodies or common sense. The problem is that most folks don’t realize it until AFTER the FACT.

It’s when they’re done with fishing or swimming. It hits when they are sitting down to dinner or relaxing by the pool (and still drinking cocktails and sitting in the sun) that their body starts reacting. This delayed reaction is a big reason folks blame bad food or a bug or bad water. “Must be that ceviche I ate.”

If it does start happening. . . Get cool. Stay cool. Stop exerting yourself. Drink liquids. Replenish potassium and nutrients with Gatorade or Pedilite or similar. The gentler the better. I like Pedilite myself. It’s the stuff they give kids and babies who have the runs. Less sugar in it.

If you can eat, be gentle. Most restaurants have a consommé (chicken broth) or somesuch that you can add some rice or crackers to. If you’ve got a charter master or someone handling you there and in charge, let them know.

Take it easy and you’ll be up and about again in no time, ready jump back into it!

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.”

GUESS WHO MIGHT NOT BE COMING TO DINNER?

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 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, 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 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 August 31, 2015| Leave a Comment »

GUESS WHO MIGHT NOT BE COMING TO DINNER?

Originally Published the Week of September 3, 2015 in Western Outdoor News

You more likely know them as “mahi-mahi” (the strong ones) which is what the Hawaiians named them. Down here in Mexico, we call them “dorado” (the golden ones). On the East Coast they call them “dolphinfish” (go figure…it just confuses everyone. No, they are NOT Flipper).

Whatever you call them, they might become harder to find on fresh fish menus in the coming future.

A few weeks ago, the Presidential Task Force on Illegal Unreported Unregistered Pirate Fishing (IUU) along with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) determined the dorado are now an “at risk species.”

Consequently, they are recommending that illegal fishing operations in Mexico should no longer be allowed to export catches of dorado into the lucrative seafood markets in the U.S. Increasingly, in alarming numbers, more and more dorado fillets are getting shipped north.

According to statistics, in 2013 alone almost 8000 tons of dorado were commercially imported. That’s almost twice as much as was imported ten years earlier in 2003.

The glitch is that along with marlin, sailfish, roosterfish and swordfish, dorado are already illegal to commercially fish in Mexico. Mexico recognizes that these fish are important for tourism and reserves these species for sportfishing only.

Despite the law, all of those species have declined dramatically to the point of depletion in some areas. I guess “recognition” is not quite the same as “enforcement.” Obviously, if 7000 tons is making it north of the border, and into markets and menus, someone’s not checking the catches very carefully.

The double whammy is that these species are most efficiently caught on long lines. Long lines are lethal to the sportfish, but these are the self-same deadly lines that also ensnare turtles, dolphin (the Flipper types), whales and other species.

Dorado are especially susceptible. I hate to call any species “stupid” but if you’ve ever been in the middle of a wide-open dorado bite, they bite with such voracity and abandon that it’s hard to find a word.

So, I use the word “stupid” respectfully and as a sportsman. When enticed and hungry, they will go after lures, feathers, live baits, jigs, dead bait…even bare hooks!

I’ve had them go after a piece of tortilla. I’ve had them boil on a baloney sandwich. When they are “on the chew” they’ll fight each other to get to the food source.

That makes them an easy mark.

I’ve had days when I’ve caught (and released) over 100 dorado in just a few hours. Imagine if it were perfectly legal to commercially fish for dorado. How long would it take a fleet of 20 or 30 commercial pangas to decimate the fish population in a given area?

Dorado are amazing fish. Despite all the advertisments you see showing billfish as the “glamour” fish of Baja, in truth, the fish that brings the most action and produces more catches are dorado. Not everyone catches a billfish. But anyone can catch and dorado. And another…and another!

Dorado only live about 4 years. But they grow amazingly fast. A four-year-old-fish is 30-40 pounds. They’re born…they eat…they mate and mate and mate…they die.

They can reproduce when they’re only about 4-5 months old and 18-24 inches long and a female can drop thousands of eggs several times a year. They’re a wonderful renewable resource for fishermen. The resulting revenue they generate by the fishermen for the Mexican economy is measured in the millions of dollars if you add up charters, gas, food, hotels and more.

If tons of fish are being caught illegally and indiscriminately, dorado aren’t long for Mexican waters. Hence banning them from shipping into the U.S. along with stringent enforcement is a win-win for everyone.

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.”

“Not Another T-Shirt!”

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 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, 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 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, whale watching, whales, whaleshark, wife, women, yellowtail on August 16, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Next time you’re in a rush to find some gifts to take home…fresh vanilla…salsas…raw cinnamon…real tortillas…tequila!

NOT ANOTHER T-SHIRT!

Originally Published the Week of Aug. 18, 2015 in Western Outdoor News

You’re just about headed home after a great fishing trip. It’s been good. Fishing is done. You’re kicking back and chilling now. Dang, you’re not ready to go home yet. Oh well.

You’ve been knocking back copious amounts of beer and nachos with the guys. And suddenly it hits you like ice water.

You remember you have a family!

And suddenly you struggle to wrap your brain around the thought, “Oh man, I better bring home some presents!”

And you curse yourself a bit because you feel like that time you forgot it was your anniversary until the day of your anniversary. So, you gotta scramble.

Red alert! Defcon 5!

You’re gonna get killed if you bring home another t-shirt for mom and the kids. And faux-turquoise jewelry from the guy on the beach isn’t gonna cut it either. Zero points.

Here’s some of my personal suggestions that are unique and relatively inexpensive.

SALSA

This is always a winner. Walk into any Mexican grocery store. Head to the spices aisle and you’ll find rows of salsas. Find some that you’ve never seen before back home. They come in all colors, sizes and degree of heat.

And they’re cheap. About 2 bucks a bottle. Some even less.

I would often buy a bunch at Christmas time. Take them back to the U.S. Tie a ribbon around tree or four bottles and ta-DA! Instant present!

TEQUILA

Forget the over-priced stuff you find at the airport. Find a place that has a good selection of tequilas or, better yet, an actual tequilaria (tequila store). Best prices are found at places AWAY from the tourist areas. Find a good bargain or look for a label you don’t see back home. Like wine, it doesn’t have to be expensive to be good.

VANILLA and CINNAMON

If you’ve got someone who loves the kitchen or loves to cook or mix things (even drinks!), Mexico has some of the world’s best vanilla and cinnamon.

Vanilla comes in dark bottles. It’s not the imitation stuff back home. This is the real juice and a little goes a long way.

Same with cinnamon. Fresh sticks of aromatic cinnamon…nothing like it.

Put some of these things in coffee…baking…mix with sauces…infuse your own vodka, tequila or rum. Use on ice cream. It’s not expensive and shows you actually put some thought into your shopping (right?).

MEXICAN CANDY

When I had a lot of younger nieces and nephews and neighborhood kids, it was too hard to find t-shirts or remember sizes. So, I would go to the Mexican market and find the bins of Mexican candies or candies that could NOT be bought in the U.S. Get a couple handfuls. It’s cheap and a lot cheaper than t-shirts!

I’d bring home zip lock bags of each kid and I was instantly their favorite uncle or neighbor. Their parents weren’t always happy with me, but hey…that’s what uncles are for. Uncles teach kids to pull fingers and make fart noises under their arms too!

CHEESE and HOMEMADE TORTILLAS

If you’re bringing home frozen fish in your ice chest, consider saving some room to stash some homemade Mexican ranch cheese or even better…real Mexican tortillas.

You KNOW you’ve been loving the tacos and nachos you’ve been eating. Everything tastes better in the incredible tortillas from Mexico. And they taste nothing like the tortillas back home which taste like cardboard!

That’s because they are made with…lard! Yup…the good stuff. And the better ones are made by hand in a tortillaria most likely by someone’s mom who’s been making them for decades. You don’t even need to butter them. They taste good right out’ve the package or off the stove!

Ask around, and there’s little hole-in-the-wall neighborhood tortilla shops everywhere. Any taxi driver can take you. Or, go to the larger markets which all have their own tortilla makers or have them delivered to their deli sections daily and are kept warm.

Flour tortillas travel better than corn. If you can, freeze them before travelling in a zip lock. If not, keep them cold stashed between your frozen fish until you get home.

Tortillas are CHEAP! You can get a kilo for about 2 bucks. I send some to friends in Montana where real Mexican tortillas are a rarity. They hoard the tortillas in their freezer and dole them out one-by-one only on special occasions!

Same with cheeses. Mexico has an incredible variety of cow and goat cheeses that are gaining in popularity around the world.

Find a market that has a deli. Ask for some queso fresco (white cheese almost like a moist bluecheese or buffalo mozzarella in consistency). Or ranch cheese or manchengo cheese. If you’re in a good store, you can find cheese that has bits of mushroom or chilis or cilantro mixed into it.

And again, like many of the other things on this list, not every expensive and all a big hit when you bring some home!

If all else fails, you can always buy a t-shirt at the airport. If you’re coming to Baja in the next few months, a lot of these make for great Christmas gifts.

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.”

“I Swear It’s Here Somewhere, Sir! “

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 Independence Day, Mexico, 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, 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 licenses, 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 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, permits, 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, whale watching, whales, whaleshark, wife, women, yellowtail on August 1, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Don’t leave the docks without one. Don’t go home without one!

I SWEAR IT’S HERE SOMEWHERE, SIR!

Originally Published the Week of Aug. 4, 2015 in Western Outdoor News

In my slowly deteriorating memory, comedian Steve Martin had routine to that was 100% guaranteed failsafe if you’re ever dragged into court before a judge for not paying your taxes. You simply say,

“I’m sorry. I forgot!”

As a former attorney, I’ve actually seen attorneys and clients attempt to use the lame excuse. It was met with the expected level of enthusiasm and never garnered any sympathy.

However, here in Mexico, when fishing licenses are checked, I’ve seen it work to some degree. It all depends on the sincerity of the offender and the benevolence of the inspecting officer.

Stuff happens. They officers understand. You accidentally leave it in the hotel room; you get in too late to purchase one; it’s in your “other pants.” The charter operator charged you for one, but fraudulently or negligently, never gave you the actual paper (most often fraudulently). The inspectors have heard it all.

It’s going to get a bit tougher to “slide by” in the future.

Mexico recently announced that it’s going to strengthen it’s presence on the waters and cracking down on fishing and boating permits.

And there’s really little cause to gripe.

We’re visitors. The law is the law. You’re supposed to have a fishing license if you’re on a fishing boat. If you’re bringing your boat into Mexican waters, you’re supposed to have your paperwork in order as well.

We expect the same in the U.S. Have your paperwork in order or there are penalties and consequences. Simple. Sure, folks get away with it, but do you really want to be the one who gets caught? And what fun is it looking over your shoulder anyway when you’re supposed to be having fun?

Penalties can vary. They can turn your boat around and send you back to the beach (or back into U.S. waters). There can be fines.

I once saw an independent panga captain who didn’t have his paperwork and neither did his clients get sent back to the beach. The inspectors confiscated the panga. They confiscated all the fishing gear and the fish. The clients were stuck sitting on the beach trying to find a ride back to town. That was pretty extreme. But… Don’t let that be you.

The problem in the past, many times, is that most folks want to comply. However, there was so much confusion on how and where to do it.

There were several Mexican government websites that sold them, but the service was terrible. The site would crash. It would take money, but not print out the permits. It would get the dates wrong. It was disastrous.

Tackle stores sold them in S. California and in Mexico. But, not all of them carried them.

There were several reliable American websites that sold them.

Often, a charter operation would sell them. Or, in a worst case, charge clients for them; pocket the money and the clients would never receive a piece of paper.

According to the latest releases, the authorities will be more vigilant. The purpose is to make sure that sport-caught fish are caught legally. (There’s a lot of poaching out there).

Make sure you have that piece of paper on your person when you go fishing. Either get it online; from an authorized vendor or from your charter operation. Make sure that the name on your license matches your passport or other photo i.d.

By the same token, after you’re done fishing, don’t throw that license away. When you bring fish home, airport inspectors are now sometime checking that the fish you’re bringing home were caught legally as well. Showing them your fishing license will validate it.

If you do get stopped, be respectful. Same as you would with any officer. Yelling or having attitude won’t get you any points. They’re just doing their job and it’s a low-paying thankless job. The inspectors are not picking on you. They’re out checking permits on local boats as well.

Most of the inspectors I’ve run into or had conversations with are in-turn very respectful as well. Most will wish you a good day and send you off with a smile and a wave. Offering a bottle of cold water or soda is welcome too.

These have been the laws for a long time. Just now it’s going to be more strictly enforced. Don’t be surprised or let it ruin a vacation. Comply with the regulations and you’ll be fine.

If you need fishing licenses or want to check regulations, Mexico has recently updated their website and it really works well and very user-friendly (finally). Take a look: http://www.sportfishinginmexico.com/

Don’t be caught looking over your shoulder!

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.”