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BILLFISH 101

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, holidays in mexico, humboldt squid, 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, 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, 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, amberjack, bahia, baja, baja pirates, baja sur, bay, bays, beaches, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, catch and release, cerralvo, certified scale, charter, children, costa baja resort, cubera, day tours, deep sea, del mar fairgrounds, discount, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tour, el sargento, espirito santo, family, fish, Fishing, fishing and hunting shows, flyfishing, fred hall, freediving, grey whales, guide, holiday, hotel, hotel cantamar, hotel el moro, hotel marina, hotel palmira, hotel posada, igfa, images, inshore, ise, isla, island, jack crevalle, jillene roldan, jilly rolday, Jonathan Roldan, kids, la concha beach resort, La Paz, la ventana, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, los barriles, mag bay, mahi mahi, mexican, mexico, mosquito fleet, muertos, offshore, outfitter, pacific northwest sportsmens show, package, panga, pargo, photos, pirate fleet, pompano, portland expo, reports, roosterfish, safety, salt water, san jose del cabo, scuba, sea of cortez, sierra, snapper, snorkel, spearfishing, sportfishing, suenos, swim, swimming, tackle, Tailhunter International, techniques, tips, todos santos, tour, tuna, vacation, video, wahoo, whale sharks, whale watching, whales, wife, woman, women, yellowfin, yellowtail on September 8, 2014| Leave a Comment »

BILLFISH 101

Originally Published the Week of Sept. 2, 2014 in Western Outdoor News

There are probably few places in the world where you have a better chance of hooking that billfish you’ve always wanted than the waters in the lower Sea of Cortez and the southern Baja Peninsula.

These “glamour” fish include both sailfish and marlin which are drawn to these waters by a number of variables. The landmass itself drops off quickly into deep water trenches that bring cool upwellings and nutrients from the abyss. These, in turn are the food source for the baitfish which attract all manners of gamefish to these waters.

Sitting at the apex of the foodchain the big billfish can attain sizes up to half-a-ton. At the lower end are the smaller sailfish. In ascending order (and size) come the striped marlin, black marlin and then blue marlin as the largest of the hunters.

Not only do they feed on the small baitfish like sardines, caballitos, jacks, mackerel and others. But, they feed in the middle of the food column as well regularly dining on the other predators such as tuna, bonito, dorado and other bluewater species. Basically, if it can fit in it’s mouth, it’s a possible meal.

So, if marlin are on your bucket list, like anything else, it’s all about “WWH” (WHEN? WHERE? HOW?).

Generally speaking, warmer months are better. But even then, that is not always the case. Every place is different.

Around Cabo, striped marlin have been known to “ball-up” in abundance just off the Pacific Coast between Bahia Magdalena and Cabo San Lucas. This takes place from November to January.

It’s a bit of a run from Cabo and it can be rough because it’s winter, but you can also catch a boat from several spots around Bahia Magdalena, but not many. Most anglers run up from Cabo.

It’s a long run, but the fishing can be incredible. It is not unheard of to hook and release dozens of marlin PER DAY! Again, food is the key. The marlin are there feeding on the huge schools of mackerel.

As the year ends, the stripers start to migrate south and around the tip of Baja and with each proceeding month start to move further and further north up into the Sea of Cortez.

So, while Cabo can see marlin year-round, the East Cape, La Paz, and to a lesser degree Loreto and cities north will see the billfish from spring to fall. But, not much in the cooler months.

So, pick your times carefully. Summer and fall are predominately the best opportunities to get into billfish in all areas. Also waters are warm and seas tend to be calmer.

As for location…

To that end, generally speaking, the further south you go, the better. Although billfish can be caught in a multitude of spots in Southern Baja, you have a better shot at them in Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo and East Cape (Los Barriles and that area) than say Mulege or Santa Rosalia, although billfish are not out’ve the question in those great areas.

(No disrespect for northern areas which have their own spectacular fishing and their own particular claims to angling fame and shots at species not usually seen in some of the southern cities, e.g. yellowtail!)

Regarding fishing methods, there are a number of ways.

Be prepared to cover some water. So, a larger, faster boat might be preferred since these are rangy fish always looking for sources of food and capable of moving great distances very quickly.

Since you want to cover some water, trolling lures has been effective world-wide, especially, if you’re trying to locate fish. If you’re in an area such as the East Cape or Cabo where the fish can be quite far, then a cruiser would surely be more comfortable, especially in Cabo which faces the open ocean.

However, that doesn’t mean you ALWAYS need a cruiser. Areas such as Loreto and La Paz do very well catching billfish using pangas insofar as fish are much closer to shore and the areas are less subject to big waves and rough seas.

Another method is to slow troll larger live or dead baits such as smaller bonito, larger mackerel and even small tuna properly rigged and dragged behind the boats. There’s an old rule about “big fis-big baits” and you’ll be surprised how a huge bait that seems impossible to eat suddenly entices a big billfish to bite it!

One of my favorite methods is to simply troll a lure or dead bait behind the boat that has no hooks. This is a “teaser” method and requires that someone always keep an eye on the troll lines.

When a big billfish comes slashing at the teaser, another lighter rig with a live bait is then cast to the billfish. The live bait has a hook in it and the billfish will break off from the teaser and jump on the live bait. Battling a big marlin or sail on this lighter live bait tackle can be incredible sport!

This same casting method can be used on a “sight-fish.” Basically, keeping a sharp eye on the water until a billfish is seen on the surface. Using some bit of stealth and a steady hand on the wheel, the boat is maneuvered so that a live bait can be properly cast directly in front of the fish…hopefully resulting in a big hookup!

Whatever you do, consider “CPR…Catch Photo Release” before you go fishing. Decide that you are going to release your billfish BEFORE you’re in the heat of battle. No matter what your captain tells you. Let him know that you plan to release your billfish and that his tips are NOT dependent on him killing the fish.

Try to keep the fish in the water to release it. Bringing the fish aboard not only damages the slime protection on it’s skin, but without the negative buoyancy of the water, internal organs can also be damaged by hauling it into the boat no matter how well intended.

Get as good a photos as possible then release it. All the best taxidermists now do fiberglass mounts that are incredible. All they need are a good photo or, in many case, not even that. All they need is an estimation of size to make that perfect keepsake trophy for your den!

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 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

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Website: www.tailhunter-international.com

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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.”

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LESS IS MORE…or MORE THAN ENOUGH?

Posted in airlines, bahia de los muertos, bahia de los suenos, Baja, Baja Fishing, Baja fishing lures, Baja Life, Baja Mexico Fishing, Baja Rockfish, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, camping, car, cerralvo, cerralvo island, charity, charters, chubasco, circle hooks, dorado, driving, east cape, ecotourism, el nino, el sargento, espirito santo, family, fish, fish farming, fish pens, Fishing, fishing blogs, fishing hooks, Fishing lures, fishing packages, fishing reports, Fishing Tackle and Techniques, Fishing techniques, fishing tips, fishing tournaments, fishing trips, fishing videos, flyfishing, freediving, giant squid, Heat stroke, highway, holidays in mexico, humboldt squid, 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, 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, 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 Publications, women fishing, yellowtail, tagged bahia de los muertos, bahia de los suenos, baja, baja sur, beaches, billfish, blog, blogs, bonito, Cabo San Lucas, cabrilla, catch and release, cerralvo, certified scale, charter, children, chubascos, day trips, deep sea, discount, dog tooth, dorado, east cape, eco tour, el sargento, esprito santo, family, fish, Fishing, flyfishing, fred hall, freediving, gear, girls, guide, holidays, hunting and fishing shows, hurricanes, igfa, images, ise, isla, island, jack crevalle, jacks, Jonathan Roldan, kids, la ventana, las arenas, light tackle, live bait, los barriles, mahi mahi, marlin, mexican, mexico, ocean, outfitter, pacific northwest sportsmens show, packages, panga, pargo, photos, pompano, portland expo, reports, roosterfish, sailfish, salt water, san jose del cabo, scuba, sea of cortez, seminars, sierra, snapper, snorkel, spearfishing, sportfishing, stories, storms, swimming, tackle, Tailhunter International, tips, tournament, tours, trip, tuna, vacation, vacations, video, wahoo, weather, whales, whalesharks, whalewatching, wife, women, yellowtail on August 18, 2014| Leave a Comment »

So so so many toys! But we can only fish with one-at-a-time!

LESS IS MORE…OR MORE THAN ENOUGH?

Originally Published the Week of Aug. 20th, 2014 in Western Outdoor News

It was almost comical and I didn’t want to say anything. After all, they were our fishing clients. But it took 4 of us to load all their fishing gear on the panga. It reminded me of an Everest expedition where the intrepid explorers are followed by a line of sherpas.

Artic ice chest…spinning rods…fly rods…bass rods…conventional rods…three jumbo tackle boxes…video camera case…Gopro camera water proof case…underwater extension rods…special seat cushions that had beer holders in them…even “catch flags” they planned to fly from rods for when they returned to shore.

Ahhh…God bless ‘em.

They were so excited. First time Baja fishermen. They were like little kids. It was like Christmas. They had a list of all the species they planned to catch. They had a GPS pre-programmed with all the “hot spots” they had read about. They had waterproof maps and fish i.d. charts.

So much enthusiasm. Between my captains, deckhands, drivers and other fishermen, it was hard to suppress the chuckles. I really wanted to say something. But what could I say? They had all the toys and they planned to use them.

They took to heart the saying, “Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. “

Here’s the rub…I was supposed to go out on the panga that day with them. I rolled my eyes.

My captain had to leap over all the gear to get to the tiller on the motor. There was barely any room to sit. I squeezed on top of an ice chest as we headed out. This was gonna be interesting, but I was grinning. Whatever. Let’s go fishing, guys!

With all the rods jutting out, we looked like a CIA boat bedecked with prickly porcupine radar antennas as we zoomed to the fishing grounds. I counted…1, 2, 3…8…11…15…19…20…26 rods! Custom wrapped. The latest hi-tech reels. Spooled full of shiny new line.

When we got to the spot, it got a little awkward.

Do remember watching your kids at Christmas barrel into the goodies under the tree? Ripping and shredding and laughing…oh the carnage! Oh the humanity!

Well, the gear boxes opened and out came hooks and lures and feathers of all shapes and sizes. Leaders and gadgets and wires and do-dads and thing-a-ma-jigs and watcha-ma-callits and chingaderas came pouring out. ! Many still in their wrappers.

All organized. Color-coded. Size-coded. Species evaluated. Things for tuna. Things for dorado. Things for dorado AND tuna. Things for wahoo. Need a purple pink speckled marlin lure? Got it! Surface lures…bottom lures…mid-water lures. Everything had a pouch or pocket. Everything in it’s place!

I’ve done plenty of long range trips for 12 and 14 days where I didn’t have this much stuff. We were only going a mile offshore for a few hours. Fishing 2 days total!

And stuff for their belts…pliers, dikes, hook disgorgers, hook pouches, sunscreen holders.

My gosh, they must have accumulated enough points on their Cabela a dn Bass Pro visa cards to fly around the world!

And just like kids oooh-ing and ahhh-ing…each guy was as eager to show off his “toys” to me and the captain. Simultaneously, he was in showing them to his fishing buddy and also seeing what his buddy had brought along. Like opening two picnic baskets at the church luncheon!

I just stood back. Tried to look really really realy gosh darn excited! I mean, I hate to discourage or curb anyone’s enthusiasm. So, I smiled and gritted my teeth.

“Wow…that’s uh… really great you found one of those lures.”

“You got 4 of them in each color?”

“You bought 100 hooks of each size too? No way!”

But, we were burning daylight. I could tell on the radio that some of our pangas were already into fish.

There was stuff scattered all over the decks!

I finally said, “Guys, time’s-a-wasting. Let’s get fishing.”

They looked at me. They looked at the captain like eager kids. The captain shrugged his shoulders and dropped a bomb.

“Tie on a hook. We will fish with bait.”

Silence. They looked at me. I looked at them.

I said, “Yup…bait’s working. No leader. Let’s just tie on hooks. Maybe later we’ll get to use some of that great gear you brought.”

They looked at each other and I could sense the puzzlement and disappointment from their quizzical looks.

“C’mon, guys, “ I tried to say gently with as much enthusiasm as I could muster. “The fish are biting so let’s get in on it. Get out some hooks and stow the rest of the gear for now so we don’t miss the bite.”

While they stashed all their stuff, the captain and I tied on hooks for them to save time. I didn’t want to look them in the eyes. I felt like I had taken away their toys. Or had told them there is no Easter Bunny.

But, the fish bit. The sun came out. The water was blue. And the fish bit again. And the icy beer and lunches always taste double-good outdoors on the water.

There was a point later in the day when their fish box was filling and the fish were swarming and I asked if they’d like to try out some of their fancy gear. But, they laughed and were too busy hooked up to want to change.

The whole day, they ended up using one rod each. And maybe half-a-dozen hooks. And were happy. Beyond happy.

As one of the guys laughingly said to me headed back, “Somehow, I still have to explain to my wife why I needed to buy all this gear.”

His buddy said, “I once asked my wife why she needed so many shoes.”

“What did she say?”

“Because I say so, Dear. Because I say so…”

“I don’t think that will work on my wife.”

We all laughed.

That’s my story!