Tony Buzolich
01-23-2007, 05:57 PM
Sometimes you just have to give a little to get a lot. This past week was just that.
We'd planned everything just right. We had the spot, we had the dark of the moon, we had the flies, the poppers and the rods. We were really going to nail them this time,,,,,,, sailfish on the fly.
We booked our trip through Fishing International for a week in Zihuatanejo fishing aboard the Vamonos fleet for sails on the fly. These guys knew how to set up the boat, how to rig the teasers, how to do everything except make it happen.
When we arraived the first day the captain said "Eeeeits mucho harder to catch on fly". "Weeee should use bait".
Nope, I wouldn't hear of that. We came to fly fish and that's that.
Well, off we went, 10 miles, 12 miles, 15 miles out and we spot our first sail. Troll the teasers close and wham! the sail hits the first teaser. First cast just to the side of the teaser. Nothing happens :? The sail continues to eat the bait on the teaser and totally ignores my offering, then gone.
And so it went for the rest of the day. We'd see sails cruising, we'd troll close by, but nothing :( . The captain says with bait weeeee'd have better chance. Normally he trolls with five lines out, two outriggers way back, two on the corners on downrigger planes, and one in the center with a bird. That covers a lot of surface and makes a lot of commotion.
No way. We came to fly fish and all those lines would just in the way of our back cast.
Day two comes a goes the same way. We'd see lots of sails on the surface but got non to even go after the teasers. By the end of the day we'd had it. We had to catch something. Let's go in close and chase some jacks or bonito near the rocks outside of Ixtapa. The captain shakes his head but off we go. "The sails eeeeeeat bait lots" he says.
Our bad luck continues around the rocks as well and we end up with only a small rockfish and a really small bonito :roll:
The third morning arrives and we decide to give the captain a chance. Let's try it his way for the day and see what happens. (while still carrying our fly rods just in case)
Off we go still 8 to 10 miles out and then it happens, WHAM! Our first hookup and WHAM! again, and we have a double. :D YAHOOOO this is fun.
We get our fish in, take a few pictures, and now we're pumped. We're ready for more.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/jumpingsailfish20.jpg
Off we go and a few minutes later the reels screams again. This time on the light rod. But something's wrong. The rod is twisting, the reel handle wobbles, and something falls to the deck. Immediately the handle I'm holding comes off as well. :x GEEZ :x Now what? (Here come the Tred Barta stuff)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/tonysalfish220.jpg
I put the rod down, and grab the line, grab some gloves, and start pulling for all I'm worth. Our mate Marteeeeeen, grabs a loose spool and starts winding as I'm throwing line on the deck with this beautiful fish still going crazy on the other end.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/handlinedsailfish20.jpg
We get the sail in, have a couple of high fives and yahooos, and off we go for more action.
Only a few minutes go by before we get another take which Jim brings in like an old pro. This makes sail number four before noon.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/jimsailfish120.jpg
The captain suggests we leave the sails for another day as two had taken the bait deep and only two were able to be released. :( No problem. We'd had a great day and didn't need to kill ANY. Sometimes with bait though it's taken deep and can't be disgorged.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/tonysalfish120.jpg
Sunday, being our last day, we decide to do it again the captain's way and this turns out to be a repeat of the day before. We land three more, loose at least three and count this trip as a real learning experience.
We ended our trip with seven sailfish in the last two days.
As for fly fishing there? It's tough, if your captain is set on doing it his way. It's also tough if the fish a keyed in on baitfish and you're throwing pink poppers and flies at them :oops: .
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/tonysalfish320.jpg
Would I try it again there on the fly? :D Of Course!
But I think I'll plan a trip to Guatamala for them time :wink:
TONY
We'd planned everything just right. We had the spot, we had the dark of the moon, we had the flies, the poppers and the rods. We were really going to nail them this time,,,,,,, sailfish on the fly.
We booked our trip through Fishing International for a week in Zihuatanejo fishing aboard the Vamonos fleet for sails on the fly. These guys knew how to set up the boat, how to rig the teasers, how to do everything except make it happen.
When we arraived the first day the captain said "Eeeeits mucho harder to catch on fly". "Weeee should use bait".
Nope, I wouldn't hear of that. We came to fly fish and that's that.
Well, off we went, 10 miles, 12 miles, 15 miles out and we spot our first sail. Troll the teasers close and wham! the sail hits the first teaser. First cast just to the side of the teaser. Nothing happens :? The sail continues to eat the bait on the teaser and totally ignores my offering, then gone.
And so it went for the rest of the day. We'd see sails cruising, we'd troll close by, but nothing :( . The captain says with bait weeeee'd have better chance. Normally he trolls with five lines out, two outriggers way back, two on the corners on downrigger planes, and one in the center with a bird. That covers a lot of surface and makes a lot of commotion.
No way. We came to fly fish and all those lines would just in the way of our back cast.
Day two comes a goes the same way. We'd see lots of sails on the surface but got non to even go after the teasers. By the end of the day we'd had it. We had to catch something. Let's go in close and chase some jacks or bonito near the rocks outside of Ixtapa. The captain shakes his head but off we go. "The sails eeeeeeat bait lots" he says.
Our bad luck continues around the rocks as well and we end up with only a small rockfish and a really small bonito :roll:
The third morning arrives and we decide to give the captain a chance. Let's try it his way for the day and see what happens. (while still carrying our fly rods just in case)
Off we go still 8 to 10 miles out and then it happens, WHAM! Our first hookup and WHAM! again, and we have a double. :D YAHOOOO this is fun.
We get our fish in, take a few pictures, and now we're pumped. We're ready for more.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/jumpingsailfish20.jpg
Off we go and a few minutes later the reels screams again. This time on the light rod. But something's wrong. The rod is twisting, the reel handle wobbles, and something falls to the deck. Immediately the handle I'm holding comes off as well. :x GEEZ :x Now what? (Here come the Tred Barta stuff)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/tonysalfish220.jpg
I put the rod down, and grab the line, grab some gloves, and start pulling for all I'm worth. Our mate Marteeeeeen, grabs a loose spool and starts winding as I'm throwing line on the deck with this beautiful fish still going crazy on the other end.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/handlinedsailfish20.jpg
We get the sail in, have a couple of high fives and yahooos, and off we go for more action.
Only a few minutes go by before we get another take which Jim brings in like an old pro. This makes sail number four before noon.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/jimsailfish120.jpg
The captain suggests we leave the sails for another day as two had taken the bait deep and only two were able to be released. :( No problem. We'd had a great day and didn't need to kill ANY. Sometimes with bait though it's taken deep and can't be disgorged.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/tonysalfish120.jpg
Sunday, being our last day, we decide to do it again the captain's way and this turns out to be a repeat of the day before. We land three more, loose at least three and count this trip as a real learning experience.
We ended our trip with seven sailfish in the last two days.
As for fly fishing there? It's tough, if your captain is set on doing it his way. It's also tough if the fish a keyed in on baitfish and you're throwing pink poppers and flies at them :oops: .
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/tonysalfish320.jpg
Would I try it again there on the fly? :D Of Course!
But I think I'll plan a trip to Guatamala for them time :wink:
TONY