Baja On The Fly

[Hatch]

Hello All,

I am just home from one of my annual Baja Big Game trips with Gary Bulla. I have been taking groups of people down to Baja to fly fish for inshore and offshore species for the last 10 years. We have visited many destinations including Cabo, La Paz, Los Barriles before we found La Ventana. This small town is where Gary Bulla and his very talented group of Pangeros are based. For the last 5 years, we have not changed venues, this is THE place as far as I am concerned. We stay at a small resort called Baja Joe's.

The place has eight comfortable, air conditioned rooms, a common area that includes an open kitchen, and a bar situated right on the beach. For most of the year, when the wind is blowing, this place is the home of countless kite boarders and wind surfers. But for 6 weeks in spring and fall, it is a fly fishing Mecca. I found this place after hearing about it from Brian Horsely and Sarah Gardner, husband and wife fly fishing guide phenoms out of Oregon Inlet, Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. There are many reasons that make this place fabulous.

1-Gary has hand-picked and trained the Lucero family of Pangeros: Valente, Efren, Israel, Juan Carlos and Fedelito are absolutely great.

2-In addition to these 5 boats, Gary has arranged to have our own bait making crew. So, most of the time, we have several deliveries each day to keep the fish around our boats.

3-Baja Joe's, with cook Leonarda in the kitchen, is close to the fishing grounds. It's ON the beach and is as quiet (or in my group's case) as loud as you want to be. The rooms are clean and new, the food is great and there is surf fishing right out front.

4-Every year we have shots at Dorado, Skipjack, Toro, Roosters, Ladyfish, YFT, Cabrilla, Pargo, occasional Sailfish and Marlin

I consider this place and its wonderful people a home away from home and can not wait to return every fall.
If you are looking for the Total Baja Experience-Look no further!!!

You can visit this wonderful place with me and my group or you can put your own group together. You can reach Gary at www.garybulla.com

Thanks
HATCH

[Baja Fly Fisher]

Hatch,

Sounds like you had a good trip. Must of dodge the bad weather which at this time of the year it can happen. Yeah, La Ventana is a good place to stay but if you're into going out for a nice dinner there aren't too many restaurants in the area. Like Gary mentions in his write up, it's not for those who like to wine and dine in the evening. If I recall, I think Howard McKinney, Kay Mitsuyoshi, Atwin King got the Lucero family into the fly fishing game when we were at the Las Arenas resort. I have photo's of the young group of captains all learning how to cast. This is when my "now" manager Pati Rodriguez was the manager of the hotel. It was a great place to stay but isolated. The one hour drive in the morning for us is not that bad, usually everyone is "zonked" out before we hit the main road and the same coming back home. I know Gary's group has a least a half hour drive from Baja Joe's to the beach, so we're not that far behind driving time wise.
What was the problem with the "no bait" days? Was it too rough to get close to the beach or did the bait just disappear. Yeah, it can be tough fishing especially for those who are there for the first time. Two years ago, it was really tough when we had "NO" bait for 6 weeks straight
Didn't do Baja this Oct, changed the venue and heading to Turneffe Flats in a couple weeks. But will be returning to Baja Oct. 2014 for some a$$ kicking fun.

How big was that skippie in the first photo

Jay

[malbers]

The bait was on the move and hard to find in large quantity. The squid was plentiful and easy to obtain. The skippies were huge. That one is about 14+! I hooked one that pushed 20+ lbs but Ranchero'd it!

Late season is a gamble but we had good fishing, great food and an experience like no other.

On a side note, if I can get their again next year, Feidelito has expressed mucho excitement on going to catch some fish in the morning then going on a goat hunt on the island. Not sure if that's legal but it sounds fun. Carnelo (one of the bait guys) shot one from his boat on the hunt for bait around the entire island!