Carl Blackledge
07-10-2016, 07:48 PM
Worst trip ever to Loreto:
Well, I just returned early for what was supposed to be a month of fishing in Loreto (my 17th trip). I had been really pumped up that first day after hearing lots of contrasting reports. I did hook a Marlin and lost it, and I spotted two more later in the day and those two wouldn't eat my fly. During my trip I spotted at least a dozen more Marlin, but couldn't get them to bite either. Unfortunately, I never spotted one piece of Sargasso and there were no Dorado to be found and no positive reports of any kind. I decided to go Rooster fishing for a few days, and that was OK, but it gets boring really fast when you have to use bait. My buddy Ted did catch a 75 pounder, and I landed a 60 pounder and several smaller ones in the 15-40 pound range. I took another few days and explored different areas looking for Dorado or Sargasso, and after looking north, south and east, I just decided to pack it in and go home.
In the past, most of the fly guys would complain about lack of sardines or lack of Sargasso, but this year we didn't even have ANY FISH. I am pretty much spoiled from past years of catching crazy Dorado, wild, jumping billfish and having my flies crushed and my reels crying for mercy. Not this year. I am not done with Loreto but in the future I will be very cautious about any reports I get unless they are straight from my guide. And I sure won't pass on any rumors or hear-say ever again.
Today, as it happens, my guide just called and told me he found about 100 Dorado this morning. All he and his clients had were big-eye bait so they caught three, and the largest was about 12 pounds. If I get any credible reports of things heating up, I would consider going back for a couple of weeks. Two other guys stayed down there a while after I left, and they didn't see any fish for four days. There seems to be a belief that warmer water and warmer temperatures may bring fish to the area, but I'm not sure if this is wishful thinking. All I know is it was sure sad this year, at a time that traditionally has been great fishing during these early summer months.
Here's a few pictures of the Roosters we caught on bait.
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Well, I just returned early for what was supposed to be a month of fishing in Loreto (my 17th trip). I had been really pumped up that first day after hearing lots of contrasting reports. I did hook a Marlin and lost it, and I spotted two more later in the day and those two wouldn't eat my fly. During my trip I spotted at least a dozen more Marlin, but couldn't get them to bite either. Unfortunately, I never spotted one piece of Sargasso and there were no Dorado to be found and no positive reports of any kind. I decided to go Rooster fishing for a few days, and that was OK, but it gets boring really fast when you have to use bait. My buddy Ted did catch a 75 pounder, and I landed a 60 pounder and several smaller ones in the 15-40 pound range. I took another few days and explored different areas looking for Dorado or Sargasso, and after looking north, south and east, I just decided to pack it in and go home.
In the past, most of the fly guys would complain about lack of sardines or lack of Sargasso, but this year we didn't even have ANY FISH. I am pretty much spoiled from past years of catching crazy Dorado, wild, jumping billfish and having my flies crushed and my reels crying for mercy. Not this year. I am not done with Loreto but in the future I will be very cautious about any reports I get unless they are straight from my guide. And I sure won't pass on any rumors or hear-say ever again.
Today, as it happens, my guide just called and told me he found about 100 Dorado this morning. All he and his clients had were big-eye bait so they caught three, and the largest was about 12 pounds. If I get any credible reports of things heating up, I would consider going back for a couple of weeks. Two other guys stayed down there a while after I left, and they didn't see any fish for four days. There seems to be a belief that warmer water and warmer temperatures may bring fish to the area, but I'm not sure if this is wishful thinking. All I know is it was sure sad this year, at a time that traditionally has been great fishing during these early summer months.
Here's a few pictures of the Roosters we caught on bait.
1214012141121421214312144