The Dorado in the Sea of Cortez, Baja, Mexico

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

https://www.bdoutdoors.com/baja-dorado-downfall/

[Carl Blackledge]

Bill,

Dorado were just crasy in Loreto this year....Over 600 landed in my boat....It's only going to get better, and for some reason the Roosters were really big...plus lots of Baby Marlin

Carl

[Tony Buzolich]

This is REALLY a good read for any of those who have ever fished Baja and taken Dorado in years past. Carl ought to really enjoy this too.

I can't believe '700' pangas a day fishing out of Guymas taking that many fish out of the system. No wonder things have been tough in Loreto for the last few years. Add to this the rampant netting of sardinas for the tuna pens and you've taken away the whole food chain for this wonderful game fish.

I started fishing Loreto over thirty years ago when things were in their hayday and dorado were everywhere in huge numbers. I even had one take a SAGE and ABEL rod and reel away from me while a popper was hanging over the gunwale. Not an uncommon story then.

I hope things come back, but with the Mexican government looking the other way at everything or being bribed and bought off, how can they ever expect to improve tourism dollars to come back.
Tony

[Carl Blackledge]

Tony,

You forgot one very important aspect....Dorado are the most fun of any fish that swims....This year we were all smiles, hard to beat Dorado for fun. :)

Carl

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Lefty Kreh told me he thought they were the most suicidal fish.

If you hit a day of smooth water catching them on poppers is so cool.


Baja has been the best deal in salt water fly fishing for west coasters for many years.

Especially those who live in Southern Cal.

[Baja Fly Fisher]

I'll let you know which is better, dorado or wahoo on the fly.

I'm rigged up with 450 yards of braided line, 100' of 50# mono attached to a 500 gr shooting head, 50# section of hard mason, 15" 80# single strand wire and finally a 15" mackerel wig hair fly.

Right now in the Las Arenas are they are catching a lot of Dorado ranging from 15# up to 35#. Also some big Roosters along with a few Marlin.

Wahoo are hit and miss right now but are still swimming in the area.

I'd show you some photos of big Dorado that we have caught over the past few years. So, all the "big Dorado's" aren't in Loreto.

[mems]

http://i.imgur.com/80NjCRH.jpg (https://imgur.com/80NjCRH)
There are some big mahi in Hawaii as well. I think the article Bill cited talks about Pompano that look like mahi but are smaller and are very good eating. We call them cane knives here in Hawaii. Good luck on the fishing in baja next month Jay. Hope you got a new Axiom II rod to try out. Don.

[Carl Blackledge]

Jay,

I don't think ANYBODY said that all the big Dorado are in Loreto only....I simply said they are the most fun of any fish I fish for and we had Dorado coming out of out ears this year in Loreto.....too bad other places in Mexico couldn't say that....some places didn't even have Sardines, sound familiar?

Carl Blackledge

[Carl Blackledge]

Nice Dorado Mem's

Carl

[Baja Fly Fisher]

Going to order the new Axiom II. I'm going with a Mangrove 12wt, a 300-400gr Esox, 9wt Mongrove. One of these days I'll go back to my roots and do some fishing. I'm hoping for a medium size GT at the end of October. Yep, heading back to CI.

The sardinas are back. They are around the island, by the lighthouse and down towards Boca del Alamo

Here's my rig for the wahoo

https://imgur.com/a/mnrRc

[Baja Fly Fisher]

Thanks for heads up on the posting of photo's. But how do I get it to go live without clicking
Mems, how big was the dorado.

[mems]

Nice set up, you should try for them in CI as well. We have a weird run of them right now in Hilo. We had three hit lures only to jump off. One went airborne at the back of the boat, had one lure in his mouth and tried to eat another one and missed them both. We got bummed about the rubber hooks and went bottom fishing. I will post some pics, papio, opakapaka, nabetta, moana, weke ula. We are eating good tonight. Any one ever have nabetta? Tastes like lobster. Good lusk on the ono. Don
Carl, thanks, that mahi went over 70lbs. Don

[mems]

http://i.imgur.com/roXukU5.jpg (https://imgur.com/roXukU5)
Nabetta, best tasting reef fish there is. Nasty little guys, they will bend their head 180 degrees and take a dime out of your hand.
https://i.imgur.com/Q12936c.jpg
Bottom fish haul, yellow spot papio, opkapaka, moana, nabetta, and weke ula, alle awesome to eat.
https://i.imgur.com/oLnhPHn.jpg
The largest yellow spot I got on a damashi. Hooked something that went into a cave and broke me off, probably a hawaiian grouper. You never know when you drop to the bottom in Hawaii. Mems