LORETO REPORT

[Darian]

WOW!!!! Sure sounds like you guys hit it right. :D :D A 400# Blue Marlin to a fly :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

Annnnnd, I love it, only a 43# Dorado to flies.... Whew!!!

Great report, eqully good pic's :) :) :)

[jbird]

Carl

All I can say is, WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm jealous. Great report and beautiful photos!

Jay

[JerryInLodi]

Great resport Carl. Makes me want to really get out there tomorrow and look for the fish. I've been getting lazy, now I have no excuse.

Were most of the billfish released?

[Tony Buzolich]

Hi Carl,

Really great photos and report.

I'm curious about how you set up your big fly rigs for trolling? Sometimes you just have to speed things up faster than you can retrieve by hand, and , it's almost impossible to cast any distance at all with a fly the size of a blue jay.

Do you use swivels when trolling?
TONY

[sculpin]

Great trip and photos Carl. It's nice to see someone hit it right. We didn't but still had a great trip.

Mark

[PaulC]

Hey Carl,
Great photos and report. That underwater dorado pic was sweet.
Sounds like you guys had a great time out there.
Hope to make it out there once next summer.
-Paul

[jbird]

Carl
The Rio Leviathon is the line. I think it breaks at over 60lbs.

Jay

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Yes,

Rio has a fairly new series of 5 different big game lines called the "Leviathon".

__________________________________________________ _________

"RIO’s Leviathan line for big game fish is built on a super strong Powerflex® core (in excess of 60 lbs breaking strength) with a tough, tropical saltwater coating. Made to tackle a behemoth on a fly rod, it’s ideal for tuna, trevally, billfish, dorado and other bluewater species. The heavy head loads up powerful bluewater rods while the aggressive front taper makes casting ultra large streamers and poppers relatively simple. The fly line can be cut from the back end to 60 ft to increase the backing capacity of reels and decrease the drag through the water.

The line is available in two types:

Fast sinking 26 ft density compensated sinking heads of 400 grain (60 lb core); 500 and 600 grains (75 lb core) with intermediate running line.

Plus a 500 grain full intermediate line with a clear tip, perfect for bait busters (75 lb core). Length: 100 ft (30.5 m)"
__________________________________________________ ______

Recently they have added a floating line that is 550 grains too.

[Flyjunkie]

CARL,

Heading down to Loreto next Thursday, the 20th... Your report has got Me Soo Jazzed!!!!
Seems the Billfish might be a Hit or Miss...but I'll take Dorado, Roosterfish, Jacks, Skipjack, Etc... Whatever will come out & Play!!!!!

Thanks for the Report and the Pictures (GREAT!!!!) Now if the next week would just fly by, I'll be Flying south that much sooner... :wink:


Thanks again....
DEAN....... 8) 8)

[PaulC]

Hey Carl,
Thanks for the invite. Sounds like my kind of fishing crew. I tend to throw everything back unless its not lookin like it will make it.
Things are a bit dicey for me next year as we have a baby due in December. Hard to tell if I can get away but by next summer I know I'll need it.
How far in advance do you guys plan?
There's a mako report a few threads down. I'm sure you'd get a kick out of it. Its not tarpon, but hey...its in cali. Those guys pack a punch for sure.
-Paul

[Tony Buzolich]

Hi Carl,

Well, I started looking around the shop yesterday and came up with a new "High Speed Trolling Swivel" made by SPRO. These are weight tested and have several barrels instead of just one.

Looks like just the ticket for dragging big flies without getting twist.
TONY

[Brad Blancett]

Hi Carl,

Well, I started looking around the shop yesterday and came up with a new "High Speed Trolling Swivel" made by SPRO. These are weight tested and have several barrels instead of just one.

Looks like just the ticket for dragging big flies without getting twist.
TONY

Tony the Spro swivels are a very good choice ! I use them and the smallest Sampo ball bearing swivels . makes life a lot easier .

[Brad Blancett]

Hey Brad,

How do you construct your trolling leaders? What test, and also what make of material?

Carl Balckledge

Hi Carl ,

In order flyline,50 lb Braided loop to the Spro swivel or small Sampo swivel to a straight 20 to 40lb to 60/80lb bite , Fly. All Bimini loops so all are removable and the bimini's give a bit of stretch.

I have even used a Perfection loop at the swivel and straight leader to the fly

Not worried about Records just C&R get um to the boat fast and turn um loose.

The leader material varies From Cortland, Ande, Soft Steel or Big Game (Trilene)

[Brad Blancett]

Carl I just eliminated the extra knots !! 8) :idea:

[Mark Hargrave]

Carl, What are your dates for 2007?

[sculpin]

Damn, Carl your getting me all jacked up about a trip I'm going on to Mulege this June/July. :shock:


Mark

[JerryInLodi]

You too Mark, If you've never fished the paddies, it's one of fishing's most incredible experiences. It seems when the paddies are around, EVERYTHING is in more abundence, sails, marlin, dorado, yellowfin. Yipee.

I've been in Mulege when an individual paddy would take up more than a acre!

Glad we're going down in June, in fact I wish it was a little earlier. I've been down there when there have been huge amounts of grass in mid June only to have completely blown out by mid July.

I'm getting a little psyched myself.

Get those phtocopies ready to send, Darian, you too.

I'm waiting to recieve my renewal for my boat and trailer licenses. Once I recieve them I can send off for the Mexican insurance!!! I already have the new tags for the van.

[sculpin]

Carl your right, I feel fortunate for the opportunity to be able to make my first trip to Mulege with Jerry. Going with someone who is very familiar with the area saves a lot of time and Jerry's a great guy. Darian and I are lucky to be able to tag along with him. What also adds to the excitement for me is going someplace new. I've been all over Baja from La Paz to Cabo and it's getting a little to busy in those areas for me. Also I haven't ever driven down, and I'm looking forward to that part of the trip.

Mark

[JerryInLodi]

Ok, it's getting a little thick. Mark I suspect you're piling it on so when you kick my butt and get a Baja Grand Slam, Sail, Dorado and Yellowfin (or Striped Marlin, no Roosters this far north) all on a fly on the same day that I'll at least have your kind words to sooth me.

That's OK, I don't know if I want to pull that much in one day.

I can tell that striper season is over.

I wake up dreaming of stopping at the fish market at Ensenada early in the morning while Darian and Mark run in and grab three fish tacos each for breakfast.

Then being stuck behind every farm labor bus shipped south across the border between Colonet and San Quintien as they pick up the crews for the tomato fields.

Then stopping at Mama Espinoza's in El Rosario for an early lunch.

Then climbing up into the Sierra Giantica mountains and dropping down into the eye-popping Catavina desert with it's sixty foot high Cardon cactus and giant boulder fields.

Then the long flat to the 28th parallel and the salt flats of Guererro Negro.

The the barren Visciano desert and the hills around San Ignacio.

Then the long climb up the plateau to the top of Devil's Grade.

The the six mile dash down Devil's Grade to sea level and Santa Rosalia and the final 40 miles to Mulege.

And finally, after filling the boat with gas, launching it and tieing it to the dock, dinner at Los Equipalas; Castillos de Puerco, mmmmmm good!

Yup, striper season's over, 64 days to Baja!!!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

'jbird' is right on......

SA also has the Mastery series 'Bluewater' full lines that have a 60# core:

WF12S, WF14S, WF15S in very fast sinking only.

__________________________________________________ ___________

Rio's 'Leviathon' series comes in 3 different types of full lines:

550 floater (100' now) powerful 12 to 14 rods

500 intermediate

400, 500, 600 very fast sinking

Our Jim Christensen and friend George Brown of Stockton fish the 550 floater for Billfish.

[dtp916]

You are all nuts catching fish that big in warm tropical areas in early spring.

I'm jealous.

Here I am contemplating which 3 wt to buy and you are throwing 12 wt rods with shooting heads and flies the size if blue birds.

What does this package run for I'm going to start saving my money. :D

[JerryInLodi]

James, IF I put together a package for 2008 to Mulege it would be $1295 for six days fishing excluding air fare and six dinners where you're on your own. Of course the margaritas are at your own expense as well.

Also different is that the anglers would rent cars for the week, four to a car so that they could travel in the evenings and see more of the peninsula. The car rental is included in the above price.

This would be a small group, limited to eight anglers. I would operate the trip similar to the way Jay does and my ex-partner Al and I used to, I'd go out in the panga as third man in the boat with the newbies, not to fish but to give that extra instruction necessary.

This trip would be quite different than the Loreto type trips since Mulege is a very small town and the crew would actually get to know both the panga captains and some of the townspeople. After doing a trip like this, you would learn enough that you'd probably just go on your own in the future unless the comraderie of seven other anglers was important to you.

One thing, you would be the only eight fly fishers in Mulege and not have to worry about other boats jumping your paddies!

Carl, you have lots of experience with groups, what do the other trips cost?

[jbird]

Jerry

I would be very interested in this trip. :D

Jay