Isla Cerralvo....

**Darian** · 06-06-2010, 02:38 PM

Seems like it's all been said in prior posts. I have more pics but it wouldn't add to those already posted by others. The trip was great, as usual. The fish were willing, weather was iffy at times (lotsa wind) making casting tricky. Each AM started out flat or breezy only to set up a stiff wind around 10:00 AM. Swells/wind chop each afternoon. The water became murky in some areas due to the overnight winds. Mornings were cool enough to warrant using a light wind breaker for the run out to the island....

The bait was at the Island. So each day started with a long run to the bait; then off to whatever each boat decided to do that day. Renee and I followed our captains advice and stayed with the Roosters at the Isla. GOOD CHOICE!!!!! (never leave fish to find them). Without taking anything from my partners accomplishments, some of her fish were caught on bait some on the fly . I'm challenged to catch at least one of everything down there on a fly. Renee is much more pragmatic than I am, she'll switch if the fly isn't working at the moment (....she' just not as hard headed as her partner is

).

I've never seen a bunch of large Roosters on the bite like the were on Friday AM. I had my shots at some 30 pounders and larger during the week but they were singles or doubles. On Friday, they were slashing around near the boat with their combs raised, and tracking my fly's.... My eyes must've looked like pie plates.

There were fish from 5 to 60 pounders in that area. At one point, a large fish (Efren said looked to be over 40 pounds turned and tracked my fly. I sped the retrieve up a bit and had a solid hook-up. During the second reel scorching run, I tried to slow the fish down by adjusting the drag and touching the spool lightly when there was a slackening in the pressure on the line. The backing had parted. Rooky mistake. I failed to check the pound test of the backing and when I compared it to the backing on my other reels, it was obviously smaller in diameter.

Oh well, it was wonderful while it lasted.

Ours and the other boats caught a large variety of fish, as usual. However, Dorado didn't appear to be around in abundance even tho a few were caught.

All in all this spring was one of the better trips I've had down there. Eye popping Pez Gallo, adrelin rush high's and depressing mistakes. Jay fishing with us on Wednesday, a great captain/friend (Efren) and a great fishing partner (Renee). Broken equipment, lost lines and now repair jobs to do.... WADDATRIP!!!!!

Bill mentioned that he'd like to see us discuss some tips for new fly fishers planning a trip down there. So, later today/tonight, I'll post some thoughts about how to approach this fishery/trip for those who've never been down there but are thinking about making the trip. Just my perspective; not for those who have already experienced it. Maybe Jay M, Tony or others will contribute something too.

**Jay Murakoshi** · 06-06-2010, 03:14 PM

Darian and those out there. I just got back in from the first day on the water with the last group. It seems like there were great expectations from last years dorado bite in the channel. Not so... Once again, there are very few dorado in the area but there are a LOT of marlean swimming off the island. I have a boat to myself for the week, hopefully I can last that long.
The long run to the island continues but at least the waters are flat which makes it a lot more comfortable. We were short of Punta Pilas today but after getting bait, we headed north to the rooster area. After throwing a few baits and feeding a dozen pelicans the big splashes happened. But they were jacks and roosters. I came down with an elbow problem this morning - gout. I ate two small pieces of carne that came with nacho's and the results are showing today. So my casting arm was a little sore, no real sore. I had to readjust my style of casting. After 12 lady fish and a few small jacks we baited up and headed to the BAJO. I was in search of some marlean and dorado, forget the skippies.
There's a big fishing tournament going on right now and it looked like the bay shore freeway this morning, guys trolling everywhere they could find open water. Saw 3 marlin hooked up and sure hated to see them get boated. What a waste. We saw one marlin by the boat but couldn't get it to eat. then we headed toward the beach and drifted around the ship wreck and taco bell. Still schools of small roosters everywhere.
I couldn't get the arm to cast fast enough. Then we headed to Punta Arena and drifted the beaches in search of Grande Pez Gallo. It didn't take long.. Jony said "Jay 5 grande pez gallo" and yes there were 5 BIG roosters around our boat and eating. I made a few gentle casts and had one eat the fly but I wasn't with it. Jony looked at me like "what the s***" are you doing. He had it in his mouth and spit it out. I felt a little tug but by the time I realized what that tug was, he was gone. Tomorrow will be better, I hope.

The other guys caught a few fish, a large variety of species. This is just a warm up, 5 more days to go

More reports later

Jay

**Tony Buzolich** · 06-06-2010, 05:57 PM

I'm glad to hear there are so many big roosters around. My group will be there in a few weeks and I hope they stay that long. As we'll be going later than most I'm sure the dorado and yellowfin will be in by then too.

Hey, don't make it sound like going to the island for bait is a big deal. Getting there gives you time to wake up and get your sea-legs. I think we've only gotten bait once on the mainland when we ran low in the afternoon.

Jay, those guys that got shots at marlin and sailfish earlier in the week, were they dragging flies or chumming? Also, there hasn't been any mention of wahoo. Any showing yet?

My guys are sure getting anxious too.
TONY

**jbird** · 06-06-2010, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Tony Buzolich

Hey, don't make it sound like going to the island for bait is a big deal. Getting there gives you time to wake up and get your sea-legs. I think we've only gotten bait once on the mainland when we ran low in the afternoon.

Ive hired a boat at Los Barriles and had to go to cerralvo for bait. Now THATS a long trip!

**Darian** · 06-06-2010, 10:54 PM

Hey jbird,.... I feel your pain.... There were several boats from East Cape at Cerralvo. No Bait at East Cape.... 2.5 to 3.0 hour ride each way.... YIKES!!!!!

**Jay Murakoshi** · 06-07-2010, 03:07 PM

It's definitely a long boat ride no matter how you look at it. It will definitely wake you up, especially if the wind is blowing. Today it was dead flat but windy on this side.
Darian, I think we were fishing Renee's bay, There was a lot of lady fish and BIG toro's and pez gallo's and what's nice, it was only my 7 boats. Yesterday 70 boats today 30 boats if that many. We fished the area for a while until I got tired of lady's. Then we head to the horizon to look for a few dorado. Saw a couple swirls but no dorado. Went around to the channel and it was pretty bumpy and no dorado. Then we headed to the lighthouse and we found miniture submarines. The roosters were HUGE along with big toro. They came right to the boat but refused the fly. I changed a dozen times or more. I think you call it "snake bite"
tomorrow is another day. Hope the elbow holds out

Jay

Later in the morning, we had two marlin around the boat right off the beach