Christmas Is. - Under the Southern Cross Part 3

[Baja Fly Fisher]

Don
Good look milk fish. I hope to target them on our adventure into the blue water. I'm going to tie up some pink, tan and red worm flies using the rubber material. Also some chartreuse marabou on a black hook. I've caught a couple milk fish in baja on the chartreuse colored fly. This year I hope I don't forget my 7 boxes of bone fish flies, like I did on my last trip. I plan on leaving all my flies with the guides.
Tony,
Did you get to fish with Michael? I'm suppose to take him a bunch of fly tying materials so he can tie up a bunch of bone fish flies.
Also going to tie up a purple/black wig hair bait fish for the GT's. A friend of mine caught a GT in the 90lb range on the fly.
I still need to tie up some flies for my trip to New Zealand next month and then some flies for my "last" trip to Baja.
Just doesn't seem like enough time to do it all. I can't wait for October

If anyone is interested in a trip, I have 3 spots left in my October trip. Try it, will like it. And go back again and again and again.

[Baja Fly Fisher]

Mem,

What rod is that? One of the Edge rods. I want to try the Esox rod in New Zealand and CI. I have the lighter rod.

[Tony Buzolich]

Those are definitely 9wt. or 10wt. size fish. Any chance you've got a picture of the flies you used? Tony

[Tony Buzolich]

Jay,

We fished with Mike the first day, but Michael wasn't around at all. Then Mike didn't show up for the second day as he was sick with some kind of heart condition. Both Mike and Michael are great guides, I've fished with both.
Tony

[mems]

That is an edge 8wt rod. The fly was a brown unweighted wooly bugger. If you position the boat and cast up current of the school, I just stripped the fly a little and wham they slammed it. Jay the Esox rod would be good for short quick casts to cruising GT's. I brought one last time and got a 10lb GT on it, no problem. I usully fished the bluewater 12wt for GT'sand used it for pelagics offshore. Mike and Michael and Biita are all good guides, they are like family now. Don.

[Carl Blackledge]

Tony,

I sure like the large variety of fish you caught. I am interested is going to a lodge where you don't have to just catch bonefish all day long and possibly have one or two shots at GTs, I can get at least 4-6 others.

What lodge are you staying at? How is the food? Do you eat anything besides just fish?

I understand that the Villages give you one guide per person, however you starve to death eating peanut butter sandwiches.

When is the next time your heading over there?

Carl Blackledge

[Tony Buzolich]

Carl,

I've been to the Crystal Beach lodge twice. I chose this lodge because of the constant ocean breeze you get which helps with few mosquitos or bugs. They are there too but not as bad as other places on the island. Over at the Villages you are in the lee of the island with little breeze to chase anything away. I shouldn't comment on the Villages as I've never stayed there.

Food at the Crystal Beach was adequate but subject to available supplies coming in either by plane or ship. We had plenty of fresh tuna every day for dinners and sashimi before dinner outside. Dinners were not gourmet but we did have chicken a couple of nights, steak one night, spaghetti out of a can, etc. etc. The final night was a farewell luau with a whole roasted pig, lobsters for everybody, roasted breadfruit, and always rice. Rice was a daily standard with every meal. They did a fine job with what they had for supplies but I think I'll offer to cook a few meals for everyone next time.

There's pros and cons for every place you go. Some like this , some like that. You just have to take it as it comes and make the best of things. If you are expecting something, then the door is open for disappointment.

I was told at the Villages you make your own lunches. We had great sandwiches every day, meat, turkey, etc. with lettuce and tomato. The favorite sandwich though was the fish made out of fresh tuna and mayo.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Can you put up a large photo and description of a fly for Milkfish?

[Baja Fly Fisher]

If you're looking for a 4 star lodging and meals, ya better stay home. Remember, this is an Atoll in the middle of the pacific that is at or below sea level. I found the food and lodging adequate. I go for the fishing and not all the bells and whistles. The people who run the lodge are happy to serve you and the guides, they are definitely top notch. I understand most of them at one time worked for the Villages but decided to work elsewhere. Yes, it's true that there are one guide per two clients but I usually went on my own in search of bones, triggers and GT's. This October I hope we can get to the Korean ship wreck. Lot's of different species and lot's of walking.
There was also another place that Bita mentioned. You had to have a good incoming tide to make it in and had to leave on the outgoing tide. If you were late, you spend the night there.
This will probably my destination trip for my clients. Baja is still on the list but has dropped down the list. My biggest thing is Mexican TSA and the airlines going and coming to Mexico.

[Baja Fly Fisher]

Mems,

Last trip, I talked with Michael a long time. He told me that his father use to own Crystal Beach lodge AKA Sharks Place. When he died, he said his "wicked" step mother now owns it and some times comes around the lodge. You'll know when she's around
Come October when I head back to CI, I'm taking a bunch of fly tying materials for Michael. He showed me some of the flies he tied, looked pretty good and were very effective.
They have never heard of cevichi . they were curious on how to make it. I would love to catch a wahoo or tuna and have some fresh sashimi that is cut like I'm use to eating it, thick. I'll also have to buy some wasabi powder in Honolulu so we don't have to squeeze it from a tube. I would like to take a day off and go visit the town and people. These people have very little but are very happy.
I guess I'll have to tie up some brown wooly worms. Weighted or unweighted