Baja and Makos

[mems]

Just got back from Baja and a day of Makos in San Diego. Can't get my photos loaded onto IMGUR so I don't have the pictures to share. We were a little early to baja for lots of roosters but there were big ones around just not in good numbers and they are pretty well trained to the drill. The guides are using 25lb fluro leader and that is pretty light to turn a big rooster. I had a nice one break the leader and my friend had a great eat on a nice big one only to have the knot fail at the fly. So getting big roosters was tough.
But the fishing was still great. I got a nice mahi and we tried for ono but caught bonito and pompano and lots of cabrilla and pargo, so we were well fed. It was fun to be back in Baja and we stayed in a hotel in La Ventana so the drive over was short. It was blue hotel there and the staff cooked up our catch for us every night.
On the way home I stopped by to see my sister in San Diego. I was able to go see Jimmy Buffet in concert and that was fun. Lots of drunk and stoned boomers in aloha shirts. We went for a day of Mako shark fishing and got 6 blues and 4 makos. They were all small but had fun getting them on the fly. It is nice to see that fishery still going. Only a couple of guides still doing it. Everyone there seems more interested in the bluefin but they were 60 miles out when I was there and didn't want to spend the money on that one.
I love baja but they are having difficulty getting the roosters to eat, and 25lb leader is bordering on impossible to land unless you chase them with the boat. Hopefully it will get better with more fish and competition. If I figure out how to post I will put some up. I did get a milkfish on a live sardina, so that was pretty cool.

[Carl Blackledge]

Don,

Glad to hear you had fun in Baja.

I talked to my Baja guide today in Loreto, he was very excited to tell me about all the roosters running around and Bill fish, even a few smaller Dorado already showing up plus the ten billion sardines in and around Loreto. I am looking forward to another crazy year with bruised knuckles and line burns. I will be posting a lot this year while I am there.

Carl