Baja Sur

[John H]

I did the hosted baja panga trip this past week. I did it once before in 2008 and have done some other trips in Baja over the last 50 years. It was hard for me to believe I first went there 50 years ago. Needless to say things have changed.

We fished five days, got winded out one day and I would say the fishing was okay. We did not catch a ton of fish but I did catch a big one which for me makes it worth going down there. I don't know how much it weighed but the captain said setenta so it was likely not far from that. I cranked the drag all the way way down, which was probably a tad too much, and kept lifting and cranking until the captain grabbed the line.

I had not planned on birding while I was there but they had binoculars and plenty of birds so I went out everyday in the afternoon and came back by seven in time to drink a beer and enjoy a tremendous dinner. I saw 38 species of birds and a whole bunch of them I had never seen before. There was an arroyo across the road from the hotel and you could walk up it for miles. The most pleasant part of the trip was walking in the desert as the sun went down with the cardon cactus lit up by the low light and the Sea of Cortez in the distance.

The heat down there is tough to say the least but the sun intensity piled on top of the heat was a little too much for me. If you were not in your room cranking the AC you were outside somewhere drinking water and dripping sweat.

That is the Baja report. I did not get a lot of pictures but I did get a few. There was a lot going on and I never felt like I had the spare energy to get into taking photos. Maybe next time I will get a few more pictures. We'll see.


This is what you do when it is too windy to fish but you don't want to give up on the day and go home. The captains come out because they are getting paid but they seem to know there won't be any fishing. The guy in the center was the jefe of the captains and was not too happy having some newbie from the States take his picture but we were amigos later so it was all good.


Cactus right down to the sea.


The captains don't throw out old gear and order new stuff on-line like we do. They keep using it.


My only fish picture of the trip. They get them back in the water pretty fast. Jay's 9 weight got it in.


The big dinner on the last night. Gary Bulla is the guy walking and is the trip host.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I have heard nothing but good things about Gary Bulla.

Thanks John for another amazing post and photos.


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I went on a trip to La Paz with Jay Murakoshi and some old friends sometime ago in May/June?

I went to catch my first Roosterfish and did manage to get a fair amount of the nice medium sized ones.

Watching them chase your fly near the surface with their long dorsal fins out of the water is very exciting.

World class fly fisher, Jim Christensen, gave me one of Charlie Bisharat's Umqua-tied 'Airheads' that they could not refuse.


When idling off the island to move we saw a nice sailfish basking on the surface.

Our guide threw some live sardanas at him and he took my cast fly twice but my 2/0 size fly could not hook him.


We ate every night at a different restaurant that Jay took us to in La Paz which was a very nice part of the trip.


We drove and fished the same water that Garry Bulla fishes and it was wonderful.


We had some large "Toro", the Bull, 30# Jack crevalle busting around our panga.

I pulled my fly out of the water because I had no interest to fight such a powerful fish, anymore.

Our guide saw me do it and laughed. He knew what I was doing.

[Woodman]

I have heard nothing but good things about Gary Bulla.

Thanks John for another amazing post and photos.

I fished with Gary's La Ventana operation a couple of years ago. Top notch all the way. Good captains, great food, air conditioned single occupancy rooms, reasonable cost.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Here are some good videos from Gally Bulla's website:

https://garybulla.com/baja-californi...deo-and-media/



Looks like a good "bucket list" destination for most of you.

[John H]

Bulla does a good job. He is on top of every detail, has boundless energy and really wants everyone to have a good time. I fished with him two of the five days we fished. I don’t see how he can be out in that heat as many days as he is in a summer. He is a tough dude. Plus he loaned me his binoculars for birding for the week and helped me with some bird ID in the boat. If I go again it will be earlier. Maybe late May when lots of birds are around and nesting and I can get some photos. I don’t care too much how the fishing is as long as we catch something. I just want to get some bird shots.

[Woodman]

I agree on going earlier when the heat isn't so brutal. My understanding is the rooster fishing can be as good or better earlier, dorado, not so much. A couple years ago, I had a trip to Loreto in November and the "experts" told me it's not worth fishing then. Ended up having a couple of pretty good days of small to medium roosters, small to med dorado, a couple of nice barracuda, bonito, jacks, sierra...

[RoosterHunter]

I've known Gary at least 25 years. Both he and I run fly fishing operations out of the same area (Muertos Bay). My groups stay in La Paz and make the 50 minute drive daily. Gary has the best captains in the baja. Efren and Israel started out with me, but as the years pasted, they wanted to work for Gary because they could work more days, which was fine with me. I use to be down in baja 4 to 5 months in my younger years, now this is my last season "hosting" trips after 30 years.
This time of year, you can expect HOT weather. Usually it's not windy but only Mother Nature controls that. Like the photo shows you can sit in the parking lot for an hour too see if the wind dies down. Most likely it's going to be a "blow day" and head back to your bed.
Flies... Gary has the right patterns that are used in the area. He sells a lot of flies at the lodge where you will be staying. I tie up 90%+ of the flies that he uses.
If you're planning a trip to Baja, I highly recommend booking with Gary Bulla Fly Fishing Adventures. BUT I would book early. In the 4/5 months he's down there, he's 90% booked by the time you get home from your trip. Most are returning clients.

[Carl Blackledge]

Bill,
That video that you posted shows how close those boats are together. It way too crowed for my taste, I heard from a guy who was down there this year and he claimed there were about 100 boat trailers in the parking lot, No thanks for me. Where I fish and I am not looking for any other fishermen to join me you won't see another boat all day, and I think everybody on here has seen my Loreto post with all the big roosters...lol to each his own .

Carl

[John H]

I might try Loreto next time. It seems like the hotel is right at the marina so no loading up and driving to the ramp and the bait is at the marina so no driving to find the bait guy. I am not sure about the birding in Loreto. I will have to look into that.

[Carl Blackledge]

John,

I know of lots of people that take pictures of birds in Loreto, in fact there is a large eagle that sits up on this giant aerial across the street from my place every evening. I wish somebody would identify it. Yes my place is 300 feet from the marina and the guide will furnish your bait, ice chest and ice, and the trip is about 40% cheaper then anything like it..... I can offer you free advice on guides and where to stay. I don't sell trips.

PS if interested, our places fill up fast, don't call me in April and want to book you will be SOL

Carl Blackledge