Dorado!!!!.... BAJAaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!

[Darian]

Well,.... Jay mentioned our trip to fish with him at Punta Arenas De La Ventana (near La Paz), already. My fishin' partner and I had a great trip in spite of the fact my luggage was inspected at every point. Guess I must look like a mass murderer or a terrorist.... Everything made it tho.

I'm recovering from a brief bout of Montezuma's revenge. (Modern medicine is very effective. ). The weather was wonderfull all week (hot during the day and cool at night for sleeping). The food and facility was very good. All-in-all, a very good trip. Everyone is helpfull and honest. Our Panguero was a great guy who went out of his way to put us on the fish, help with fly/equipment selection and kept us in bait all day long.

The company/fishing was wonderfull. During the week, we caught Dorado, Skippies, large Ladyfish and a variety of bottom feeders with regularity. Had some opportunities to catch Roosters but couldn't quite connect. Had some great experiences with the fish that'll be fodder for whoppers at later sessions. Broke a spin rod (....my partner still landed the Dorado that did the damage ) and lost 3 shooting heads.

After a couple of bonehead moves on my part, I caught a sly smile from our Panguero and I'll bet I was the object of a couple of laughs around his dinner table that night (....more on that later)

The fly of the hour down there was the White Knight. Tony will probably add some about poppers in his report)

Jay was the ultimate host and coach. Even tho he was "dog" tired after all the time down there, he spent a day in each teams boat. Provided some great conversation, humor and assistance/information. My partner and I had such a good time, we agreed that we would've booked for next year at the end of the trip if Jay had some dates set. Gotta start tying some more White Knights. Just a bit of advice, here. f you decide to go, get into decent shape (strength/endurance). Your trip will be much more pleasurable if your arms, back and shoulders aren't aching....

I'll provide some additional/detailed info in a later post (after I take a nap). Commando fishin' is tough on us ol' farts.

[PaulC]

Hey Darian,
Sounds like a great trip overall barring Montezuma's.
Any pics to share with a non-baja bound guy down south? Or as my wife calls it, "Fish porn".
-Paul

[Jay Murakoshi]

Darian,

Glad you and Renee made it home. I had to purchase a new ticket to get home last night. One expensive ticket

Woke up this morning and inspected the front of my house where the car went through the living room. A hell of alot of structure damage. The impact pushed the whole framing back. Now the hassle with the insurance companies. It all ready started this morning.

Did you caught Montezuma's in the van or at the airport. What did you eat for lunch at the cafe. I had a bottle of water and a Milky Way. Then at LAX, I had my first cup of STARBUCKS
Going for some gooood sushi tonight.

I'll bet the dorado bite is really going off. I'm sure it will be better in the coming weeks. I'm already in the planning stages for next year's schedule. But it could be at least a month. I've have a stack of mail that's unbelieveable and way too many emails to answer, but I have nothing but time.

I'm glad you and Renee had a good time except for the ##@#$*%%

I'm looking forward to some shad and striper fishing on the American


Jay

[Darian]

OK, I'm rested and recovered....

Jay,.... Sounds like your adventures have become more complex. Sorry to hear about the extensive damage to your house. I was hoping for a lesser amount. This bout of the "trots" may've been unrelated to the trip. Airport food doesn't much agree with me.

Now for some more "stuff" about the trip.... Renee and I were both
caught up in the fishing and forgot to take pictures.... I just can't imagine it beg any better than it was but I've been told it does. Every time we'd hook up (doubles), pandemonium would break out on board. Trying to keep the fish under control without breaking the rods, trying not to tangle lines, land the fish and gtet back into the game. The first day was relatively uneventful for me as I was visited by mal de mer. Renee got a Skippy around 12-15 pounds. It was fairly windy. Got off the Panga and took a nap while Renee continued to fish for Bottom fish. No Dorado for us this day.

The second day was better (calmer water). We went looking for Roosters at a beach on Isla Cerralvo. Got into a bunch of Ladyfish that ran around 4 - 6 pounds. Seems like we caught 'em or Needlefish on every cast (bait or fly). Few Roosters seen. No biters. Netted some more bait and headed out to the Shark Bouys. Wow!!! What difference a day makes. Dorado under each bouy. Most in the 5 - 7 pound range. I had a large fish on for about 15 minutes, got him to the gunwale and the panguero touched the swivel when this guy decided to go to La Paz on the dead run. After about 150' run, this fish jumped and broke the fly off. The panguerro estimated the weight in excess of thirty pounds. Oh well, beautiful fish. We caught some more Skippies to 10 pounds. Went to the beach for some Rooster hunting but couldn't connect. Saw a few but no biters. Clouds of bait fish are everywhere in the water.

Third day, weather (...arranged by Jay) was even better than the prior day. Light breezes but a lot of currents. Got some bait and headed for the Shark Bouys. It seemed to me that the Dorado were on a constant frenzy at evry stop. Renee started with bait and had four fish in before I could land my first. She switched to flies and everything we did worked. I'd try to cast and before I could roll the fly up a fish would grab it. Rarely got a cast beyond the length of the shooting head.... Slap, grab, land, release; Slap, grab, land, release; ad nausuem....

Finally, a big Dorado showed in the group and managed to open his mouth while my fly was going by. Instant singing reel. I set the hook, he makes a run and comes on buttoned. Damn!!!!... Wait a minute he's back. I slap the water with the fly and he's on again. Set the hook, he makes a run, I bring 'im back. He makes another (shorter) run and comes off, again. Jay's watching this fish circling and shouts "slap the water". I comply and this fish on for the third time. This time he makes reel smokin' run out to around 200', jumps and spits the fly. I'm standing there with my mouth/eyes wide open wondering at the beauty/power of these fish (....even if they are slightly suicidal).

We settle down to more of the smaller fish. Then it happens... a hot fish decides to take my fly away from me. This time I set the hook, he tries the standard run/jump in vain to escape. At some point, the line goes slack. I assume he's off and start stripping to make a cast but, hold it, he's still on coming straight at the Panga, I'm stripping as fast as It's possible for me to do when he jumps directly at me. Now this fish is airborne and going for a head-on collision with a 190 pounder whose trying to figure out if he should duck or dive overboard.... Holy S___(!!!!), Gravity takes over and the fish drops back into the water about a foot behind the stern of the boat getting me wet with the splash. Turns out the fish was about 20 pounder. After landing the fish, I thought about changing my underwear but decided that there was blitz going on and it's first things first!!! When we had a break, we'd drink some fluids and eat a snack.... No time for the camera. All the time this is going on, Jay and the Panguero, Efrain (hope that's right), are either helping, handing out advice or laughing along with us at at our efforts. He took a great photo, over my shoulder, when a Dorado I had on took the opportunity to jump six feet in the air.... He's got some more photo's, too.

It's back to the beach for more Rooster huntin". We see some but they appear to be fast movers and we can't get into action fast enough. Gotta spend more time with Jay to get the technique down.

Fourth (last) day, more windy than yesterday. We try for Dorado first and have mixed luck. We find several bouys have no fish, at all. After doing this for awhile, we head for the beach, looking for roosters. This time the Roosters appear within casting range and I succeed in laying my fly near the nose of one of 'em. I'm excited!!!! The fish ingores my fly and grabs a Sardina while blowing thru.... No other takers for Renee or I. Again, lotsa Ladyfish and Needlefish, tho. We finish the morning bottom fishing.

Each day, I was exhausted from the combination of weather and fishing.

Gotta get my gear ready. Can't wait for next year.....

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Great Darian,

That abusive salt water fishing didn't hamper you typing fingers any.

Glad you guys had a good time.

Only thing wrong with that trip was that I wasn't there with you guys.

[David Lee]

SIX POUND LADYFISH ?!?

I don't know if I would have come home after that .....

David

PS - nice .... dropping the SAME fish three times !!

[Jay Murakoshi]

Hey Darian,

Great story. You forgot to mention Renee's casting LC 13 for the first time. Let me tell you, I was really impressed. I just sat there watching the fluid casting motion. No rushing the cast, nice loops, even with lead core and laying it out about 60'. Even my captain Effern gave me the thumbs up. I have to tell you, it a pleasure being in a boat where you're not weaving and bobbing all day.

Ya also forgot to mention Renee's huge blunt nose trigger (between 8 to 10lbs) and here pargo that was an easy 14 to 16lbs. Both were caught of a stunned sardina. Now, you might say it's easier to catch fish on bait but trying to keep these bad attitude fish from getting back in to there habitat is work.

I'll be getting reports from Jonathan, so I'll be able to figure out what area to fish in July with the Sacramento group.

I'm working on my next year's schedule


Jay

Heading to my local spot for some carp fishing this evening. From dorado to carp

[sculpin]

Darian
Great report on your trip tp La Paz. To bad about the dose of Tourista. What was your go to line set up down there ? Did the Frog Hair line perform well for you ? Thanks

Mark

[jbird]

Great report Darian! I am so excited to get down there. Our first day in the water where you were will be 2 weeks from tomorrow! A few days on the beach at east cape prior to that. With the lack of sardinas last year around east cape, I'll be beside myself with excitement just seeing them! Boy I sure hope we find those 4-6lb ladyfish you guys were into.

Welcome home.

J

[Darian]

Hey Jay,.... Ya know she had a (errr....), couple of good casting instructors. Renee and I practiced casting before we came down. Still doesn't account for her abilities to cast directly into the wind from a rocking panga. Between your advice on the boat and her own abilities, she really has casting down.

I came "loaded for bear" so to speak. Originally, I was tempted to take 9 weight rods but decided on 2, 10 weights, based on discussions with Jay and my inexperience at this type of fly fishing. my reels were Brakewaters loaded with 300 yards of dacron backing, Frog Hair running lines and either LC13 or an 11 weight shooting taper. Leaders were a two' section of 30 pound butt and 4' - 5', 20 pound flourocarbon (loop to loop connections).

The Frog Hair running line performed very well for me. A little stretching and I was ready to go. I did note that a Bimini Twist I tied in it slipped after three days use but that was probably my inexperience at tying them. Jay tied one in that material that looks to be rock solid. The only objection to it I found was that it I had any residue of sunblock on the palms of my hands, the Frog Hair would slip thru my fingers too easily.... Not the products problem. I'm still debating whether the cost of Frog Hair is worth it's obvious benefits when compared with the cost of Amnesia.... Jay and others still favor amnesia....

After gaining the experience/confidence from this trip, I might opt for a 9 weight rod, next year. (....not much difference there and Rene likes casting the 10 weights)