Day 12, Picking up the wife in Loreto and Taming a Panga

[JerryInLodi]

Today, “She who must be obeyed!” is flying in so I’m taking the day off to drive to Loreto. I’ll have help in the boat from now on if my wife doesn’t sleep in but I’ll probably have to take a few extra days off to do some “couple” things. I have to treat her very nice, she’s the owner of the boat!

Many of the gringos here have pangas that they use for fishing. Some are quite deluxe and others are as primitive as a Mexican commercial fisherman. Looking them over I remembered a trick from when I fished from them.

Taming a Panga
A panga is a stout craft but not necessarily the best fly fishing platform. Most are outfitted for conventional fishermen and have rod holders and all kinds of things a fly line can hang up on. What to do?

Bring a big roll of duct tape.

Take the tape and span any place that a fly line can get caught. For example, the bottom end of a PVC rod tube fastened to the inner side of the hull. Tape from the side of the tube down at an angle to the hull in several thicknesses to give it some body. The fly line will ride up the tape rather than get caught between the tube and the hull. Does your line fall between the edge of the floorboard and the bilge? Tape it! Do the same thing any place where you can span a possible catch point. Oh, and one other thing. Those shoelaces on your tennies. Put tape over them as well. No sense breaking off a big Dorado while he unties your shoe!

[Darian]

Good ideas Jerry. It would've helped keep the line from undoing the velcro fasteners on my sandals, etc. Unfortunately, it doesn't keep me from standing on the running line during a cast.

[Darian]

Your fishing partner wns the boat We need to talk, Jerry.... Seriously.

[JerryInLodi]

She not only ownes it, she made the decision to "buy up" from the model I had suggested. I had picked a 195, (nineteen feet, six inches of center console with a 150 Yamaha) She picked the 215 as her ride, (22 feet, 175 Suzuki big block, 45mph!) I was given the task of installing all the goodies, 24 volt trolling motor, onboard charger, huge bank of batteries, GPS/Sonar, integrated VHF, hydraulic trim tabs, bimini top, etc.

She drove me like a slave but I got it all finished before leaving for Mexico.

Some women have their priorities right.

[Darian]

AMEN Brudda!!!!