La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of Aug. 25-31, 2021
MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO FISHING REPORT
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…
First marlin is a blue! Dan Dorati with Captain Armando and Dan’s first marlin.
Tony Toven from Sylmar CA was fishing a live sardine when this nice wahoo bit not far off Cerralvo Island.
Double-fist roosters for Kincaid Hancock and his dad, Tommy, from San Diego. It was Kincaid’s first-time fishing on salt water. Both fish ate live sardines and both were released.
Austin Dorati puts another dorado in the box.
Patrick Busby from Louisiana battled this striped marlin on 20 pound test and a light 8-foot spinning outfit for an hour-and-a-half. He was fishing with the Tailhunter Fleet in La Paz. They were fishing light tackle in a school of dorado when the marlin bit.
Captain Rogelio gives Kincaid Hancock a hand with this dorado photo. It was Kincaid’s first salt-water trip. He’s from San Diego.
Tommy has another rooster for the camera. Catch-and-release!
One of the nicest guys to visit, great shot of Andy Lauber who fished with light tackle all week. All roosters were released.
Compared to last week, fishing was remarkably improved on so many levels . For both our Tailhunter La Paz Fleet and our Tailhunter Las Arenas Fleet, the bite improved the further away we got from the last week’s full moon as well as the remnants of 3 storms that brushed us, Lynda, Kevin and Marty that didn’t actually hit us, but their effects on the waves, currents and winds added to the full moon affects. Hence, I think that’s why the fishing was off.
However, this week, the roosterfish over at Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay were back on track with quite a bit of catch-and-release fish running up to about 30 pounds and the fish willing to hit live bait.
If you fished the inshore as well as the rocks and reefs, there were plenty of snapper, cabrilla, triggerfish, pargo, jack crevalle and other species to make for hours-of-action, if that’s what you wanted to do, especially on light tackle.
The most marked improvement was with the pelagic species. Still no tuna this year, but we did have some wahoo strikes. Marlin and sailfish also picked up with fish getting hooked daily. Some boats getting multiple strikes. Most fish released or breaking off.
Best of all, the dorado were much more cooperative for both of our fleets. Most fish were that fun 10-20 pound size and limits were not uncommon. Some of the dorado were biting right in the bay not far from in front of the hotels and Malecon.
Interestingly, we got some sierra and yellowtail in the counts. Those are usually colder water fish we don’t see until winter or spring.
A good part of the days of the week, we spent watching the track of Hurricane Norma. It had alot of us prepping to get hit as it came north towards Baja with winds predicted up to 90 mph. We were pretty sure we were in for several days of winds and rain. However, we were fortunate in that Nora bent easterly and veered towards the mainland instead.
We got some strong winds, but otherwise dodged a bullet.
We had to cancel fishing one day because the port captain shut things down, but we were able to get back on the water the next day. I am always worried after a storm comes through wondering how it would affect fishing. Sometimes, it takes more than a few days for the fish and waters to get back on track especially since the fishing had been pretty steady.
However, the storms didn’t do as much as anticipated and fish seemed to be willing to bite again after the storm.
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Bahia Suenos Fishing Report for Week of Aug. 18-24, 2021
MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO REPORT
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…
Bob and Lisa Foster from Idaho. Bob got the dorado and Lisa battled the marlin…her first. They also released a bunch of fish as well.
Our poster-girl of the week, Taryn Mitoma, is about to start her 2nd year at UC Davis and came down with dad for a few days of fishing. Captain Alfredo lends a hand with one of her dorado.
Bob Cowan has come down several times and had billfish on the line only to lose them. This one ate a tiny sardine on light tackle and Bob had his hands full, but finally landed the sailfish. Captain Joel helps out. The fish could not be released.
We have watched 17-year-old Sean Rose from Washington grow up over the years and he’s now a high school senior then heading into the navy. He has been coming for years with his dad and shows off his first-day dorado.
Taryn and dad, Ed “Beaver” Mitoma with a couple of fun light tackle roosters caught and released.
Big smiles from Jeff Loh and Bob Cowan with a couple of fresh dorado for the box.
Not much to tell. Coupled with some big swell and winds left over from Hurricane Lynda and Kevin that barely touched us and moved outside to the south, it still pushed a tad of rain plus some erratic water conditions. Then, the full moon came up on us. Kinda of a triple whammy on the fishing.
Oh, and then were was Tropical Storm Marty that poked it’s head in as well for an afternoon.
Rain across the bay. Lightning in there too!
Everyone got fish, but we had to work hard for it and the fish themselves were picky.
Most of the bite for our Tailhunter La Paz fleet continued to be dorado up to about 20-pounds. Our Tailhunter Las Arenas fleet had a smattering of dorado, but also roosterfish were more prevalent. Along the rocks, pargo and cabrilla were more than willing to chew. Also, still a good number of sailfish and marlin here and there.
Jeff Loh goofing with one of his dorado!
Interestingly, there were some sierra and yellowtail caught. Very strange since those are cooler water fish and it’s still August. Normally, sierra show up about November. Yellowtail are a winter/ spring fish! Just adds to a weird year!
Other than that, to be perfect honest, it was a bit slow. We’ve surely seen better. And things always change down here!
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Bahia Suenos Fishing Report for Week of Aug 10-17, 2021
The Mexican Minute Video Report
The Big Picture and the Rest of the Story…
We had a few short, but strong rainstorms blow through this past week.
Shelton Donnell, our long-time amigo, is always good to see in La Paz. He’s from Portland and had a nice few days and took home a nice chest of dorado.
There’s still nice roosterfish around . Paul Di Gaudio and his amigo caught and released 6 roosters on this particular day. Paul is from Corona CA.
It’s like fishing in an aquarium if you go for the reefs and rocks holding snapper, cabrilla, pargo and others. All great eating. Captain Joel in the middle with Jeffrey and Miles Brown from Oregon who hit the rocks with light tackle north of La Paz.
Smiles say it all. We’ve watched these two grow up for many years! Cortez and Sierra Sanchez came to see us from Colorado, but have been fishing Baja since they could walk! Nice dorado to take home to mom and dad.
Beto Chavez on his first trip to visit us shows off one of his several dorado. He says he’s coming back soon!
Mike O’Connell had a kick fishing with us for the first time and shows off his largest dorado of a 3-day trip.
Oh just too much fun for Gaby Donnell with another dorado for the box! She’s way fun!
A long way from Wisconsin, but he visits us every year and always does well. Jeff Brown with one of his dorado. Check those rain clouds in the back.
It was kind of an unremarkable in a good way this past week. The fish bit and everyone had fun!
The only issue was really the weather. We had tropical storms Kevin and Linda…and Linda turned into a Category 3 hurricane. However, they were far far outside and to the south and never threatened anything. However, both did send over some afternoon thundershowers that kept us on our toes wondering how it would affect the fishing.
Some of the thundershowers were torrential and caused widespread flooding even though the rain storm might have only been for 15 minutes to an hour. And, as often happens with our rain, it can rain really hard in one spot, but down the highway or across the bay, they are dry and in sunshine. Or you can be out on the water in sunny weather, but you can see columns of rain in the distance. Sometimes, it’s so hot, you actually want to drive the boat through the rain to cool off.
The good thing about the rain storms was that there wasn’t alot of wind. In fact, the seas stayed flat. So, even if it was raining or drizzling, we could still fish and actually it was quite comfortable.
Fishing-wise…our Las Arenas Tailhunter fleet still kept kicking out roosterfish between 10 and 50 pounds. Plus cabrilla, pargo, jack crevalle, snapper and bonito.
We SHOULD be finding tuna about now and also there should be more wahoo in the counts, but neither has materialized so far. Could start anytime. We hope!
For our Tailhunter La Paz fleet…well, dorado are 90% of the catch. Fun-sized fish running about 10-15 pounds mostly with some bigger bulls mixed in. Plus there’s still a far amount of billfish…striped marlin and sailfish getting hooked. All the fish this week were released or broke off as they were all larger fish on lighter tackle.
PASSPORT ISSUES
If you’re waiting for a passport renewal or a new passport for someone, it would be a good idea to check on it ASAP if you’ve got a pending trip. Just like last year, it appears the U.S. passport office is slowing processing so even if you expedite things, chances are it’s gonna take alot longer than anticipated. Don’t wait until the last minute to find out your passport won’t arrive on time!
Yes…even Spiderman needs to get his passport renewed.
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of Aug. 2-9, 2021
MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO REPORT
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…
First time roosterfish is a gem for Jay Bennett with Captain Victor. The fish was released. Jay is our amigo from Waco, TX.
Young Vincent Stroup from Sierra Madre CA had himself quite a week for a first-timer visiting us. He started off with our first wahoo of the season taking this ‘hoo on a bright green Rapala Magnum.
Keith Gienty hooked and released one of the largest sailfish we’ve seen this year. He was fishing with Captain Rogelio north of La Paz. Keith’s first trip to visit us.
Two of our favorite Oregon guys, Paul and Mike Zeck are used to having rain clouds when they fish, but got themselves some nice dorado fishing with our La Paz fleet for a few days.
There are good photos and then there are “cool” photos! Marco and Hudson Hicks from Denver just look too cool for words with their catch of dorado.
With her favorite Captain Pancho, Diane Kunze has alot of fun with her light spinning rod. She had a few days bending that rod on roosters like this. All fish released. Diane is our sweet amiga from Colorado for many many years.
In an unusual photo with Captain Boli actually smiling, he poses with Marc Wilson and several of their dorado. Dorado remained the primary target for our La Paz fleet these past days.
Louie! Louie! Always good to have him and his family with us. True-to-form, Louie’s shorts match the dorado! Formerly from S. Cal he now lives in Colorado with his great family .
Colby Sawada from Seattle on a break from college and his first visit with us in La Paz caught and released this thick striped marlin fishing with Captain Armando.
Thumbs-up from Captain Gerardo for John Cannon’s personal best roosterfish caught just off Punta Arenas. Cerralvo Island in the distance. The fish was released.
Our long-time amigo, Mike Bohna, has visited us from Oregon for many years and said this was his best fishing of all the trips. With Captain Boli he poses with this big boy marlin that was released after the photo.
The fish is awesome. The smile is priceless. We’ve watched Cortez Sanchez grow up over all the years and he’s become quite a fisherman. He lives in Colorado and released this rooster.
More new Tailhunter Tribe members on their first trip with us, Baylan Hefferman and Corey Donaldson got into some nice bites of dorado and bonito out’ve La Paz. Great to have them down. Way fun guys from Colorado.
One of my favorite photos of the week! Captain Victor doesn’t often be a goofball for photos, but he gets into the photo with Wayne Jones who’s fishing for the first time and got his first roosterfish!
Texas in the house. Shane Sampels from Kady TX with Captain Rogelio and another billfish…photo and release! His first billfish.
Shelton Donnell and sister Gaby could not be funner folks and we’ve known each other for several decades since he was living in Orange Co CA, but is now up in Oregon. Dorado and big triggerfish on the cutting table for their first day fishing.
Lots of “firsts” this week. Wayne not only got his first dorado, he also got his first dorado on the flyrod too! Wayne is a United Airlines pilot.
Randy Wood and Captain Boli with perfect book-end dorado for a great photo.
Love Diane’s face which is understandable after battling her first sailfish on light tackle. Captain Pancho gives her a hand. The fish was released.
Matt and dad, Steve Koehler got some great eating fish on the cleaning table including big triggerfish, snapper and cabrilla.
Happy gal, Angie Bennett had some fun catching and releasing roosterfish on her one day fishing with our Las Arenas fleet. Husband, Jay, does the photo-bomb. They are our amigos from Waco TX.
Captain Joel with Jeffrey Brown got into some nice bites of dorado fishing out’ve La Paz.
Roger” Fluffy” McCracken found a school or dorado and took the biggest on the first bite fishing with Captain Adolfo. He’s been an amigo for many decades fishing with us.
Vincent got his first roosterfish and it was a trophy! YEOW. Catch and release with Captain Pancho.
Keith’s got a nice bull, but says it wasn’t his largest. He had a larger one about 4 inches larger, but didn’t take a photo.
Shane has another marlin. Catch and release once again. Bravo! Happy angler. Good to have him down for the first time.
And there are always these tough sluggger jack crevalle ripping up the rods too! Brutal fighters on light tackle. Vince Stroup caught many different species on this trip
It wasn’t a great week of fishing, but it was a GOOD week of fishing with some GREAT catches. Despite bouts of sporadic tropical showers and occasional bumpy seas, everyone caught fish and for many their first, billfish, roosterfish, wahoo and dorado.
Every day seemed a little different.
Some boats did better than others.
The next day everything could be reversed.
The thing is that if you were fishing with us for several days, you might have a down day or a day when you just hit the wrong spot and everyone else caught fish. However, the very next day could be just the opposite. At the end of the trip everyone who wanted fish took home fish and often stories of some great catches and some fun exasperating missed opportunities.
The fishing has been quite defined lately.
Out Tailhunter Las Arenas fleet has been the area for the best production of roosterfish ranging in size from 10-60 pounds or more. It’s been one of the best roosterfish seasons in years. The big fish are close up in the shallows and not unusual to have multiple hookups and lengthy bouts of action.
The area has not been as productive on the dorado, but sailfish and marlin are still cruising the area and we finally got our first wahoo of the season…3 months later than normal. Hopefully, more will show up. Still no tuna to speak of.
The rest of the catch has been inshore cabrilla, snapper, pargo, triggerfish and jacks.
For size and productivity, fishing with our Tailhunter La Paz Fleet has been the best side for dorado. Most of the fish are running 10-20 pounds and limits or near limits are not unusual with many fish lost. In fact, 90% of the catch for our La Paz Fleet has been dorado. The rest is a mixture of billfish and inshore species.
The thing with the dorado is that it also seems to change daily. One day, it’s individual fish all day long. The next day, it’s an early bite then nothing the rest of the day. The day after that, nothing all day until the end. Or, you can find that one school and everything blows up at once.
Just no predicting the daily whims of the bite. But, like I said, everyone is catching fish!
Looks like the coming week there might more of those intermittent tropical showers coming.
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of July 25-Aug.1, 2021
MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO REPORT
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…
NOTE: MARLIN and SAILFISH PHOTOS! Folks…before you send me e-mails or post up hate messages, please take notice that there are ALOT of billfish photos in this report. These represent perhaps 5% of the billfish that our fishing fleet hooked this past week. There are THAT many billfish out there. Some days, the waters are thick with billfish. Many times our anglers are NOT trying to catch billfish. But the billfish are biting. The vast majority of the fish that we hook are released by our anglers or (being big fish), they break off or get unhooked). In many cases, the billfish you see here were unable to be released or, after the photo was taken, the fish were indeed returned to the water. In many cases, when the fish was not or could not be released, the meat was donated to local folks who were very grateful for the meat. But, that being said, anglers are entitled to keep a billfish if they did want to keep one and we are very stringent about never exceeding the billfish limits.
Marius came all the way from South Africa to spend two weeks fishing with us every-other-day. He was so impressed, he purchased property in La Paz! He caught lots of dorado and on this particular day hooked, landed and released four billfish all on light tackle including this striper.
Jeanne Cabales had to cancel her yearly trip last year, but is always fun to have visit. She’s pretty excited about these nice dorado. Jeanne is from San Diego.
Not too many funnier guys to have visit us each year than Sal Lopez with another dorado in the boat with our La Paz fleet.
Young Jacob Radloff from northern California…first day…fishing in the rocks in shallow water hooks his first marlin! You don’t have to go a zillion miles out to find big sportfish!
Bo Henke has been fishing with us for a generation every year. He always does well. Here with his son Gio and two of his box of dorado for the day. Loves fishing with Captain Chito.
Jose Mohler from Carlsbad CA had just one day to squeeze in for fishing and had a pretty good day of it with one of several dorado in the photo.
Captain Raul took Luis Arandia out for several days. One of them produced this striper. They took a number of dorado as well. Luis has been fishing with us for years and owns his own high end clothing line. Most of this marlin was donated.
My San Diego “bruddah” from Hawaii has never taken a straight-faced fishing photo in all the years he’s fished with us. This pargo is headed home in the box.
Molly and Travis came all the way from Texas with just one day to fish. They wanted to do some inshore fishing and had alot of action with cabrilla, snapper and triggerfish.
One of our long-standing amigos for so many years came back to see us and got a load of dorado over two days. Hector Chacon from Arcadia CA came down with his dad. Always good to see him.
Dan Sayin and son Aidan squeezed in a day of fishing at the end of their vacation and found a productive day on the dorado schools. Both are from Carlsbad CA.
Daniel Acosta on his first trip to fish with us for 3 days took this striper. Most of the meat was donated.
With the full moon earlier in the week, the fish counts took a tiny bit of a dip, but overall, it was just a nice solid summer week of fishing. It was hot, humid and sunny. Waters were blue and warm and mostly it was pleasant vacation style fishing which is perfect for most folks that are here right now. Lots of couples and families. Lots of first-timers experiencing Mexico and salt-water fishing for the first time. Quite a few kids. So the kind of fishing we had was pretty much just-right!
Dorado made up the mainstay of the catch, especially for our Tailhunter fleets that fish out’ve La Paz. Most of the fish were perfect fun-sized 10-20 pounders with the occasional larger fish. Schools were scattered over a wide area and could provide crazy action if the right school was found.
Sometimes a boat didn’t do as well as other boats, but the next could could be the exact opposite or the boat that didn’t bring back much fish might be because they tied into the other pre-dominant species we had this week…billfish.
Once again, as has been the case for the last two months, we’re seeing more marlin and sailfish than we have ever seen in many seasons. Often, whether you wanted one or not, it was not unusual to hook a billfish…or two…or three!
Many times the anglers are trying to catch a dorado or some keeper fish and along come the marlin and bites and they are in the middle of dorado or bonito or other species. The billfish comes along eating the bonito or the dorado and even the little sardine bait on the tiny hook and light line! Then, the angler is in for a crazy long battle or the fish gets off. It makes for some fun fishing and there is always the unexpected anxiety of not knowing just what is going to bite if you have a line in the water.
Most of the billfish were released or broke off. For all the photos, it represents only a fraction of the billfish that were hooked. If a fish could not be released, more-often-than-not the anglers donated the meat.
Other than dorado and billfish, the rest of the catch included roosterfish which are surprisingly still around with fish up to 40 or 50 pounds as well as jack crevalle, bonito, snapper, pargo and a few other random species. No shortage of action, especially if you’re fishing several days.
Like I said, you could have an off-day here or there, but if you’re fishing several days, the other days might well make up for it.
By the way, beaches have been re-opened and alcohol sales in restaurants and markets are now back to 11 p.m. instead of the 8 p.m. cut off. 😁👍
Tailhunter Fish Report 