FISHING KICKS BACK IN BUT

NORMA STOMPS US

La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of Oct. 14-21, 2023

SHORT ATTENTION SPAN FISHING REPORT

WEATHER – Things stabilized and we were back to some normal weather and sunshine, but seasons had definitely changed for the cooler.  Daytime temps down to the mid-80’s and nightime to the 70’s.  Pretty comfortable.

Then, Norma Hit.  Much more potent and destructive than predicted.  Almost 3 days of 8-15″ of rain.  Huge surf and surge.  100+mph winds!

WATER –  It had finally started getting blue again after the craziness two weeks ago when waters got hot and dirty (sounds like a rock song!).  But, Norma has turned the ocean into a frothy looking morass that looks like whipped chocolate milk.

FISH HOOKED –  Tuna, dorado, bonito, roosterfish, sailfish, sierra, pompano, trevally, and a random wahoo as well!

LAS ARENAS – Started to kick out a few tuna and the dorado came back pretty nicely.  But live bait was non-existent.  However, dead and frozen bait still produced.

LA PAZ – Definitely dorado-land!  The fish were way way outside, but each day got closer.  Until the storm messed it all up.

THE MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO REPORT

THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…

 

__________________________________

This was like two completely different weeks.

We started out well.  Coming off that horrible 10 days around the last full moon when we had some of the worst fishing of the year, things had started to really get back up to speed.

Waters started to clear and get bluer.  The weather mellowed out.

Most importantly, the fish started to bite again.  Our Tailhunter La Paz Fleet started to find those great schools of dorado again.  Additionally, instead of running way far to get the blue water, the schools started getting closer to town again and they were fine 10-20 pound fun fish.  Even caught a random wahoo one day (on bait with no wire!)

Our Tailhunter Las Arenas fleet still had trouble finding any live bait, however, using dead and frozen bait as well as tiny tiny live sardines, the fish came to bite!  Every day a few tuna were hooked.  Most boat got limits or near limits of schoolie dorado.  We even hooked a few sailfish (all released) as well as pompano, sierra, bonito, trevally and a few surprising roosterfish.

Things were really looking up as we headed into the last part of the season.

Until…

HURRICANE NORMA 

 

Initially, “Norma” was just going to be another tropical storm.  We figured maybe a few hour of rain.  No biggie.

But, offshore and to the south, it gained considerable power growing to a Cat 4 Hurricane that barrelled into Baja.  It lost a little steam, but still hit us with Category 1 forces.  In fact, it pretty much rammed into Cabo then barrelled directly over La Paz.

 

Norma rolled over us and it turned into one of the worst storms I’ve seen in almost 30 years down here. I’ve been through 16 hurricanes now.  Some back home in Hawaii, but most while living here in Baja.

Most storms hit and move on after a few hours.  Norma sat on us for almost 3 non-stop days and it was the constant hammer blows by 100 + mph winds plus 8-15″ of constant rain that just took it’s toll.  She was violent, ferocious and nasty.

Turn up the sound!

Roofs flew.  Walls tumbled.  Trees were ripped by the roots.  Extensive flooding.  Airports closed.  Sinkholes developed.   I’ve never seen waves hit the Malecon that were splashing as high as the palm trees and throwing water and debris completely across the street.

Many of us lost all power and water.  For us about 12 hours but some areas of the city for 24-36 hours.

We lost the front palapa of our Tailhunter Restaurant. Just ripped completely out of the concrete.  It probalby weighed close to 1000 pounds.

There were landslides and from the cliffs.  Trees fell on cars.  Many of the boats in the marina were sunk or washed aground with extensive damage.

And of course, lots and lots of flooding.   Jill and I spent two full night doing bucket, towel and mop brigade work as the massive force of the winds literally forced water through every window crack, cranny and door space and our floors (and others ) were covered in inches of water.

As you read this, we’re digging out.  The winds are still blowing, but it looks like the sun is gonna be out all week.  Not sure when we’ll be able to fish just yet.  The port captain still has the port closed to boat traffic and the ocean looks like muddy chocolate froth and waves.

That’s our story!

Jonathan and Jilly