Tailhunter Fish Report

This is a "pig" of a yellowfin tuna! Scott Shiminesky from Pacific City in Oregon was up at the north end of Cerralvo Island with Captain Pancho. They had already run out've live bait and decided to drop back a big mackerel-pattern Bomber lure. They had just gotten it into the water when the freight train hit. "I almost burned the hell outta my thumb!" But after a 30 minute fight got the fish to the boat and it weighed out at 72-pounds. His amigo, Larry Parnell got a 30 pounder as well. The tuna continue to tease. Everyone gets excited then the fish disappear! But, still a great fish!

FRESH ONE! Are there many shots prettier than this? Tuna...game over! Forty pounder coming to the gaff. At the end of the week a flurry of nice-sized YFT's showed up on the radar!

The benefits of having TWO fleets! After two slow days at Las Arenas, we suggested that Kevin Blakely and his son Kevin and brother, Kim, (not shown) fish with our La Paz fleet and Captain Chito. Wow...what a difference a day makes! See his comments below.

The last few weeks have been some of the most consistently great weeks for BIG cabrilla that I have seen in awhile especially around Espiritu Santo Island. Look at this fat slug cabrilla that Donna Thompson is holding up! She was fishing with Capt. Chito.

First time visitor to La Paz, Bryan Graybill, got into the cabrilla bite with four of these trophy cabrilla landed.

All the way from Billings, Montana for his first rooster, Jess Landers escaped the snow and fished with Captain Juan and got this nice rooster. Roosterfishing has actually been a good fallback even when the other fishing has been off. Even if not good eating and most getting released, they're a blast to hook and fight!

Our buddy Rick Hosmer from S. California had another banner trip down here. He comes several times a year and had one day where they had non-stop action on these great eating barred pargo that are tough as any fish to horse outta the rocks near Las Arenas.

From Texas, Kevin Blakely holds up one of several yellowtail off the north end of Cerralvo Island north of La Paz. Captain Chito is hooked up at the stern. That's the sealion colony in the background.

Another of our regular die-hard good amigos who comes several times a year is Al Tesoro. He hung in there durring the tougher times this week but did get some pargo like this nice dog-tooth with Captain Yofo.

This was a week when the ladies sure shone! Donna Thompson didn't catch ALL these fish, but she sure put some numbers in the box fishing with her husband out've La Paz. Look closely and you'll see yellowtail, amberjack, cabrilla and others...pretty much the whole gamut of species that bit this week.

Another good day where the ladies rocked! Sylvia Lynn was fishing for her first time ever. She and husband, Jeff, visited La Paz for the first time for their 27th Anniversary and she caught the "biggest and most" of the fish including yellowtail, ambjerjack and snapper although Jeff did get his biggest amberjack (see below).

Probably one of the most colorful photos of the week given Mike Lee's shorts and the nice yellowtail he caught north of La Paz. Mike and his dad fished both our Las Arenas and La Paz fleets and in the back is pictured Espiritu Santo Island.

He only had one day to fish, but made the most of it. Jeff Lynn shows off a personal best amberjack he caught working "yo yo" iron "until my arms fell off" getting yellowtail and snapper as well.

La Paz fishing was definitely better than Las Arenas fishing, but Las Arenas definitely had some highlights especially for fishing barred pargo if you check out the catch by Rick Hosmer, Captain Mundo and Jorger Romero (who took the photo).

It was a dynamite week for these big cousins to yellowtail. Amberjack were big hightlights of this week up to 80 pounds. Roger Thompson stuck this big boy north of La Paz.

Dr. Desmond Sjauwfoekloy always does well. In addition to some nice yellowtail this week he also took home some nice slabs of barred pargo. Fishing iron was the ticket. "Cranked as fast as you can!"

Oregonians Scott Shimenesky and Jason Boykin pose on the beach Bahia de Los Muertos with a nice day of barred pargo.

Oh-oh! Now what? After a slow week of fishing, the bite north of La Paz fired up and anglers like first-timer Erik Rose from Arcadia CA had the dilemma of wondering what to do with all the fillets they had to bring home. Seen on the beach are yellowtail, triggerfish, amberjack, cabrilla and snapper.Unbridled joy outta Keith Brownfield who came down from Washington just to catch a roosterfish and, although it was rough early in the week, he got a 30 pounder his first day. He followed it up the next day with this 40 pound fish taken near Espiritu Santo Island. He couldn't have been happier! All the roosters were released.

Unbridled joy outta Keith Brownfield who came down from Washington just to catch a roosterfish and, although it was rough early in the week, he got a 30 pounder his first day. He followed it up the next day with this 40 pound fish taken near Espiritu Santo Island. He couldn't have been happier! All the roosters were released.

It was a great week to kick into amberjack...the bigger tastier cousin to yellowtail. Dave Rose made a banzai run driving from Denver CO, to get in on the fishing. He does this several times a year and was rewarded with this trophy 50-pound class amberjack. Balandra Bay in the background and Captain Chito.

From San Francisco, Wade Ichimura was able to get into that late week bite north of La Paz where he got into some nice yellowtail, pargo and cabrilla on live bait and yo-yo iron.Fishing with our Tailhunter Las Arenas fleet was difficult this week. Scratchy at best as winds, waves and cloudy water made fishing less-than-ideal. However, amigas like our "cookie queen" (she always brings us cookies from Oregon) put some nice jack crevalle and this good amberjack in the box.

A beautiful Baja Golden Group for Chris Pallemaerts that he took fishing near Espirito Santo Island. In almost 16 years here in La Paz, I've only seen about 1/2 dozen of these beautiful fish taken. Great eating.

Bill Redalen, all the way from Pittsburgh PA, on his first Baja trip holds up another one of the nice amberjack taken this week. That's Bahia de Los Muertos in the background.We had some colorful fish this week! Gilber Jue from the Bay Area poses with a red pargo (huachinango) taken with our Tailhunter La Paz fleet. Great eating rock fish and highly prized by the markets and restaurants in La Paz.

We had quite a few "first timers" this week including Richard Jacques from England with a fish he said "is by far the biggest fish I've ever caught" holding up a La Paz yellowtail that was so big, it didn't fit into the picture!He says he has the "Baja Bug" after his first trip here to La Paz, but who can blame Eric Rose, as he holds a freshly gaffed yelllowtail. It's a thick heavy fish! Most of the yellowtail this week were in the 25-40 pound class.

Fishing with our Tailhunter Las Arenas fleet was difficult this week. Scratchy at best as winds, waves and cloudy water made fishing less-than-ideal. However, amigas like our "cookie queen" (she always brings us cookies from Oregon) put some nice jack crevalle and this good amberjack in the box.

We had some colorful fish this week! Gilber Jue from the Bay Area poses with a red pargo (huachinango) taken with our Tailhunter La Paz fleet. Great eating rock fish and highly prized by the markets and restaurants in La Paz.

He says he has the "Baja Bug" after his first trip here to La Paz, but who can blame Erik Rose, as he holds a freshly gaffed yelllowtail. It's a thick heavy fish! Most of the yellowtail this week were in the 25-40 pound class.