La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of March 23-30, 2020
MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO REPORT
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…
Captain Pancho got out one day with his son and were dragging a Rapala when they hit up this big husky yellowtail.
Visiting his dad in Bahia Muertos, Miles Wagner from Colorado Springs, Colorado has time off from school so he’s been fishing the last two weeks and found a some sweet spots of pargo on the far east side of Cerralvo Island near La Paz. This is that time of year when the big pargo liso like this come into the shallows to spawn.
Prime time ceviche if I know what Gary Wagner will do with this nice sierra. Despite being a member of the mackerel family, sierra have a delicate white flesh that is incredibly tasty.
Captain Luis fishes with our Tailhunter La Paz fleet and has been fishing with family north of La Paz but was out alone and stuck this pair of slugger yellowtail towards Espirito Santo Island using live bait.
Gary’s got another yellowtail to put in the fish box!
Mixed weather conditions but generally flat seas and a decent bite on yellowtail and other species. Just no one really fishing except locals and captains with family and friends.
Temps are warming up into the 80’s and so is the fishing. The yellowtail have been biting in a number of areas and are taking sardines, mackerel, ballyhoo live baits as well as chasing slow trolled Rapalas, Yo-Zuris or jigging with iron. The fish have been chunky at times too! Some of the fish running up into the 30-pound class.
In those same areas, we’ve also had amberjack biting with some hefty fish over 50-pounds. Plus pargo, cabrilla and snapper are willing to bend rods as well. Plus add in bonito, jack crevalle and sierra and there’s no shortage of biters. Offshore a few yards, the possibility of dorado and even tuna (rumored) plus big squid are in the area.
_______________
BREAKING UPDATE…Just as I was finishing this up, Gary Wagner sent me this story about tying into a tuna he estimated at 300 pounds:
“..last Thursday was the only day of the week that was fishable. So Miles and I ran out to Cerralvo Island. After catching some Pargo, white bonita, Cabrilla and all the Skip jack you could ever want, we tied into a Tuna. Not just any tuna but the Tuna from Hell. In our 6 hour and 15 minute fight we got to see this 55 gal drum about 10 times. Over 300 lbs, we hooked the Tuna at 8:30 in the morning in 50 ft of water, and then the Tuna headed for Mazatlan. Took us due East 2 miles then turned and headed right back to where we hooked it. Then out again, the fish turned and eventually broke us off in the rocks on the North end of the Island. We were using a top shot of 30# Flouracarbon with 50# braid, so we really couldn’t pull his lips off. One heck of a father and son memory, we both could use a Chiropractor right about now.”
Here’s Miles Wagner just a few hours into the fight…
__________
But, like I said, there’s no one around. Things are pretty quiet. Hotels have staff on reduced hours or skeleton crews. A few hotels are either closing or in the process of closing. Bars are closed if they are just selling alcohol, but restaurants remain open…or trying to stay open and hoping to stay afloat with food delivery.
The Marina in Cabo was closed this past week to all boat traffic and water activities and it is expected that La Paz might not be far behind. We’ll see. Changes coming daily.
JILL JONATHAN and LA PAZ
Jilly and I are still in the states dug in and hunkered down like everyone else. Our last two fishing/ hunting expos in Salt Lake City and San Diego, respectively, got canceled so we’ve come off the road and are in the same “wait-and-see” mode like most folks.
The few reservations we had for late March and April have all postponed until later in the year. Flights down are limited or non-existent as airlines have drastically curtailed flights. But, even if we went back home to La Paz, what then?
Not only are there no fishermen, but town is pretty empty. Mostly, it’s our captains fishing with their friends and family to put some meat on the table. Although there’s generally no mandatory closures in La Paz, since no one is around, many places are shuttered. New regulations have closed down bars that only serve alcohol, but restaurants like Tailhunter have been allowed to stay open because we also serve food.
However, we’ve had to move tables apart and found it necessary to severely curtail hours and regretfully, have had to let some of our employees go. Hopefully, we can remain open and keep our employees working. Just like in the U.S. we’re trying to augment business with take-out service and food specials.
Baja is taking the virus pretty seriously especially because of the state’s reliance upon tourism and the handful of cases in Baja have mostly all been related to folks who traveled or came in contact with travelers.
Mainland, Mexico, on the other hand has not been very quick to re-act. President Obregon has told the people that it’s not time to panic and they should continue with social activities, eating out, and getting together. He says Mexico is ready for anything should the virus blow up, but even one of the governors came out this week and said, “Poor people are immune from the virus.”
However, Mexican health authorities are bracing themselves. Mexico has serious problems with diabetes (10% of the population); obesity (right up there with the United States); hypertension; heart disease and other health issues. However, it does not have the ability to cope with an outbreak. Mexico City alone has 15 million people, but only 400 ICE beds in the whole city. Plus, especially in the cities, social distancing will be very difficult because of the population density with many people living in close proximity. Plus, even if closures are put into effect, something like 60-70% of the working population live day-to-day and hand-to-mouth in small mom-and-pop stands or tiny businesses. If they don’t work, they don’t eat.
_______
CAVEAT: WITH THINGS CHANGING SO RAPIDLY ANYTHING WRITTEN HERE IS DONE WITH THE FACTS AT THE GIVEN MOMENT. BY THE TIME YOU ARE READING THIS THINGS COULD HAVE AND PROBABLY WILL HAVE CHANGED. I ONLY CLAIM ACCURACY FOR THE FISHING PART! AND OUR WISHES THAT YOU AND YOURS STAY WELL!
_______
So, with Jill and I, we do not want to be the ones who perhaps bring an infection to our friends, family and employees. It’s about social responsibility. Although we feel fine, we could be carriers. Even if not, we could easily pick up something in the airport, a car, the airplane…this virus is so resilient that I have problems with anyone going down to Mexico right now “for fun.”
I’ve had e-mails from folks asking me about going down “because the fishing is good; airline prices are cheap; and there’s no one else on the water!” Just my personal opinion, that until we get ahead of this thing, folks who go down right now could be the one that’s responsible for killing someone. And they’ll never know it. No way to know who is contagious because the virus can be completely asymptomatic.
So, we’re hunkered down for the time-being just like you. We’re working like crazy from home (reservations for later in the year are still coming in). Jill is making big batches of soups and casseroles to store for later. She’s organizing her office. I’m cleaning out the garage and trying (failing) to get in some work outs! We’re not hoarding, but we’ve got enough toilet paper. We’re watching movies we’ve never had time to watch together and catching up on a bit of reading and staying in touch with family on FaceTime.
Trying to stay well and keep others well. I hope you are well and stay that way also! Please take care of each other and let’s take this seriously so we can get back to normal and hopefully catch some fish!
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay/ Fishing Report for week of March 16-23, 2020
MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO REPORT
The BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…
Miles Wagner is always on fish and he put the wood to several yellowtail at Punta Perrico as well as Cerralvo Island including this hefty yellow. Miles lives in Colorado Springs CO.
Yes, that’s our Captain Chito and Captain Luis out with family members and big load of meat including a big amberjack, yellowtail and dorado. This group knows how to fish!
Good guy, Gary Wagner, owner of the Giggling Marlin Bar in Cabo and Rancho Costa in Bahia Muertos with one of several dorado he took last week.
For real now, there aren’t many anglers or much of anyone in town. There weren’t many to begin with insofar as November to April is off-season, but usually this time of year, there’s an influx of spring breakers that descend on southern Baja and more snowbirds finally tired of cold winters north of the border.
However, that has pretty much come to a halt. Springbreakers understandably abruptly left. Actually, it was canceled. Lots of visitors have returned to their respective countries. Locals are hunkered down at the suggestion of the local, state and federal authorities. It’s kind of eerie out seeing much of anyone on eat beaches, streets, water, restaurants or bars. Much like the U.S. although to date, there has been only 1 confirmed case of the virus in Baja.
As we all know, changes have been almost daily, if not hourly and whatever you’re reading here could well have changed by that time.
Of course, as Murphy’s cruel law would have it, we probably just had one of the best fishing and weather weeks of the year.
Sardines and ballyhoo showed up for live bait. Even squid for the first time in years, got the commercial squid fishermen out to catch squid that came up from the deep trenches for the markets and for bait!
Go figure! For the first time in years, the squid came up from the deep trenches! Thanks to Gary Wagner for this photo of the commercial squid fishermen out on the bay at Muertos.
Winds settled down as well. So, with very few visiting anglers, captains were out catching fish for food and families taking friends, locals and family members out to fish.
With the good conditions, the production of a variety of fish was pretty remarkable. Yellowtail up to about 30 pounds were hitting off the structure and drop-offs. In those same areas, some 30-60 pound amberjack were also racked.
Over the reefs, some of those big tough pargo liso in the 15-20 pound range were getting hooked as well as an abundance of cabrilla and snapper plus bonito, jack crevalle, sierra and even some tuna were hooked (but not confirmed).
Later in the week, the winds came back and waters got colder and greener and the bite softened a bit, but overall a pretty good week to have been on the water!
Daytime temps are already in the low 80’s and supposedly the virus can’t survive in humidity and temperatures over 65. We’ll see. We can only hope.
JILL and I and TAILHUNTER STATUS
After almost 4 months on the road, Jilly and I returned to our house in the U.S. to a completely different world. Alot has changed since December as we all know.
Many of you who have followed our 2020 TAILHUNTER TOUR know that our last two shows in Salt Lake City and in San Diego got canceled so were involuntarily came back two weeks early to re-group and figure out what’s going on. Like you, we see things changing daily or even hourly. Like you we’re just waiting to see how this all plays out.
We did figure that in the last 3 months, we’ve probably come in contact with about 250,000 people in close-quarters while attending all these shows. We’ve been high-fiving, shaking hands, hugging and there’s hardaly any social distancing! We have stayed in hotel rooms and eating in restaurants every single day and night. That’s ALOT of contact!
We FEEL FINE. However, we don’t know if we might be carrying.
So, we’ve basically self-quarantined so we don’t infect anyone else. At least 14 days, we’re hunkered down just like so many of you! We’re hoping to return ASAP to our home in La Paz.
As far as fishing trips, many of you heard about the mutual agreement between Mexico and the U.S. to prohibit all non-essential travel. And everyone who was there visiting, has largely left to come home…or plans to stay for awhile. Alot of things are empty.
This obviously puts a big crimp in our fishing season which should have been just kicking off right now.
We have not gotten many cancelations. Most of our reservations for March, April and much of May simply postponed their trips to later dates and we are all just waiting-to-see what plays out. No one has lost their deposits or funds. Everyone is still credited if they have changed dates or postponed or, in the case of a rare cancelation.
In the meantime, I don’t know how often I’ll be posting fishing reports for a bit. I’ve only missed like…6 weeks in 24 years! But, hopefully, we can all get a handle on this and do the difficult things so we can get back to some normalcy as soon as possible.
If you’ve got a trip planned anywhere this year…BUY TRIP INSURANCE! We’ve recommended it to our clients for years. Even if coronavirus had not occurred, trip insurance is very economical and covers unforseen things like injuries, bad weather, flight cancelations, getting sick on a trip, etc. Look into it and purchase it ASAP!
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of Feb. 24-Mar. 1, 2020
MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO REPORT
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…
Jay Statman from Los Angeles had one day to fish, but using live bait and yo-yo, iron still managed a great day of action taking several nice yellowtail, a big jack crevalle, a bonito and even this nice yellowtail. Plus a number of fish were lost to the rocks including several yellowtail and dorado. Jay donated all his fish to the local families.
We only get a few of these a year. Roger Thompson was trolling on the east side of Cerralvo Island when he got bit by this rainbow runner, which is cousin to the yellowtail and just about as tasty.
Tal Nazani brought some amigos to fish with Captain Arcangel this week and first day result were surprising even with the winds forcing them to fish inshore. Still, it produced 7 yellowtail; a bunch of sierra; a cabrilla and even a nice yellowtail. They have one more day on the water later this week.
The Guluarte Family from La Paz came out for a day fishing out’ve Bahia Muertos SE of La Paz and had some great action on a surprise fat wahoo as well as some feisty yellowtail. Seals got the one on the left.
Close-up shot of Sr. Guluarte’s wahoo with the rest of the family jumping in with Captain Pancho giving the thumb’s up!
Despite winds this past week, we had a few folks get out and there were some surprising results although often, the winds and rough waters kept the fishing close to shore. In fact, it was some of the best fishing of the year, even though this is technically still off-season from November to April.
For those few who could make it across the channel to Cerralvo Island, yellowtail, cabrilla and some wahoo were hooked. The wahoo were kind of a surprise since we normally don’t see these speedsters until about May or so.
Most of the times, we had to fish closer to shore, but sometimes that’s the best fishing in the area. We usually don’t have to go far anyway. However, given the time of the year, the action was much better than expected.
Live bait is always an issue this time of the year because rough water makes it difficult to catch the bait. However, using trolled lures like Rapalas, yo-yo jigs and frozen bait, produced more yellowtail, pargo, cabrilla, jack crevalle, sierra, bonito and even the occasional yellowtail. That’s quite a mixture for the time of year with a lot of fish busting off because of the shallow waters and rocks and reefs not too far below the boats. But, still great action!
Even for our whale-watching folks that we’re taking out to the Pacific at Bahia Magdalena, it was one of the better weeks after some tough weeks of winds hindering the ability to find the whales in the shallow waters. Get in touch with us if you’d like to check this out!
Hopefully, the winds will stay down and the whale-watching usually goes until mid-March or so. However, some strong unseasonable winter storms, chill and winds are predicted for this coming week so we’ll just have to see.
The lines are long and huge to get in each day so come early…especially to get the best deals to purchase tackle and gear! It’s a full day of activities, information and fun Wednesday to Sunday!
THE BIG SHOW is THIS WEEK! We leave the great sportsmans show in Boise, Idaho and drive to the Long Beach Convention Center for the Fred Hall Fishing and Boating Show this week. This is the largest outdoor show on the West Coast and goes from Wed. to Sunday. It promises to be crazy! Come check it…hunting, fishing, boat, camping…everything outdoor!
The aisles get pretty packed! It’s both buildings of the Long Beach Convention Center plus more outside! Easily spend several days at this show.
This is it! It’s the BIG SHOW! It’s the 76th Annual Fred Hall Fishing and Boating Show at the Long Beach Convention Center. This is the largest saltwater fishing show in the world but there’s so much to see including freshwater, hunting, travel, boating, outdoor products, gear, equipment, seminars and more! Stuff for the whole family! People plan all year to visit this show and often spend several days in the event checking everything out and still not seeing it all!
FRED HALL FISHING & BOATING SHOW
LONG BEACH CONVENTION CENTER
WEDNESDAY to SUNDAY (Mar. 4-8)
Our booth gets pretty packed and crowded with friend and amigos at the Fred Hall Show! We’re ready!
Jill and Jonathan will be in the booth all 4 days. This is our 6th show of the season and we’re ready for you to visit the booth. Our booth often has a crowd around it so look carefully! We want to say hi to you! We’ve got a brand new 24-page brochure and we’re ready to set you up to come fish with us in 2020…our 25th year in La Paz. Don’t wait. We’re filling up fast!
Also, don’t forget…for the first time, we’ll have our new Tailhunter Fishing Hats that Jilly had made up for us. There’s several great styles and we’ve been selling them out at all the shows.
For more info about the Fred Hall Long Beach Show as well as the Fred Hall Del Mar Show (San Diego) later this month, click the link below:
JOE JOST TAILHUNTER BEER PARTY in LONG BEACH – TUESDAY NIGHT 7:00 p.m. (Jonathan’s Birthday)
The night before the Fred Hall Show on Wednesday, we will have our annual Tailhunter Get-Together at Joe Josts Bar in Long Beach. Nothing formal. Nothing fancy. Just Tailhunter Friends and Family for a few beers at this iconic bar that has been there since 1924 and is the oldest bar west of the Mississippi and considered one of the best dive bars in the western U.S.
No liquor, but they serve their beer at 29 degrees. No fancy food. They have sausage sandwiches (the Joe Jost’s Special), pickled eggs, salami sandwiches, liverwurst sandwiches, salami sandwiches, peanuts and pretzels .
We’ll just be there a few hours because alot of us will be folks from the fishing industry and have to be at the show the next day early.
But, it’s also my birthday, so come over for a few hours and hang out! We’ll be there about 7:00 p.m. Here’s a link:
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of Feb. 9-16, 2020
MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO REPORT
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…
Just a great photo! They got blown off the first day but hung in there and went out despite waves and strong winds (check out Jan’s hair and Art’s hoodie). However, first-timer Jan Paisley and Art Flippin from Colorado went out dragging a Rapala hoping something would bite and this big 70-pound yellowfin tuna chomped the line! They were just off Punta Arenas with Cerralvo Island in the background. Surprise catch for this time of year!
Our good amigos, Donna and Roger Thompson from La Ventana found some mackerel on the east side of Cerralvo Island and hung some nice yellowtail before the macks disappeared and the winds came back up.
Colorful dorado just outside Punta Perrico for Jan. The fish was taken to our Tailhunter Restaurant to be cooked up!
Escaping -30 degree weather up in Alberta, Canada, Sheri Maitland found sunshine and a school of dorado like this one just inside La Paz Bay on one of the calmer days.
Unusual fish for this time of year because dorado are warm water fish, Brad Bowdon got this bull fishing out’ve La Paz. Brad’s from Canada.
That’s a tasty barred pargo for first-timer, Jan Paisley from Colorado with a big smile!
It looks a bit choppy out there and chilly, but Stu Maitland has a firm gaff in this nice dorado.
It was a weird unusual, but not unusual week, if that makes sense. Yes, it was typically windy as if often the case this time of year and “cold” on top of it (by Mexico standards!). Locals were bundled up while tourists visiting La Paz for sunshine were walking around in shorts and t-shirts.
However, as far as the wind was concerned, it blew hard some areas some days and less so in other areas. And, of course, it affected the fishing. Some folks fishing one area pretty much got blown off the water or had to cancel trips. Others found some decent windows to get lines wet, even if only temporarily before winds shifted and the waves just got too rough and choppy.
Fortunately, this time of the year, there aren’t that many folks fishing.
However, for the few folks out that were able to get on the water…even for a short time, there were some decent catches.
For our anglers fishing the Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Cerralvo Island areas, there were the occasispeonal dorado and we even got a surprising chunky tuna that ran about 70 pounds taken on a trolled Rapala. On the East side of Cerralvo Island, there was a quick jag of yellowtail that ran 15-25 pounds, especially if you got into the live mackerel that temporarily schooled up.
Inshore, pargo, cabrilla and jack crevalle provided some fun entertainment.
For our anglers that were able to get out of the Bay and head north towards Espirito Santo Island, some yellowtail were also found, but it was pretty rough getting out there. Fortunately, there were some school-sized dorado just inside the bay that could be caught with most fish going about 10 pounds. But, it was stil pretty rough out there.
And more…BAHIA MAGDALENA!
A table full of great fillets coming up including pargo, snapper, corvina and grouper for our amiga Verda Boyd after her first day fishing the mangroves.
Another nice pargo in the boat caught by Natalie Nazareno. You can see the mangroves in the background.
We sent some anglers out with our Bahia Magdalena outfit. It was also too windy to fish outside the bay and work the ridge for yellowtail and grouper. However, inshore among the mangroves in the shallows, the fishing was spectacular. They got almost a dozen species! These included grouper, several species of pargo, snapper and seabass as well as corvina all on light tackle.
Jorge Romero, sporting his Santa beard, pulled this grouper out’ve the tangle of mangrove roots.
Tim Zimmer with a hard fighting pargo that ate a hooked shrimp.
All by herself! Bella Nazareno hooked and fought all of her fish by herself including this fat pargo!
One day…lots of variety!
Captain Rigo poses with Verda and another pargo for the cooler!
Also, the whales have been late arrivals for the whalewatching season, but more whales are finally showing up in Bahia Magdalena not far from where we’re fishing these days. Let us. know and we can set you up with a great whalewatching trip.
ROAD TOUR TAILHUNTER 2020 – THANK YOU SALT LAKE CITY!
Just finished the Western Hunt and Conservation Show at the Salt Palace Convention Center in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. It was 4 crazy days of madness and fun! We just wanted to give a shout-out to all our Utah folks for the great hospitality and all the Tailhunter Nation members who came out to see us! We had some of the best days of any of the 5 shows we’ve done this year. Reservations to come fish with us in 2020 were off-the-charts and we’re looking forward to all the visits! Thanks to everyone!
Next up…the grand-daddy show of the West Coast… It’s the 74th Annual Fred Hall Fishing and Boating Show at the Long Beach Convention Center March 4-8! Come see us. Click the link below!
If you’re headed to La Paz, don’t forget that Carnival starts Feb. 21 and goes through the 26th with lots of parades, fireworks, food and major partying! The Tailhunter Restaurant on the Malecon is a great place to catch all the parades!
That’s our story! Hope you had a super Valentine’s Day!
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of Jan. 5-12, 2020
Mexican Minute Video Report
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…
Like alot of places in North America this past week…
It’s been COLD in La Paz to go along with some windy weather. The winds are expected this time of year, but it’s been colder than normal…at least by La Paz standards with us locals bundling up and even the tourists donning the occasional sweatshirt or windbreaker. Although most look at us kinda strange as they walk around in shorts and flip-flops.
Check out this video clip. The voice you hear is Benny outiside Tailhunter Restaurant:
Lots of snowbirds in town and although the temps are in the 60’s and 70’s with the wind, it’s still a lot warmer than where they live back in places like Minnesota, Wyoming and Alaska!
The climate, of course, affects the ability to be out there fishing. It’s been hard to put anyone out there and there’s not that many folks wanting to fish anyway. Or, folks that want to fish understandably get discouraged when they see the winds. Best to just hang out drinking a margarita by the pool!
When folks have been fishing, the better fishing has been tucked in close to shore, especially in areas where you can find some protection from wind and waves. Therefore, the majority of the fish have been inshore specias like cabrilla, snapper, triggerfish, pargo, jack crevalle and sierra. All fun and good eating fish.
When there are window’s of calm, there’s still some dorado around running to about 10 or 15 pounds plus some good action on 5-pound bonito. The larger issue has been finding live bait in which case lures are the most productive way to catch fish. With rough waters it’s tough to get into the areas where the live bait is holding along the shores and rocks.
I’ve heard a few stories about commercial guys finding some yellowtail as well as some private boaters. We’ll keep an eye on that!
ROAD TOUR 2020 HEADED TO SACRAMENTO!
Thank you for the hospitality Denver! We always have a great time!!!
We just wrapped up an incredible 4 day show at the International Sportsmans Expo at the Denver Convention Center. It was fantastic! So great for Jill and I to see so many of our old amigos and make so many new ones! Welcome to the Tailhunter Nation! We took lots of new reservations for 2020 and we’re looking foward to the visit!
At the time you’re reading this, Jill and I will be on the road headed west. We have about 1000 miles to cover to get to the next show which is the International Sportsmans Expo at the California Fairgrounds in Sacramento CA. This is a HUGE show with tons of stuff to see and do. Bring your walking shoes and the whole family! I’m told more than 700 exhibitors will be on hand to talk about fishing, hunting, camping, boating, RV’s, kayaking and so much more!
Jill and I will be there in our booth with new flyers, brochures and hats all four days Jan. 16-19 (Thursday to Sunday). Let’s talk about fishing in 2020! Hope to see you there!
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of Dec. 28, 2019-Jan. 5, 2020
MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO REPORT
The BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY. . .
From Richfield, Utah, Monte and Marlene Aldridge got in one day of fishing and picked the one day of the week when waters were calm enough and got some nice biters on some big sierra mixed in with dorado out’ve Bahia de Los Muertos south of La Paz.
Yup…it’s wintertime, but there’s still dorado around! Nice little bull mahi for Marlene.
Some great eating and great fun on light tackle, Monte has a speedy toothy sierra.
It pays to watch the weather. This past week there were some incredible uber windy and cold days. Normally, these are days we would recommend not going fishing. We even had some rain this past week. It happens. It’s winter. It’s off-season.
Some folks decided they still wanted to go fishing. So, off they went despite my warnings. Didn’t catch much of anything and it was so rough they had to come back early. We had others booked but had to cancel them because of the rough weather.
Honestly, only about 2 days this week would have been fishable at all.
However, we also had folks who were flexible on their fishing days and let me tell them when they should go fishing. And, sure enough, they found fish. Surprisingly, pretty decent fishing. Most amazing was the mixture of fish.
Cold-water fish like big sierra typical of this time of year were running 5-8 pounds. However, mixed right in were some school-sized dorado. The strange thing is that dorado are warm water fish that we usually catch during the warmer summer and fall months. So, they’re normally not running this time of year!
Along with those species, there were jags of bonito and scattered jack crevalle as well as snapper and cabrilla along the shoreslines where there was structure such as reefs, rocks and drop offs.
The weather makes all the difference. The coming week forecast mostly cloudy weather again to start the year with winds running 15-20 mph at times.
WE ARE COMING YOUR WAY! ROAD TOUR 2020!
By the time you’re reading this, Jilly and I will be on the road for our 2020 Tailhunter Road Tour coming to see you! We’ll be on the road through April criss-crossing the western U.S. and hitting up the biggest and most awesome fishing and hunting shows in the world!
In our brand new Tailhunter-mobile, we’ll be hitting a different show each week with our booth, flyers and brochure and would love to see you and talk to you about fishing with us in La Paz in 2020.
These shows are massive and there are hundreds-upon-hundreds of exhibitors from all over the world to tell you about fishing, hunting, camping, RV’s, kayaking, boating, trekking…basically anything outdoors! Great for the entire family.
In order, we’ll be hitting:
DENVER CO
SACRAMENTO CA
SEATTLE/PUYALLUP WA
PORTLAND OR
SALT LAKE CITY UT
LONG BEACH CA
SCOTTSDALE/PHOENIX AZ
SANDY (Salt Lake City) UT
DEL MAR (San Diego) CA
Our first show will be this week at the International Sportsmans Expo held Thursday to Sunday at the Denver Convention Centerdowntown. Here’s a link with all the info:
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of Sept. 20-29, 2019
MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO REPORT
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…
Big dorado of the week by a long-shot, Jon Eide came to see us again from Minnesota and got this big bull north of La Paz.
Mike Murray and Danny Lewis from Lancaster CA tag-teamed this blue marlin estimated at about 250 pounds on their panga just north of La Paz fishing with the Tailhunter Fleet. The fish ate a live sardine on 50-pound test and was not able to be released after a long fight.
Herkko Miettinen came all the way from Finland and was fishing with Captain Pancho of the Tailhunter Fleet in La Paz and his friend Kris Honkola when he hooked and landed this pretty dog-tooth snapper on a chunk of bonito in the shallows outside of Bahia Muertos.
Nice first roosterfish for Toni Brown from Salt Lake City who was fishing for dorado near Punta Arenas when the big fish bit just off the rocky area. She was fishing with the Tailhunter La Paz fleet and was able to release the fish.
Another of our fun amigos from Finland, Jussi Nassi poses with his first striped marlin that fed alot of folks that night for dinner at Tailhunter Restaurant.
Thumbs-up day for Greg and Larry Chastain to start their week with a nice rack of dorado from Las Arenas.
Captain Lorenzo with the Tailhunter Fleet in La Paz hoists up a big dog-tooth snapper for Jim Ginther who came to enjoy some sunshine all the way from Minnesota.
Oregon boys on the beach, Brad Bennett and Jon Barnard had themselves a full week with lots of species of fish including these dorado plus a big barred pargo.
Captain Gerardo gets in the photo with first-timers Merit Olmstead and Mike Dangler who kicked off their first day with an excellent rack of dorado plus pompano and barred pargo . Great eating!
Nice shot! Nice fish. Great colors! Kirk Shandrew is the amigo behind the mask with the barred pargo . Kirk is from Elko, NV.
Captain Armando and Gary Okizaki from Cypress, CA and his big dorado of the day.
Doesn’t get much prettier than these colors on Mark Brown’s dorado as he’s given a hand by Captain Gerardo. Mark is from Salt Lake City UT
You always remember that first one…Kirk Shandrew rocked this striper north of La Paz his first day.
Pound-for-pound, there aren’t too many fish that fight harder than these jack crevalle (“toro”). Bruce Luscombe took this one on the flyrod making it doubly tough!
Big smiles from Justin West who stuck this nice barred pargo. It was a pretty good week for these fish which is unusual this time of year. Great fighters and great eating too! Trophy size!
That’s a nice mix of reefish there including yellow snapper, triggerfish and palometas for John Vondrak, Joe Eide and Bruce Luscombe with Captain Victor.
Another good day on the water and another dorado for the box for Toni Brown.
Two new friends from Idaho who started their trip with a box full of dorado fishing with our La Paz fleet, Peggy and Joe Manning.
Here’s a pair! Bill Schroeder and Tom Lathrop with double dorado for the camera.
Captain Luis poses with Mike Kingsmore who took this dorado near Espirito Santo Island.
Adding to the variety! Bryan and his dad Steve Smith with a palometa and dorado. Bryan’s first trip. Steve visits us every year.
Kirk Shandrew and another tough jack crevalle caught, battled and released!
Hurricane Lorena reached category 1 status last weekend and came directly over La Paz instead of veering off as had been originally predicted. Fortunately, other than some heavy flooding, a few roads washing out and felling some trees and power poles, no one was injured and property damage was relatively minimal compared to other hurricanes that have blown through. The most damage appears to have occurred out towards Las Arenas/ Bahia Muertos/ La Ventana and El Sargento over the hill from La Paz.
The biggest issue for us were all the anglers who got stuck for several days. With the beaches getting battered; the seas in a cauldron and the port captain shutting down all boat traffic, there wasn’t much to do for the several dozen visitors we had who were suddenly locked in.
Others were trying to get home and to the airport. Many more were trying to fly in. However, with flights canceled and the Cabo Airport closed, folks either had to stay extra days in La Paz or conversely, lost days of vacation because they couldn’t fly down.
Although the storm itself was relatively minor as hurricanes go, the after-effects have been tremendous.
In terms of climate, post-Lorena, air temperatures have dropped dramatically from the high 90’s and low 100’s to the low 90’s. Almost a 10 degree drop across the board. Additionally, humidity has fallen from the muggy 70-80% steambath to a very comfortable 50% these following days. Accompanied by stronger winds reminiscent of later October, it’s actually been quite comfortable causing many of us to remark that we suddenly lost summer. Fall dropped in like someone had thrown a switch.
The bite, as well, was heavily affected.
Right after Lorena moved north, it cause tropical storm Mario, holding off the Pacific Coast to move into the vacuum. So, early in the week brought continued cloudiness, rough seas and occasional rainstorms.
All of this caused the bite to take it’s time getting back up to speed.
Prior to the storm, we had the best dorado bite of the season going. We had the best marlin bite I have ever seen in over 2 decades. After Lorena, it took awhile to gain momentum again.
The week started pretty scratchy ,but with each progressive day, the waters cleared up and the fish started to bite again. It wasn’t as full-turbo as the week before, but fairly decent action kept improving with mostly dorado biting for both our Tailhunter La Paz and our Tailhunter Las Arenas fleets.
Most of the dorado were respectable 10-20 pound fish. There were a few larger. Many smaller fish were released.
Additionally, both blue and striped marlin improved as well with a number of fish hooked each day while anglers were trying to catch dorado. Consequently, many fish were hooked (and quite a few lost) on light tackle! Most hooked fish were released.
Still no tuna or wahoo to speak of although this should be prime-time for both species. Occasionally, one or two tuna get picked up, but the schools are either moving too fast or pop up and boil, then quickly go back down. On several occasions, the fish were boiling but refused to take baits. Checking the stomachs of several hooked tuna, we found their bellies full of small squid which could account for their unwillingness to take a hooked bait.
As for other species, the change in weather seems to have a dramatic effect on other species as well. It’s almost as if we are fishing in June conditions again. We’re getting pargo, cabrilla, jack crevalle, the occasional yellowtail and amberjack, pompano and even some sierra plus those big dog-tooth snapper again.
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of July 4-11, 2019
MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO FISHING REPORT
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…
Retired firefighter Craig Braswell strains to hold up a hefty roosterfish estimated at 60 pounds that hit Craig’s little sardine right close to the rocks as they were fishing for shallow water pargo and cabrilla. The fish battled and pulled the panga around on light tackle for almost an hour which is why Craig says, “I could barely lift the fish!” The fish was released. Craig is from Chico C and our buddy is a long-time Tailhunter friend!
Denni Chin from Salt Lake City UT has a laugh with Captain Victor from the Tailhunter Fleet in La Paz on the beach at Bahia Muertos. It was Denni’s first La Paz trip and he took a number of fish off his bucket list including a striped marlin; several big roosterfish (released) as well as dorado and this yellowtail and tuna!
A crazy mix of fish for Trevor Akiyoshi and Ryan Vorisek hold up some of their catch that included a strange mix of fish for August. The catch included dorado (summer fish) , pompano (spring fish) and pargo liso (mullet snapper…a winter fish). Dad Mike Akiyoshi with the photobomb. They are from Upland CA. They were fishing with the Tailhunter Fleet in La Paz.
Amazing fish! Our biggest dorado of the season. It’s huge. Adam Jones is about 6′ tall and the head of the fish is turned away from the camera. He and cousin, Steve Braithwaite (photo below) tag-teamed the big fish over 40 minutes!
Another shot of the big bull dorado. Steve Braithwaite posing for this shot! Both guys are pretty tall and the photo doesn’t do justice to the size and girth of the fish.
Our long-time amigo, Kip Slaugh, hoisted this big roosterfish on a bit of a choppy day outside of Bahia de los Muertos. The fish was released.
Yup!!! Yellowtail in August? Check the photo! Phil and dad, Larry Braithwaite from Salt Lake City UT with captain Pancho on the beach at Bahia Muertos. Dorado are warm water fish. Yellowtail are cold water fish!
Colorado in the house! Louie Sanchez rocked this big roosterfish while fishing near Las Arenas on live bait and released it. It’s his personal best!
Just an incredible shot of a dorado jumping at sunrise! Captured by pro photographer amiga, Lynn Crooks from Reno NV who was fishing with her husband, Bernie.
Hard not to love our buddy, Denny Gallegos, who mugs for this shot. He’s always doing stuff like this over the years! With his buddy, Grant Parr, holding a big pargo perro.
The gent behind the mask with Captain Monch and the trophy roosterfish is Bernie Crooks who got several nice roosterfish and released them all. Our amigo, Bernie, is from Reno, Nevada.
All of a sudden, these big dog-tooth also started chewing this week! With Cerralvo Island in the background, Kip Slaugh, lifts the thick fish on the gaff for the money shot! Great eating!
Just a wonderful shot by this young lady! Oh the joy! Chloe Crum from San Antonio, Texas makes the shot with this dorado and captain Alfredo helping from off-camera!
Love the kid shots! We’ve known Sierra Sanchez since she was smaller than this dorado and it’s fun watching her grow up every year and enjoy the fishing with her family and Captain Rogelio. Dorado…right off the rocks in shallow water!
Victor Gil Delmonte comes to visit us every year and told me this fish “really hurt me!” You can see it on his face and Captain Archangel had to give Vic a hand! He gamely battled the fish then released the pretty fish too!
Yes, you CAN have too much fun! Pete Natividad from Los Angeles with Captain Alfredo, was on his first trip to see us and had only one day to fish, but caught about 6 different species including this amberjack.
Dr. Marc Crum came to visit us for the first time from Texas and was able to put this nice roosterfish aboard for the photoshot before letting it go to fight another day.
Talk about variety! Lynn Crooks has about 6 different species on the transom after a good day on the water fishing north of La Paz.
Just incredible colors in this photo to go along with Gaby Donnell’s pretty smile. Gaby is from Oregon and took the colorful bull dorado just outside of Las Arenas.
Our buddy, Roger “Fluffy” McCracken battled this feisty jack crevalle south of Espirito Santo Island. These are tough fighters!
Doing it like a boss! Gavin Carroll has himself a dorado in the boat with Captain Armando!
Dorado started biting better late in the week. Adam Jones and Steve Braithwaite.
Not normally something we recommend or target, but we DO occasionally hook sharks. It usually never lasts long before the shark busts the line nor do we recommend putting any shark in the boat. But, Jeff Slater is one of our long-time anglers and very very experienced and fought this hammerhead estimated at 300 pounds. Actually very good eating and he donated much of the meat as well.
This is frameable! Hard to get a better photo or smile than Cortez Sanchez with his bull dorado on the beach at Muertos.
Good way to greet a sunrise! Captain Rogelio and our first-timer Nick Arandia started the morning with a fine catch-and-release roosterfish near La Paz.
One of our all-time favorite families (Team Penguino). Louie, Sierra and Cortez Sanchez with some of their La Paz catch. Clouds building in the background. They were able to get two nice days of fishing in with us this year!
Not sure what’s more colorful. Louie Mogabgab’s sunglasses or the dorado! Both are admittedly almost a match! Captain Victor adds to the photo too!
When it’s your first time fishing and your first fish, it’s a great moment. Imelda Natividad got herself a fat triggerfish for ceviche with Captain Alfredo.
____________________________
There is no doubt that this has been an incredibly crazy year for weather as well as fishing! It seemed that winter took forever to leave and summer to take hold and given the types of fish we’re catching, summer is still reluctant even though we’re now half into August.
The week started somewhat sluggish and got better as the week progressed. Lots of cloudy days (similar to San Diego grey skies of summer) kept things cooler which was appreciated by many of the anglers. We even had about a 30 minute downpour one afternoon like a mini tropical hurricane that caused a lot of flooding and winds then quickly blew out.
Here it comes! Good thing everyone is off the water already.
Early in the week, we had the usual smattering of dorado mostly in the 10-20 pound class. But we continued to show up with unusual cold-water fish like pargo liso (mullet snapper), giant dog-tooth snapper, cabrilla, pompano, amberjack, jack crevalle and even sierra.
Yup! Amberjack in August. Louie Mogabgab.
Wish we could see his photo, but Captain Moncho give Bernie Crooks (I think that’s Bernie in there!) a hand with his jack crevalle which was released right there off the beach.
But, then the kicker showed up late in the week. Not only did 20-100 pound tuna show up (most fish lost after long battles on light tackle) but we started getting YELLOWTAIL!
None of us can ever remember yellowtail so late in the season. In my 25 years here we have never seen yellowtail in August. Mostly by May, these cold-water fish are long gone!
Never ever ever ever seen yellowtail caught in August. It’s like getting a snowstorm in the summer. It just doesn’t happen!
I’ve given up telling folks what they’re gonna catch these days! Oh, and the fish got bigger as the week went on.
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of July 29-Aug. 4, 2019
MEXICAN MINUTE FISHING REPORT
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST OF THE STORY…
His first roosterfish was a dandy. Dave Payan visited from Roy, Utah and was out with us and right-off-the-bat hooked this big roosterfish not far from the Las Arenas lighthouse. The fish was released.
Joe Treves from Los Angeles gets a hand from son, Matt, and Captain Gerardo of the Tailhunter Fleet in La Paz with an 80-pound tuna he wrestled off Cerralvo Island just east of Bahia Muertos that ate a live sardine on light tackle.
Marco and Steve Holguin have been visiting us for years and always good to see them. Their first day started with a nice rack of dorado from Las Arenas.
San Diego in the house with Rick Carlton and Bruce Husson with a rare white marlin! I think I have only seen 3 the whole 25 years I have been here. The guys released it to swim strongly away! Cerralvo Island in the background.
Ryan Sallee and Shelby Pope via San Diego first-time fishing with us got a ice variety of great eating pargo, snapper and a dorado!
What a pig of a fish! Largest dog-tooth snapper of the year hooked by Shelly Donnell from Beaverton OR with a happy Captain Pancho trying to hoist it up on the gaff.
Another nice one in the boat and this time a nice huachinago on the gaff for Utah amigo, Dave Payan.
Couldn’t resist the smile of Allie Tutino from San Diego with her only dorado, but there’s a couple of nice pargo on the table in front of her!
Now THAT’s alot of sashime, but these guys know how to fish! Long-time amigos who come several times a year got these hefty yellowfin tuna at the south end of Espirito Santo Island where a number of these horse fish have broken rods and hearts! Kevin SHIOTANI (sorry about that brain fart, Kevin…I kneel in apology! But at least I didn’t write CACA VERDE!) and Rick Hosmer doing it like a boss!
Nice bull dorado for our first-time visitor to La Paz Marco Martinez posing on the sand for us at Bahia los Muertos.
Three generations of the Mammott Family…Jeff…Jesse…Christy and Paden with some of their dorado.
Just another day on the water for amigo, Shelly Donnell and sister Gaby, both from Oregon with dorado and pargo ready for the fillet table.
Might be my favorite photo of the week! My two friends, Roger McCracken and Joe Treves goofing with their big “sardines.”
Dorado can be voracious feeders! But here’s the rule when a dorado picks up BOTH baits! Whoever’s hook is deepest in the mouth gets the fish! I think Gaby’s hook is deeper than her brother’s hook! But Sheldon will argue the point!
____________________________
Still crazy trying to figure out our fishing. It seems we move two steps forward then one step back each week. Get get excited about jags of fish like dorado, or marlin or tuna. And just when we’re all fired up, things change again!
Every day, you can take your pick of words to describe the fishing…everyone has a different adjective for the day and it runs the full gamut from awesome and fun to erratic, anemic, or crummy! And the boats can be right next to each other and you’ll get completely different results from boat-to-boat; location to location and from day-to-day.
Everyone arrives and says, “How’s the fishing?” And all I can give them is a shrug of the shoulders. Bottom line, everyone is catching fish. But not everyone is catching fish ALL the time!
Here it is August, and it’s still more like late May or June fishing. It’s deceiving because the waters are blue; the days are hot and humid; it feels really tropical…I mean it looks like summer. It feels like summer. But the fishing isn’t summer. It’s more like springtime fishing.
Just check out the variety of fish. We should be catching mostly bluewater/ warmwater fish like dorado, tuna and billfish. And indeed, the dorado are probably 60% of the catch. But, it’s hardly wide-open on the chew. Dorado are scattered and we’re picking them up here and there.
__________________
Good start of the fishing grip for Louie Mogabgab with some nice bull dorado and an amberjack to show for it!
______________
However, we’re still getting cold water fish like the big mullet snapper (pargo liso); sierra (winter fish); snapper, cabrilla, amberjack and even an occasional yellowtail.
Captain Pancho helps pose a pargo liso for Gaby Donnell
______________
Mix in the occasional billfish plus bonito, jack crevalle and even the sporadic beast tuna of 50-100 pounds and there’s action to be held…most days…most boats. Here’s the deal…if you’re only coming down and fishing 1 day…you could have a great time or be that boat that just misses it. If you’re fishing 2, 3 or 4 days, you’ll have an off-day or two, but you’ll be going home with fish!
La Paz – Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay Fishing Report for Week of July 21-28, 2019
MEXICAN MINUTE VIDEO REPORT
THE BIG PICTURE and the REST of the STORY…
Landon Verhoven shows off his first striped marlin with Captain Armando. The fish was hooked on a little sardine, and they had a double hook-up going on marlin with two fish leaping and heading in opposite directions at the same time. Both fish were released. Cerralvo Island in the distance. Landon is from Los Angeles.
She looks a little tires! It’s her biggest roosterfish! From Loveland, Colorado, our amiga, Kelly Jimenez, has been fishing 8 years with us. She landed (and released) this big roosterfish just off the shore near Bahia Muertos with Captain Pancho. She and her daughter caught and released 14 smaller roosterfish as well.
Lots of bull dorado for Taylor Kooiman and Geoff Wilkinson from Los Angeles. Fishing with the Tailhunter Fishing Fleet in La Paz, they said they hooked another 12 fish and released them all before 9 a.m.
Lucien and his dad Jacob Sanders started off their trip with a boatload of dorado! They had two solid days of dorado fishing. They’re from Bellflower CA.
Yea…that’s the right kind! Captain Pancho smiles with Brandon and Tanya McGarr all the way from Rock Springs, Wyoming with a great mix of dorado and snapper/ pargo.
Three generations of the Rudloff family with Captain Adolfo. Bob, son Jason and grandson, Jacob with dorado and…check out the nice snapper and pargo lisos!
Trevor Hefner pulled this nice dog-tooth snapper (pargo Colorado) out’ve the rocks near Bahia Muertos fishing a sardine just outside of Bahia Muertos
Paul Zuelke with Captain Victor and a giant pompano he caught off Bahia Muertos! Paul was on his first visit with us from Washington.
Double handfuls of mahi-mahi forJustin Grasmeyer Tommy Groe who got quick limits and released alot of their fish as well.
Nicely done on the spinning rod! A great photo of young Lucien Jacobs.
One of our long-time amigos, Diego Jimenez, with grandson, Roman from Colorado with a nice rack of dorado to start out their trip!
Mahi fillets headed for Wyoming! A table-full of dorado for Brandon and Tanya McGarr. Always good to see them!
First dorado for his daughter, Mikaila, Diego helps with the pose!
It feels like summer! Hot, humid Baja the way it’s supposed to be…finally! Very tropical conditions with daytime temps in the high 90’s to low 100’s now and lots of humidity. Everyone has their AC going which has caused some intermittent short power outtages in town, but overall a nice time to be on the water and hitting the beach.
With the tropical conditions, we are getting some brief, but sometimes very strong rainstorms with flash flooding, lightning and thunder in the later afternoons and evenings that blow through certain areas then quickly dissipate.
Afternoon storms like this one are not uncommon this time of year. We had two of them this week that swept in and swept out within minutes but flooded streets. Then the sun came back out. Everyone was done fishing when the storms hit!
These storms can be pretty ferocious and noisy when they blow in. Very tropical. Then, they blow right back out! They can get pretty noisy with thunder and lightning. This is the view in front of Tailhunter Restaurant. We got strong winds, but only a few drops of rain. The other side of town got totally flooded for about an hour!
For the fishing, the dorado are finally the focus of our fishing efforts as the waters have finally warmed and turned blue, although there’s still some colder green patches around. Schools of dorado or individual fish ranging from 5-30 pounds have been the norm. If you find the right spot, you can load up on limits in short order and/or catch-and-release as fast as you can let a fish go and hook up another one!
Roosterfish are still around although not as many showing up in the counts. That could be the result of more people targeting “meat” fish like dorado and other species so there’s not that much attention being paid to roosterfish which all get released because they don’t eat well. We’ve had some 30-60 pound roosters, but then other days when it’s not uncommon to catch up to a dozen smaller roosters from a school and release them all.
We’re still getting an unusual number of big pargo liso (mullet snapper) that are normally cold water fish from the late winter and early spring. I’ve never seen so many this late in the season, especially when it’s this warm. But that is probably because there’s still some cold patches of water here and there. These are tough mean powerful fish and make for great sport and eating.
No tuna or wahoo to speak of although tuna keep popping up but head down quickly unwilling to bite or disappearing before we can get on them. A few marlin hooked and released.