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Posts Tagged ‘hotel el moro’

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report from Tailhunter International for Week of Oct. 25-Nov. 2, 2014

Katylyn Luker wahoo tags small 10-14

The ladies and the youngsters had a GREAT week! Like young Katylyn Luker from Santa Maria CA! Right out of the chute, her first fish on her first day is a big wahoo! Captain Moncho signals touchdown!

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Another one of our amigas who had a banner week, Lisa Hicks from Seattle WA, put the hurt on this chunky wahoo at the south end of Cerralvo Island using a Rapala.

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Vic Patton has been one of our regular amigos for many seasons! He and Captain Victor show off a real trophy…a dog-tooth snapper! Also called a Cubera Snapper, these are tough tough fish and getting the out’ve the rocks is an accomplisment!

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Two more of our first-timers…Mike and Robbi Caray came down from their farm outside of Portland OR to enjoy some sunshine and had an incredible day on some big dorado like this 40 pound class beast! Mike fought this fish for over 45 minutes!

Andy Rafi Montejano rooster wahoo tags 10-14 small

Brothers Andy and Raphael Montejano had one of THOSE kinds of days…Andy nails this big rooster and Rafi put the hurt on a wahoo. It was their first time fishing and they also got dorado and snapper on an incredible day.

Tom Mullican tags small dorado 10-14

Our new amigo from Idaho, Tom Mullican, was here for almost two weeks of fishing. He was going to fish a few days then take some days off then fish a few more days. After two days of dorado fishing he decided he was having too much fun and booked fishing EVERY SINGLE DAY!

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One of the nice surprises of the week was the appearance of the big roosters again. Captain Victor holds up a fish caught by John Hardardt. The fish was released. They are near the rocks just south of Bahia de Los Muertos.

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Captain Boli help our long-time friend, John Ehlers from Denver CO, who just got done working at a lodge in Alaska and brought his family down to La Paz. John had a great week on dorado and other species with Captain Boli.

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Another one of the nice wahoo we picked up this week, Rod and Nick get an assist from Captan Jorge with their “hoo while on the beach at Bahia de Los Muertos.

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Brian Mee from Washington, shows another example of one of the crazy variety we had this week. Using light tackle, Brian brought back a catch of cabrilla and tasty sierra…usually not seen until our waters cool down.

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Kris Honkola from San Rafael CA and his amigo, Marcus Dyster all the way from Finland , took this quick photo of one of their sailfish they caught north of La Paz. The sails were thicker than we’re normally used to!

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Just a beautiful photo…Sean Gould at sunrishe…the cast…and the HOOKUP!!!

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Captain Archangel is all smiles with Mike Davis’ nice wahoo. Mike is from Santa Maria CA and got his first wahoo this week.

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Hard to find someone more fun or enthusiastic than our Seattle buddy, Dan Hicks. And he knows how to fish too and loves the light tackle. He had a great week on the dorado!

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Talk about variety…Jeff Solum…Mike McMurray and Jeff Solem with Captain Jorge pose with a baby wahoo, a big pargo and a dorado.

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Roy Zimmerman from Fullerton CA is one of our regular fishing amigos who always does well, but had a tough week on the fishing grounds. However, he DID catch and release this nice rooster south of Bahia de los Muertos.

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Our Colorado family…Dolores Ehlers, Cary Ehlers and Laura Weinholtz on the beach behind La Concha Beach Resort with three nice dorado and a jack crevalle.

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Another nice wahoo in the box! Captain Armando with Gary Austin from Oregon and brother Glen from Utah.

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More variety and good eating! Laura and Dennis Weinholtz from Denver CO with a couple oof nice dorado along with a huge pompano!

 

CRAZY WEEK…NOT ALOT OF QUANTITY…BUT SOME GREAT QUALITY!

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Oct. 25-Nov. 2, 2014

 

It was a different kind of week.  It was good for good fish but not good for ALOT of fish!  Let me explain…

You’ve heard of “Quality over Quantity.”  Well, it was THAT kind of week.  There were NOT alot of fish by our standards although there were some nice flurries of dorado, bonito, jack crevalle, sierra and other fish that kept rods bent.

But, those fish could be there one day and gone the next.  Or they could be in one spot and move the next day or be there for 30 minutes of madness then the ocean would be calm again and not a fish in sight.  That’s just the way it is right now.  The seasons are changing.  Water and air temperatures are cooling and we’re transitioning to the winter season which is approaching.   Shadows are different.  Current are different.  The wind is starting to blow stronger from the north.  It can be a little choppier.  We’re going to get some days that the winds might even be too strong to fish comfortably.

The upside to all of this is that there are a tremendous number of species!

Just check out the photos!!!!  We probably had as many as a dozen different species of fish…inshore…offshore…blue water…rock fish…We never knew what our folks were going to come back with.

And that’s what made this week really different.

We didn’t have LOTS of fish.  We had a lot of DIFFERENT FISH.  AND we had some real QUALITY FISH!

Like check out the wahoo this week!  This had to be one of the best wahoo weeks of the season. We had one day when almost every one of our pangas hooked at least one wahoo around Cerralvo Island. And these were nice healthy 30-50 pound fish.

Also, for the first time in many months, we got 30-60 pound rooster fish and some huge dorado as well up to about 45 pounds and many others that were lost!

The dilemma in this kind of fishing is that you don’t get many chances.  If the fish aren’t milling about, you might get one or two big bites…FOR THE ENTIRE DAY!  It might be a big wahoo.  It might be a big dorado or rooster fish.  For whatever reason, if the fish gets off or you miss the bite or you have your beer in your hand…that’s it!  It’s a missed opportunity and the rest of the day could be nothing more than a few bonito.

Or, conversely, there’s two anglers in a panga and one gets a trophy of a lifetime and the other guys twiddles his thumbs the rest of the day.  So you get one really happy fella and one saying, “Fishing was really slow.”

One thing however…our ladies, kids and first-timers sure had it going on!  Many of them got the big wahoo or big dorado and many of our veteran Tailhunter anglers were the “other guy” in the boat relegated to taking photos!  But, it was great to see so many of the rookies kicking butt!  Still…I won’t kid you.  We did have some disappointed folks who ran into some tough fishing…which then often changed around the next day.  Or not…

I think we’re gonna see more of these variable conditions in the next coming weeks as we transition into winter.  Overall, however, you can’t ask for prettier conditions just to be here in La Paz.  Days are not humid.  Just nice sunshine and 85-90 degree air temps.  It looks like a postcard.  Most days are flat calm.  The water is still in the 80’s.  Night temps are comfortably in the 70’s.

One head’s up…looks like we do have a bit of rain coming this week with a late-season storm that could hit us mid-week and get us wet and stick us with some strong winds.  Then, it moves off quickly.

That’s our story!

combo-signature-black letters

Jonathan and Jilly

Jonathan Roldan’s

Tailhunter International

Website: 

www.tailhunter-international.com

Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

U.S. Mailing Address:  Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA  91942

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:  https://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videoshttp://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate

“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”

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La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report from Tailhunter International Fleet for Week of Oct. 5-12, 2014

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Late breaking news! SUNDAY…Wow! Lookit this! WAHOO DAY! Anyone in the S. California fishing industry knows pro Danny Kadota. He and his daughter Alexa were with Captain Victor today and got THREE wahoo and had another one bite through 250 pound mono! Check out Alexa’s massive ‘hoo!

 

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FOOTBALL SEASON FINALLY? The football-sized yellowfin tuna finally made an appearance for the year. There weren’t many of them, but the sprinkling of fish were a nice surprise the last two weeks like this one by Steve Snead from Boise Idaho, who had a great week. He’s here with Captain Pancho.

 

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Captain Archangel with our Tailhunter Las Arenas fleet poses with Jim Adair and Brad Baker and one of the larger models of dorado we got this past week. They’re on the beach at Bahia de los Muertos.

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Don Busse found a hot spot for rock fish this past week showing off a nice rack of cabrilla and big triggers. Our amigo was fishing with Captain Pancho.

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Louie Sanchez, was not going to be denied his Baja trip to celebrate his 50th birthday and anniversary with his wife and family. After the hurricane, they jumped through all kinds of hoops to get down from home and Denver and got in some OK dorado fishing.

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First-time tuna for Ken Campbell from Lakewood CA with amigo, Jeremy Friez (helping out holding up the tail). Next time we’ll get Ken to eat the heart…as is the custom with first-time tuna takers!

Marlin Snead 10-14 small tags

Steve Snead had a great story. He finally got his marlin off the bucket list. He was already hurting from a bad back, then tied into this gorgeous 150-pound class striped marlin. On light tackle, Steve and his back battled the first for 45 tough minutes. He got the fish out just long enough to take a picture then released it swimming strong. He came back to shore and went bed with a big smile but completely whupped.

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She’s a champ! Young Sierra Sanchez is only 8-years-old, but was quite a trooper coming down to La Paz and fishing for the first time. The youngster is from the Denver, Colorado area and shows off her first dorado proudly with Captain Joel.

Walker dorado small tags 10-14

Determined to make it down, Steve Walker from idaho and his amigo, flew into Loreto then took our 5-hour shuttle to La Paz to make sure not to miss their fishing trip! Steve’s got a nice big bull on the gaff here that he caught north of La Paz.

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I don’t know how he stays so clean fishing in all white clothes all day! But, Chris Malley had a pretty good week including these two yellowfun tuna he caught off Bahia de Los Muertos!

GIFTS FOR LA PAZ

Don Busse and his gang…Ken Campbell…Jeremy Frieze…John Gibbs…Jim Adair…Brad Baker…Angelo Oliverio…and Chris Malley…brought in several hundred pounds of supplies and clothes for Jill’s hurricane relief efforts! it filled several duffle bags and ice chests! Since the hurricane, Jill has collected over 400 pounds of things for needy folks post-Odile.

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Wiley Randolph from Fullerton CA…another big heart ….and a great shopper…brought down brand new kids’ shoes, schools supplies and medical first aid things for Jill’s hurricane relief efforts.

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Jill, Cortez, Sierra and Louie Flores…all the way from Denver for the week and stuffed their bags with clothes, schools supplies and other great stuff for the hurricane relief. Big smiles and big hearts. Thanks to a wonderful family.

 

AIRPORTS OPEN – FISHERMEN COMING BACK – SO ARE THE FISH!

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Oct. 5-12, 2014

Since hurricane Odile, three weeks ago, we’ve played cat-and-mouse with some erratic weather that seems to keep popping up and dropping some thundershowers on us now and then.  Mostly, it’s been great weather, but like the rest of the season, we do have to keep watching the weather reports and the horizon to check for building thunderheads.

However, for the first time since as long as I can remember, I’m looking at the weather forecasts the last few days and into the next few weeks and there’s zero precipitation forecast.  There are no little “weather icons” on the internet with little clouds and thunderbolts or rain icons on top of the daily advisories!  We’ve got gorgeous 95 degree sunny weather for days and fishing conditions could not be better.

As for the fishing, it’s making a comeback.

The fish got hit pretty hard too with the crazy weather and green dirty water really mixed it up from the storms and the run-off and it takes times to settle in.  Each week, the water seems to get a little better.

Fishing isn’t great, but it’s good most days and there’s even some jags of “very good” thrown in.

LA PAZ FISHING

Dorado have been the most consistent players, especially for our Tailhunter La Paz fleet.  There are spots of dorado just inside La Paz Bay and in various places around Espirito Santo Island, but the best concentration and larger fish are around the Rosario / Las Cruces area in the channel between La Paz peninsula and Cerralvo Island.  Fish aren’t bit, but they’re fun decent fish of 10-20 pounds with an occasional 30 pounder.  Some days are better than others.  Some boats will get limits some days while others right next to them will hit only a handful of fish or less.  But, the fish are there!

Likewise, there seems to be a nice bit of marlin and sailfish around right now.  Most have been caught incidentally while fishing for other species, but we’ve been hooking them all last week.  Not alot, but every day is different.  We had one day where almost every one of our pangas hooked at least one billfish.  The next day there were only 2 hooked.  Next day nothing.  Day after that there were 4.  All fish either broke off or were released except one which was kept and donated.

As a little sidebar, we had 2 wahoo hooked and cut off as well this week.

Late update:  Got some wahoo late Saturday off Espirito Santo Island!

LAS ARENAS

This area has been a bit of a puzzle this past week.  The biggest news is that we got our first football yellowfin tuna in a long long time.  There’s some spots of tuna that keep popping up around Cerralvo Island with some fish up to 100-pound reported by commercial fishermen.

The bad news is that we only got about a dozen footballs all week that went 12-20 pounds.  That’s it.  There are so many bonito around that you catch about 20 bonito to get one tuna…if at all.  I mean, it’s alot of fun and alot of action.  But, if you’re looking for some good ahi meat to take home, it’s alot of energy.   Still, it’s nice to have the tuna around!

The other downside is that if you spend the better part of your day chasing tuna, you won’t get much else.  So, the counts have not been real good for our Tailhunter Las Arenas fleet.   When they DO chase other species, there’s dorado around and the pangas will get 2-8 fish hooked up per day and the counts differ.  It all depends if the guys went after the tuna or not.

So, what alot of our guys are doing is getting their dorado and ice chests filled by fishing La Paz, then specifically going for tuna with our other Tailhunter Fleet at Las Arenas.  Seems to work out OK.

Last minute update:  Five wahoo taken on two pangas late Sunday up to 50 pounds!

HURRICANE UPDATES

We’re up an running.  Airports are open.  Flights are in.  The Los Cabos Airport officially opened months earlier than anticipated on Oct. 3rd and welcomed their first flights on United and Alaska on Oct. 8th with mariachi bands and water cannon salutes!  Other airlines are coming online.  La Paz and Loreto Airports have been open for several weeks.   Still doing some cleanup in the streets and to some businesses and homes, but the heavy work is mostly done and most things are running like normal.  Most visitors would never even know anything happened!  Come fishing!

 That’s our story!

combo-signature-black letters

Jonathan and Jilly

Jonathan Roldan’s

Tailhunter International

Website: 

www.tailhunter-international.com

Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

U.S. Mailing Address:  Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA  91942

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:  https://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videoshttp://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate

“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”

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La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report from Tailhunter International Sportfishing for Week of Sept 28-Oct. 5, 2014

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FINALLY! Look what popped up! After seeing “signs” of tuna ever since the hurricane, we finally got a few and hopefully, these are the vanguard for a building bite! Standing on the beach at Muertos, Louie Sanchez from Denver and Don Goss from Los Angeles, jumped numerous hurdles to get to La Paz even after the hurricane! First tuna of the season!

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Dorado like the one here with Mike Jennings have been rolling through in solid numbers, especially west of Cerralvo Island where easy limits have not been unusual!

Sailfish 2009

The billfish have been restless since the storm and we had several days this past week where almost every one of our pangas hooked at least one sailfish. Most were released.

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Geri Cammack with the kind of dorado that have been producing north of La Paz this past week. Except for this past weekend, weather has been some of the best of the season!

GETTING BACK ON TRACK!

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Sept. 28-Oct. 5, 2014

For the last three weeks since Hurricane Odile, we’ve honestly had some of the best weather and condtions of the year!  Blue skies…calm warm waters…very little wind.  Just enough breeze to keep it comfortable.

But, as I’m writing this, we’re looking at Tropical Storm Simon that promises to drop a little rain on us for the next 4 days (Saturday to Monday)  Doesn’t look like too much.  Just enough to get us wet and hit us with some afternoon thunder and lightning.  However, given how much we’ve already gotten hit in this El Nino year, I was kinda hoping that “enough-was-enough.”

Here in La Paz, and surely in many other places in southern Baja, especially the closer you get to Cabo, there’s alot of folks who lost their homes or they were heavily damaged.  So, even a “little rain” only adds more misery to a situation that was under recovery.

By any stretch of the imagination, the recovery has been remarkable.  The government and local authorities both public and private pulled out all the stops to get folks back on the grid as soon as possible. Much of the work has been done in record time although there are some folks only now getting back with power and water.  But this is far ahead of predictions.

Most notably, the Cabo Airport which had been forecast as taking months to re-open, is now open as of Oct. 3rd with flights slowly starting to trickle in.  Hotels and other tourist attractions are also making great strides.

As for the fishing, the great weather and conditions predicated some very good fishing these last few weeks. You could not have asked for better air and water!  The only problem was that there weren’t many fishermen in town as there had been scores of cancelations, especially since there were no flights.

However, for those who were able to get on the water, dorado were most cooperative.  These fish had not seen any traffic or pressure now for 3 weeks!  They are hungry!  Several days limits were easy and the anglers were catching and releasing fish as fast as they could go!   On two days, our guys came back happily by noon with full fish boxes and  “more than enough action for the day!”

Most of the fish were 10-15 pounds, but others in the 20-25 pound class were also found. Additionally, marlin and sailfish hooks-ups were also recorded.  There’s an abundance of bonito out there so no shortage of action on light tackle.  And, we also hooked a few wahoo around Cerralvo Island.

Maybe the most exciting ripple of news…Commercial guys got a few tuna that hit and moved off! Then, right at the end of the week, we hit a few football tuna ourselves.  The biggest problem was getting through the voracious schools of bonito, but there are tuna signs everywhere.  Several private boats as well as commercial guys report tuna in the 100 pound class coming through the areas and some of our diver friends reported diving and having schools of tuna flash through!  This could be good!  Standing by!

That’s our story!

combo-signature-black letters

Jonathan and Jilly

Jonathan Roldan’s

Tailhunter International

Website: 

www.tailhunter-international.com

Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

U.S. Mailing Address:  Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA  91942

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:  https://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videoshttp://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate

“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.” 

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La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report from Tailhunter International for Week of Sept. 21-28, 2014

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Debbie Winkleman from Arizona gets a lift from Captain Boli after putting this nice bull dorado in the boat near Espirito Santo Island.

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Ken Cavallon (left) from Washington got his first sailfish just before the hurricane hit. He gets a hand from amigos, Wade Webster and Scott Daniels. Unfortunately, their fishing got interrupted by the storm.

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Another dorado for Debbie on the beach in front of La Concha Hotel!

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Mike Bryant with one of his dorado that he got just off the point at Las Arenas.

Jilly and JR

Two weeks ago, we were ankle deep and surveying the damage the morning after Odile struck La Paz. Fallen trees…broekn windows…shattered glass everywhere. It had been a long and sleepless night.  The start of many to follow.  The hotel has made a remarkable recovery!



 

LA PAZ…AIRLINES…FISHING BACK ON TRACK!

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Sept. 21-28, 2014

Two weeks ago, we were standing in the water surveying the rubble and destruction for the biggest hurricane ever to hit Baja.  Two weeks later…WE’RE ON THE COMEBACK!  We’re digging out with remarkable speed!

Frankly, there hasn’t been alot of fishing going on since the hurricane.  All the tourists have pretty much been evacuated or, there’s no way to fly in, or hotels have been damaged or without services so trips have been canceled.  Local residents or expats aren’t fishing either as everyone struggles to get back on keel with larger things to worry about like food, water, gas and their homes and jobs.

However, we’ve had a few boats out here and there.  Weather has still been erratic.  Nothing bad, but there have been some lingering intermittent rain cells that have moved through the area that has also kept us off the water or winds strong enough where it was better just not to put out any boats.

As might be expected, the further we get away from the hurricane, the better the water conditions.  Given that we just had the biggest hurricane in Baja history, it’s not surprising that the waters were very overturned dirty and green.  Lots of debris in the water too.

The first few days, there were a few small dorado around.  Some sierra and bonito as well.

Within a few days, we were seeing more dorado, but they seemed interested, but wary.  Very hesitant to take a bait or lure.

By the end of this week, the fish were back on the chew.  We had limits or near limits of dorado including some nice bulls in the 20-30 pound class as well as bonito, cabrilla, jack crevalle and a few small rooster fish.

For everyone who sent well wishes and support phone calls and e-mails, we much appreciated it.  We’re digging out and like everyone else, trying to manage and pull back together.  The storm has been pretty devastating. On many levels.

The La Paz Airport is back in operation.  Tourists are gone, but the hotels are jammed full with more than 20,000 escapees from Cabo San Lucas.

___________

And we just got this  HOT FLASH:

As of Oct 8th…ALASKA AIRLINES WILL HAVE ONE FLIGHT A DAY FROM LA PAZ TO CABO SAN LUCAS!!!

ALASKA AIR

Here is the official announcement:

Alaska Airlines will resume flying one daily roundtrip flight from Los Angeles

to Los Cabos starting Oct. 8 following the recent announcement that Los Cabos

International Airport will reopen. Tickets are now available for purchase at [

http://www.alaskaair.com/ ]www.alaskaair.com.

The airport sustained significant damage by Hurricane Odile and has since been

closed for repairs. 

Starting Oct. 8, Flight 236 will depart Los Angeles at 10:10 a.m. arriving in

Los Cabos at 1:26 p.m. The return Flight 251 will depart Los Cabos at 2:25 p.m.

and arrive in Los Angeles at 3:45 p.m. 

Customers who are currently holding a reservation on flight 236 or 251 for Oct.8 or later do not need to rebook their flight.  

__________

All our pangas and captains are well.  We pulled the pangas out’ve the water before the storm hit.  The La Paz captains did better than our Las Arenas captains.  At Las Arenas, many in the area are will without water, power, electricity or phones.  Compound that with the tremendous loss of work with all the cancelations.  The loss of work is a big hit for everyone.

Generally, here in La Paz, most areas have water and power and phones again.  But many of the outlying areas are still lacking services two weeks after the storm.  Of course, many of those who had the least, lost the most and have the hardest time making the comeback.  In Cabo, they have approximately only 15% back on the grid, but the improvement is remarkable given initial estimates.  As mentioned above, the airport will start getting flights this week.  Many hotels are opening albeit on a limited basis.  But again, the most underprivileged areas were hit the hardest and will take the longest to recover.

Many have asked for ways to help.  Thanks for the generous hearts.  If you’re coming down, ANYTHING is welcome.  Many people lost everything.  All ages.  All areas.  Clothes…school supplies…medical supplies…anything is appreciated and needed.  If you’re not coming down, there are still ways to help:

La Paz Rises

https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Paz-Rises/636793356437674

Links for donations and other info will be up and hopefully it can be of use as a clearing house for info.  My wife Jill started this page.

 FANLAP (Judy’s kids)

http://icf-xchange.org/donateonline/index.php?webkey=losninosdelapaz

Cruceros (search, rescue etc)

http://www.gofundme.com/en7dtw

Waves for Water

http://www.gofundme.com/en7dtw

Baja disaster relief fund (Mexican Red Cross/International Community Foundation)

http://icf-xchange.org/donateonline/?webkey=bajadisasterrelief

 

That’s our story.   

combo-signature-black letters

Jonathan Roldan’s

Tailhunter International

Website: 

http://www.tailhunter-international.com

Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

U.S. Mailing Address:  Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA  91942

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:  https://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videoshttp://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate

“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”

Read Full Post »

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report from Tailhunter International for Week of Sept. 14-21, 2014

CNN weather

BIG AND ANGRY! ODILE sat right on us.

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Odile’s tracking path up the Baja

 

HISTORIC STORM  RIPS INTO BAJA

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Sept 14-21

What a week!

I could be writing for many many pages over what has happened since our last fishing report a week ago, but let me try to summarize everything.  You can surely look up alot of this (especially photos and video online by googling it!) but since I’m writing this and we do not have much electricity and only sporadic and very slow internet,  I have to be brief before I lose the signal again.  Most of the La Paz photos are mine.  Others from friends and clients.  Others taken from the internet with appreciation and apologies in order to tell the story.

WHAT HAPPENED:

  • A bit more than a week ago ODILE appeared on our weather radars with some trepidation.  It gathered speed and power, but like more than a dozen storms before it, the weather models showed it coming our way then glancing out to see giving us maybe some a bit of rain and wind.  We were all relieved.  The week before, Hurricane Norbert had come at us and didn’t do much other than keep our boats off the water for two days.  No harm to anyone or to property.
  • Last Saturday night, ODILE did something even the experts didn’t expect.  It turned rapidly back right into Baja.  Predictions had it anywhere from a Category 2 to Category 5 Hurricane (5 being the strongest).  Hurricane Sandy that hit the East Coast last year was a 3.
  • Being that this was a 4 day holiday weekend, everyone was ready to party.  No one paying much attention to the weather and gearing up for the huge Independence Day Festivities.
  • We watch the weather daily and warned as many as we could and geared up for it. Most in La Paz thought it would be “just another strong storm.”  We knew differently.  We hunkered down and advised our clients to do the same.
  • Around midnight it slammed into La Paz.  Hurricane ODILE ripped in with 110-140 mph winds.  Turned into the strongest hurricane in Baja history.
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Even after it has passed, 30-40 mph winds continued to hit La Paz the morning after.

WHAT IT WAS LIKE

  • It was like being inside a vacuum cleaner full blast with giant trains blasting through.  Tree branches shattered.  Entire trees pulled up by the roots came crashing down.  Furniture blew.  Glass breaking everywhere.  Our ceiling collapses.  Roofs lifted off.  Cement walls knocked over.
  • Power lines falling.  Paint peeled off walls.  Bark completely stripped off trees.   Telephone pole and power poles snapped in half or at ground level.  Rain and wind both coming in sheets.  Sound so loud you can’t talk or hear a yell.  Vehicles tipped over.  Beach palapas tossed topsy turvy in the air like the little umbrellas in tropical drinks.
  • Statues knocked off pedestals.  Signs ripped off buildings.  Metal sreet light poles, not just broken, but twisted like licorice until they snapped. Rocks and boulders tumbling from hillsides.  Boats blown off their anchor and moorings.  Many sunk.  Many blown aground across the bay.  Boats in yards knocked over like tenpins. Entire sides of high buildings stripped off a cat had clawed them.

AFTERMATH

The storm came through quickly that literally, it was over fast.  By the next morning, everyone was out and surveying the damage.  Most were relieved.  But that’s when it really got worse.

LA PAZ

  • Lots or property damage.  No water, power, cell, electricity, gasoline.  Many many trees torn up by the roots.  Debris everywhere.  30-40 boats in the marina sunk.  Power lines criss-crossed across road.  Power poles and trees snapped off and fallen across homes and crushing walls.  Road blocked.
  • Airport shut down.
  • Several persons missing with their boats (later found deceased)
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Many old trees were pulled up by their roots and were knocked or blown over.

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Debris everywhere. Many trees and plants were completely denuded.

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Beach palapa flipped upside down after it snapped and tossed 30 yards up the beach.

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Phone lines and power poles askew

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La Concha pool turned into a green murky pond of debris.

CABO SAN LUCAS

  • Entire neighborhoods flatted and destroyed
  • New Airport destroyed
  • Widespread destruction in hotels and homes
  • Estimated 30,000 tourists stranded with no flights
  • Estimated 25,000 people in shelters
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Entire neighborhoods in Cabo were destroyed.

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Many lost everything. Many of those didn’t have much to begin with.

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The remains of Cabo Airport.

IN THE PAST WEEK SINCE HURRICANE

LA PAZ

  • Many areas still without water or power, but slowly coming back.  Most of the hotels have power and water by day 4.
  • Cell phone reception in many areas returned by day 3
  • Gasoline shortages critical for a few days with rationing or running out, especially as folks from Cabo San Lucas migrated up and started to purchase gas.  Same with food shortages.  Many of the larger markets and stores are empty, but getting better after 1 week as supplies come in.
  • Some looting reported, but has been controlled
  • Boats in the marina or those that have been abandoned and grounded have been looted.
  • Airport semi-open after being closed for a few days.  There are some commercial flights starting next week.  Volaris Airlines sent down several empty planes to help with evacuations.
  • It took us 5 days to evacuate all of our clients through the La Paz Airport and through the La Paz Ferryboat taking.  Many took another 2-4 days to finally get home to the U.S. Some were stuck in airports for several days sleeping on floors waiting to get flights.
  • It looked like Hurricane Polo was going to kick us again this weekend, but it tempered down to a tropical storm and now threatens only some rain this weekend and during the week.  GRACIAS A DIOS!  But, it’s like dog-piling on a guy with two broken legs.
  • Town is packed with refugees and escapees from Cabo San Lucas trying to get away or just looking for a roof and water or here trying to purchase gas and food or supplies. There are ZERO hotel rooms available at night.  Even the littlest hole-in-the-wall place is booked with people waiting to get in.  Even if the hotel does not have full water and power, people are happy to be away from Cabo.
  • As La Paz is the capital of the State of Baja Sur and the seat of government, crews have been working around the clock and hundreds of techs from mainland Mexico along with equipment have been brought over to get electricity and communications back on the grid.
Power lines and debris are knocked over on a street after Hurricane Odile hit La Paz

Destruction in downtown La Paz

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The roof of one downtown Pemex gas station in La Paz came crashing down.

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The La Paz waterfront malecon soaked and sloshed

CABO SAN LUCAS

  • By everyone’s account, this is going to take a long time to re-build.
  • Thousands of troops and police have been brought in to get control.
  • It has been described as a war zone.  Destruction is everywhere.
  • Looting has been widespread.  All the big stores have been emptied.
  • Gangs roaming the streets with weapons and machetes have been reported
  • Citizen groups have banded together to protect their neighborhoods and homes and using rocks, re-bar and bricks to defend themselves against attacking gangs.
  • Much gunfire heard at night
  • False roadblocks have been reported in order to hi-jack cars
  • The airport has two runways open for military, government and humanitarian flights to help with lack of food, water and medicine.  80% of the city still has no power or phones.
  • Estimates that half of the 30,000 stranded tourists have now been evacuated a week after the hurricane.
  • The U.S. State Department has recommended that folks get to their nearest Cabo or La Paz Airport and special flights are being used to evacuate, but expect long waits.
  • Many many people driving to La Paz to escape.  Roads are damaged, but passable.  Roads north of La Paz up to the U.S. are down in some places due to flooding and damage, and expect waits, but it’s usable most of the time.  Work going on  constantly.  All of those communities…El Rosario, Constitucion, Loreto, Mulege, etc. all sustained their own damage from ODILE.
  • They say that by this week some airlines like Alaska will be running flights in and out’ve Cabo San Lucas.

 

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Looting in Cabo San Lucas. Diapers and cereal for the kids.  Cup o Noodle for Mom and Dad.  But Captain Morgan too?

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It got ugly during the looting

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What’s left of Cabo Walmart

TAILHUNTER

We had some REALLY GREAT FISHING going on before the hurricane! Dangit, the storm spoiled it all.  When the storm hit, we had several dozen folks here and the aftermath was the most difficult.  Many of our folks never got to fish at all.  However, thankfully, no one was hurt and our biggest situation was (1)  Getting the home and evacuated safely and (2)  While they were stuck here making them as comfortable as possible given no water…electricity…cell phones…and dwindling food.

Almost all of our folks were at La Concha Beach Resort thankfully so it made it easier than other times when we might have dozens of folks scattered among, 3, 4 or 5 locations.  The folks and staff at La Concha were and continue to be magnificent.  Much of the hotel was damaged.  Of the more than 100 rooms only 20 did not sustain damage.  Even 1 week after the storm, there is still no water or power fully established.

However, the hotel folks worked round the clock.  Many of them sleeping at the hotel and working by candlelight or digging out rooms and grounds from debris, fallen trees, broken glass and shredded walls.  A limited menu was served during special hours in the lobby since the restaurant glass was blown out but they really did a good job on the food.

Our drivers, Jorge and Esteban were freakin’ heroes.  Despite their own problems at their own homes, they ferried our people to and from markets…to and from airports and the ferrys…at all hours at their OWN expense…just to help out and always doing it with a smile and good sense of humor even in the most stressful times even when their own families needed their presence.  There was nothing they wouldn’t do.

Kudos also to our guests…who hung in there during a trying time with patience and good will and all the laughs possible under the circumstances.  They were all stars.  No one losing their cool.  No one going “Ugly American.”  No one blaming anyone, but rather helping each other and bonding and hanging tough.  Thankfully, everyone got home or is on their way home.  No one injured.  No one hurt.  I’m just sorry that their vacations took such a turn.

Tailhunter Restaurant is open.  Our own staff kicked butt and cleaned up most of the damage and allowed us to open 3 days after the storm with a limited menu, but open when many others still were closed.  Many of our “new friends” are from Cabo San Lucas and just relieved to be here and we’ve been sharing our phones and internet signals with them so they can reach out.  For many, this is their first time in La Paz.   We are still having trouble with ice and some food items, but each day it’s been a bit better.

As for the fishing…well…regretfully, we’ve had a load of cancellations understandably.  We’re telling everyone who postpones that they will get 100% credit towards their new dates.  We have had no banks open or available all week. Banks aren’t even answering their phones.  Not even an ATM,  so doing business has been problematic.  But we’re still here and we’ll pull out’ve this.  Losses have been huge, but could have been worse and there are so many others who have it much worse than us.

But, as for yesterday, we have been putting a few stranded folks on boats and there’s still dorado out there!  We can actually see rooster fish breaking just off the beach outside the restaurant.  So the fish are waiting! They haven’t been biting really well because the waters are really messed up, but if we don’t get any more turbulence, waters should clear up and fish will be back…we hope!

Will keep you as posted as we can signal and phone reception allowing.  Thank you for all your good wishes.  We’ve literally gotten hundreds of e-mails, phone messages and facebook messages and simply cannot answer them all.

IF YOU WANT TO HELP

Jill put together these links if you’d like to help and make donations:

La Paz Rises

https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Paz-Rises/636793356437674

Links for donations and other info will be up and hopefully it can be of use as a clearing house for info.

FANLAP (Judy’s kids)

http://icf-xchange.org/donateonline/index.php?webkey=losninosdelapaz

Cruceros (search, rescue etc)

http://www.gofundme.com/en7dtw

Waves for Water

http://www.gofundme.com/en7dtw

Baja disaster relief fund (Mexican Red Cross/International Community Foundation)

http://icf-xchange.org/donateonline/?webkey=bajadisasterrelief

God bless.  That’s our story

combo-signature-black letters

Jonathan and Jilly

Jonathan Roldan’s

Tailhunter International

Website: 

www.tailhunter-international.com

Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

U.S. Mailing Address:  Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA  91942

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:  https://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videoshttp://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate

“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”

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La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report from Tailhunter International for Week of Sept. 7-14, 2014

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Bruce Dodge (in the shirt with the scales) and his amigos from S.California had a great 3 days of fishing with good numbers or dorado between 10 and 35 pounds plus other species. Here they were with some of their fish from Las Arenas on the beach at Bahia de los Muertos!

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The skies darken in a matter of minutes at Bahia de Los Muertos as we wait for our fishing pangas to hurredly get back in!

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The track of Hurricane ODILE as of Sunday morning.

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Chris Kerley and Bob Patterson with some big grins and big dorado including this huge bull on the sand at Muertos Bay.

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Captain Jorge does a group shot with Jeff Bobo and Rod Emi from the Los Angeles area and their first day of fishing.

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Tasty catch and an unusual one for Chris Kerley and his pompano. Normally, we don’t see these fish until springtime. Great eating and related to yellowtail, jack crevalle, roosterfish and amberjack.

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It’s great to see folks catch a “FIRST!” For Mike and Karina jennings from Black Diamond, Washington, these are their first roosterfish. In fact, for Karina, it was her first-ever saltwater fish. All fish were released.

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New Mexico in the house! Captain “Arkie” Archangel helps photo op another nice bull dorado with our amigos, Scott Burmeister and Bo Herrera from New Mexico.

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Great colors on Mike Jennings nice dorado with Punta Perrico in the background.

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Mike Delaney is all smiled with Captain Pancho and this nice barred pargo headed for the barbecue.

 

POWERFUL HURRICANE ODILE BEARS DOWN ON LA PAZ PUTS SOGGY END TO GOOD WEEK

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Aug 7-14, 2014

Another in a long string of crazy weeks!

Last week Tropical Storm Norbert hit us and interrupted a really nice jag of fishing for a few days.  No real damage, just some wind and rain and enough to have to cancel fishing for two days.

But, then, with each passing day away from Norbert, fishing got better and better and better!

For the better part of this week, we were well into some really nice dorado.  Good school-sized fish from 8-15 pounds mixed with some larger 20-40 pound models.  Both our Tailhunter Las Arenas and Tailhunter La Paz fleets were bent on fish every day!

In addition to the dorado, we were also getting into some sailfish, striped marlin, rooster fish to 50 pounds, a couple of wahoo hookups (none landed) and even some pargo and cabrilla along with the bonito!

A real nice mix.  Lots of action.  Great conditions. Good numbers of fish.

And all during this time, we saw another storm…”ODILE” forming up south of us.  Initially, it looked like it was coming straight for us.  It as cause for concern.

But, as with about a dozen storms before it, it started up our way, then with each day it veered further and further west out into the Pacific.  At most, we expected a bit of rain and wind.  We could handle that.

But, then Saturday night about midnight, ODILE, pulled a fast one and unexpectedly veered right back at Baja.  And, as I’m writing this Sunday evening,  it’s gonna be a big one.  It’s possibly going to be a CATEGORY 4 or 5!  That’s “Katrina”-sized storm.  That means winds and rains up to about 120-150 mph.

As I’m writing this, rains are just starting to fall and winds are escalating.  We were able to fish today, but we’re canceling fishing tomorrow (MONDAY) and probably Tuesday as well as I’m sure the port captain won’t allow anyone out.  We expect that by this evening, we’ll start getting the heavy rains and we’ll get slammed SUNDAY NIGHT.

We had the football games going full turbo at our Tailhunter Restaurant, but had to send everyone home after the Chargers/ Seahawks game in order to start dismantling the restaurant to securing everything agains the storm and also to let our employees get home to their families.  We’re sandbagging and locking everything down.  Basically under siege for a few days.  Hopefully, we’ll all be fine.

AND FISHING AGAIN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS!

That’s our story!

Jonathan and Jilly

Jonathan Roldan’s

Tailhunter International

Website: 

http://www.tailhunter-international.com

Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

U.S. Mailing Address:  Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA  91942

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:  https://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videoshttp://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate

“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”

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La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report from Tailhunter International for Week of Sept. 1-7, 2014

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Scott McKenzie from Seattle WA and his sisters Jana and Lauren have fished with us many times for many years and caught all kinds of fish with us including marlin that they released. But this one was quite a story. While fishing with our Tailhunter fleet at Bahia de Los Muertos, they caught a few dorado the saw a marlin on the surface. They tossed a bait at it and the fish went off. Over three hours, the three of them battled the fish on a light rod and 40-pound test. However, during the first hour they almost had the fish to the boat and it was battling down and bulldogging without doing much jumping. Suddenly the big striper went ballistic as two killer whales started to chase it! During the balance of the battle, the fish stayed largely airborne trying to avoid the killer whales which circled the marlin and the panga adding quite a measure of excitement. They finally got the fish to the boat but were not able to revive it…but the marlin probable didn’t want to go back in the water anyway. The killer whales kept circling and finally swam off.

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The McKenzie marlin gets air as it’s being chased by the killer whales!

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Happy Birthday to me! Our good amigo, Mike Whitlow from Kennewick, WA came down to celebrate #50 with us. He’s a spectacular light tackle fisherman and pro bass guy too! He got himself this nice rooster on light tackle and did a great release after the photo! Feliz cumpleanos, amigo!

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Some images from Mike Whitlow’s 50th birthday party at Tailhunter Restaurant! Good time had by all! Thanks for sharing, Mike and Wendy!

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Darryl “Buffalo Soldier” Poindexter…one of the nicest and funnest guys on his first trip regretfully, only got to fish one day before the storm hit us ,but he made the most of it with a good day of dorado fishing like this nice bull he presses overhead!

NORBERT

It was FUGLY! Norbert eventually turned into a Cat 3 hurricane that by now has gone up the Baja coast and is dropping rain on the SW United States, but not before doing some pretty bad damage to Baja coastal areas. Gratefully, La Paz didn’t get hit too hard, but enough to put the clamp on fishing. Better to be safe and dry with a cold one.

HURRICANE PARTY!

When you can’t fish…fishermen very often…find other means of entertainment! Thanks to everyone this week, including Alex Trasvina and his boys who kept grinning even tho’ they had only one day to fish and had to cancel. They ended up at Tailhunter Restaurant watching football and raising their glasses! Salud, Fish Brothers! The “Tequila Bandito” says you rock!

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This is another great story. Adam Florence all the way from Kansas was fishing with Captain Pancho. He went to Walmart here in La Paz and got a cheapo freshwater spinning rod with 8 lb. test. He got bit big time and this bull dorado was all he could handle almost spooling him. They had to chase it down with the boat!

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Great shot and super fish by Wade Ralston who visited us from Washington on his first trip down. Punta Perrico in the background right off the rocks. Wade is a light tackle guy and fishes bass tournaments professionally. He did a great catch-and-release on this pez gallo.

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Nick Petrilli and his son, Nick, Jr. had a banner day out’ve Las Arenas with Captain Pancho and a slammer of mahi.

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Just after the storm, the waters started to get back to normal. Dave Sundgren and Steve Rosebaugh hold up a nice pair on the beach at Bahia de los Muertos!

 

GOOD FISHING SLAMMED BY STORM NORBERT

ALTHOUGH LA PAZ ESCAPES DAMAGE

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of July 1-7, 2014

It was a worrisome week on alot of levels.  The previous week had been one of the slowest weeks of fishing for the season for no apparent reason.  All the signs were there for good fishing, yet the fish just either didn’t show up or just weren’t ready to cooperate.  It wasn’t just slow, it was dead.

So, we jumped into this week not knowing what was going to happen. It was a tale of two completely different weeks…

EARLY IN THE WEEK

As it turned out, the fishing came back to life!  Maybe not full blast, but compared to the previous week, we were rocking with bent rods and good variety.  Both of our fleets…the Tailhunter fleet in Las Arenas and our Tailhunter La Paz fleets found dorado between 8 and 15 pounds on the average, but also some of the trophy bulls running 20-40 pounds.  Limits were not uncommon and it was good to see that some times there were so many fish that anglers were releasing them as fast as they could go or at least kicking back the small ones!  It’s been a few weeks since we had that kind of bite.  Moreso, we often had double…triple…and quadruple hookups!

Even better, for our Las Arenas fleet where it’s really been a struggle sometimes, we not only had dorado, but a surprising number of sailfish and marlin were hooked between 70 and 200 pounds.  Most were released, but really did a number for some of the guys using light tackle.

As well, rooster fish showed up again between 10 and 50 pounds and we even had a few wahoo hooked up although none made it back to the boats!  Add in some big bonito…jack crevalle…some pargo and snapper and it made for a pretty decent week of fishing.

During this whole time, we were all watching the weather…and watching…and watching.  Norbert started as a little blip…it got bigger and bigger…and went to tropical storm level.  But like so many other storms that have appeared on the horizon down south, the tracking for the storm showed it was going out to the Pacific and wouldn’t do more than drop a little rain on us.  We were sure that like all the other storms, it would continue to veer out and away from Baja.

It didn’t…

LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK

Tropical Storm Norbert became Hurricane Norbert and would eventually reach a category 3 ripper.  Although La Paz did not suffer extensive damage, in areas of Cabo and along the Pacific Coast, there was extensive flooding and damage.  Several thousand people had to be evacuated and over 1000 homes were damaged.  At the time of writing this, there was at least 1 fatality related to the storm.

For us in La Paz, the heavy wind and rain hit us just as we were launching in the early dark of Thursday morning.  Rain began to pelt and the winds began to howl.  And it got stronger.  We all went for cover and hunkered down. And hunkered down.

For three days pretty much everyone had to sit it out.    The roads to Las Arenas got flooded.  Mud everywhere.  While La Paz pretty much did not flood. there were intermittent bits of heavy wind…rain…drizzle…and more rain as the storm passed.  AND THE PORT WAS CLOSED!  So, we couldn’t even get out if we wanted to.  For safety measures, the port captain kept the port bottled up and prevented anyone from leaving until mid-morning Saturday.

It was really bad especially for some of our many anglers who never got to fish before having to go home.  Or only getting to fish 1 day or 2 days.  And, when they did get to fish, conditions weren’t the best.  If it wasn’t windy or wet, then the waters, even after the storm passed, were turned over green and muddy.  Hat’s off to so many guys who grinned and were patient and still kept smiling while we did our best to control things of which we had no control.  You guys and gals are the best!

It wasn’t until Sunday that we finally started to see some changes in the water and some better fishing action with dorado, billfish and pargo waking up.

This coming week, as you’re reading this looks like it might have some of the best weather we’ve seen in awhile.  Hopefully, it lets the fishing come ripping back!

That’s our story!

combo-signature-black letters

Jonathan and Jilly

Jonathan Roldan’s

Tailhunter International

Website: 

www.tailhunter-international.com

Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

U.S. Mailing Address:  Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA  91942

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:  https://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videoshttp://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate

“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”

Read Full Post »

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report from Tailhunter International Sportfishing for Week of Aug. 24-31, 2014

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Fish were hard to come by this past week, let alone BIG fish! But Shawn Parker knocked in this big bull dorado fishing with our Tailhunter Las Arenas fleet. Great colors!

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Big-headed bull dorado for Tony Perkins who gets a photo op hand from Captain Boli with our Tailhunter La Paz fleet. Check out the flat waters. Cerralvo Island in the distance.

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Geri Cammack loves to fish and she always does well and I have so many photos of her laughing. But not on this one for some reason even tho’ she has a big dorado on the gaff! Geri is from Idaho and was visiting us with amigo, Al Sandstrom.   (And they love eating their fish at Tailhunters Restaurant)

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I love goof-ball candid shots. One of the best of the season is Captain Rogelio “Jolly Roger” Camacho who had the best week of any of our captains with stellar fishing 5 straight days with Leif Dover, our Atlanta GA amigo who visits us twice a year and shows off another big bull dorado.

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One of the funnest guys, but always takes serious fishing photos, Walt Topping from the Santa Ynez Valley got into the report with a nice bull while fishing with Captain Boli and our Tailhunter La Paz fleet.

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Johnny Gilbertson hung tough all week even during difficult fishing and kept at it hard! He did get this bull dorado just off Punta Arenas one of his days fishing with our Las Arenas fleet.

 

CONDITIONS GOOD BUT FISH PLAY HARD-TO-GET! TOUGH WEEK OF FISHING…

La  Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Aug. 24-31, 2014

 

It was a strange and not very good week on alot of levels here.  It was hard to put a finger on it.  Dare I say, it might have been the toughest week of fishing of the year…and maybe in many years of being down here!  It was just STINKY for lack of a better word.

Early in the week, it seemed we had threats of rainstorms just about every day.  Some days it would actually rain pretty hard for awhile.  Other days, we got nothing but clouds.  But, it surely kept us on alert and trying to figure if it would be better for our fishing clients to fish out’ve La Paz or Las Arenas.

Mostly, just to be on the safe side, we kept folks fishing with our Tailhunter La Paz fleet.  Dorado were more-or-less ready, willing and able and everyone was hooking fish.  Not alot of big ones, but fun sized 10-20 pounders with occasional 25-30 pounders plus some billfish.

When we did fish Las Arenas, there were rooster fish and enough 10 pound dorado to at least keep it interesting.

Later in the week, it seemed that the weather pretty much cleared up.  We were pretty excited after watching clouds for so many days!

The conditions looked awesome.  Sunny skies…dark moon…blue water…decent bait (at least more than we had before)…good currents…warm water…but WAIT!

NO FISH!

I don’t know what happened, but the latter part of the week it was almost like a dead ocean.  Not only did the dorado go lock-jaw on us, but so did the bonito and even needlefish got scarce!

Many of our ace captains who NEVER get shut out were coming back with nothing or only 1 or 2 fish.  Maybe one day that can happen, but 2, 3, 4 days in a row?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many days go dead on us.  At least not that many consecutive days.

Hopefully, but the time you’re reading this, things will have turned on again!  Any day now!  But we have to keep an eye out…MORE RAIN IS PREDICTED THIS WEEK!  NO HURRICANES BUT THUNDERSHOWERS PREDICTED!

Thanks to all the amigos who fished this week and kept the smiles.  You’re all champs!  Even when the fish weren’t biting, you kept at it and were all great sports!

That’s our story!

combo-signature-black letters

Jonathan and Jilly

Jonathan Roldan’s

Tailhunter International

Website: 

www.tailhunter-international.com

Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

U.S. Mailing Address:  Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA  91942

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:  https://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videoshttp://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate

“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”

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La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report from Tailhunter International for Week of Aug. 10-17, 2014

Steve Dorsey dorado 8-14 tags small

Another pretty solid week of dorado fishing with some really nice bulls taken including this sweet one that jumped a bait and bent Steve Dorsey’s rod fishing north of La Paz.

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Captain Adolfo poses with our Colorado amigo, Frank Kunze who fished with us all week and had a good shot of dorado including this nice bull he got on the flyrod after just missing a rooster on the fly. He’s on the beach here at Bahia de los Muertos.

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Ed Sakuda was on his first visit to fish Las Arenas and we think he’s “sold” on coming back with 3 days of dorado fishing. His sister Caryn and her husband Mark Aizawa from Pasadena CA get in the photo too!

Dan Llerena tags 8-14 small dorado

Daniel Llerena from Buena Park had never fished salt water before and his dad hadn’t fished in salt water in more than a decade! The two of them came down and got in two quick days of fishing with some great results! Dan was fishing with Captain Joel when he put the hurt on this mahi.

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Lee Carlson from the Denver Colorado area, spent 6 days on the water with us fishing with both our Tailhunter fleets and shows off one of his better bull dorado he got near Cerralvo Island.

Dan Hayler and his family all got together on one of our mega pangas for a day of fishing on the bay and had a nice day of action.  The family is from Upland CA.

Dan Hayler and his family all got together on one of our mega pangas for a day of fishing on the bay and had a nice day of action. The family is from Upland CA.

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Gino and his son Daniel Llerena got in two quick days of fishing and made the most of it with some nice dorado as well as this striped marlin on light tackle. Cerralvo Island in the background.

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Kelly Soo Hoo has fished with us before and did really well. This time she brought her son, Nick, for his first experience. Nice had a great time and got a variety of fish including these very tough jack crevalle!

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From Bankor, Pennsylvania, Rich Normyl had a full hand of mahi. Check out the storm clouds coming up behind him at Bahia de los Muertos!

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The whale sharks have returned to La Paz bay. Dan Hayler took this great photo of a “baby” whaleshark of only about 20 feet in the shallow bay water. They can grow to over 50 feet long and are true sharks, but are gentle and have no teeth and eat plankton.

This is what 15 minutes of rain produces on the La Paz waterfront right in front of our Tailhunter Restaurant Bar.

 

CRAZY WEATHER PACES FISH BITE

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Aug 10-17, 2014

 

Even with the week of “super moon” we still had a pretty decent week of fishing going on.  Even with the tropical thundershowers late in the week that were almost like baby hurricanes, the fish still bit.  But it was a bit of a challenge.  But, like I said, the fish still bit.

The super moon was beautiful over Baja waters, especially here in La Paz over the bay making it much like a postcard with the huge bright moon shimmering over the bay and the palm trees.

The big problem was more of these afternoon thunderstorms that crashed into us late in the day.  Fortunately, mostly after the fishing was done.  But something to watch.  Blue skies would darken quickly.  Incredible lightning storms would follow then almost simultaneously thunderclaps that would sound like they were right overhead.  During one 2 hour period during one storm, over 70 light night strikes were counted.  During another storm, a bolt hit a palm tree on the malecon waterfront area igniting it which then caused it to fall on the palapa roof of a popular bar.  The bar caught on fire then burned to the ground with huge flames 30 feet in the air.

Within minutes of the thunder and lightning the rains would cascade.  Huge rolling waves of sheer water flooded streets and turned many into rivers and lower areas and arroyos into raging category 2 or 3 cauldrons that would’ve been the envy of whitewater kayakers…except they were all brown mud!

Cars suddenly found themselves up to the doors in water and many stalled.  Neighborhoods found themselves turned into islands with people trapped in long rainy lines unable to leave the area and others in the opposite directions unable to return home.  Off the La Paz cliffs, mini-Yosemite-like waterfalls tumbled 20, 30 40 feet to the roads along with rocks and boulders.  In a one hour period during one storm, more than 3 inches of water descended on La Paz.

But, like I said as far as fishing, at least most of this was all taking place later in the day or evenings when the fishing was done.

LAS ARENAS

There was only one day during the week when we decided it wasn’t worth it to fish Las Arenas because of the stormy conditions.  The rest of the time, for the most part, Las Arenas was pretty much as good as it has been all year.  Relatively speaking.

We actually even had small sardines to use for bait and we had flyfishers hooking rooster fish, dorado, jack crevalle and bonito.

The dorado were 5-15 pounders with a few 20-30 pounders as well.  If a boat found the right spot, limits were pretty easy.  Roosterfish, while not as plentiful as earlier in the season were still around with most in the 10-30 pound class.  Bonito, jack crevalle and even some barred pargo gave us some variety.

LA PAZ

Our La Paz fishery has been the most consistent all year.  Some days are better than others, like anywhere else, but 9 out’ve 10 days, the fish are around and biting.  Even on that 10th day, I’m not sure what the issue is, but anglers and my captains will tell me…”The fish were all around.  We could see them or they would sniff the baits, but just wouldn’t take the baits!”

That was usually made up for on the other days of fishing when the dorado would be found in many areas from just inside the bait to the island and then around the point to El Rosario and Las Cruces.

Generally, the fish were 10-15 pounders although there were still persistent squirts in the 5 pound class around.  But, larger 20-30 pounders were not uncommon.  We also hooked some marlin and sailfish with most being released as well as some stray rooster fish that ran about 30 pounds near Espirito Santo Island.

That’s our story!

combo-signature-black letters

Jonathan and Jill

Jonathan Roldan’s

Tailhunter International

Website: 

www.tailhunter-international.com

Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

U.S. Mailing Address:  Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA  91942

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:  https://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videoshttp://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate

“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”

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La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report from Tailhunter International Sportfishing for Week of Aug. 3-10, 2014

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First-time visitor to La Paz with Tailhunters, Jack Calafato from San Diego got one of the larger dorado of the week scoring with this nice bull on his first day of fishing while on the water near Bahia de los Muertos.

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Our good friend for many years, Bob Lederer, from Massachusetts with Captain Ramiro and a trophy bull dorado taken at Las Arenas.

rooster Rich Normyl from PA tags 8-14

Somewhere behind this fat round roosterfish is Rich Normyle from Bangor, Pennsylvania. His first bait hit the water and got spanked by the big fish and took 20 minutes to get to the boat. It was photo’d and released. Captain Raul with the Tailhunter La Paz fleet looks on and “helps” with the tail!

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Captain Pancho is all smiles with our Oregon amiga, Mitch Bohna, and her dorado she hooked very close to the beach off Boca de Alamo.

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Not a bad start to several days of fishing. Dennis Adair from N. California and Doug Oclassen from Colorado pose with a nice bunch of mahi on the sand.

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Big smiles from Kris Brownlee who gets a hand from husband, Luke, with this fine roosterfish that chased a live ladyfish between Boca de Alamo and Bahia de Los Muertos justt off the rocks. They caught and released several nice fish.  They’re from Rock Springs, Wyoming.

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Captain Armando poses with our amiga, Shelley McDonell on the sand with a nice bull dorado that still has its colors. Shelley and Captain Armando always make a good team every year.

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The ladies had a good week! Captain Jorge and Patty Lovato from the Denver, Colorado area on her first trip to fish with us in La Paz.

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OC in the house! From S. California, Brendan Rowland, Dr. Mark Mulkerin and Ed Begany spent a few days fishing with us at Tailhunter and got into some good action with 2 days fishing at Las Arenas.

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Dennie Dyer and Matt Lederer were just fishing with us and insist they got a yellowtail! Take a look. It’s hard to tell from the photo, but Dennie does seem to be holding a yellowtail…a fish we only catch in the colder waters! It might be a rainbow runner (yellowtail cousin), but hard to tell. Still a nice catch and tasty too…with the dorado!

DORADO KICK IT IN AT LAS ARENAS FINALLY !

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Aug. 3-10, 2014

Once again, dorado really kept up the for both our Tailhunter fleets this past week.  Weather and water were fairly cooperative and threats of rain, while bringing some clouds, never materialized and, instead helped keep the heat away, although the humidity was still pretty thick.  All-in-all, a pretty good week of action!

LAS ARENAS

Over the past few weeks, this has been our tougher spot.  There have been fish there all year, but lots of small fish and not a whole lot else.  It if weren’t for the rooster fish there or the fortuitous marlin or sailfish plus jack crevalle and bonito, it would be a real yawner.  Don’t get me wrong.  Still good fishing!  But, historically, this time of year, Las Arenas should be on fire instead of a steady smolder.  But, we’ve been spoiled all these years.  The lack of bait hasn’t helped.

Many of or clients have switched to our other fleet at La Paz to get not only more fish, but bigger fish!

Not so, this past week.  We actually had the migration of clients doing just the opposite!  We had clients wanting to spend more time fishing Las Arenas than La Paz.

For one, it was a little easier to get bait.  In fact, we even had some small sardines by the end of the week.  Whether the fishing was a function of the bait, or there were simply more fish in the water, the quantity as well as the quality o fish improved.

There still weren’t alot of “beast fish” with most of the larger fish being 20 pounders or so with a few 40 pound dorado.  But, the “smaller fish” were much better.  Instead of the 5 pound punks we were getting all season, the upgraded models were 10-12 pounders and limits of fish were fairly common.  As one of our anglers said, “We could honestly have caught 10, 20 or more dorado each day,  if it wasn’t for the fact that we wanted to get more variety and went chasing other species 1/2 way through the day.  We got all the dorado we wanted!”

Sorry, no tuna have shown up…yet!  And wahoo fishing hasn’t been so great either the last few weeks.  However, there’s quite a few marlin and sailfish around if you want to chase them.

Even our flyfishermen got into the fish this week as well!

LA PAZ

For the past few weeks, if you wanted to fill your ice chest, we had you fishing with our La Paz fleet.  More and bigger fish had been the rule rather than the exception.

This past week, Las Arenas actually stepped out a little better.

It was still good for our La Paz anglers, but it seemed like there were more small fish than normal and not as many.  However, if you wanted a shot at a 30-40 pounder, La Paz still gave you the best opportunity at a trophy.

The fish are in a wide area.  You can seriously find fish right in the bay.  In fact, we can see dorado, roosters and jack crevalle breaking just a few hundred yards in front of our Tailhunter Restaurant every day from our 2nd and 3rd floor terraces and birds working the schools like crazy.  So, if you honestly didn’t want to go out too far, the bay is definitely holding fish.

Other areas are just south of Espirito Santo Island and along the current breaks west and east of the island.  Another hot spot that’s actually being shared by both our Las Arenas and our La Paz fleet is just offshore from El Rosario/ Las Cruces/ Punta Gorda north of El Sargento.  Some of our largest fish every week come from that drop off area where the shallow water falls off into the trench.

If you’re looking for billfish, sails and marlin are being caught right in the middle of schools of small dorado.  Presumably, the billfish are in the schools feeding on the smaller fry dorado.

Roosters are getting round along the beaches too!  Still some hog 40-60 pounders around.

That’s our story!

combo-signature-black letters

Jonathan and Jilly

Jonathan Roldan’s

Tailhunter International

Website: 

www.tailhunter-international.com

Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico

U.S. Mailing Address:  Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA  91942

Phones:

from USA : 626-638-3383

from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863

.

Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:  https://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/

Tailhunter YouTube Videoshttp://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate

“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”

Read Full Post »

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