Posts Tagged ‘light line’

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

Posted in amberjack, Bahia de Los Muertos, Bahia de los Suenos, Bahia de los Suenos fishing, bahia magdalena, Baja, baja fishing, Baja fishing reports, Baja sportfishing packages, baja sur, Baja Vacations, beach, bonito, cabo san lucas, cabrilla, catch-and-release, Cerralvo Island, Cerralvo Island Fishing, Chad Schearer, charters, Costa Baja Resort, day trips, dog tooth snapper, dorado, east cape, ecotourism, el sargento, espirito, espirito santo island, family, family fishing, fish, fish report, fishing, fishing and hunting shows, fishing charters, fishing guides, fishing reports, fishing tackle, fishing techniques, fishing tips, fishing tournaments, fishing trips, fishing video, fishing videos, flyfishing, Fred Hall Fishing Show, fred hall fishing shows, freediving, girls fishing, gray whales, grouper, holidays, IGFA, International Fish and Game, International Sportsmans Expo, ISE, jack crevalle, jonathan roldan, kids, La Concha Beach Resort, La Paz, la paz baja sur, la paz fishing, La Paz Vacations, la ventana, La Ventana Fishing, Las Arenas, Las Arenas fishing, light tackle, mag bay, mahi mahi, marlin, mexican, Mexican sportfishing outfitters, Mexican sportfishing packages, mexico, mexico fishing, Mexico vacations, Muertos Bay Fishing, outfitters, Pacific Northwest Sportsmans Show, packages, panga, pargo, pompano, Portland Expo Center, rainbow runner, robalo, roosterfish, sailfish, scuba, sea of cortez, Shoot Straight TV, sierra, sierra mackeral, snapper, snook, snorkel, spearfishing, sportfishing packages, squid, swimming, tailhunter, tailhunter international, Tournament fishing, travel, tuna, Tuna tournament, vacations, wahoo, Washington Sportsmens show, Western Outdoor New Tuna Jackpots, Western Outdoor News, whales, whalesharks, whalewatching, women fishing, world records, yellowfin tuna, yellowtail, tagged accommodations, amberjack, bahia, bahia madgalena, baja, bay, beach, best, billfish, bluewater, cabo san lucas, cabrilla, captains, catch-and-release, Cerralvo, certified scale, charter, child, children, cubera, day tour, day trip, deep sea, discount, dorado, east cape, eco tour, ecotourism, el sargento, espirito santo, family, fish, fishing, fishing and hunting shows, five-star, flyfishing, fred hall, freediving, girl, guide, holidays, hotels, IGFA, images, inshore, ISE, isla, island, jack crevalle, jillene roldan, jilly roldan, jonathan roldan, kayak, La Ventana, Las Arenas, leisure, light line, live bait, lodging, los barriles, lures, marlin, Mexican, Mexico, muertos, number 1, offshore, outfitter, package, paddleboard, panga, pargo, photos, pompano, report, roosterfish, sailfish, saltwater, san jose del cabo, scuba, sea of cortez, sierra, snapper, snorkel, spearfishing, sportfishing, suenos, swim, tackle, tailhunter international, tailhunter restaurant, techniques, tips, top-rated, tournament, travel, trip, trip advisor, trolling, tuna, vacation, video, wahoo, western outdoor news, whalesharks, whalewatch, wife, world record, yellowtail on December 29, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Captain Pancho with a nice rack of sierra and a cabrilla.

Pretty typical inshore winter catch of some great eating, pargo, snapper, cabrilla and triggerfish.

Incredible day trips right now to swim in La Paz Bay with the whalesharks in the shallow waters! On any given day there are up to several dozen 10-15 foot “juveniles” in the bay.

Above or under the water, these gentle animals are a fantastic experience. This is about a 20 footer, feeding on the surface in only about 10 feet of water!

SUNS OUT BUT SO IS THE WIND!

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

The weather was tough on us this week. Quite a few windy days as is often the case during the winter months when the north winds come down and hit us and just make it difficult to get out or, even if we do, it’s just rugged out there or, the big waves make it tough to get bait. And that’s the way it was for the majority of the week.

I feel badly because most of the folks that fish this time of year are snow-birds just enjoying sunshine who want a day of fishing while in La Paz. This is unlike during the regular season when folks fish every single day of their vacation and are specifically in town to fish. For the folks now with only one day to fish, that means we either have to cancel; or they have to just gut-it-out and have a rough day; or we have to juggle their fishing days to find a day where the winds are diminished.

More often than not, we either have to tell folks who only have one specific day to fish that it’s best they not go out, or they go out and really just have a bad time and get beat up and wet and not catch much fish…and that’s not fun either.

On the other side, at least it’s sunny! Day time temps are in the low to mid-70’s and really pleasant. Although it was windy, winds should calm down by the time you’re reading this.

We did get out a few times this week. All of our fishing during the winter months are out’ve Las Arenas/ Bahia de Los Muertos areas. Because of the winds, waters are pretty turned over and green and dirty in some of our hot spots. However, we did get into some decent sierra along the beach drop-offs. Some were hefty 4-5 pound chunkers and ALWAYS great eating. There were a few small pargo, snapper and cabrilla caught. We had some school-sized rooster fish caught and released and the bonito helped provide some action as well.

As a side note, many folks don’t know that La Paz has become quite a mecca for whalesharks which have been increasing in numbers the last few season in La Paz Bay where they’re protected. At times there are 1/2 dozen to several dozen “juveniles” up to 15 feet long or more all in shallow water and great for snorkeling! We’re running 2-3 hour trips to swim with the whalesharks every day that the winds are favorable. The juveniles are just a few minutes away and it’s an incredible family once-in-a-lifetime experience. You are NOT allowed to touch or ride the animals but still…getting just a few feet away from these gentle animals (they are true sharks with no teeth that eat plankton, krill and other small critters) is something not to be missed.

OUR YEAR IN REVIEW! BRING ON 2015!

Well, 2014 is almost one for the books and I thought it would good to wrap up the year with a full review…

It was as crazy a year as I have ever had in my almost 20 years working here in La Paz.

With El Nino hovering, we entered the year with some trepidation. El Nino seems to have a zillion variables that change the whole complexion of fishing and sure enough, it started right from the get-go.

El Nino conditions are characterized by warmer than normal waters. Good in some ways, but bad in so many others. So, crazily, our waters never really did cool down. We started the year catching dorado which was a great surprise in some aspects, but the downside was not so good.

For one our cooler water species never really did show up. While the dorado were biting, we never got into the good yellowtail or the amberjack, sierra or pargo that are so popular in our cooler months. We got a few, but it had to be called a big disappointment. One aspect of the overly-warm water was the lack of bait.

yellowtail Tim Butterworth tags small 4-13

Tim Butterworth with a fat yellowtail caught with our Tailhunter La Paz fleet.

From Idaho taking a break from teaching school, Mandy Pollock let’s Tailhunter Capt. Boli struggle with this big yellowtail from the north side of La Paz. Still a few yellowtail around and this was Mandy’s first trip to La Paz.

Jorge Ramiro, everyone’s amigo, with two nice spring-time dorado which showed up early this year with the warm waters!

Baitfish require cooler waters so that nutrients come from the deep. The baitfish feed on the nutrients and without those necessities, bait either died off or moved away to find food. Insofar as we’re a live bait fishery and bait is an important aspect of our sportfishing, it makes it hard to fish, let alone catch fish without bait! This was to plague us throughout the year.

It didn’t help either that in the Bay of La Paz, bait catchers from the fish farms were scooping up what little bait was available, sometimes at night leaving virtually nothing for the sportfishing fleets and commercial local fishermen who rely on the bait to make their livings. It wasn’t until almost mid-year that the bait catching stopped. Surprisingly, our bait stocks suddenly increased!

But, bait was to be an issue all year long. We made do with what we could get. That often consisted of a mix of sardines, mackerel, caballitos, baby bonito, ballyhoo and dead bait like cut squid, cut bonito and the like.

It will produced some great catches throughout the year like the dorado, marlin, sailfish and some others. The most remarkable catches of the year were the rooster fish and wahoo. We had an above average year for rooster fish underscoring La Paz’s reputation as the “Roosterfish Capital of the World” with fish in the 30-80 pound class not uncommon.

Kacie and Captain Armando put this nice big rooster in the boat for a photo then quickly released it!

Captain Jorge and our buddy, Rick Kasper, always has the knack for big fish like this world-class huge roosterfish caught just off the shallow beach near the Las Arenas lighthouse then released.

From Louisiana, Brian Davis stuck his giant roosterfish with Captain Pancho that might have tipped the scales into the triple digits, but was gratefully released.

As for wahoo, the cycle came around this year. After a few years of negligible wahoo to show, we had a fairly outstanding year for wahoo with fish in the 30-50 pound class and larger often taken and the best spots around Espirito Santo Island. For folks who had never caught a wahoo or rooster, this was the kind of year where many anglers finally got their first of each species, sometimes on the same day.

Lots of amigos got their first wahoos this year like Rich Pomeroy from Northern California who was on his first trip to La Paz.

Big wahoo like this one caught by Kris Honkola were a great catch this year in 2014

The biggest issue of our year was the weather. It played havoc all year.

As is characteristic of El Nino years, storms are more common and we gritted our teeth and watched hurricanes and rainstorms threaten us and sometimes drop some rain on us and stormy conditions. We have over a dozen come our way, but dodged almost all of them until the big one finally turned on us in a surprise of historic proportions.

Hurricane Odile slammed into Baja with winds up to 150 miles per hour. It turned out to be the biggest hurricane in Baja history causing widespread devastation. La Paz was in it’s path and, although the fury of the storm was spent in about 6 hours, the destruction and aftermath were felt for weeks and La Paz and Baja are still in the rebuilding process.

Hotel La Concha in La Paz just hours after hurricane Odile ripped through.

The Cabo San Lucas Airport was brand new but left in shambles.

Power lines and debris are knocked over on a street after Hurricane Odile hit La Paz

Hurricane Odile devastated neighborhoods. Baja is still re-building but financially, recovery will be long-coming .

As far as fishing, we were back to fishing within a week of the storm. However, since airports were shut down or destroyed, there was no way for clients to come into Baja and hence suffered many weeks of cancelations and lost bookings during the part of the season which is traditionally the busiest time of the year. The ripple effect on much of the economy will take a long time to recover.

But interestingly, right after the hurricane, fishing took off! Some of the best fishing took place in the weeks and months post-Odile with dorado, wahoo, sailfish, marlin, and other species biting better than they had at any time of the year and with continued warm waters through Christmas, continued to bite!

Bucket list marlin for Steve Snead from Idaho who battled this guy for a long fight despite his bad back and released the fish to fight another day!

Cathy and Craig tags wahoo dorado small 10-14

Craig and Cathy Corda had a gigantic nice day on the water with dorado and wahoo!

First timers, Mike and Robbi Caray with one of several big dorado caught with our Tailhunter La Paz fleet.

Here’s hoping for a mo’ bettah 2014, but as long as all of us are safe, happy and have each other, all is good. Here’s to wishing you the best with a big MUCHAS GRACIAS for being part of this great adventure! God bless you all!

That’s our story!

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 Videos: http://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 April 27-May 4, 2014

Posted in amberjack, Bahia de Los Muertos, Bahia de los Suenos, Bahia de los Suenos fishing, bahia magdalena, Baja, baja fishing, Baja fishing reports, Baja sportfishing packages, baja sur, Baja Vacations, bonito, cabo san lucas, cabrilla, Cerralvo Island, Cerralvo Island Fishing, charters, circle hooks, Costa Baja Resort, day trips, dog tooth snapper, dorado, east cape, ecotourism, el sargento, espirito, espirito santo island, family, family fishing, fish, fish report, fishing, fishing and hunting shows, fishing charters, fishing guides, fishing reports, fishing tackle, fishing techniques, fishing tips, fishing tournaments, fishing trips, fishing video, fishing videos, flyfishing, Fred Hall Fishing Show, fred hall fishing shows, freediving, girls fishing, gray whales, grouper, holidays, Hotel Perla, idaho sportsman show, IGFA, International Fish and Game, International Sportsmans Expo, ISE, jack crevalle, jonathan roldan, kids, La Concha Beach Resort, La Paz, la paz baja sur, la paz fishing, La Paz Vacations, la ventana, La Ventana Fishing, Las Arenas, Las Arenas fishing, light tackle, mag bay, mahi mahi, marlin, mexican, Mexican sportfishing outfitters, Mexican sportfishing packages, mexico, mexico fishing, Mexico vacations, Muertos Bay Fishing, outfitters, Pacific Northwest Sportsmans Show, packages, panga, pargo, pompano, Portland Expo Center, rainbow runner, robalo, roosterfish, sailfish, scuba, Shoot Straight TV, sierra, sierra mackeral, snapper, snook, snorkel, spearfishing, sportfishing packages, squid, tailhunter, tailhunter international, triple tail, tuna, vacations, wahoo, Washington Sportsmens show, Western Outdoor New Tuna Jackpots, Western Outdoor News, whales, whalewatching, women fishing, Word Records, yellowfin tuna, yellowtail, tagged bahia de los suenos, baja, Baja sur, billfish, blogs, bonito, cabo san lucas, cabrilla, catch-and-release, cerralvo Island, certified scale, charters, day trips, deep sea, dorado, east cape, eco tour, el sargento bahia de los muertos, Espirito Santo Island, family, fish, fishing, flyfishing, freediving, girl, guide, holiday, IGFA, isla, jack crevalle, jill roldan, jonathan roldan, kayaks, kids, la paz, La Ventana, Las Arenas, light line, light tackle, live bait, mahi, marlin, Mexican, Mexico, outfitter, packages, paddleboards, panga, panga slam, pargo, reports, roosterfish, sailfish, saltwater, san jose del cabo, sea of cortez, sierra, snapper, snorkel, spearfishing, sportfishing, swimming, tackle, tailhunter international, techniques, tips, trips, tuna, vacations, video, wahoo, whale watching, whalesharks, wife on May 4, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Tom Worley cabrilla grande tags smalll 4-14-proc

Not bad for a first time out with us! From Evergreen, Colorado, Tom Worley pulled this trophy pig cabrilla (Mexican seabass) out’ve the rocks near Cerralvo Island. He was working a live bait early in the week.

Many of you know Esteban Romero, one of our favorite amigos and who drives for us. Even he got into the wahoo action with this speedster while trolling a Rapala outside of Bahia de Los Muertos near Cerralvo Island.

dorado wahoo small pettit group McKell Condie 4-14

Another first-timer with us had an incredible two days of fishing getting and releasing his first roosterfish of about 40 pounds then sticking a wahoo and a dorado for the grand slam. McKell Condie was visiting us from Utah. Oh…and he also jumped in the water to swim with a whaleshark too!

Big smile and a two-handed batch of dorado for everyone’s amigo, Jorge Romero, who also took some time this week to check out the fishing. He got a total of 4 dorado for the day.

Always with a good day of fishing, Taylor Murphey, from Lakewood CA poses with a fresh colorful dorado she took fishing with grandpa Roger Thompson who kindly sent us the photo. That’s the beach near Muertos Bay in the background.

Palm Springs in the house with his first wahoo…Ken Huskey photos-up with Captain Archangel on the beach with Ken’s wahoo. He also got a number of dorado as well.

First rooster for Sy Thomas with Captain Victor posing behind him. This nice fish was caught and released just off the sand near the Las Arenas lighthouse. Check out the video below! Just click the “start” arrow. Thanks to Rick Kasper for the voice-over and video work!

Amigo, Paul Nagata, from San Francisco, usually visits us several times a year and got away this week for a quick few days with his favorite captain Jorge. This particular day, Paul jumped all over the dorado, but the previous day he hooked a massive wahoo that straightened the hook near the south-end of Cerralvo Island.

These two guys cracked me up! Left is Bob Martz and on the right is Jordan McMasters from Victoria, Canada. They show off a few of their dorado on the beach, but Jordan also caught and released a 50 pound roosterfish.

From Mexico City, Carlos Westerman was able to get out one day with us at La Arenas and our Captain Archangel. The action wasn’t great, but he made the most of it and took this nice-sized wahoo and dorado.

Captain Victor from our Tailhunter Las Arenas fleet isn’t short! Angler, Jay is just tall and Victor gives him a hand taking a photo of one of their bull dorado.

Don Henderson from Idaho grips his wahoo near the water’s edge at Bahia de Los Muertos. Taken near Cerralvo Island. Don got a batch of dorado as well.

FRUSTRATING FISHING BUT SOME NICE HIGHLIGHTS ON A TOUGH WEEK

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of April 27-May 4, 2014

It was somewhat of a frustrating week of fishing. It started well. It ended fairly well. But in between, it was a bit rugged.

We had some promise going into the week but then strong winds and some really high tidal surges and waves seemed to have not only stirred up the waters, but also chased away the bits of live bait spots we had as well as brought up cooler waters and some rougher waves. Not exactly the best conditions or situations for fishing. Just being honest.

There were some highlights, however. What we lacked in quantity and action we tended to make up for it in some nice quality fishing. There were some good-sized rooster fish taken that ran 30-60 pounds and some larger ones broken off. All of them released.

There were also some larger dorado in the area as well that helped out as well. Some of the pangas got limits or near limits some days. Not everyone, but several boats a day would do well. It just depended on the the spot as well as the luck and skill of the anglers.

But, truth be told, there were days this week when boats came back with nothing…either because of simple bad luck or losing fish or choosing to chase a fish that was “hot”one day, but cooled off the next. I especially felt badly for a pair of flyfishing anglers we had that fished hard and hardcore like troopers for the entire week and pretty much came up goose-egged. It wasn’t a good week for flyfishing…and tough for the conventional fishing as well. Despite some nice catches, it might have been one of the more frustrating weeks of the young season.

The highlight would had to have been the wahoo that went on the bite again. Every day, we took a few and lost even more to the speedy toothy fish. But, for many of our anglers, it was their first wahoo with some decent 20-35 pound ‘hoos brought into the boat. South end of Cerralvo Island was our hot spot trolling Rapala and YoZuri lures.