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La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report from Tailhunter International for Week of Dec. 28, 2014 to Jan. 4, 2015

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Jim and Brenda Bovee from San Diego hit the sweet spot for wind mid-week and turned in two days of nice varietal fishing with pargo, snapper, sierra and cabrilla!

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The Niemeyer family had just one day to get out to fish and came back with a great photo of dorado, white bonito, sierra and cabrilla while on the beach at Bahia de los Muertos!

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Captain Victor photobombs the McIvor’s who were trying to get a photo of a sierra!

 

 

GREAT VARIETY OF INSHORE SPECIES TO BRING IN NEW YEAR

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Dec. 28, 2014 to Jan. 4, 2015

Happy New Year Everyone!  Hope the new year is off to a good start for you!

We had another windy week here in La Paz, but about Wednesday it started to calm down and suddenly everyone wanted to go fishing!   We put out more pangas in one day than we had in the two previous weeks combined!  I guess everyone was waiting for those pesky north winds to settle down.

Anyway, we sure got quite a variety of fish.  Nothing big, but for so many of our fishermen who are really in town for some sunshine and not necessarily hardcore anglers, there was some great action and fish to bring back for dinner.  There’s alot of out-of-towners in La Paz right now for the holidays who are just trying to squeeze in an activity like snorkeling or diving or a day of fishing here-and-there.

So, for those who went out, we had cabrilla (sea bass) around 2-5 pounds.  Smaller snapper and pargo of about the same size.  Some really nice-sized sierra and some great bonito to bend the rods.  Additionally, we had some surprise fish as well with some rooster fish caught and released that were going about 10-15 pounds; a few school-sized dorado; and even had a wahoo take down a lure, but regretfully come unbuckled.  Oh well…

Still, great action and lots of fun without having to go out too far from shore or get bounced around out there in rough water.  As the weekend came up the winds ramped up a bit and so did the fishing, but as you’re probably reading this, the winds have likely petered out and the seas are flat again.  It’s going to be like this throughout the winter months which is pretty typical.  It’s definitely chillier.  I know many people will laugh, but our guys were complaining about the “cold water” which is now at 72 degrees! 

WE’RE ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

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The Tailhunter van has left the station and Jill and I are on the road and will be at the first of our “road shows” this week and for the next three months!  First stop will be the International Sportsmans Expo at the California State Fairgrounds in Sacramento! This is a huge show and will run from Thursday to Sunday (January 8-11th).  Our booth is in it’s usual place in the main hall.

Stop by and talk to us about your 2015 La Paz fishing adventure plus pick up a copy of our new 2015 full-color 24 page brochure and DVD!  Jill has our new 2015 style t-shirts plus Tailhunter stickers!    Jill and I will both be in the booth every day so come by and say hi!

You can get discount tickets right here: https://secure.interactiveticketing.com/a/a946b5?promo=M52SAC

TAILHUNTER / WESTERN OUTDOOR NEW PANGA SLAM 2015

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Big dorado showed up on our 3rd and final day of the 2014 Panga Slam!

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Angela Farrell caught several large dorado during the 3 day event and took home a big batch of jackpot money!

 

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One of several big parties at the Tailhunter Restaurant!

 

 

Here we go again!  We had such a great time last year, we’re gonna roll it again!  The Tailhunter/ Western Outdoor New Panga Slam is going to be bigger and better and even more fun!

New dates are June 16-21, 2015

Spots are limited to just 24 persons

We’ve added more by popular demand!  This year, it includes 3 days panga fishing…a two-day jackpot tournament…5 nights La Concha Beach Resort…1 day island beach snorkel party…welcome dinner…taco party at Tailhunter and more!

Cost is $1629 per fisherman / $849 non-fisher person.  

$300 non-refundable deposit is what it takes to hold your spot.

Contact us now to get all the details.  Don’t be left out.  Spots are already going!

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 November 23-30, 2014

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Dave Vincent hits the good pose with a nice colorful dorado just outside of Bahia de Los Muertos the day before the winds descended on us! (See below)

 

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Mid-week, we got slammed by some incredible winds. Guts up to 50-70 mph ripped into the area and our normally placid seas turned into a cauldron we rarely see. Check out the waves hitting the breakwater at Las Cruces north of La Paz. That’s Cerralvo Island in the background.

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Another view of the roiling ocean at Las Cruces near the old hotel caused by the winds that stayed with us almost 3 days and caused the port captain to close the port.

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New York in the house. The day after the winds finally left us, we were able to find some dorado with some big boys mixed with school-sized fish. Captain Jorge poses with Doug Duval, Judie Pierce and Bill Harvey all from New York on the beach at Bahia de los Muertos.

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Carson Vincent, 13-years-old, with dad, Dave found time for a day of fishing that produced 5 dorado including this nice mahi.

 

VIDEO 

Some video of what it looked like in La Paz Bay during the big winds with waves and spray sweeping the malecon in front of our Tailhunter Restaurant getting cars and pedestrians a bit wet!  If you’re not familiar with our bay, it usually looks like a lake!

DORADO BITE SANDWICHES  BIG WINDS ROARING IN MID-WEEK

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Nov. 23-30, 2014

What a freakish week we had here in La Paz.  This is the time of year when things transition from warmer conditions to cooler conditions.  With it, we start to get more and more windy days with winds whipping from the north.

Well, lately, we’ve had more “breezy days.”  That’s normal. It’s expected.  I never expected what we had this week!

They talk about winter roaring in like a lion.  Well, it didn’t just roar.  It tore in like a freight train!  Tuesday to Thursday, wind of 30-50 mph generated huge waves and gust up to 70 mph had the port captain closing down the port and keep folks off the water  It was pretty incredible to watch…from the shore!  Definitely NOT a good time to try to be on the water!

Huge waves crashed against beaches and against the concrete sidewalks of the waterfront Malecon throwing giant plumes of spray and water as far as parked cars across the street.  Strolling pedestrians were sent scampering each time a wave crashed in much the same way that kids run through sprinklers in the summer except one could get seriously soaked by the giant swell.  Even within the bay, it was uncharacterically white-capped and foaming.  Many folks just parked themselves on the shore or in a nearby restaurant or bar to watch the display!

Then, on Friday, it pretty much disappeared!

And out we went fishing again.  Just like before the storm, the dorado bit pretty readily with fish in the 20-30 pound class not uncommon but decent numbers of 10-15 pound fish as well.  Some rooster fish and pargo were also hooked.  The biggest issue was that those ripping winds really tore up the water and turned things over.  For our guys who went out’ve La Paz, all the found was green and brown dirty water.  The better fishing was from Las Arenas where the area was a bit more protected from the winds although waters were still not optimal.  But at least we found fish!

Really hard to get a read on things.  Not many folks in town or many fishermen as Thanksgiving week isn’t a big week here in La Paz for tourism.  But, still a nice time to spend onshore as the sun was still comfortably warm.  We’ll get a run of folks in between now and Christmas, but this week, was just nice to spend onshore and watching Mother Nature do her thing!

That’s our story!  Hope you had a great Thanksgiving weekend!

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 Nov. 16-23, 2014

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Jesse had one day to squeeze in for fishing and made the most of it with a nice rack of dorado to put in the freezer. If he’s not smiling, it’s cuz he told me had had a wahoo estimated at 60 pounds all the way to the boat before it broke loose!

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Yes! There’s crazy roosterfish still around. They started showing up about a month ago and have been running up to about 50 pounds! Brian Mee from Eastern Washington was fishing light tackle and shows off a great sampel of the kind of roosters we’re getting. This big boy was released!

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Carlos Cifuentes had never been fishing before he tried a day on the water with our Tailhunter Capt. Armando fishing from Bahia de los Muertos! They got 4 nice dorado and lost several others prompting Carlos to laughing tell us, “My shoulders are so sore! I never caught fish before like this!”

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Some of the wahoo we’re getting are just minutes from leaving the beach just around the corner from Bahia de Los Muertos. Captain Jorge put the guys into this fat ‘hoo!

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Our gran amigo, Art Savedra, the famous “Captain Hook” was here working the Baja 1000 race but stayed a few extra days to get in some fishing and scuba. He’s here on the beach with Captain Armando and dinner!

 

 

DORADO STILL AROUND BUT OTHER SPECIES HELP OUT AS COOLER CONDITIONS COME IN!

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Nov. 16-23, 2014

A bit windier this week with a few days that were really bouncy, but still overall really pleasant conditions.  But, as we get closer to winter we’re going to see more winds and especially winds from the north.  But, for that very reason is why we’re doing most of our fishing from Las Arenas right now since we can launch from the beach at Bahia de Los Muertos where we’re a bit more protected from the winds and it’s also easier since the fishing is much closer…like RIGHT THERE!

I’m not kidding.  We’re getting a variety of fish within minutes of where we launch.  The bay itself is holding some decent rooster fish up to about 40 pounds.   By the northern point of rocks, there’s jack crevalle and cabrilla.  As soon as you pass the point, drop the lures and there’s always the possibility of wahoo literally within a hundred yards of the rocks!  Go south or just outside to the buoys and you can hit dorado.

Anywhere in between, there’s also the chance of more wahoo, billfish (sails mostly), pargo, and bonito.  Great variety and in between these gusty days, conditions are about as pleasant as you could want with air temps in the low 80’s and water temps just about the same.  Just be flexible on your fishing days, if you can, in case the day you want to go out looks like the wind is going to kick in.

Keep an eye out as well. There’s so much sea life out there.   Schools of dolphin…sea turtles…whalesharks…blue whales…manta rays.  Pretty incredible time to be in La Paz!

A LITTLE THANKSGIVING MESSAGE FROM US

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We just wanted to take the time to wish you and your family a very peaceful and happy Thanksgiving.  We’ve had a crazy tumultuous year here in La Paz.  Mother Nature did what Mother Nature does and not much to be done about it except roll with it and try to keep smiling.  Crazy El Nino year affected the fishing.  Storms and hurricanes.  Winds and heat…we pretty much had it all.  But, through it all, so many of you kept us smiling and laughing and remembering how very blessed we are to even be here.  Thanks for your support.  Thanks for your patience.  Thanks for your friendship.  Tailhunter tribal family is the best!  God bless you all!

That’ our story!

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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 Nov. 9-16, 2014

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Touch all the bases! Talk about “grand slamming” Rafi Achmetov from Virginia and Arlan Schmitz (New Mexico), flank Captain Jorge with three nice catches! They had barely left the beach at Muertos when the big wahoo hit. They got that in the boat and got hit by the dorado then topped it off with a roosterfish (not able to release). Great example of some of the variety right now.

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Whoa! That’s a fat wahoo for Virgil Redwine and Bob Donahue! The duo had some kind of week with us! They used conventional tackle for the wahoo but with the flyrod, they got numerous dorado, jack crevalle, roosterfish and other species!

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After a week of fishing in Cabo, Randy Matz and Barbara Morris from Coalinga CA came north to do a bit of panga fishing with us. They show off some of their catch…a trophy-sized pompano and a dorado.

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Catch of the week for Marty Koschnitzke! He and his girlfriend, Belle, got a couple handfuls of dorado with Captain Armando, then he proposed to Belle on the beach back in La Paz and she said, “Yes!” Congratulations to them both!

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Surprising roosterfish bite for so late in the year! Virgil Redwine caught and released over a dozen roosters many on the flyrod. The roosterfish have been very good to us the last few weeks!

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They were able to squeeze in one day of fishing and Joe Cisneros and his bud, Carlos Rojas from San Diego turned in a nice day…they got this fat wahoo and lost two others at the boat!

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Mike Carter who lives in Pescadero just south of La Paz put the hurt on some dorado plus this nice pair of tasty pompano. These are fish we normally don’t see until the springtime.

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Another cold-water fish that showed up lately indicative of the changing season…sierra! Captain Pancho poses with Brian Mee from eastern Washington and this speedy sierra!

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A rare catch! It’s a mutant cabrilla (seabass) that we call a “Baja Grouper” or “Golden Grouper” that we catch now and then. Captain Archangel seems a bit distressed, but he’s one of our best at catching reef species!

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Virgil Redwine and Bob Donahue had a great week….wahoo…dorado…sierra…roosterfish…jack crevalle…roosterfish…They released most of their fish too!

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Another example of our variety this week…red snapper…dog tooth snapper (pargo) and amberjack!

 

 

SOLID FISHING – CRAZY WAHOO – VARIETY!

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Nov. 9-16, 2014

Perfect conditions…willing fish…lots of variety…light traffic…a nice action week of fishing!

Our anglers this past week probably could not have asked for better conditions that we often get at this time of the year.  There can be days as we transition from warmer to colder conditions where the winds blow strong and cool and it gets a bit choppy.  We’ll see more of those kinds of days as we get closer to December, but this past week wasn’t one of them as the season winds down.

This time of year, we get fewer fishermen and more folks simply escaping for a few days in the sunshine from colder areas or here for the holidays.  So, if this is truly the end of our fishing “rush” for the season, it’s closing with a bang!

There were incredible varieties this week.  Bottom fish.  Topwater fish.  Bluewater game fish.  Warm water fish.  Cold water fish.  Trophy fish.  They pretty much all game to the party in one way, shape or form.  Some days were better than others.  Some boats did better than others.  But the whole week…taken in totality… provided some excellent action, especially if the anglers fished more than one day.  Our conventional anglers did great.  Our light tackle folks did great.  Some of our BEST fishing was had by our flyfishermen…after a season that was really tough on flyfishing!

I’m not sure where to start.

For one thing, I’m pretty convinced now that our La Paz side fishing is headed into winter condtions.  Fishing for La Paz has been pretty inconsistent as waters cool down.  There’s still some dorado, but it’s erratic.  For that reason, most of our fishermen are fishing with our Tailhunter Las Arenas fleet.  Waters seem to be holding warmer and, even on the breezy days, fishing is closer to shower and there’s no arguing with the variety.  Everyone is getting fish every day.  I would say the anglers who go for the “home run” fish and chase the big trophy fish are most likely to be at the whims of nature, the fish and luck, while the anglers who “go with the flow” and chase whatever is biting have had the better success.

The majority of the fish were dorado.  Nothing huge, but fun 10-20 pounders were common.  Great for the first-timers, light tackle and the flyfishers.  We also had bonito, jack crevalle and schools of sierra and incredibly surprising numbers of rooster fish show up that all meant great bent rod action plus a few sailfish hooked and lost.  We also got a few nice wahoo off that high spot at the south end of Cerralvo Island.  Incredibly, some of our wahoo were being caught right against the rocks just outside of Bahia de Los Muertos just a few minutes off the beach.

On the bottom and off the reefs and rocks, we saw amberjack for the first time.  None of the huge ones, but 10-20 pound amberjack are a fun size and great eating at that size.  Plus dog-tooth cubera snapper (pargo), barred pargo, yellow snapper and cabrilla (Mexican sea bass) in varying sizes up to the larger 15 pound pargo.

It was the kind of week that you almost never knew what you were going to catch.  It really feels like we’re right on the brink of things changing over.  I don’t know how much longer this kind of fishing will continue.  It could change by the time you’re reading this.  We’re right on the brink.  It just has that “feel” as I watch the waters, the winds and the air temperatures every day.  However, with this “El Nino” season, there’s just no telling and I’ve been wrong all season!  So, until things change, we’ll continue to ride the wave and enjoy the bite!

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 for Week of Sept. 14-21, 2014

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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. 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.”

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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.”

Read Full Post »

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report from Tailhunter International for Week of Aug 17-24, 2014

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We all remember what it was like to get our first fish! Captain Alfredo with our Tailhunter La Paz fleet laughs and helps young Taryn Mitoma from Livermore CA with a nice dorado. She got away with her dad for a few quick days with us and had some very good catches! This was her first time and she’s definitely “hooked.”

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Yup! Still got roosters around! Leif Dover from Atlanta GA makes several trips a year with us and always gets into big fish. Captain Rogelio looks on as Leif hoists a big rooster estimated at 60-70 pounds taken on live bait. The fish was released.

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First billfish and it’s HUGE for Dr. Ed Mitoma who was fishing north of La Paz when he hooked into this unusually large striper estimated at 170-200 pounds by Captain Alfredo.  Quite a few billfish were hooked this past week.

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Two of the larger dorado taken this week among so many larger fish that were lost! That’s why they are bigger fish! But George Kasee and Leif Dover pose with two big bulls.

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From Texas, Kevin Todd was fishing out’ve Las Arenas and got this unusual rainbow runner which is a cousin to yellowtail and makes great eating. Kevin couldn’t resist the photo with the cigar in the fish! Great shot!

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Coach Joey Fuschetti insists his ability to catch fish has something to do with his camouflage shirt so the fish can’t see him! He always does well fishing with us every year!

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Captain Jorge and George Kasee with another rooster caught and released off Las Arenas!

 

THREATS OF RAIN KEEP ANGLERS FISHING IN LA PAZ WATERS WITH DORADO ON THE CHEW

La Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Aug. 17-24, 2014

We spent the week dodging the “possibility” of thundershowers all week and it looks like as you read this, we’ll be doing the same thing this week as well. According to predictions, we ran anywhere from 10-80% chance of thundershowers all week.

Now, that didn’t always mean it actually dropped water on our heads.  Some of these never ever materialized other than some big fluffy clouds.  Sometimes they were little squalls.  On two days we had real gully washers and floods that lasted about an hour…then the sun came out.  Sometimes it rained in one part of the city but a few blocks away, they got nothing.

It really didn’t affect our fishing much other than we kept most of our anglers fishing with our La Paz fleet instead of taking the chance of fishing with our Las Arenas fleet which has areas that are much more exposed to wind and waves.  Especially the wind!  A little rain is no biggie but big winds…you might as well forget it.

As a matter of fact, the only day when fishing was really off was a day that south winds kicked up into double digits.

For the most part, however, even if the rains came, it was generally in the later afternoon after all the fishing was done.  That’s what it looks like again this week as several big storms hundreds of miles to the south of the Baja keep passing by out to sea, but spinning bits of rain cells our way.

LAS ARENAS

Because of the threat of thundershowers, we didn’t do much fishing in the area.  It was just easier to keep fishing out’ve La Paz instead where the anglers had a better shot at good weather and more chances to get into fish, even if the weather late in the day soured.

However, when we did fish, the fishing was OK.  We got into some TUNA!  Yes…there were some big boy tuna that showed up.  Several guys hooked into tuna estimated over 100 pounds, but all the fish broke off without ever seeing the fish.  The area was around the south point of Cerralvo Island.

As for other species, the fun-sized 10-15 pound dorado were usually pretty easy to catch as well as big bonito.  But the nice surprise were the number of hookups on sailfish and striped marlin.  Most fish either got loose or were broken off.

We also got several nice rooster fish along the beach in the 20-40 pound class.

LA PAZ

As mentioned above, this was our most consistent area to fish.  It was better to fish here than take a chance and end up in stormy weather further south.  And, for the most part, it was a good decision.

Decent to very good dorado action took center stage.  Lots of fish were lost so the counts weren’t as good as they could have been, but pangas still averaged some good counts of 5-20 pound fish with some larger in the 30 pound class.  Every day was different.  Every panga was different.  Some areas produced wide-open bites one day, but the same spot the next produced very little.  But if one spot wasn’t working, other spots took over.

Some nice rooster fish were caught and I was surprised at the size of some of the striped and blue marlin hooked and lost!

That’s our story!

combo-signature-black letters

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.”

 

Read Full Post »

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

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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!

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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 Fishing Fleet for Week of July 13-20, 2014

dorado raul tags small 7-14

Our amigo, Raul Chollet, here in La Paz just recently started fishing only about 2 years ago and has the “fishing bug”  big time! He’s since gotten his first marlin, roosterfish, sierra and here, his biggest dorado. It was a slow day but they got a few and this nice dorado with our Tailhunter La Paz fleet. That day, some boats did OK and others, like Raul’s , had a bit more trouble locating the bite.

roosterfish jeanette carroll 8-14 small tags

Jeanette Carroll from New Mexico with Captain Victor just south of Bahia de Los Muertos caught and released this hefty 40-45 pound roosterfish on a live bait. It was her biggest and “bigger than my husband’s rooster!”

dorado phil matteson tags small 7-14

Phil Matteson was on his 2nd trip to La Paz this week and told me they had winter in Montana that was 40 degrees below zero! Weather was’t so great in La Paz this week either as we got clouds and wind, but at least it was a tad warmer than Montana. First day out, Phil nailed this big boy bull dorado with our Tailhunter La Paz fleet.

Kennedy sailfish tags 7-14

John Kennedy, our amigo from Auburn CA, had to postpone his yearly trip earlier in the year for an injury, but came roaring back with a great week of fishing topped off his last day with this nice sailfish caught and released, as well as a box of dorado, pargo, cabrilla and triggerfish releasing many.

rooster dick carroll 7-14 small tags

Dick Carroll and his wife came to visit us again this year from New Mexico and couldn’t have been a more fun couple. Both of them got roosterfish with our Las Arenas fleet on the same day including this one that Dick quickly released.

martis dorado tags small 7-14

Mark Martis from Redondo Beach CA has been fishing with us at Tailhunter since the early days in the mid-90’s. Under grey skies he still put the wood to this nice big bull dorado near Espirto Santo Island.

jumping dorado tags small 7-14

Air Dorado taking off! Great shot taken by Phil Matteson of a 40-pound bull dorado ripping off line and grabbing air. As anyone knows who has tried to take one of these shots, it’s a difficult shot to take. The dorado are moving up to 30 mph!

Becky Munoz tags small dorado 7-14

Happy Gal! Becky Munos from Arizona on her first day fishing and first time to La Paz just could not get enough of the fishing and beaches of La Paz. Fishing just off the beach at La Ventana, she put this nice little bull in the box. They released or donated all the the fish they caught!

marlin josh tags small 7-14

Josh Matteson on his first time ever salt water fishing is from Cascade, Montana. His first cast, he nails a 40 pound dorado….among others. The next day he battles this nice striped marlin and released it after taking this great photo with Captain Pancho. They were fishing with our Tailhunter Las Arenas fleet.

 

rooster jack young small tags 7-14

He’s just about to “heave-ho” this roostefish over the side to release it, but a good fish just-the-same, for amigo Jack Young from Arizona on his first trip with Tailhunters. He had a good week of fishing with both our La Paz and Las Arenas fleet. The roosterfish was caught his first day just off El Sargento.

 

 

moss dorado tags small 7-14

Wayne Moss, has been my Canadian amigo for many many years and is a commercial pilot in the Maldive Islands. He’s also one of the better fishermen I know. I love the look on his face here wondering if this big bull dorado is gonna make one more attempt to get back in the water! Great colors. Nice fish!

 

 

DIFFICULT WEEK STILL HAD SOME GOOD HIGHLIGHTS

La   Paz – Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of July 14-20

 

 

It was a hard week to put my finger on.  With the exception of flyfishermen, everyone got fish, but where you fished and how you fished made a huge difference. If you took our advice and did what we or the captains told you to do, you got fish and there were some nice ones to be had!   Overall, I would have to say this week was slower.  Last week we had the huge full moon and fishing was much better.  Last week we had rainy weather and fishing was better.   This week the moon was better and the weather was generally better and fishing was a bit more complicated.

Here’s the breakdown:

LAS ARENAS

The week started OK.  We got some roosters.  There were small to medium dorado around.  There were some billfish, pargo and cabrilla.  Not spectacular fishing, but it was OK.  We even had bait.  But, as the week went on, we had some of the worst fishing we’ve seen all season with our Las Arenas fleet.

On the surface, I could say it was the lack of baits.  That includes ballyhoo, sardines and mackerel that we usually use for most of the gamefish.  But, the sabalo…the big ladyfish…that we use for the bigger roosters also got hard to find.  So, naturally, lack of bait had something to do with it.

Likewise, later in the week we had some tropical storm cells pass through.  This made for some rougher and windier waters.  It got choppy.  The skies were gray.  There were little flurries of rain here and there locally.  We almost had another water spout form up one afternoon near Cerralvo Island prompting the panga fleets to head for the beach.

So, all that would have or could have affected fishing.  I’ve seen similar situations where we had all those conditions and we still got fish.

But beyond that, there were some other variables as well which, contributed to the lack of scores on the fish.

Later in the week we had folks specifically going for “home run” fish.  Those are fish that you either get ‘em…or you don’t. Instead of going for “action” they went for the top-shelf bad boys.   They are trophy fish for a reason.  For instance, going for wahoo.  You either get-em..or you don’t.  You can be the king of, if nothing is there, then you have a good shot of not coming back with any fish at all because you have to concentrate on the wahoo.

Same for the rooster fish.  First, you have to spend the time trying to catch the better live bait…mullet or ladyfish.  That can take time.  If the baits aren’t there or are hard to come by…that’s a whole lot of time spent.  Then, actually chasing the roosters takes time as well.  Again, there’s alot of focus and energy on them.  If they aren’t there or not biting, then you stand a good chance of getting goose-egged.  That’s what happened quite often towards the end of the week.

Frustrated anglers who came back with nothing.  But that’s what happens when you swing for the fences!  I applaud the effort.  It’s awesome.  I like that kind of fishing myself.  But, sometimes the big hitters strike out.  Part of fishing.  Part of the game. You have to be ready for disappointment.  And there were some disappointed anglers this week. Who got no fish!

About the flyfishing…Frankly, it’s been tough.  I’ve been singing that tune all season.

  No one in Baja seems to have bait for chum for the flyfishermen.  This El Nino has not been good to the flyfishers.  Normally, we have sardines to toss out and get the fish going.  The sardines are non-existent.

We have larger baits…caballito and mackerel, but you can’t chum with that.

The flyfishers who have been coming down and willing to be flexible and do some conventional fishing are all getting fish.  Everyone is catching fish.  The ones who are strictly flyfishing are not doing well.  The operators here in La Paz that are strictly flyfishers have had a terrible year because they have no other avenues to catch fish.  They are strictly flyfishing.  I did have 4 guys who just left this morning that were strictly flyfishing.

  I kept offering to switch them to fish with my La Paz fleet where we are catching fish, but they insisted on staying with my Las Arenas fleet where they has been no bait…they caught pretty much zero fish for 3 days and left pretty frustrated and angry with us.  They could have switched to bait or at least fished with my La Paz fleet and done quite well…even had a shot on the flyrod, but they were stubborn.  I wish I could have gotten them some fish.  See below…we did find some roosters.  The bonito were huge and would have been awesome on the flyrod.  They could have gotten the dorado going on the bait then tossed a flyrod into the boils.   These were all good guys and experienced fishermen, but I was as frustrated as them.They left for Loreto where I hear it’s been tough as well, but I hope they do better.

I feel for all the flyfishers I’ve seen here this year…lots of them fishing with our competitors.  I meet alot of them at our restaurant and hear the stories.   That’s fishing this year.  As I said at the beginning…it depends on where you fish and how you fish.

LA PAZ

La Paz, while not as good as last week, was still very productive.  There were some slow spots…but everyone got fish every day.  Some of our pangas would do really well one day and others not so good, but the next day the panga that did poorly would find fish and the other would have a slower day.  But the dorado were very cooperative with fish in the 5-40 pound class and some HUGE 12-15 pound dynamite bonito that put some guys on light tackle on their knees!  As well, we had several marlin and sailfish hooked up and either lost or released…even a few rooster fish…plus some nice pargo and cabrilla.

The difference is that we had more live bait…caballitos and mackerel.  Still a bit big to chum, but the baits brought the fish to the boat.  You could even catch a bonito and then chop it up and use it for chum and then that would bring even more fish to the boat.

The one drawback with the larger caballito and mackerel is that they are well…large!  One big mistake is that anglers would think they had a hookup and swing to early.  There’s alot of smaller fish out there or larger fish that eat slowly!  Swinging too early and  the bait would literally get yanked out of the fish’s mouths or resulted in alot of short bites too where the gamefish only bit off the back half of the big bait.  We missed alot of fish that way.  Some of the more experienced anglers increased their hook-up to catch ratio by tying trailer/ trap hooks onto the main rig so that there would be a second hook dangling at the back-end of the baits.

But, overall, the La Paz fishing took care of everyone and got fish in the boat!

One of the nice thing about having our two fleets is that as Las Arenas fishing got slower or more frustrating, or the weather got more unpredictable, we could offer to have our folks fish with our La Paz fleet and get into the fish.  That made all the difference between big smiles or frowns!

WEATHER

Normally, this time of year, there’s not much to say about the weather.  The sun comes up.  The sun goes down.  It’s hot and sunny.  End of story.

However, this year, with El Nino, we’re seeing alot of variations.  Not only is the water warmer, but the tropical humidity and conditions are tangible.  The air is generally heavier and muggier.  We’re seeing afternoon tropical rain showers come through and sometimes drop considerable rain for a few minutes then move on and the ground steams dry.  We see electrical heat storms and lightning in the afternoons, evening and early morning hours when it’s still dark.   This is more like September and October weather.    Other days, there’s no rain, but it’s cloudy most days.  Almost like the “June gloom” seen along Southern California beaches where a marine layer moves in and everything is grey until the sun burns through in the afternoons.  Crazy.  That being said, it’s still 95-100 degrees every day with cooler evenings in the 70’s.

.

 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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