Group and family trip to Hotel Punta Colorada in Baja’s East Cape with La Jolla Kayak Fishing.
Day one July 19
I fished with Matt Moyer and Todd Groessel, we wanted billfish but only Todd got a fish and it was just a small Dorado, the rest of the day we had some wind and got off the water.
Day two July 20
The rest of our guests arrived so we had a full crew today, Matt, Todd, Neil, Mike, Pat, Chris, Trish and Nicholas. Fished with Alonso and as he does, he found us fish. Chris got a 32 lb yellowfin tuna and Neil got one just a bit smaller. While Chris was on his fish a Marlin popped up right next to him. Mike caught a 25lb Amber Jack and everyone else got fish. Just as we were landing a small snapper the shout went out that Matt was on a Bill fish. We were fishing for tuna with only 30lb test line and pretty small hooks for the Sardina we had for bait. Even so Matt made a great fight of it and landed the fish about 2 hours later. While trying to land this one it just about put me in the water as it yanked its bill from my hands. So we now have a new member of the La Jolla Kayak Fishing Bill fish club.
Trish handled the video camera and Mike the still camera as Matt and I were on the water. A great team effort
Pat’s snapper
Mikes Amber Jack
Chris’s Tuna
Neil’s Tuna
Matt’s Marlin swimming
Matt’s Marlin just after ripping it’s bill out of my hand and just about dumping me in the water
The newest member of the La Jolla Kayak Fishing BillFish Club Matt Moyer
Day three July 21, 2006
Just five fishing the kayaks today the others spent the day on a cruiser. We had a steady pick on the snapper and Neil got a nice size skippy The battery died on the panga and we were stuck in one spot for a while until they brought a new battery. Nicholas got picked up by a billfish but it was only on for a moment. Once the boat was back up and running we headed to the lighthouse for a shot at the Roosters. Nicholas got one that was about 20 and Neil got a smaller one. Matt got a Dorado about fifteen pounds, he was happy it was his first. On the way back in Todd finally got a Rooster
Nicholas’s Rooster
Neil’s Rooster
Matt’s Dodo
Day four July 22, 2006
Used two pangas today to make things easier for the larger group. Headed to the spot off La Ribera and jigged mega baits for a while. Trish hooked into a nice fish that really worked her hard. After a 30 minute fight she landed a 25 lb yellowfin tuna. She was a trouper and really pulled hard on this fish. After landing the fish we towed her and Chris back to the group, as we did she was dragging her hands in the water and got nailed by a Man-o-war. Turned a great moment ugly real fast. A few snapper were landed after that but not much. We then took the kayaks to the lighthouse hoping for Roosters, not much going on up there other than one Rooster for Pat. The wind came up pretty early so we had to head in by 12:30.
Trish’s Tuna
Day five July 23, 2006
Todd, Matt and Pat on kayaks plus my son Randy on the panga. The day started out with a bang literally, the bait pump on the boat died. Spent about an hour fixing it, at least while we waited Pat got a 20lb jack near the bait net. Because we only had the three guys and the seas were very flat we were able to run very fast to Los Fralles. I had never fished there before, but Alonso said we may find big Roosters there. When we arrived several of the boat already there were hooked up to big fish. Pretty soon Matt got us started with of all things a 25lb tuna, it was a very funny sight as each time he got it to the surface it showered him with water.
Next up was Randy from the Panga, he hooked into a big Rooster that made four huge jumps. While on this fish we got the call that Pat was also hooked into a jumping Rooster. Randy fought hard and from start to finish was the only one on the rod. The fish was a good one at 50lbs, Pats fish was its’ twin which made him pretty happy. After that things slowed down but Todd did get a small Dorado on a Mega bait.
We had to run in early so that Pat could make his flight home, the plan was to drop Matt and Todd at the lighthouse and run the rest of the way in. Pat decided he had time for one more drift, so we put them all in the water. Within about five minutes Pat was hooked up and very shortly after that Todd got bit. Pats fish put up a good fight and was landed after about 15 minute and was a 35lb Rooster. Todds fight lasted much longer, closer to 45 minutes and covered well over a mile. The fight was longer but I think the fish was a bit smaller, still a great fish a great finish to the day. Matt did get another Dorado while fishing the shallow water at the lighthouse.
Matt’s Tuna
My eleven year old son Randy with his first Rooster
Pat’s first Rooster
Todd’s Rooster
Day six July 24, 2006
Just three kayakers today, Matt, Todd, Nicholas and my daughter Kirstin on the Panga.
The surf was really up this morning at the launch so the bait guys had no big baits, we had to take just sardines. We headed to a spot off Cabo Pulmo where many tuna had been landed the day prior. The swell was huge and the wind was coming up, with many boats in the area and no fish biting we ran back to La Ribera where it was a bit calmer. Still no fish there and the storm caught up with us. We got word from one of the other Panga fisherman that one of our kayaks had been found floating offshore and that they wanted $100 dollars to return it, a hotle guest had left it to close to the water and the approaching storm grabbed it off the beach. Well Todd’s seat and tools were on that kayak and we had no intention of paying to get it back. We made a run to the beach at La Ribera so see if we could find it, sure enough there it was sitting on the beach. Rather to ask any questions I jumped off the Panga, paddle in hand, dragged it into the water and paddled back out to the panga and loaded it aboard, we felt like pirates. The wind really came up after that so we had a very shortened fishing day
This was Matt and Todd’s last day, Great guys I missed fishing with them the rest of the trip.
George Pflaum arrived today, and I have people staying at the hotel that have said they wished to fish with me, to fill out the days.groups.
Day seven July 25, 2006
George Pflaum flew in yesterday and brought a big storm with him, I think we got ten inches of rain at least last night. No fishing today, read all day. More rain and tons of wind, very big waves out front.
Day eight July 26, 2006
Swell still to big and wind to strong to get out on the water. George and I along with Randy took a couple of the quads out for a ride almost to Cabo Pulmo. Tried fishing at the lighthouse but to much wind wade it very difficult. Still we had a blast on the quads and came back and took Kirstin for a ride, saw a large pig walk down to the water as we headed towards the lighthouse, we came back about ten minutes later and the pig was dead. It had become stuck in the sand in the water then drowned. Quite a life lesson for Kirstin.
My family during the storm
In front of the hotel as it was calming down
My family at the same spot the next day
Day nine July 27, 2006
Things laid down and it was a very calm day. The water temperature dropped about ten degrees from the storm and made things rather cool in the morning. We headed out to the spot off La Ribera and on my first drop landed an Amber Jack. After that we landed several nice snapper and one more Amber Jack. When it slowed down we headed south of the lighthouse, the water was green so we kept looking around. When we saw a larger Dorado swimming near the surface we tossed George and his kayak into the water for a shot at the fish, he was quickly bit but his line was wrapped around his rod tip and the fish took his bait. We rebaited him and he was one again very quickly. This time landing a 25lb Dorado. While he was fighting his fish another Dorado was cruising around us but we did not have a bait rod ready, Alonso quickly retied my rig and I jumped into my kayak. I was bit pretty fast but our hasty rigging job proved to be our down fall. The knot Alonso tied fail as I set the hook on a nice size Dorado. Nothing more after that.
George’s Snapper and Dorado
Day ten July 28, 2006
The water is still cold and very green. Kirstin came along for the ride but the fishing was still off. I handed her the rod a couple of times on hooked fish but they came off. George had a bit of better luck and landed a nice brown seabass and a snapper. Other than that it was pretty dead.
Day eleven July 29 2006
Eddie the hotel owner took my family and I to their big Hotel, Palmas de Cortez for lunch. That place is sure looking nice. Big swim up bar and very resorty. We had a great day
Day twelve July 30 2006
Allene, the kids and I took the quads all the way to Cabo Pulmo, which is a living corral reef , about fifteen miles each way. It was a great ride other than getting chased by some crazy dogs. The water up there was still pretty dirty but we did a little snorkeling and had a real fun day
Day 13 July 31 2006
Jumped on the Bohemia with Alonso for one last day of fishing with Allene and the kids, took a kayak of course, just in case.
Not more than ten minutes into the ride we spotted a couple of Dorado cruising the surface. I told Allene this fish was hers, but she told me to go for it. I tossed the kayak in the water and tossed a large mackerel in the water behind me. I was instantly hit by a big fish. It quickly jumped and I realized I was on a real good Dorado but did not realize how good it was. The fight lasted about twenty-five minutes until I got the big bull near to the kayak doing circles underneath me. I could see it was really a good one. After gaffing it I saw I had a real trophy. We took several good photos on the kayak then Alonso hauled it aboard the boat, screaming and swearing the entire time, only the way he can. It was then that I got a look of the true size of this fish. It’s head was giant and when holding it up the tail was touching the ground with the head even with mine. Alonso said he caught one that was 62 pounds in the past and this one was at least as big. I will call it 60 pounds. Way over the biggest I have ever caught, maybe the biggest ever off a kayak?
Saw a Marlin later in the day and trolled a bait from the kayak trying to get it to bite but no luck.
Getting pulled by my Big Bull Dorado
On the Kayak
On the Panga with Alonso
Day 14 August 1, 2006
Snorkled in front of the hotel, Packed, then jumped on a plane for the ride home. Had a great trip with my clients and family. Headed back down in October, can’t wait
