| As Forrest Gump would say, you never know | | | | sure we wouldn't arrive before him! We headed |
| what you're going to get. | | | | out, stopping off to check in with the port |
| Not too many things get me more excited than | | | | authorities to present our manifest and fishing |
| the prospect of hooking and landing big fish. The | | | | licenses. A recent change in fiscal policies keeps |
| mere thought of setting the hook on a 300 pound | | | | the revenues from fishing licenses within the state |
| marlin, hearing the scream of the drag as the fish | | | | where the activity is taking place. This |
| pulls off line and watching the acrobatic leaps that | | | | restructuring has apparently heightened the |
| follow really gets my heart pumping. Fortunately | | | | diligence of officials responsible for ensuring that |
| for me, a two and a half hour flight and a | | | | everyone on a boat possesses a valid license, |
| 30-minute drive is all it takes to find myself in the | | | | even those not fishing. Makes sense that if you |
| "billfish capital of the world". What more can a | | | | get to keep the money, you're more likely to |
| sport fisherman ask for? | | | | make sure everyone is playing by the rules and |
| Well, for starters, variety. Just like biting into a | | | | buying their licenses. Those that did not have |
| randomly selected piece of chocolate, when you | | | | licenses in hand were sent back to the docks to |
| set out the trolling lures here in Los Cabos in | | | | get them or there would be no fishing that day. |
| search of the next big one, you just don't know | | | | This day we decided to switch to the Sea of |
| what it will be. Different seasons bring different | | | | Cortez side of the cape and concentrate our |
| possibilities as does different sides of the Baja | | | | efforts on some of the in-shore species that Los |
| peninsula. The diversity of game fish here never | | | | Cabos waters offer up. One of the benefits of a |
| ceases to amaze me and even a slow day on the | | | | pre-dawn start is the experience of viewing some |
| water offers the opportunity to see some of the | | | | of the most spectacular sunrises you're likely to |
| oceans greatest creatures. Whales, porpoise, sea | | | | find anywhere in the world. The skies here light up |
| turtles and bat rays that often school by the | | | | with all the colors of an artists canvas with the |
| hundreds and perform what almost appears to be | | | | endless reflection of the ocean surface. |
| a choreographed routine of synchronized jumps. | | | | Everything is bathed in reds, oranges and yellows |
| On a spring trip to Cabo in late march of this | | | | and the sky appears to be on fire. The sight alone |
| year, my partner Dolores Peralta and I had | | | | makes the trip worthwhile. |
| another opportunity to experience the diversity of | | | | The Guerita II cut through the calmer waters of |
| life in these nutrient rich waters. | | | | the Sea of Cortez with ease by benefit of the |
| Jacqueline "Jacquie" Lee, owner of Guerita II, set | | | | natural windbreak that the East Cape coast |
| us up for two days of fishing with Captain Efren | | | | provides. We set out a mix of CD 4 Rapalas in a |
| Beron Zamora and crewman Jesus Alfredo | | | | sardine pattern and started to work the |
| Espinoza. Efren has a lifetime of experience as an | | | | underwater ledges and rock piles in search of |
| angler, guide and captain and has a love of the | | | | sierra or Spanish mackerel, dorado or tuna. We |
| ocean that rubs off on crew and passenger alike. | | | | ran across pods of porpoise working bait schools |
| The Guerita II is a tournament rigged 34-foot | | | | to the surface. These working pods often hold |
| Crystaliner equipped with everything the avid | | | | schools of tuna just below that pick off bait from |
| angler could need or ask for _ Shimano Tiagra 50 | | | | the edges of the bait ball but today, we found |
| wide LRS & Penn International reels, Shimano | | | | just the porpoise. Off in the distance, Captain |
| Black Steel IGFA rods and an outstanding | | | | Efren spotted surface activity and turned the |
| selection of lures, this wide-beamed fishing | | | | Guerita towards it. |
| machine boasts top-of-the-line electronics to help | | | | Within minutes we were surrounded by thousands |
| get you on the bite fast. | | | | of Humboldt squid. Denizens of the northern most |
| We arrived at the docks at 6:30 in the morning, a | | | | portion of the Sea of Cortez, these alien looking |
| little late for Captain Efren's liking as he planned on | | | | creatures have slowly made their way down to |
| running out about 30-40 miles in search of warm, | | | | the southern tip of the Baja in recent years. With |
| blue water where he hoped to put us on striped | | | | tentacles reaching up out of the water like some |
| marlin and tuna. While waiting on our arrival Efren | | | | kind of extra terrestrial meat eating flower, we |
| had already loaded up on live bait from the | | | | watched in awe as they fed on floating red crab. |
| pangeros that supply the fleets and with no delay, | | | | Just about anything we tossed into the water |
| we were on our way. Winds this time of the year | | | | was immediately engulfed by the toothy tentacles |
| can be unpredictable and on this day, the winds | | | | of the squid and with constant pressure and slow |
| helped build a fairly large swell. We motored our | | | | pumps and reeling, we brought them to the gaff. |
| way out to sea on a bumpy but dry ride to the | | | | Legends abound about the ferocity and strength |
| fishing grounds. Once he found the water | | | | of the Humboldt squid and while many of these |
| conditions that best provided the chance for large | | | | tales are true "fish stories", there is ample credible |
| billfish, he switched driving positions to the tall tuna | | | | evidence of the potential for injury and even |
| tower while Alfredo began to set out our spread | | | | death from these marine cephalopods. Recently, a |
| of lures. Purple and orange Zukers set out at the | | | | Discovery program featured an in-depth study of |
| fifth wake behind the boat, trolling feathers in pink | | | | the Humboldt squid in the Sea of Cortez. During |
| and white and Mexican flag patterns on the third | | | | times of agitation, such as when these animals |
| wake and a dark colored Marauder set close to | | | | are being fished by fleets of pangeros who make |
| the boat. | | | | a significant share of their income from the sale |
| A few hours passed as we crisscrossed areas | | | | of the tasty beasts, they can and do become |
| where colder water met warmer, Efren's eyes | | | | very aggressive. One pangero spoke of his |
| trained on the surface scanning for signs that fish | | | | encounter with the squid with fear and respect. |
| were near - circling and diving birds, the tail of a | | | | While working a large school, he lost his balance |
| marlin cruising for its next meal, a pod of porpoise | | | | and fell into the water. Within seconds, several |
| balling bait. None of the usual signs appeared until | | | | five to six footers locked onto him and began to |
| Efren's eagle eyes spotted a feeder, a marlin | | | | pull him under, all the while biting into his flesh with |
| actively working the ocean surface. A quick turn | | | | their impressive and powerful beaks. He managed |
| of the boat and a punch of the throttle controls | | | | to free himself and make his way back to the |
| placed us in the perfect position to present our | | | | surface and into his panga, scared and exhausted. |
| spread of lures to the fish. The marlin took notice | | | | The scars that he showed tell the tale all to well. |
| and struck one of the lures back at the fifth | | | | He also told of others that did not fair so well, |
| wake. The jigstrike started our adrenalin flowing | | | | never making back to the surface. |
| and we scrambled to the deck to ready for a | | | | While events like those have occurred, the squid |
| battle. The marlin let loose the lure just as Alfredo | | | | are usually no more than curious about visitors to |
| cast a live bait back to entice a bite. After a few | | | | their domain. It is the frenzied activity caused by |
| tense moments, the marlin took the bait, the reel | | | | fishing these creatures that creates the |
| left in free spool in order to give it time to fully | | | | aggressive and often cannibalistic behavior. Divers |
| take the bait. Flipping the reel into locked position | | | | have been able to get up close and personal with |
| followed by three to four strong and sharp lifts of | | | | the Humboldt squid when no fishing pressure was |
| the rod tip set the hook on a good sized striped | | | | present, all without being attacked or harmed in |
| marlin. | | | | any way. The aggressive behavior and flashing of |
| Dolores took her position in one of the two | | | | colors associated with a feeding frenzy brought |
| fighting chairs mounted on the stern and within | | | | on by fishing pressure is simply not a normal |
| seconds the marlin was giving us a show. Several | | | | occurrence, but more a reaction to the situation |
| vertical leaps and violent shakes of its broad head | | | | at hand. You need not fear the squid but make |
| and the fight began. The key to landing marlin is | | | | sure to stay away from the business end. |
| the hook set. Everything depends on whether or | | | | Tentacles with hundreds of toothed suction cups |
| not the hook was in the right position when the | | | | lead to a bird-like beak with incredible power. Ink |
| hook set is made. Many times, the marlin takes | | | | on the other hand can reach you from astonishing |
| the bait only partially and the hook never pierces | | | | distances as my partner, Dolores, can testify. |
| the mouth fully when the set is made. | | | | While fighting a squid estimated at about fifty |
| Unfortunately, this was one of those times. | | | | pounds, she experienced the jet blast of a |
| Shortly after the first series of jumps was made, | | | | Humboldt squid firsthand. As the squid was |
| a second series began and on this series the hook | | | | gaffed, Alfredo jumped off to the side leaving |
| was thrown and the fish was lost. Spooked by | | | | Dolores directly in the path of what seemed to |
| the encounter, the marlin sounded and was soon | | | | be gallons of ink shooting from out of the squid. |
| nowhere to be found. | | | | In a split second she was covered head to toe in |
| We continued on in search of another marlin, my | | | | the slimy, dark liquid. Being the trooper that she is, |
| turn in the chair coming next. A short while later, | | | | she laughed it off, wiped herself clean and tossed |
| a starboard reel started to scream. Nothing was | | | | her line back out to catch another one. By that |
| visible on the surface so the likelihood of it being a | | | | time we had been joined by over a dozen other |
| marlin was slim. From the strong pull and speed of | | | | charter boats and pangas and everywhere you |
| the fish, we thought it would be a tuna and sure | | | | looked, people were battling these impressive |
| enough it was. The fight lasted only 5-10 minutes | | | | animals. Great fun, an awesome sight and great |
| and soon we had a twenty-pound yellowfin on | | | | table fare was the end result. We left the spot |
| deck. | | | | having boated 3 squid and cleaning the ink from |
| The trolling continued and for several hours and | | | | the deck of the boat. |
| we had nothing to do but occasionally switch out | | | | Our next area of focus was just a few hundred |
| lures and scan the horizon for signs of life. Efren | | | | feet from shore working the reef structures that |
| spotted a true prize in the form of a swordfish. | | | | line the coast. Catching eight to ten pound sierra |
| While these great eating game fish can be found | | | | on light tackle is an experience I recommend |
| here most of the year, they prefer colder water | | | | highly. We picked off a few sierra and even |
| so spring is generally the best time of year for | | | | landed a small mako shark before we called it a |
| this sought after species. Although the sword | | | | day and headed back in, all the while amazed at |
| made a turn towards our spread and a live bait | | | | the beauty of the azure blue and turquoise green |
| was cast directly in front of it, this fish was | | | | waters of the Sea of Cortez. |
| apparently well fed and no matter how appealing | | | | So if you are one to enjoy the ocean and the |
| the presentation, it would not take the bait or | | | | surprises that such a aquatic paradise promises, |
| strike a lure. As they say, that's why they call it | | | | fishing the waters of the Pacific ocean and the |
| fishing and not catching. The balance of the day | | | | Sea of Cortez in Los Cabos is a dream come |
| produced only suntans and relaxation. | | | | true. Finding the right boat and crew is of the |
| On our second day on the Guerita II, we arrived | | | | utmost importance in ensuring a successful and |
| at 5:30, determined to beat Efren and Alfredo to | | | | memorable charter. When it comes to making |
| the boat. Once again, Efren had made it to the | | | | that choice, we can't recommend Jacqueline Lee's |
| boat well before us and once again, he had | | | | Guerita II and the knowledge and hospitality of |
| already baited up. If I didn't know better, I'd say | | | | Captain Efren Beron Zamora and crewman Jesus |
| he must have slept on the boat just to make | | | | Alfredo Espinoza enough. |