First time Experience to Mexico... La Paz 10/17 - 10/20

[nwagner91]

Came back Saturday night from La Paz and now readjusting to reality… What a trip!!

Got up early Wednesday (10/17) and took the airbus down to LAX, flew strait to La Paz on Alaska. I went with Blake and his Parents, and couldn’t have asked for a better first time experience to Mexico. We Stayed at the Conch Hotel and went with Tail Hunter International… Jonathon, the owner, is an incredibly nice guy, who makes everyone his friend, I couldn’t have been happier with his service.

We went to a great taco place that night and I ended up having 13 tacos by the end of the night, I was stuffed and ready to for the next day of diving. Unfortunately it was rough on the outside where the bigger pelagic fish were, and Jonathon’s regular dive masters were out on a Cruise, so we ended up being stuck to the reef diving which I was a little disappointed about at first, but turned out to be more than I expected the next day. I brought down my new gun from Mario Korf that I had all rigged up and ready to go, until I pulled it out of the case it traveled in and there was chips taken out of the gun, not a big deal, just epoxy back over it, but I didn’t do a thorough enough examination that night for which more problems were to come.

Ended up taking a Super Panga out the next morning and hitting all the points and rocky areas to look for Cabrilla and Pargo. Unfortunately there were no Pargo to be found all day for as many spots as we jumped in on. My 130cm Greenhandle had a wishbone slip out of the band earlier in the morning, so it was undergunned with only one 5/8 band. I put the gun back on the boat and grabbed Blake’s 120cm Apex rigged with a single ¾ band and a single wrap of shooting line. I ended up taking a big parrot fish (~12lbs) and I stoned two Cabrilla with the gun. Later in the day after Blake shot his first Cabrilla, two of his bands broke on his 55” so I had to give up the 120cm and I grabbed the 64’’ rearhandle I got from Mario. When I grabbed the gun I realized the front quarter of the shaft was sticking out of the track and jammed, after getting it back in the gun I realize that the track is totally messed up and there’s a split in the wood. I load up all 4 bands anyways and try to shoot the gun. I took a shot at a decent sized Cabrilla about 20ft away, missed it by inches and the shaft continued on for another 15ft and hit a rock hard, messed up the tip of the slip-tip pretty good but the adapter was fine. Ended up grabbing my RA and trying to hit something with the single band… got one more Cabrilla, stoned that one to. Saw one of the golden grouper, they’re like Targets, so easy to spot. At the end of the day we both had 3 Cabrilla and I had a big parrot fish. The bigger Cabrilla went ~15lbs. Blake’s Parents caught 7 Dorado, biggest being ~25lbs.
Day one Pics:
Blake’s Fish:


My Fish:


Total Catch for the day:


My tip after that my 11/32 shaft w/ 3/8 tip ran into that rock, super loud DINK!


Went out the next Day to Las Arenas to do some fishing on R&R, Jonathon wouldn’t let up spear there being that it is such a small area and the Pangeros get really pissed because the diver’s scatter the school of fish. I ended up w/ 3 tuna and 2 Dorado, and Blake ended up w/ 4 tuna at the end of the day. The biggest tuna was ~25lbs, a blast to catch, little rockets. The funniest part was a lot of people that weren’t from California didn’t want to catch Tuna, must have thought it was just like that canned stuff. Our Pangero even asked us if it would be alright if we fished for YFT, wtf? Those people must be crazy, some of the guys even went into the reef and fished for Triggers to make Ceviche out of. Blake’s Parent’s ended up getting 3 Tuna and a Dorado. The Dorado and Tuna weren’t of great quality size, but they sure ate well. Hung out at the Cortez club later that night, what a neat little place!
Day two Pics:
My two Dorado and two of Blake’s tuna:


My two biggest tuna:


Blake’s other two tuna:


Went out for half a day on Sat before we had to catch our flight, tried to get Blake a Dorado with no avail. It was incredibly choppy, and we dove one spot to try for pargo, but had a little less than an hour in the water, no fish the last day, but we still came home w/ 150lbs of filet.

Couldn’t have asked for a better first experience to Mexico, and am so grateful I was taken by Blake’s Family. What an incredible experience, and now I’m pushing my parents to set up a family vacation down there Just thought I’d share a first time experience with you guys… If you haven’t gone, go!

[seahunter]

looks like an awesome trip. Congrats on your cabrilla. Now it is time to update your avatar

[Mike Eberhardt]

awesome trip! thanks for keeping those of us who can't go to mexico just yet happy!

[nwagner91]

Originally Posted by Mike Eberhardt

awesome trip! thanks for keeping those of us who can't go to mexico just yet happy!

Ya, I sure do... now, tuna or Cabrilla??

I think I'll go with the Cabrilla since they're speared
Now I have the choice of just me or both of us, lets share the joy

[Kristof]

Nice tuna! looks like a great trip!

I stayed at La Concha with my family in 04 and 05. The guys down at the cortez club are a blast! Learned to freedive, spear, scuba, and club with them. Does that hottie Rocio still work in the office?

looks like it might be time go back...

[Pither]

Great report, you guys are stoked!
I want a tuna…

[monkeywrencher]

Nice report!
My question is where was Blake's super gun???

[Blake Schaff]

Originally Posted by monkeywrencher

Nice report!
My question is where was Blake's super gun???

You saw what happened to Nicks gun. Just the though of it on the reef makes me shutter.

[nwagner91]

haha, he planned to use it along w/ my gun for wahoo and marlin... but we couldn't get to the outside, to rough

but it was still a blast shooting up reef fish

[nwagner91]

Oh ya.... just in case anyone was wondering, here's what we used for gear.

Guns:
Bluewater: Blake's custom 67'' tuna gun (made it himself) and my 64'' rearhandle bluewater gun by Mario Korf. Both shoot 11/32 shafts with 3/8 slip-tip

Reef: 55'' steve banks gun (5/16 shaft), 120cm Carbon Rabitech Apex (took all fish but two, every shot w/ this guy stoned the fish, except the parrotfish i shot), 130cm RA greenhandle w/ Reef muzzle by hammerhead and two 5/8bands (9/32)

For the float systems I just used my homemade 50ft floatline to a single 35L Rabitech float for reef work, and Blake used a 75ft floatline w/ an Aimrite inshore float for reef work.

We brought the equipment down to do bluewater, but ended up not using it, here's what it was though...

Mine: 50ft hard floatline > 35ft Mori Bungee > 35L Rabitech inflatable > 1m soft bungee >35L Rabitech inflatable

Blake's: 100ft of 5/8 bungee cord with one of Griswold's floats w/ the clam cleat > aimrite inshore > 10ft hardline > aimrite inshore

My system has about 160lbs of lift and I think Blake's has somewhere around 130lbs of lift

[el_guapo]

I suppose that's a painful lesson learned. Take the shaft out of the gun when traveling. If you leave it in an enclosed track gun you can end up with a bent shaft or like you a damaged enclosed track. The monkeys unloading a plane aren't super gentle with your luggage. Also if you have a removable handle take that off too.

[nwagner91]

The shaft was out, but the track was still crushed, totally lame.... damn luggage guys, I'm going to call Alaska but I doubt they'll pay for the repair...

[undrH2Ohntr]

congrat's on a nice trip and plenty of fish

[Tino Bernazzani]

File a claim with Alaska as soon as you can. Then get a price to fix the track/gun and send them the written bill. It takes a while, but they will compensate you eventually.

[el_guapo]

Originally Posted by Tino Bernazzani

File a claim with Alaska as soon as you can. Then get a price to fix the track/gun and send them the written bill. It takes a while, but they will compensate you eventually.

No they won't. I tried for the fence post and they sent a kind letter saying they don't warrant spearguns .