Gone to Baja Guided Spearfishing trip report Nov 2013

[gonetobaja]

Hola!!

Back from another great trip south. We had a great time and got some great fish. I like making these reports so get ready for a long one.

I met my 3 customers friday morning at my place. They were all spearboard members (required). C Monster, Mackfish, and Greener.

The day before I had gone down to James and Joseph to get a new shaft installed on my Riffe MT-3. Its a 3/8 shaft so hopefully it wont bend up so fast on fish. I found that with the new heavier shaft my gun is actually more accurate than before. The guys at the shop did a great job re-rigging my gun and it worked great.



I met up with the guys at my place the next day and we headed south around 9am. The ride down was smooth except for the usual baja road work that was going on but we made San Felipe by lunch time and went to the Baja mar for lunch. I love it there and they have great food.


Made it down to the house after a nice relaxing lunch and C Monster and Mackfish couldnt wait to get the kayak out and hit up the spotties in front of the house. They got some nice ones and before you know it they were on the move to fish tacos.









With the first night of fish tacos down, (that were fantastic by the way) we went to bed early and dreamed about shooting fish.

[gonetobaja]

Day 2

Woke up to flat calm conditions. loaded up the boat and trailered it down to our new launch point. its pretty central to the islands but the "ramp" if you want to call it that is....well....problematic. If you can get over the 2 ft of rocks over it and the fact that you may blow your transfer case just puling your boat up the rocks than its a pretty good place to launch.

Yes your seeing it right, we used the boat trailer to dozer plow rocks off the ramp.



Got the boat in the water and headed out to the islands. Went straight out to the first spot. We were greeted by split pea soup green water. Not looking good we started to search for vis at another spot. Along the way we noticed lots of birds working and the water blowing up. I didnt want to stop on the boils so I headed south to the next dive area I thought might be good. The guys were itching to get in the water.


So the first dive spot had some vis, I dropped C Monster off at a remote ledge and pretty much left him there. Mackfish and Greener were working an outside drop off. Greener had been a little bit light with the weight so I gave him some weight off my belt and then just stayed in the boat for the first day. Drove over to check on C Monster and see how he was going. He had already gotten on some fish, seen some grouper and nailed a yellow snapper.


He told me to leave him there and he was gonna keep working it. Vis was still tough though. Drove back to the drop off to check on the other two guys and Mackfish was already on one. He nailed a nice Leopard grouper and was pretty stoked.




Got the guys back in the boat to go and try to get some better vis. Along the way the water starts exploding again. C Monster grabs a rod and asks me to slow down and starts firing on the boils. HOOKUP!! Ends up hanging into a nice Sierra. We released it and went back on the hunt for vis.

[gonetobaja]

Still on the search for Vis we headed into a more exposed area of the islands where the water is deeper and the current is stronger, with the hopes of getting some clean water blown in. Dropped off the guys at this next spot and before you know it Mackfish is on again!





I was stoked but the vis was still tough, and Greener had yet to shoot a fish. So I pulled everyone out and headed to yet another spot. We did alot of moving on this trip but sometimes to get fish you have to be ready to search. Hit up the next spot I call #11. Its an undersea rock with a big crack and a cave underneath. Pretty good spot. Put the guys in the water and within 20 minutes Greener had shot his first yellow snapper ever.





Then I hear a yell and I look down the coast and here is C Monster waving a grouper in the air. He swam over to the boat and we iced it down.



Things were going great, Mackfish had shot a yellow snapper as well and the fish bag was looking good.



It was starting to get late so I started up the engine to go gather up the guys. Thats when I hear " BINK"!!! the unmistakeable sound of metal snapping. I look back and the steering arm for my engine has snapped. How it happened I have no idea but it goes to show you that no matter what you need to be prepared to be in this area.



I was able to tie a rope to the steering axis in the middle and put a person on each end of the rope and we were able to limp it to shore and get Naty to pull us out. It was kind of sketch and I was a little bit worried, I dont like sleeping in the boat. But we had full survival gear and radios so we were in no real danger.

Made it home and C Monster filleted out a nice parrot fish he had gotten for fish tacos for dinner. They are delicious and have some of the biggest scales I have ever seen.




All in all it was a great first day (except the steering arm) and everyone had got some good fish.

[Shootafish2]

Great report, and beautiful pics! Glad you guys had a fun, successful, and safe trip. Thanks for the write up, Doug

[gonetobaja]

Day 3

Woke up to the sounds of gulls on my roof going crazy on all the fish parts outside of my house. After yesterday we were super stoked and ready to get out on the water


We headed out on flat water and were greeted by massive schools of fish blowing up the water all over. C Monster couldnt help but start firing the spinning rod and before you know it hes hooked up



The fish rips drag off the light weight combo and C Monster is having a great time. Soon we find out its a nice Bonito.



We reel in when the boils die down and start over to our spot again but then another school of pelagic fish starts to explode around the boat. Again the C Monster starts to fire a waxwing and nails another fish, this time a nice sierra.





We get to the first spot and the vis looks dooable. I put the guys in the water and get my gear ready. We had some extra weights at the house so today i was gonna get in the water. Well as soon as I get in I realize that the vis is shit and Im not gonna stay here. I pull everyone out and start to head to another spot. On the way there, another fish boil. This time Mackfish and C Monster are firing on it and they end up with double hookups on Sierra.



Mackfish with a nice Sierra.



I pull in the lines and we head to a new spot. Im trying to get people on some fish with the guns but the vis and current are playing games with me. I get to the next spot and we dive for a while. Then it happens. Greener nails his first Baja Leopard Grouper!! the first one is always the best one.



With the vis still problematic we pull up anchor and go on the search again.

Along the way it happens again. The sea literally boiling around us. C Monster grabs the waxwing again and starts firing. Then BAM hes on, only this fish is owning him. It takes drag over and over and we are wondering what it is.



After a long fight he gets it to the boat. Its a fat little pig of a skipjack. Super fun on light tackle.



We pull in and start underway again and yet another explosion in the sea. Now Mackfish and C Monster are firing again and its another double hookup. This time its another school of Bonita.









We kept one of the bonita and bled it out good for Sashimi for later and reeled in all the lines and went on the search for vis again. We finally found some in some deep water on the edge of one of the islands but the current was starting to pick up. We all got into the water and were seeing grouper. I shot a couple small ones and then saw a decent one and was able to shoot it as well. My new 3/8 shaft is super accurate and I was stoked.



We all kind of went out separate ways and at the end of the day met back at the boat. The current was ripping by that time and we were all spent. C Monster had been ripped around the edge of the island and had 4 fish on his stringer and was able crawl around the side of the island in the current and make it back to the boat, we were almost ready to go look for him.



With the fish bag looking good we headed back into shore.



That night for dinner we were treated to fresh Bonita Sashimi, sierra fish tacos, and some fresh scallops with peppers. To say it was pretty good would be like saying playboy magazine has some OK chicks in it....

[gonetobaja]

All in all it was a great trip. I know there was alot of interest by people and Im sorry if you could not get on this one. I will try to run more trips. If you would like to go on one get 3 people together and PM me. I will put you on my list of people to call.

I shot this pic of the 3 Musketeers before we left in front of the Castle. It was a great trip with great people. Congrats to Greener on his first ever baja Grouper, to Mackfish for his groupers, and to C Monster who not only slayed the fish but was super cool and cooked for us every night. I almost felt like I should be paying these guys I had such a great time.



Thanks to everyone for reading my long pic heavy reports.

Shoot straight and dive safe.

Dale

[gonetobaja]

Originally Posted by Shootafish2

Great report, and beautiful pics! Glad you guys had a fun, successful, and safe trip. Thanks for the write up, Doug

My pleasure Doug!

[unkabonka]

Nice! love the picture reports.

[Salty_Lovin']

Awesome report, thanks for sharing. Would love to get out there one of these days..... errrr.... years.

[SpearMax]

Outstanding trip report Dale!


.

[Trace]

Great report. Would Love to make one of your trips Dale. Thanks for sharing.

[gonetobaja]

Originally Posted by Trace

Great report. Would Love to make one of your trips Dale. Thanks for sharing.

Send me a PM and you will go on the list. Would love to have you down.

D

["Yard-Sale Josh"]

The mackfish and the sandman?!?! God dayum I missed out on a sweet trip. Looks like fun, nice report. Give me a call this week sandman.

[Greener]

It was an awesome f**king trip. For a guy who has only been spearfishing and diving regularly since August, it was a real honor to dive with some of Socal's best and I learned a boat load about hunting, diving, cooking, the whole nine yards. I'm still stoked

[Spear n Surf]

Sick trip! Thanks for taking the time to share!