Author: That Baja Guy-Gary Graham

At first glance, the Bisbee Black and Blue tournaments might be categorized as just another series of money tournaments awarding huge sums for catching the largest and/or most billfish. The three events come in a variety of sizes: East Cape Offshore (ECO) medium, Los Cabos Offshore (LCO) large, or Super-Sized Black and Blue – three tournaments that allow teams to participate at the level in which they are comfortable. When I asked Captain Marlin Parker of Kona why he was at this year’s Black and Blue while the bite in his home waters was off the charts, he simply replied,…

It was one of those Southern California “Santa Ana” nights – clear skies and soft evening breezes. The C Bandit was second in line at the bait receiver behind a small skiff; waiting behind us was the Caribbean Lady. At the request of Captain Peter Groesbeck, the sullen young man at the receiver grudgingly crowded the box again as both Captains Jimmy Decker and Rich Hamilton looked on. “Those are the best ‘dines I’ve seen all year,” Hamilton chortled. One of the passengers on the Caribbean Lady who knew Decker came over to see if we had any hot spots…

An enormous wetland with some 131 miles of shoreline and countless miles of mangrove-lined esteros or estuaries, Magdalena Bay is located on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula, approximately 800 miles south of the border. Larger than San Francisco Bay, not only is it the largest bay on the peninsula, with its mangroves surrounding most of the shoreline, it is also much different than any other body of water in Baja. Its natural anchorages offer protection for both large and small boats that travel up and down the coast. A series of barrier islands protect the bay and creates…

Mention Baja Sur, and the tip of Baja is the area most familiar to visitors. Although it is understandably popular for all the right reasons – great beaches, excellent fishing, many resorts and many, many more things to do – the “burro in the room” is that the authentic Baja most people are looking for seems to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of tourists. The three largest cities in Baja Sur, Cabo San Lucas (68,463), San Jose del Cabo (69,788) and La Paz (251,871) account for 62% of the population of the state. Many inquisitive, adventuresome visitors who seek…

Won Yamaha Dana Landing Jackpot MISSION BAY – Looking to fish this weekend, the week after Labor Day? Whether you are fishing for tuna, yellowtail or the big tanker white seabass, the Sept. 7 Dana Landing Jackpot, run by Western Outdoor News and sponsored by Yamaha Outboards is a perfect fit. To sign up on line CLICK HERE. The entry is $50 a person, the payouts are $2,000, $300 and $200 for first to third place, single biggest fish of either a yellowtail, white seabass or tuna. There are also three optional 90 percent payback optionals at $100 for all…

An army of volunteers began arriving at sunup at Shelter Island pier, 1776 Shelter Island Drive, Saturday August 3rd. San Diego Sportfishing Council event coordinator Vic Gamboa led the team of volunteers provided by International Game Fish Association (IGFA), United Pier and Shore Anglers Club, San Diego Rod & Reel Club and San Diego Anglers. Staging for free 11th Annual Young Angler Tournament went quickly as the team performed like a well-oiled machine. Registration of the 100 participating young anglers went quickly and each angler was provided a goody bag with T-Shirt or hat and terminal tackle. At 9:00 AM…

Yvonne and I did a one-day fly-by of the ICAST Show in Las Vegas to see what new and exciting fishing tackle and accessories were on tap for Baja. We weren’t disappointed. As always, there were a few items that we couldn’t resist and we thought these merited sharing with our Baja Buddies. Aftco GoHandle Built on Aftco’s exclusive, tapered, lightweight E-glass fiberglass, the GoHandles are available in both 4- or 6-foot lengths. They are fitted with stainless steel 1/4-inch, 20 threaded inserts that easily adapt to most camera mounts designed for a tri-pod. The handle is also equipped with…

Regardless of the manner of travel – by air, road or water – most Baja visitors seek similar perks –A spot overlooking the water with easy access to the Sea of Cortez, good fishing, comfortable accommodations, camping, RV facilities, boat launching and storage, plus a variety of stores and restaurants nearby, and of course, internet access. Last but not least, it must have easy access and not be located in any of the larger tourist centers like Los Cabos or La Paz. It almost seems like an impossible list of requirements for anyplace to be able to deliver on. Let…

Gary Graham Tip Flyrod Ask a saltwater fishing guide what single instruction they give their client most, and odds are it will go something like, “Don’t use the rod tip . . . strip-strike!” If you fish conventional tackle, someone is always yelling, “Get the rod tip up.” And if you fly-fish freshwater, your guide insists that you set the hook with the rod tip to protect that light line tippet. Confused? Talk about a case of different strokes for different folks! So what’s going on here? Most sports have gear that is used for a single purpose: bats, gloves,…

Ask a group of anglers the most desirable characteristics they would seek in a fish to pursue and you can bet the farm that strong, colorful, acrobatic and aggressive would be at the top of most of their wish lists. Dorado, sometimes known as dolphinfish, mahi-mahi or even “do-dos” (not to be confused with the air-breathing dolphin or porpoise), meet all four characteristics, putting them near the top of the list as one of the most sought-after gamefish on the planet … attracting conventional, light-tackle, and spinning anglers as well as fly-fishers who are willing to travel. When given warm…

It didn’t take us long to set up camp – a couple of sleeping bags and a full cooler and we were good to go. Next, we unloaded the tackle and began rigging. Both of us were light tackle types, using mostly 12-pound, and if we needed something a little stouter we would go to 20. Tom preferred spin tackle and I was using my usual bait casting outfit. We had planned to use artificials only, but in the late-’70s the selection was much more limited than today. Our choices were metal jigs, a few surface poppers (modified from freshwater…

The Day at the Docks blood drive cements Bloodydecks’ reputation as one of San Diego’s largest organizers of blood drives, responsible for donating 50 to 60 units each quarter. Once again, Bloodydecks.com is sponsoring a blood drive at Day at the Docks. Each blood donor will receive a free Bloodydecks shirt as well as what has been accurately described as “a bunch of other goodies.” This year, the 34th annual Day at the Docks will take place on April 21, 2013. Prospective donors can visit the mobile Blood Donation Center, just outside the landing’s parking lot along the north corner.…

Tom Miller Life Our love of Baja was the foundation for an ongoing friendship that I enjoyed with Tom Miller until he passed away at age sixty-four. Born April 4, 1928, Tom lived on Coronado Island, California. He and his brother, Chuck, fished together when they were young and both went on to become skilled with very light line (4- and 6-pound) setting several World Records. When the telephone rang in late 1977, I lifted it out of the cradle to hear, “Hey buddy,” the unmistakable effusive, greeting of my Baja buddy, Tom Miller, noted Baja enthusiast, author and WON…

Baja’s best can sometimes be obscured by expectations set too high. Planned trips are often timed to take advantage of an anticipated hot bite for “blank at blank”…you fill in the blanks. The species and locations are nearly endless and grow even more so when one begins mixing and matching the two. For example, billfish broken down into categories would include black, blue, striped, sailfish and swordfish – all caught in waters surrounding Baja. In the location column a short list of places where epic bites are reasonably predictable would include Los Cabos, Magdalena Bay and Las Palmas Bay. Now,…

Representatives from all facets of flyfishing–tackle manufacturers, guides, lodges, fly tiers, and exotic locations–will be at the Fishermen’s Spot, 14411 Burbank Blvd., Van Nuys, for a free two-day exposition, April 6 and 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a raffle to benefit Project Healing Waters. The expo will be held both inside the store and at an adjacent parking lot with speakers, films, fly tying demonstrations, 2013 products and other aspects of the sport, both fresh and saltwater. The event coincides with the forthcoming opening of the Sierra trout season as well as the warming of ocean waters.…

A large crowd of dignitaries and off-the-street spectators came together in front of the Saltwater Stage at the Fred Hall Long Beach Show Thursday afternoon to honor Guy Yocom, from Dana Point, owner of the El Suertudo, and his captain Greg DiStefano, from San Clemente, along with their top-notch crew—Oswaldo “Balin” Ortega, David Poling, Todd Clark, Daniel Alvarez and Jose “Pepe” de la Pena—for Yocom’s remarkable record-breaking 427-pound yellowfin taken south of Cabo San Lucas on September 18, 2012. Pat McDonell, Editor of Western Outdoor News, welcomed the crowd and duly noted that for the second time in two years,…

Tough-to-get-to Magdalena Bay is a remote, immense, prolific ecosystem extending 132 miles north and south on the West Coast of Baja. Miles and miles of mangrove-lined esteros fuel the imagination. Mag Bay has produced more than its fair share of stories, myths, and legends over the years. Stories of huge snook, pargo and grouper have drawn an adventuresome band of Baja fishermen in search of the big bite. Like dorado to a shark buoy, the list of those attracted to the Bay reads like the Who’s Who of Baja Legends: Ray Cannon, Ed Tabor, Tom Miller, Fred Hoctor, Gene Kira…

Most of the world focused on the epic impending battle at the Super Bowl in New Orleans while two senior couples from Phoenix, Arizona, Sergeant and Sandy Snagirett, and John and Edie Rayno headed out aboard “Ziggy” a 34-foot Luhrs on Saturday morning, according to Capt. Manuel Dominguez. The four anglers departed from the Los Cabos Marina hoping for a nice day catching yellowfin tuna. By midday, they had accomplished their goal and were ready to return to the Marina. At 1:20 p.m. the “Ziggy” set course for home and was nine miles off of Cabo when the starboard rigger…

Five-year-old Milt Shedd cast a small shadow as he walked on the Santa Monica Pier next to his father in 1927. Peering over the edge, he watched the larger mackerel pursue the smaller smelt amidst the pilings and was overcome with an insatiable curiosity. That curiosity led him on a lifelong journey in search of answers and solutions which impacted the marine resources he loved. By the time Milt was eight years old, his Mom would drive him to the pier where he would fish all day. A few years later, he graduated to the barge a few miles offshore…

Although rogue currents carrying cold, off-color water near the tip of Baja are not completely unheard of in May and June, the 2012 version was extreme. To say that fishing offshore was challenging is an understatement! The conditions began earlier, lasted longer and covered a wider area. Reports of 30-degree temperature swings echoed from the middle of the Sea of Cortez to the tip of the peninsula. Local captains struggled to find fish in the constant, frequently changing conditions with limited success, so it’s easy to understand the frustration of my first-time visiting friends. Imagine traveling great distances to an…

Before the sun set on first day of 2013, the Southern California sportfishing community lost one of its most respected and beloved leaders. During an annual celebration surrounded by his friends and family, Bill Hideo Miyagawa, Sr., President of Zuker Lures, succumbed to a massive heart attack. Son of Kiyoshi Miyagawa (95 years of age) and the late Mary Miyagawa, Bill Miyagawa, Sr. was born July 12, 1944, in a Japanese Relocation Camp in Northern California and grew up in East Los Angeles. He first began fishing in 1956 at the age of 12 out of Pierpoint Landing. Later, he…

Always sought, but seldom mentioned, the “Bait Men of Baja” sell success by the bucket. As I cruised a Baja beach looking for something to catch in the mid-1990s, I met George “Jorge” Bergin on one of his daily, early-morning walks. Since those days, we’ve always enjoyed swapping stories. Recently, Jorge offered this tale of his unique relationship with Leonardo, one of the many Bait Men of Baja. Leonardo lives in the center of Palmas Bay and has never been more than 100 miles from the Tropic of Cancer here in Baja California Sur. Born into a fishing family, he…

Reel Life Adventures Cabo At the 2011 Bisbee Black and Blue Marlin Tournament in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Tournament Director Wayne Bisbee introduced me to Michael O’Neal and his wife Summer whose Reel Life Adventures (RLA) program had been named the featured charity for that year’s event. Wayne has served on the RLA’s Advisory Board along with an impressive list of the sportfishing elite for the past several years and he had offered to host a silent auction on behalf of the group to raise some money for their work. “The O’Neal’s have found a way to harness the enthusiasm…

World Record 427 Pound Yellowfin Tuna Official IGFA While most of us are immersed in the middle of another hectic holiday season, squeezing in last-minute shopping between their children’s and in our case grandchildren’s Christmas school programs and exhibitions, the brief one-sentence email that flashed on my smartphone mid-afternoon on Thursday, December 20th definitely got my attention. “Hey Gary, IGFA confirmed our record application today. Just wanted to let you know.” — Capt. Greg DiStefano. What an understatement! Since, Tuesday, November 30, 2010, when Mike Livingston landed a 405-pound yellowfin tuna aboard Capt. Mike Lackey’s Vagabond which defeated an IGFA…