Author: That Baja Guy-Gary Graham

Big yellowfin (along with some wahoo) at the Cape just in time for the WON Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot. It should be quite a party! *If you don’t see a location, it is because we did not receive a report this week. Que Pasa Foreign visitors will pay 350-pesos in tourist tax in Baja California Sur. Published on Saturday, November 2, 2019, in Mexico Daily News. State expects to generate new revenues of 490 million pesos Foreign visitors to Baja California Sur will pay a 350-peso (US $18.50) tourist tax effective November 9, the state government said on Friday. The…

The 2019 Los Cabos Offshore (LCO) Tournament provided an exciting preamble to the 39th Bisbee’s Black and Blue, which presented a change in the concept of Baja sportfishing. The B & B Tournament’s phenomenal historic rise from a mere $10K event with six boats competing, to the 2019 extravaganza hosting 126 teams with 862 anglers from the United States and other countries competing for an astounding $4,584,450 – the largest payout in the history of the sportfishing event. Puerto Paraiso’s Malecón was a beehive of activity early Tuesday morning as workers and staff put the finishing touches on the huge…

Baja Bytes Fishing … Tuesday, October 29, 2019 White seabass at San Quintin persist as Ascension wahoo and yellowfin dazzle locals. More of the same at Magdalena, and in addition, striped marlin make their annual fall appearance. *If you don’t see a location, it is because we did not receive a report this week. Que Pasa Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was recently honored to host Dr. Antonio Diaz de Leon, Deputy Head of PROFEPA (Federal Attorney of Environmental Protection of Mexico). He was on the ground in San Felipe on an unofficial visit to see first-hand the issues currently facing…

Yellowfin off Ensenada, white seabass still a tease at San Quintin, and mossback yellows at Ascensión, all sound pretty good to me! And all the while, BIG MONEY TOURNAMENTS dominate the news at Los Cabos. See below. https://www.bdoutdoors.com/bisbee-los-cabos-offshore-tournament-awards/ *If you don’t see a location, it is because we did not receive a report this week. Que Pasa BD LCO LINK Tijuana Bull Ring Rockfish are the best biters. The kelp is producing a few sand bass and sculpin along with some little rockfish.…fishdope.com Coronado Islands The “Mission Belle” called in at 1 p.m. with over 30 yellowtail in the 10-…

Bisbee Los Cabos Offshore Tournament Awards $1,274,150 in Prizes & Jackpots A monumental $1,274,150 was distributed to the winning teams at the annual Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore Tournament Awards Dinner on Sun. (10/20/19). The big winner during the annual tournament was angler Jarrod Smith, aboard the sportfisher,  “Predator,” whose combined prize and jackpot winnings totaled $444,825. A 371-pound black marlin boated by Nando Silvestri, Cabo San Lucas aboard the “Reel & Deal,” Newport Beach, Calif., was worth $213,360.  The international team had members from Baja Sur, California, and Texas. The largest fish of the tournament was a 468-pound black marlin landed by…

The marriage of Rosa Maria “Cha Cha” Ruiz Gonzalez and Bobby Van Warmer on June 27, 1965, in Santiago was the beginning of a family dynasty that would alter the face of East Cape for many future generations. “Cha Cha” and her brother Tico Ruiz Gonzalez’s family roots went back to the 19th century; “Tico” had hired Van Wormer in the 1950s to help him open another sportsman’s camp when Los Barriles was a settlement of only five ranches. With Bobby’s supervision and people skills, coupled with Cha Cha’s grasp of business, this formidable twosome would build an empire, which…

The striped marlin at Magdalena Bay move farther out as the wahoo bite goes ballistic and, in the Esteros, the snook get snookered. In the meantime, the tip of Baja, though soggy, remains on fire for billfish and big yellowfin! Que Pasa The 2019 Los Cabos Billfish Tournament loses a day of fishing! Stormy conditions shortened the three-day tournament to two days. Fishing teams were hyped up at the 2019 Los Cabos Billfish Tournament kickoff party — excited for the chance to fish for the big marlin and win cash prizes. CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO (Monday, October 14, 2019) Unpredictable…

Striped Marlin Slaughter – HERE WE GO AGAIN! The first time I came across illegal striped marlin harpooners was on a Pisces-sponsored Gray FishTag trip in October of 2016. We ran nearly 50-miles to the Finger Bank before slowing on a batch of feeders; we deployed the 4-lure spread and dredges and soon several tell-tale sickle-shaped dorsal and tail fin of striped marlin sliced through the bubbling wake in hot pursuit. Throughout the morning, the action was non-stop. We were able to place both satellite and spaghetti tags on many of the double-digit stripers that were hooked and released, while…

Striped marlin by the dozen in Mag Bay. As monster yellowfin under the porpoise beckon near the tip.  Plus larger dorado most common in several year. While wahoo scores at East Cape wow visitors and locals as well. Que Pasa Baja California rewards its fishing champions Pesca La Baja Series After three exciting events (the first one, in Los Angeles Bay and the second one in San Quintín), Mako Sport Fishing Team added 158 points, while the second place Maras Fishing Team – with a total of 126 points followed by third Kamikaze Power (prize: an entry to the Bisbee’s Tournament) with…

Lots of white noise up and down both sides of Baja. Good catches of surface fish at Ensenada. Still a few WSB at San Quintin and calico bite at Bahía Asunción. There is some positive news that offshore Magdalena bay are seeing more stripers every day someone gets out. However, the big news is from the Lands End to Muertos Bay where the stripers, plus the larger yellowfin and some dorado large enough to not only keep, but take photos of as well. Que Pasa The road work continues outside Santo Tomas – about a 15-minute wait both ways, though…

As Lorena, this year’s first storm soaks East Cape with a reported 6-inches of rain and some wind. Interrupting power and internet before skittering up the Sea of Cortez toward Mexico Mainland and beyond. Que Pasa Hook Size To Match Your Bait? – How To Choose A Hook https://www.bdoutdoors.com/hook-size-match-bait-choose-hook/ Tijuana Bull Ring Sand bass are biting along with a few sculpin and whitefish.…fishdope.com Coronado Islands/Rockpile At last word, the yellowtail action was slow, and the water was dirty. Some bass were biting at Middle Island on the Boiler Rocks, and a few bass and barracuda were showing at the Ribbon…

Baja dorado from shore, huge black taken at La Ribera — cow-sized tuna as black and blue marlin numbers continue to grow, and striped marlin releases surge again. As fall arrives, fishing gets better and better. Que Pasa Fonmar, Sepada, Hosts  Children’s Clinic at Punta Abreojos With a participation of 37 children, the Children’s Sports Fishing Clinic was held in the community of Punta Abreojos, with this there are already 520 children introduced to responsible sport fishing and committed to the care and preservation of the species reserved for this sports-recreational activity…Gonzalo Alamea Camacho Tijuana Bull Ring There are a…

Yellowfin outside of Ensenada, limits of sea bass at San Quintin just scratches the surface. Bahia Asunción kicking out some feisty yellows and a dorado or two. While off Magdalena Bay limits of wahoo are possible. Throw in the early appearance of black and blue marlin along with a few cow sized yellowfin tuna puts Baja’s tip in the limelight as well. Que Pasa Conservationists Sight Multiple Vaquita The first vaquita sightings of 2019 were recorded by a group of scientists and conservationists on board M/V Sharpie — the Sea Shepherd crew sighted two pairs of vaquita on August 19…

Beginning in 2015 Patricia Bisbee, Vice President, Bisbee Tournaments arranged for Hope for Los Cabos operated by Jen and David Limpert and their extended family. To receive all the fish that were brought to the scale during the Los Cabos Offshore and Bisbee Black and Blue tournaments. Waiting between fish being brought to the scale, the two of them explained how their program had begun. Basically, they realized that most tournaments didn’t allow the teams to keep their catch in many of the events. However, the distribution of the fish that were brought to the scale was not very organized;…

The Loreto area was known as a two-species fishing season for many years –  dorado in the summer and yellowtail in the winter, but that view is expanding as the fishery is explored more every day.

Nestled on the eastern side of the Baja peninsula in the shadow of the towering Sierra de la Giganta mountain range, the small town of Loreto – population 21,000 – overlooks the magnificent Gulf of California.

Giant yellowfin show early at Cabo. As blues and black marlin releases climb early a fall lurks ahead. Joined by the early appearance of wahoo at Magdalena Bay. Que Pasa Just as the sailors mentioned in Greek poet Homer’s Epos – “The Odyssey” – were drawn by the songs of the mythological Sea Nymphs to the Island of the Faiakes, a young Stephen Jansen, living in Amsterdam, was captivated by the fascinating tales of the extraordinary fishing in Baja’s tip nearly 6,000 miles away by Erle Stanley Gardner, Ray Cannon, Gene Kira and others. https://www.bdoutdoors.com/tales-of-baja-alter-young-mans-life-path/ Tijuana Bull Ring There has…

Although Loreto has the smallest population of the major tourist cities in Baja Sur, it offers a remarkable list of exciting activities beginning with world-renowned, challenging sportfishing.

When asked where the majority of sport fishing occurs in Baja Sur, most knowledgeable anglers will automatically declare the major tourist centers (Los Cabos, La Paz and Loreto) in terms of sportfishing offered would be correct. However, in terms of enthusiasm and participation, in 2019, 34 Copa Campeones Calisureños tournaments in five municipalities encouraged sportfishing at a grass roots level. These annual events were held throughout Baja Sur and included Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo, La Paz, Loreto, El Cardonal, Buena Vista, Punta Chivato, Bahia Asunción, Punta Abreojos, Todos Santos, plus many others supported by Baja Sur Government…

Tropical Storm Ivo dampened Baja Sur for a day or two as surfers excitedly awaited the predicted big surf along Baja’s Pacific coast. Anglers hoped the fishing would resume where it left off before the storm. Que Pasa Last Sunday a group of Loreto restaurant owners, headed by the President of the Association of Bars and Restaurants of Loreto, Oscar Castañeda Davis, attended the 12th Annual Edition of the Festival of Fish and Seafood in Playas de Rosarito, a significant international gastronomic event which attracted more than five thousand people. Loreto won third place in the “Contest of Dishes” within…

Trophy sized dorado return to Los Cabos as larger tuna play hide and seek.  As East Cape settles into late summer mode. Offering roosterfish from the beach, smallish dorado with a few wahoo to add to inshore excitement.   At Muertos bay it is more of the same with dorado and yellowfin tuna taking center stage. Que PasaThe town of San Ignacio is in the Municipality of Mulegé on Mexican Federal Highway 1 between Guerrero Negro and Santa Rosalia. Hundreds of large date palms stand tall and stately throughout the small town. Last Saturday afternoon, around 5:30 p.m., smoke and…

Big Baja yellowfin snap as blacks and blues falter. As rumored large dorado skedaddle before Gran Final Copa Calisureños in Loreto as 550 anglers on 145 teams compete for fame, glory, and cash. Que Pasa THE GREAT CALISUREÑO CUP FINAL BREAKS PARTICIPATION RECORD Governor Carlos Mendoza Davis shot the flare signaling the start of the fishing day competition. The economic spill exceeded 10 million pesos, 550 fishermen were registered, and there were more than 2 million pesos in prizes. www.javierchavezdavis.com OFFICIAL BULLETIN BCS LORETO – “For Baja California Sur, sport fishing represents the origin and consolidation of our tourism industry,…

Team “El Suertudo” won top dollar at the 20th Annual Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore fishing tournament with a 381-pound blue marlin caught in the first hours of the first day. The $619,800 was the largest payout in the history of the event, according to tournament director Wayne Bisbee.  The total prize payout for all categories in the big game fishing tournament was $771,599.50.             Sixty-five boats with 260 anglers competed during the two-day event in Baja California’s Sea of Cortez. The winning blue marlin was caught by team member Bruce McDonald in 21 minutes.  Team “El Suertudo,” from Southern California,…

The question is, are the blue marlin in Costa Rica being caught well offshore in the rainy season the same body of fish that we are seeing well inshore in December/January? When we first began asking this question, many people agreed this was a hot point question, and we should try to study this together. The first mention of this work was to Will Drost from Maverick Sportfishing out of Los Sueños Marina. We had worked on this question for over a year and recently, “the stars lined up” for our team on the most successful and amazing trip so…