Author: That Baja Guy-Gary Graham

Baja Bytes Fishing … Tuesday, August 6, 2019 Just below the border, the bluefin persist off Ensenada and San Quintin; and hints of larger dorado are reported in Loreto just before the CALISUREÑOS CHAMPIONS CUP SERIAL DOS MARES – LORETO next weekend. The Baja Guy is headed that way to be there to watch the fun. Que Pasa “Team El Suertudo” swept all the billfish categories with their 381-pound blue marlin caught on the first day – nicely done with no other qualifiers brought to the weigh station. Winning both Day One and Day Two jackpots, plus getting the heaviest…

LAGUNA NIGUEL BILLFISH CLUB – FIRESTEIN WINS 60th HAWAIIAN INTERNATIONAL BILLFISH TOURNAMENT Gaining 100 points for a short nose spearfish tag and release gave the father and son team of Laguna Niguel Billfish Club-Firesten in the slim margin needed for a 2019 Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament victory and the coveted Governor’s Trophy. Laguna Niguel Billfish Club-Fierstein team spent the day monitoring radio control and taking notes with every hook up and each tag and release reported. At 3:51 pm and nine minutes to stop fishing,Houston Big Game Fishing Club-Team Hilocalled in a hookup that left the entire tournament of teams…

After three days of tournament fishing, the scoreboard is heating up at the 60th annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament. The 3-angler team from New Caledonia boated a 429-pound Pacific blue marlin and also tagged and released an estimated 125-pound Pacific blue marlin but it wasn’t enough to catch USA’s hot Laguna Niguel Billfish Club-Firestein. Laguna Niguel Billfish Club-Firestein continues to lead the pack with 1,500 points after angler Mitchel Firestein, fishing aboard the 43-foot Top Shape, tagged and released a Pacific blue marlin estimated at 140-pounds. This team also boated a yellowfin tuna (ahi) that tipped the scales at 129.9-pounds.…

LAGUNA NIGUEL BILLFISH CLUB – FIRESTEIN HOLDS LEAD ON DAY TWO Kona, Hawaii (Tuesday, JULY 30, 2019) – The leaderboard continued to move around on this second day of the 60th annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament (HIBT) as USA’s Laguna Niguel Billfish Club-Firestein continues to hold the top spot with 1,200 points. A bit of a rainy afternoon on Day Two brought out a few interesting fish.  Four boated ahi with a range of weights, and a mix of billfish including Pacific blue marlin, short nose spearfish, striped marlin, and the more unusual two sailfish were all tagged and released. The…

Cow-sized yellowfin and blue marlin arrive just in time for Bisbee East Cape Offshore while Bill Dobbelaer and his gang from #GrayFishTag manage to deploy three satellite tags in one day at the FADS off the coast of Costa Rica. Woo Hoo! HERE COMES AUGUST! Que Pasa The largest and most impressive tuna caught recently was once again caught by a charter boat, “Fin Addict,” with Captain Martin Oloascoaga – known tuna master fisherman in the fleet, along with Mate David Martinez and Tupacc Trejo; these guys definitely have tuna fishing in their blood! Anglers were Terry Beck and his…

Kona Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament (HIBT) Celebrates Diamond Anniversary with International Field of Anglers Starting today, Monday, July 29 at 8 am, 41 teams will take off from the starting line across Kailua Bay to fish the 2019 Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament. In all, nine countries represented including multiple teams from USA, Australia, Africa, Fuji, Japan, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Palau, and Papua New Guinea. As in previous tournaments, HIBT event headquarters and tournament control will be at Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel. HIBT Retail Store opens on the Kailua Pier to the public tomorrow starting at 9…

As an IGFA Representative, I was first introduced to the Stars and Stripes Tournament in 2015, and discovered it was a single-purposed, “It’s all about the kids” event, benefiting “Children’s NPO’s on both sides of the border. It boasted not one, but three exciting activity components: Sport-fishing, Golf, and Spa. Plus, there were extraordinary music concerts by well-known entertainers on a Baja beach or a remote Baja Canyon. Since then, I’ve evolved from being a spectator to a team member as the Sport-fishing Director assisting my friend and founder, Dick “Dicko” Gebhard. Constantly fine-tuning the event, Dicko and his team…

The best bet is for bluefin on poppers at San Quintin along with steady yellowtail and grouper action in the upper Sea of Cortez. From La Paz to the tip striped marlin tease as blues and black of summer filter in, while dorado and yellowfin tuna continue to bend rods. Que Pasa The totoaba fish’s swim bladders are called the “cocaine of the sea” for the money they fetch on the Chinese black market. A new NatGeo documentary explores the battle over them…Andrea Crosta https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-ugly-war-over-the-cocaine-of-the-sea?via=newsletter&source=Entertainment Tijuana Bull Ring The kelp line is seeing a pretty good bass bite along with…

Yellowtail bust loose at the Coronado’s. Ross Zoerhof’s 33.5-pound yellowtail tops the field of 70 anglers at Bahía Asunción Sportfishing Tournament. Que Pasa Valley of San Quintin VIDEO from the moment the US Coast Guard seizes multi-million-dollar contraband of marijuana and cocaine. The submarine could have sailed from a beach clandestine along the coast of Baja California. SAN DIEGO, CA – In an impressive operation, the US Coast Guard intercepted a submarine that loaded 18 tons of cocaine and marijuana off the coast of San Diego, California. The authorities of the US and Mexico are investigating a source that reports…

Baja bluefin to the north of Ensenada, yellowfin to the south off East Cape, huge roosterfish in the middle at Muertos and bigger blue and black marlin are trickling in — Baja’s summer is heating up!Que Pasa Blue marlin released on 30# test with 60# leader!!!https://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/blue-marlin-released-yesterday-on-30-pound-test-60-pound-leader.721285/ Tijuana Bull RingBass fishing in the kelp is trying to improve, but it could still get a lot better than it is, and most are shorts. There are some short barracuda in the kelp as well.Rockfish are biting at all the regular locations if you can’t find anything else…fishdope.com Coronado Islands/RockpileVery little info right…

Baja Bytes Fishing … Tuesday, July 2, 2019 From Jonathan Roldan, Tailhunter Sportfishing in La Paz, “We just had the best week of roosterfish fishing I have ever seen in 25 years here. Lots of roosterfish caught and released plus big pargo; marlin; larger dorado…just a crazy week of fishing.”This seems to sum up the reports this week coming from all areas. Que Pasa Stars and Stripes Charity TournamentThe Stars and Stripes Charity Tournament held the end of June, hosted a total of 750 attendees at this year’s event. Forty-eight teams fished the Charity Tournament and found fair action during…

Striped marlin bite from Loreto to Baja’s tip as yellowfin resume at East Cape. Quality roosters crow at Muertos Bay and dorado disappoint at Loreto. Que Pasa Sepeda and Fonmar announce Gran Finale in Loreto On June 24, a conference was held in La Paz to discuss the 4th Annual “Gran Final  Copa de Campeones, Calisureños 2019.” “Copa de Campeones, Calisureños 2019” is a series of Tournaments to promote sport fishing held in all the Five Municipalities in Baja California Sur that have potential for this activity. Also, they promote the economic development of these same fishing communities. There are still…

Baja Bluefin on pacific side, yellows chewing at BOLA. As larger dorado rumors ignite imaginations from Loreto to East Cape. While those pesky large roosterfish persist for another week. Will the dreaded June Plume bearing cooler green water extinguish expectations of arriving anglers.Que Pasa FONMAR supports First San Carlos Fishing Tournament 2019https://www.bigfish.mx/loscabos/Fonmar-apoya-Primer-Torneo-de-Pesca-San-Carlos-2019-20190617-0002.html Sportfishing in Baja California Sur, what tournaments care coming up?Are very good eventsalong with great prizes will take place in the coming weeks in the powerful Sud-Californian entity. If you are a regular competitor in sport fishing tournaments and you either reside or are visiting Baja California Sur,…

The Sportfishing Association of California (SAC), “Let’s Talk Hookup” radio show, San Diego Port Tenants Association and That Baja Guy (me), were recently invited by FONMAR’s Secretary, Andres Cordova Urrutia, to the 4th Annual Grand Gastronomic Fishing Tournament in Loreto, BCS. It coincided with Loreto’s seventh city-wide celebration of the Festival Gastronomico de Almeja Chocolata. Thankfully, chocolate clams – almeja chocolata – delicious as they are, aren’t chocolate flavor. But the shells do look more like a children’s Halloween treat than the gray color we normally expect. The contingency from the U.S. included Jeronimo De Silva, SAC Coordinator; Dan Malcolm,…

Cow sized yellowfin arrive early as the striper bite at Baja tip to East Cape reaches triple digit proportions. While the fly flingers revel in best big roosterfish bite in years. Que Pasa Tuna Fever at Baja’s tip Great day on team Retriever, 257-pound yellowfin tuna. What a crew! Now we are talking!! It is 234-pounds of sashimi!  Good job Luis and Luis on JUKATE…Van Wormer Resorts  Tijuana Bull Ring Calico’s are biting a little bit, and there’s even an occasional white seabass cruising through the kelp, but without any current, it’ll be tough to get much going. Shallow water rockfish…

122 Cabo stripers released and bubba sized roosterfish from shore…What are you waiting for? Que Pasa The 4th Annual Grand Gastronomic Fishing Tournament (Cuarto Gran Torneo de Pesca Gastronomico) was held on June 1st in conjunction with the city-wide celebration of the Seventh Festival Gastronomico de Almeja Chocolata. As part of the festivities, and prior to the Gran Tournament, Fonmar’s Gonzalo Alamea Camacho organized a Kid’s event, kicking off the International Game Fish Association’s Passport to the sportfishing program in Baja which is part of an IGFA 80th anniversary pledge to teach 100,000 kids around the world the basics of…

28 VISITING AND LOCAL TEAMS HIGHLIGHT  –  FIRST ROBERT ROSS FISHING TOURNAMENT Optimism has always been a common commodity in the Loreto area in May – in “the good old days,” the season’s clock could be set that month by the arrival of the Dorado. Capitalizing on the momentum demonstrated at last November’s Grand Opening of Marina Puerto Escondido’s extraordinary facility, marina manager Enrique Salcedo announced the initial fishing event for mid-May of this year. It would be the first Robert Ross Fishing Tournament to promote “the incredible inshore and often overlooked offshore sportfishing found in the waters surrounding Loreto.”…

Quoting (or misquoting) the Jamies’ 1962 pop song, “It’s summertime, summertime, sum-, sum-, summertime (in Baja!)!” So, “It’s time to head straight for them hills It’s time to live and have some thrills Come along and have a ball A regular free-for-all!” Welcome to the best week so far at Muertos! Grayfish tag huge rooster at Cabo while yellowfin frolic farther offshore. Baja stripers in plain sight at East Cape! “Well are you comin’ or are you ain’t?” Que Pasa Illegal netting of federally protected mobulas (a genus of rays) in Espiritu Santo National Park. Tijuana Bull Ring The kelp…

Baja Bytes news A rare daytime swordfish along with huge dorado top Cabo San Lucas and East fishing news. While up at Loreto the 1st annual Robert Ross Fishing Tournament delivers unexpected quantities of striped marlin and sailfish to top mid-May Que Pasa “Thank God all went well today. Good fight by Martha Macnab on a 245-pound swordfish! Very hard work as always from my crew Omar Araiza, Amador Hector, Cortez Ritchie — Well done!” Antonio Araiza Tijuana Bull Ring The Imperial Beach and International Reef area has a little bit of bird life with some scattered spots of bonito…

Baja Bytes Fishing … Tuesday, May 14, 3019 Prospects of bluefin continue to dominate Northern Baja as the yellowtail bite gains momentum close to shore. For the first time this year, San Felipe has reported in along with Bahia de Los Angeles. A new tournament in Loreto debuted, and roosterfish have continued to dazzle at Muertos and East Cape. While offshore anglers impatiently wait, hoping that sea temps will continue to increase and that the tuna and billfish bite will pick up. Que Pasa The first annual Robert Ross Tournament begins with registration at Marina Puerto Escondido on Friday, May…

In 1978, I headed out in my new Blackman skiff to catch a marlin. Alone. At the time, only a handful of local anglers had accomplished that feat. New at the game, when I spotted a tailer, I wasn’t certain of what I was seeing. Coming closer, I realized that my tailer was a swordfish! On 50-pound tackle, the “swordy” took nearly 14 hours for me to land. (read the Game Changer) I proudly saved the bill and hung it on my wall where it stayed for almost 30 years. Then, a couple of my over six-feet tall grandsons were…

By all accounts, the bluefin bite below the border vaporized for most, except for Coronado, Ensenada and San Quintin where the sacks were filled with yellows. While the remainder of the Baja’s Pacific Coast seems lethargic. The Sea of Cortez side struggled to make Cinco de Mayo memorable with mixed results. Baja Sur sputtered to life as Loreto excited some and disappointed many with less than wide open conditions; there were better catches in La Paz and East Cape, while others waited for conditions surrounding Baja’s tip to catch up. Que Pasa Report from Lori Heath; “On the “Chief” –…

Baja Bytes Fishing … Monday, April 30, 2019 As April fades, May with its inherent optimism comes swaggering in although not fast enough for impatient anglers. It is more like a flower blooming as its petals slowly open. However, experience has taught us that May, always considered a transition month, will deliver better fishing throughout Baja. Extraordinary bluefin can be found in northern Baja while roosterfish are off the chart in Baja Sur, yet other species seem to lag in most areas. Que Pasa “Got a good one yesterday! Feel free to use the photos if they fit somewhere”…Jeff DeBrown,…

Whale sharks are globally endangered species whose annual migratory patterns need to be better understood to assist conservation planning. There’s No Place Like Home Even for Whale Sharks  “Milo” and “Lucho” have traveled nearly 10,000 miles combined since the summer Both sharks were tagged in the same area and have returned there after long voyages  Whale sharks are known to be nomadic, but the recent travels of two tagged whale sharks raises questions about the lifestyle of the world’s largest shark species. Male whale sharks “Milo” and “Lucho,” tagged last summer near Isla Mujeres, Mexico by marine biologist Rafael de…