Very long Baja report with Photos

Great post!  (Standing Ovation, wave)  I was just talking about this place with some guys at work today, sounds like the real deal.  I'm wondering what it's like there in the spring when there's no fishing here.


Pete

man, that must have been an amazing trip.... i need a vacation sooo bad.

  I'm wondering what it's like there in the spring when there's no fishing here.


Pete

How early in spring do you mean, I have had great trips there as early as March but you are tempting the wind gods if you go before April. We run a trip there every May.

Here is another post from one of the guys that came on the trip. He and his girlfriend came down early and did some diveing before the rest of the group got there. Great photos.

[size=24]East Cape 2006[/size]

This may take a while to load up, just tried on my work computer, went quick.

I had been watching the reports from Punta Colorado by www.kayak4fish.com with guide Jim Sammons for a couple years now, and really wanted to get down there.   So, after a few testimonials, and the ok from my work, I booked our reservations.

[size=18]Saturday July 15, 2006 [/size]

Flew out of San Diego via Aero Mexico at nine in the morning, and enjoyed a cold Modelo on the flight out, saw the Volcanoes in San Quintin from the sky.  Landed in Los Cabos without incident.  The Customs line went fairly quickly, and the Officer was very friendly. 



Our ride was waiting for us as we exited the air terminal with the sign that read "Fierro." He was courteous, and stopped by the local liquor store, which price gouged Gringos at $1 per beer.  So, after speding $96, we headed North to Hotel Punta Colorado. 

The first day, we spent chatting with some of the fisherman who had been there. They reported a storm, and poor fishing conditions.  There had been a "Dorado Shootout" tournament. 

[size=18]Sunday July 16th, 2006[/size]

The next morning we rented kayaks for a paddle "out front."  Immediately saw bait being pushed up all over, and small rooster fish skimming the top of the water.  We had many strikes, most were needle fish.  Decided to troll a plug, when BAM!! Caught this nice Pargo. (released)



Trish yells over to me to tell me she is on a fish, I start to grind up my Kroc on 8lb line, when BAM!!!! BENDO!!



I fight this fish for a while, and it takes nice runs, but finally lands in my kayak.  A smaller model, but great fight, decided to keep it for dinner.


 
Trish gets her fish up, a nice trigger fish, released.



Just after I released this fish, I was stung by a small Portugese man of war, felt like a bad bee sting, but went away with some cervezas!

[size=18]Monday July 17th, 2006[/size]

I needed to coordinate my annual dive trip as well... Once you dive 100-150ft visibility, you will do anything to get back.  Luckily, I was informed that Vista Sea Sport had a dive operation that would pick you up from Hotel Punta Colorado to a preserve in Cabo Pulmo.  I was impressed with the service, and was happy to find that there was one Dive master to four divers on the first day, and only Trish and I with one Dive Master on the second day.  This is nice for a real personal touch, and to make you comfortable in new water.  First day, our Daniella, a Columbian DM, took us to what would become our favorite dive spot El Bajo.
 
First Dive
 
Date: 07/17/06
Dive Location: El Bajo
Buddy(ies): Trish, DM Daniella, a couple we will call Streamline & Effortless
Time: 0900
Bottom Time: 50 minutes
Max Depth: 60ft
Vis: 100-150 ft
Water Temp: 85º F
Thermocline: 75º F
Conditions: little to no swell, little current, light winds

Spotted bay bass... 



Puffer fish



a baja lobster, safe in this preserve...



Streamline & Effortless Divers from AZ stoked after the dive!



Second Dive
 
Date: 07/17/06
Dive Location: El Cantil
Buddy(ies): Trish, DM Daniella, a couple we will call Streamline & Effortless
Time: 11:30
Bottom Time: 52 minutes
Max Depth: 60ft
Vis: 60-90 ft
Water Temp: 85º F
Thermocline: 75º F
Conditions: little to no swell, little current, light winds
 
Trish decends on the 2nd dive...



A gold fish in ambush position...



Eel...



This pic does not do these fish justice, but these were the biggest parrot fish I have ever seen.



[size=18]Tuesday July 18th, 2006[/size]

The next day we had a new DM all to ourselves.

Third Dive

Date: 07/18/06
Dive Location: The Caves
Buddy(ies): Trish, DM Ash
Time: 11:30
Bottom Time: 50 minutes
Max Depth: 70ft
Vis: 50-80 ft
Water Temp: 85º F
Thermocline: 75º F
Conditions: little to no swell, little current, light winds

We dove off this "Island" off cabo Pulmo



Lost of Sardinas swimming...



Bait fish swarming this area.



Some Coral...



Fourth Dive

Date: 07/18/06
Dive Location: El Bajo
Buddy(ies): Trish, DM Ash
Time: 11:30
Bottom Time: 55 minutes
Max Depth: 60ft
Vis: 80-120 ft
Water Temp: 85º F
Thermocline: 75º F
Conditions: little to no swell, little current, light winds

We just had to get back to El Bajo, as we finally figured out how to use our new digital dive camera.  This reef was a fish heaven.

We saw some rays swimming by...



Some sort of eel...



fish...



more fish...



These fish were so close I could touch them...



Jacks everywhere!



I decide to get a closer look...



Even more fish...



They turn away, but are never afraid of us...



We do a safety stop, below is our DM...



For more a slideshow of more dive pics [size=18]Click Here[/size]

[size=18]Wednesday July 19th, 2006[/size]

Later that day, I met up with the rest of the kayak4fish crew, and we play some LCR dice game... 

Weds Morning, watched the sunrise from the East over the ocean.



I rented a panga with two cool guys Neil, and Kentucky Mike, we go look for Rooster fish, but the wind conditions were not too good. 



We all got blow in by the wind. I C&R another nice Pargo, and lost something on a plug that really peeled my #30 mono...

[size=18]Thursday Morning July 20th, 2006[/size]

We all woke up pretty excited to get the the spot.  Alonzo was funny, and ready to put us on fish.  I will let the pictures speak for themselves.  I had the first hook up.



Fish at color



After I gaffed this thing, #30 lbs on the megabait...Jim yells there is a Marlin behind your kayak, I saw it finning.  Perhaps forshadowing for events later.



Mike gets on a nice Amberjack



Neil reels in a YFT tuna, but has trouble at the gaff...



Neil's Fish...



At this point, Matt goes BENDO on a Marlin... well, you probably read his story... 



[size=18]Friday July 21, 2006 [/size]

The next day, Pat, Trish, and I got a cruiser... Trish with the biggest fish about 20 lbs...



I was skunked for the day, but ended up with a Dodo on the troll...



Most boats came back empty, we had the most flags, 8 tuna, and 2 dodo.  We attributed our success to our fluoro carbon leaders, to which our deck hand scoffed at when he first saw them... 



Later that day, Matt seared up some Tuna from the previous day, and we ate some sashimi... 



[size=18]Saturday July 22nd, 2006[/size]

We get another great sunrise...



Nicholas prepares to get on the panga with plenty of sun protection.   



Get to the spot, Lots of snapper being caught, when Trish goes Bendo...



Unfortunately, I had water on the lens... Jim took some pics too, so hopefully there is a clear one for the wall of fame.

About an hour later...    I put the gaff in her first "real" big fish on a kayak #25lb Yellowfin Tuna...  Just after snapping pics, Trish was stung by a man of war, later she was knocked over when we landed on shore. Thus, Moyer came up with the "The Good-YFT, The Bad-Man of War, and The Ugly-Falling over"   



[size=18]Sunday July 23rd, 2006[/size]
 
Woke up to a lazy start, got on a kayak with the 8lb test, several hookups on the kroc, all spit, as fish jumped.  Then BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!  Line peeled fast, but ended up snapping me off, just before spooling me.  I paddled for about an hour to reach blue water.  The crew on the kayaks reported BIG Roosters, while Mike, and Neil reported all you can catch YFT on a panga.  I took this picture of one of the Portugese man of war floating in the water with my "waterproof" camera on the kayak ... They kind of look like a water bubble.



All in all a good trip, hot weather, but nice people.  It was a pleasure to meet the Sammon's family, and fish with such consummate anglers that were on this trip.  Hope to do it again, but next time I got a Marlin in my sights!

For more trip pictures, Click Here

Chris 

Curse that handsome Devil Chris in that last report!       j/k    I was just about to post a report with my cousin from Santa Rosa who came down, and fished La Jolla with me, and saw this one.  That was a great trip.  If you are a diver, you should take an extra day or more and do some diving down there, great vis, reefs, and warm water!  The fishing was good, and the transition from mother panga to kayaks was smooth!  I'd go back...

Here is a dive video cilp.

http://media.putfile.com/Cabo-Pulmo 

Chris

Jim... that's the biggest bull dodo I've ever seen.  Congrats!
Excellent report and I love the photos!

Hey Chris, Hope you don't mind my sharing your report, but the photos were so great I thought everyone would like to see them to go along with the other report.

Dont mind at all!!  Hope to get back down there next year...