Baja Bytes

Our Dad, the one and only Ralph Clock, left his earthly life on May 8, 2023, surrounded by his entire family. He lived life to its fullest, and while our hearts are heavy with grief, we are so lucky that he was our Dad. A memorial and celebration will occur in Newport Beach in July or August … Betsy Clock Bjornsen, Ralph Clock.

Fly fishing for roosterfish with @thereelbaja.

We did most of our fishing from the boat this past week, but we managed to get out on the beach some of the time. We are still taking the long run to the North for bait when fishing from the boat, as the island has good concentrations of sardina. Sooo, that is where we have been going, and that is where we have been doing the better part of our fishing. On the days we were on the beach, we saw good mullet schools but only a handful of sardina.

What a difference a week can make! The billfish bite heated way up moving into this weekend, and with the marlin came a few nice dorado, too. And although There weren't many, the ones caught were of very decent size. Crews mostly fished inshore at the beginning of the week, with some wind and choppy seas. However, they still produced, primarily in our "Other" Category – catching mainly sierra mackerel, bonito, and grouper. But by Wednesday, we saw the marlin begin to show up at the 11:50 Bank, and by Saturday, the fleet had released 100 marlin total! Compared to last week, when we saw about 15% of the boats releasing marlin, we had nearly 50% of the boats land 'em this week. The weather also got friendlier towards the end of the week, with winds dying.

Action on the bottom showed signs of improvement recently, even though the bonito were still the most common species found. We saw a few more leopard grouper, Almaco jack, and red snapper (huachinango) while working for the rock piles with yo-yo jigs. In addition, we saw a mix of barred pargo, yellow snapper, triggerfish, and additional species, which are delicious eating fish. Scattered throughout these same grounds were a handful of dorado, a few of which was over 15 pounds. No wahoo were reported, though as the weather continues to warm, we expect water temperatures will also warm, and the wahoo should become more active, as they typically do this time of year.

Our spring season is in full swing with roosterfish, amberjack, yellowtail, sierra mackerel, grouper, mako, and thresher sharks, some decent mahi catches, and still, some marlin are around … Pisces Sportfishing…Pisces Sportfishing Fleet

Shrimp boat BUSTED in El Sargento

• As a result, 1,600 kilos of shrimp extracted without permits were retained, in joint action between FONMAR, CONAPESCA, PROFEPA, ROC and SEMAR.

Following the indications of the Governor, Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío, in the sense of permanently monitoring the correct use of marine resources on the South Californian coasts; personnel from the Fund for the Protection of Marine Resources (FONMAR), the National Aquaculture and Fisheries Commission (CONAPESCA), the Secretary of the Navy (SEMAR), the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) and in response to complaints from the fishing sector, Network of Citizen Observers A.C. (ROC), an inspection and surveillance operation was recently carried out in the area of the Gulf of California, in front of the fishing town of El Sargento in the municipality of La Paz, obtaining as a result the lifting of two reports on the shrimp boat " Sebastián XV” for breaking the law.

Highlighting the participation in the form of the federal deputies members of the Fisheries Commission, Leonor Coutiño Gutiérrez and Ángel Miguel Rodríguez Torres; Porras Domínguez pointed out that it is necessary to join efforts to stop the initiative to catch the dorado for commercial sale if it were presented before the Congress of the Union, since “it is a commercial fisherman and not recreational anglers who want to catch dorado for commercial sale.”

 "First Annual Sport Fishing Forum in Baja California Sur," during which the status of sport fishing in Baja Surwill be analyzed.

 February 22 and 23 at the Hotel Tesoro in Cabo San Lucas, BCS.

A total of 181 fish were caught TODAY, with the dorado picking waaaay up!!! 122 of those 181 fish were dorado (with anglers and crews respecting limits and more than half of those Released), we also had blue marlin, striped marlin, sailfish, wahoo, and tuna.

52-pound dorado landed on Pisces 31' Tiburon, plus more dorado and striped marlin Released!

"Annual Sport Fishing Forum in BCS" will bring together policymakers, academics, and researchers.

At a press conference was presented the "First Annual Forum of Sport Fishing in Baja California Sur", organized by the State Government through the Fund for the Protection of Marine Resources (FONMAR) to be held on February 22 and 23 in Cabo San Lucas.

Bajabytes Sport Fishing Update January 24, 2023

The season’s opening trip was terrific in Laguna Ojo de Liebre! There were many whale moms and babies and mating trios to see. Of course, they were still a bit shy, but we saw a bit of everything – breaching, spy hopping, courtship, and those cute little newborns! I’d say we saw about 30 whales in front of our camp.

Bajabytes Sport Fishing Update January 17, 2023

Cabo San Lucas 

Incredible fishing continues in Cabo with excellent catch success rates for the fleet and CRAZY numbers of marlin caught and released just this week. We had 899 marlin released in Total! In addition, we had 141 dorado caught, 192 yellowfin tuna, and 56 in the “other” category, including species like sierra mackerel, thresher and hammerhead shark, grouper, wahoo, bonito, and skipjack.

Cabo is experiencing fabulous billfish fishing at present in what traditionally would be a slow time for anglers. Boats have been fully booked for many days; no more slow season in Cabo! Not only do we have fish, but it's also a nature show. While fishing, anglers can see whales, dolphins, turtles, and sea lions.

Striped marlin have been the predominant species recently, with no signs of catches slowing down anytime soon, as long as bait stays in the area.

Billfish: Cabo is experiencing fabulous fishing right now, in what should traditionally be a slow time for anglers going out, boats were fully booked many days; no more slow season in Cabo! Not only do we have fish, but it’s also a nature show out there, while sportfishing anglers can see, whales, dolphins, turtles and sea lions. Striped marlin was the predominant species this week, with no signs of catches slowing down anytime soon, that is as long as bait stays in the area...Pisces Sportfishing Fleet

In operation FONMAR-CONAPESCA boat and equipment are retained for fishing in protected natural area

Fisheries in the State (CONAPESCA) carried out the retention of a boats and diving equipment for carrying out underwater fishing in a protected natural area without having the permit to do so.

On instructions from the Director General of FONMAR, Martín Inzunza Tamayo, the team from the Coordination of Management, Inspection and Surveillance in the Municipality of La Paz, headed by José Lizandro Olachea Burgoin, moved to the vicinity of Isla Cerralvo to carry out a joint surveillance operation with CONAPESCA personnel on December 1 and 2.

In the place, a boat with five people on board carrying out the underwater fishing activity was identified, which, upon noticing the presence of the authorities, fled, catching up with the FONMAR boat and requesting the CONAPESCA authorities to show the permits. corresponding.

The crew members could not prove that they had the corresponding permits, in addition to being scuba diving with oxygen tanks, which according to NOM-017-PESC-1994 must be done only with the lungs.

In the act, the federal officials of CONAPESCA carried out the retention of the boat, an outboard motor and fishing gear consisting of complete diving equipment, compressor, oxygen tank and diving hose.

FONMAR will continue to work in coordination with the surveillance authorities in response to the indications of the State Governor, Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío, to ensure the safeguarding and correct use of South California fishing resources.

Billfish are off the charts with double-and a few triple-digit release days at the Finger Bank. As the action ramps up early before the first of the year.

Wide open snook bite at Lopez Mateos in Magdalena Bay and full-on wahoo bite at Baja Tip.

Snook and White Sea Bass at Lopez Mateos plus wahoo outside! 

Striped Marlin, Wahoo and dorado at Los Cabos is just the beginning of the fishy Thanksgiving we are anticipating!

The week started out calmly, with three nice days, before the wind from the north blew Thursday through Saturday. Until the wind slowed the bite, great action for wahoo was reported on the grounds to the north of Punta Gorda, as wahoo were hitting on trolled Rapalas and various bait. Most fish averaged 25 to 35-pounds, though one wahoo weighed over 60 pounds. Some morning charters landed as many as four wahoo.

At the Awards banquet held on the A.P.I. Cruise Ship Pier in Cabo San Lucas Saturday Night. Wayne Bisbee announced that for the second time in Black and Blues forty-two-year history. There would be three checks handed out exceeding ONE MILLION DOLLARS totaling $7,387,925 the largest amount ever awarded in a Sportfishing Tournament,

CABO SAN LUCAS, BCS, Mex. October 24, 2022 – Wayne Bisbee, owner, and manager of Bisbee tournaments, proclaimed that the 2022 Bisbee Offshore Series Jackpots amounted to a spectacular $3,469,035 this year, in addition to the millions of dollars awarded in the 42-year-old flagship, the "Bisbee Black and Blue."  In addition to the 2022 East Cape Offshore Tournament's payout of $1,286,385, the Los Cabos Offshore tournament hit the million-dollar mark for the fourth consecutive time in its 24-year history with its 2022 total of $ $2,182,650 Jackpot Prizes up for grabs, which resulted in the multi-million-dollar figure.

Los Cabos Billfish Tournament Oct. 16-20, 2022

The 2022 LCBT began with the sound of the thunder and roar of 53 boat engines going from idle to full throttle as the flare signaling the start of the first day of the 3-day event streaked across Baja Sky. A total of 307 anglers aboard the boats headed for their favorite hot spots in search of a winning black or blue marlin weighing over 300 pounds worth thousands of dollars.

Los Cabos Billfish Tournament Oct. 16-20, 2022

Each October, the Los Cabos Billfish Tournament kicks off the season with a fun, participant-focused event in one of the most action-packed fishing destinations in the world – Cabo San Lucas. Located at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, where the Pacific Ocean and the legendary Sea of Cortez meet, it is the dream destination of the competitive angler. In addition, it provides a plethora of billfish action and world-record-size gamefish to lure the big money and big fish tournaments, which is complemented by an all-star lineup of accommodations and activities.

Pisces crews and their anglers scored in the local Marlini tournament
Pisces 37’ BBII took First Place in the Wahoo Division with a 41.8-pound wahoo, and 46’ La Chingona took Third Place Wahoo with a 33-pound wahoo. Second Place went to Team Hyper.  Pisces 40’ Coronita also participated and had a good day with several Dorado and 2 Striped Marlin Released. …Pisces Sportfishing Fleet

Baja California Sport Fishing

"COPA BAJA CALIFORNIA SPORTFISHING" Results

ENSENADA – The International Championship, "COPA BAJA CALIFORNIA SPORTFISHING," is held in collaboration with the  State Association of Fishing Clubs of Baja California.

"With an economic impact estimated at 370 million pesos, sportfishing generates an economic renaissance and well-being for thousands of families in the state," observed the Secretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture (SEPESCA), Alma Rosa Garcia Juarez, during the award's ceremony.

On behalf of Governor Marina del Pilar Avila Olmeda, García Juárez thanked the competitors who followed the tournaments in San Luis Gonzaga, Bahía de Los Ángeles, San Quintín, and Ensenada.

Anglers saw great action for dorado. Limits were common, with many releases scattered throughout the region. However, small to medium-sized fish were being found closer to shore, and some larger specimens were on the offshore grounds where there were marlin and sailfish. These fish were readily caught with lures and various bait.

4th Annual Championship Tournament and Grand Final

Ensenada, B.C., September 23 and 24.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Registration and Captains Meeting.

Place: “Monumento al Pescador”, located in the tourist

walkway in the Sport Fishing docks, ASIPONA facilities

Registration hours: from 1:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Inauguration of the tournament and meeting of captains: 7:00 p.m.

Pay close attention to Hurricane Kay. The forecast is for the storm to hug the Baja coast and come up as far as Guadalupe Island on Friday, September 9, before swinging out to the west.
If the storm comes that close, we can expect to see a big southern swell, and most likely, we will see showers and thunderstorms. San Diego might be close enough to experience tropical depression or tropical storm force winds.
We could see much stronger wind if it slips a few more miles north.
Please keep a close eye on the latest forecast and conditions for your local area before you head out!

The Copa Baja California was a great event, and I am thankful that my fishing buddy, Pat McDonell, made the trip with me. I talked Juan Cook into taking us out to fish the tournament, and it took so much stress off me to be able to fish with him since he has everything dialed in wherever he fishes. I needed this trip; I just needed to get over feeling violated by the theft of my truck and backpack in broad daylight. I'm very blessed! …Chris Wheaton

The 2022 Van Wormer Wahoo Gold Cup

Last Saturday, 43 teams with 137 anglers participated in the 2022 Van Wormer Wahoo Gold Cup for a prize-winning wahoo to take to the scale.

By the time the scale closed late in the afternoon, there were 6 qualifiers weighed in.

Congratulations to Team Pinche Aviles! They brought the largest wahoo in for weigh-in - a 42.4-pounder.  That was enough for Tournament Director Kit McNear to declare them the Official winners of the 2022 Wahoo Gold Cup. In addition to $50,000 USD, which included all four jackpots, the team took home a 2022 Volkswagen Polo.

Over the past several weeks, the bull dorado catches have dazzled recent visiting anglers. Multiple fish have tipped the scale at 35-, 40-, and even a few have been in the 50-pound class.  Esaul Valdez won the Dorado Shootout last week with a 57-pounder. Is it just a flurry, or will the bite continue throughout August?

It's a good bet that some teams entering the 23rd Annual Bisbee Offshore will take a chance in the Dorado Jackpot. Meanwhile, rumors of BIG BLUE MARLIN are driving up the team count.  According to July 26's CatchStat, 72 teams are signed up.  Could 2022 be the year the Team Count goes beyond the 100 mark?

Estamos muy orgullosos de apoyar y asociarnos con algunas de las organizaciones sin fines de lucro más merecedoras y valiosas, todas las cuales se dedican a mejorar las vidas de los jóvenes y sus familias. Como beneficiario de Stars & Stripes, las organizaciones benéficas no solo reciben la asistencia financiera que tanto necesitan, que pueden usar para expandir sus programas, sino que también pueden aumentar la conciencia pública sobre su causa y misión a través de la red S&S. Obtenga más información sobre los beneficiarios de este año a continuación.

Estamos muy orgullosos de apoyar y asociarnos con algunas de las organizaciones sin fines de lucro más merecedoras y valiosas, todas las cuales se dedican a mejorar las vidas de los jóvenes y sus familias. Como beneficiario de Stars & Stripes, las organizaciones benéficas no solo reciben la asistencia financiera que tanto necesitan, que pueden usar para expandir sus programas, sino que también pueden aumentar la conciencia pública sobre su causa y misión a través de la red S&S. Obtenga más información sobre los beneficiarios de este año a continuación.

The 23rd BISBEE EAST CAPE OFFSHORE IS HERE!!! Registration is next Tuesday, August 2, 2022, at the Buena Vista Oceanfront & and Hot Springs Resort.

The “Fishing in La Paz” tournament, which attracted 167 Teams competing for more than ONE AND HALF MILLION DOLLARS last weekend was an exciting kickoff for the “Fishing in the Five” series, which will have more than 60 tournaments in the five municipalities of Baja Sur and will conclude in the municipality of Loretto in 2023.

Stay tuned for more details of this event and the many tournaments throughout Baja Sur to follow!

We haven't seen dorado numbers like this in YEARS! A bull dorado over 40 pounds was landed. That's at least one Big Bull a day for the past week!.Rebecca Ehrenberg

The Stars and Stripes Charity Tournament, one of the most unique and successful charity events honoring "It's all about the Kids," celebrated its 25th anniversary with nearly a thousand attendees from around the world. Participants traveled to Cabo to help raise funds for those less fortunate and enjoy the many things the area offers.

Over 50 teams participated in the two-day Sportfishing Tournament. It began with a spectacular parachute jump by U.S. Veteran and paraplegic Dana Bowman as he floated toward the beach with the flags of the United States and Mexico fluttering beneath his chute.

More GRANDE ROOSTERFISH are Coming through. Roosterfish released on Pisces 66' Friday Bank yesterday! Plus some huge bottom critters for exercise…Rebecca Ehrenberg, Pisces Sportfishing Fleet

Once again, June is delivering bragging-sized fish for local and visiting anglers. Boats are seeing 200-pound bluefin tuna cavorting just offshore of Ensenada just below the border.
Fifty-pound dorado are caught off Loreto, East Cape, and San Jose del Cabo near the tip of Baja.
Trophy-sized roosterfish weighing in somewhere north of fifty pounds are released from La Paz to the tip of Baja.
Yellowfin tuna over 200 pounds are being brought in to both Cabo and San Jose.
With the catches and size fish above underscoring the summer action on tap this year in Baja, what are you waiting for?

The Head of the Secretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Government of the State of B.C., Dr. Alma Rosa García Juárez, in coordination with the National Federation of Sport Fishing, AC, and the State Association of Fishing Clubs of Baja California, made the delivery of appointments and official flag to the members of the Mexican Sport Fishing team made up of two teams with eight sport fishermen from Ensenada, Baja California, who were the winners of the Gold and Silver Medal within the "XVI NATIONAL FISHING CHAMPIONSHIP OF SPORTS "BIG GAME TROLLING 2021" held in Huatulco, Oaxaca, giving them the opportunity to represent Mexico in said world event to be held in Pescara, Italy from September 10 to 17, 2022. In this world event, the participation of 12 countries is estimated (Spain, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Germany, Senegal, Croatia, Switzerland, England, Brazil, Panama and Mexico

Locals in the La Ventana/Muertos Bay area below La Paz are calling this one of the best roosterfish bites in the last decade! They declare this will be a once-in-a-lifetime "season to remember" if the bait remains throughout the summer.

Upon hearing about the outstanding roosterfish bite, fly anglers worldwide are flocking to the area to try their hand at catching the trophy-sized roosterfish that are being caught and released in unprecedented numbers.

A hundred girls and boys attended the First Children’s Sport Fishing Clinic given by the Secretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Sepesca). The free training for minors from 7 to 13 years old was witnessed by dozens of parents, in the Plaza de la Ventana al Mar, on Saturday and Sunday, May 21st and 22nd. The clinic was endorsed and sponsored by the International Sport Fishing Association (IGFA). It included the participation of the Sport Fishing Clubs of Baja California, and the ‘Pure Vids’ Club of Ensenada, according to Alma Rosa Garcia Juarez, head of SEPESCA.

The Third Annual Marina Puerto Escondido Fishing Tournament payout exceeds HALF-MILLION DOLLARS!

During the two-day event, 51 Teams competed for $577,800. The huge sum was awarded to those Teams catching the largest Yellowtail, the largest Dorado, and Releasing the most Billfish each day during the event.

 The good news is that more roosterfish have moved into the area, especially close up to the rocks and those long stretches of flat beach.  Most of the fish I’m seeing are 15-30 pounders and, as far as I can tell, all getting released.  Hopefully, especially if the larger ladyfish baits or mullet move into the shallows, we’ll start seeing the really big monster roosters up to 100 pounds!...Jonathan Roldan, Tailhunter International

From the border to Ensenada, down to San Quintin, the local sportfishing fleets offer adventure fishing trips offshore to catch monster-sized bluefin tuna seldom found this close in range.

Ensenada is in the protected harbor of Bahía de Todos Santos, approximately 70 miles from the U.S./San Diego border. The third-largest city in Baja, California, Ensenada is also the busiest seaport. Locals often refer to their fishing as "La Cenicienta del Pacífico" (The Cinderella of the Pacific) because of its impressive list of species of fish that live in its waters.

Shooting your own foot! Fishing responsibly and minding life on the sea is one thing, but stupidity mixed with negligence is quite another deal, and the latter is becoming more commonplace. I saw this net killing hundreds of baby roosterfish – a species with very little commercial value, but a huge value for sport fishing! Here they are being caught for basically no purpose other than laziness to retrieve the nets. Yes, I spoke to the owners of the nets, and they were completely indifferent – all these fish will end up rotten on the shore

Leonardo Gonzalez Photography, La Paz, Baja California Sur.

West of Ensenada / Upper 500 / 480 / 238 / 1140 Finger

Almost the entire fleet was here yesterday on 1.5-day trips and are back up at the dock today.
So what happened yesterday??
Probably one of the best bluefin tuna fishing days of all time!
All of the boats reported full limits!
The bite was wide open during the night, and it didn't die off very much during the day either. Boats were still scoring bluefin off the kelp and on jig stops all day long.

Que Pasa

In 1976 a commercial fishing boat out of Bora Bora caught a 3000-pound blue marlin that was weighed on a commercial truck scale as it was too big to weigh on a fish scale.

This 260-pound (surface) swordfish becomes the first of the 2022 Season in Cabo!

The fish was caught aboard Gaviota IX (not a Pisces Vessel) with Captain Cesar Ruiz at the helm and Mate Plutarco Cesena. Captain Cesar is no stranger to the landing surface swordfish as he has caught EIGHT of them so far in the Cabo area but had not caught one in many years.episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2022/03/29/1st-cabo-2022-swordfish-landed/

GET YOUR RODS READY! The International Sport Fishing Championship, "Copa Baja California," already has dates for their first two tournaments.

The "Copa Baja California" fishing championship in San Luis Gonzaga will kick off on June 17 and 18; the Bahía de Los Ángeles will be on July 29 and 30; San Quintín is on August 27 and 28, and the final championship is in Ensenada on September 23 and 24.

First-timers or seasoned anglers have found the four events an ideal way to be introduced to uniquely different fisheries in Northern Baja. In addition, fishing with the many local teams and getting to know them is always an insight into local knowledge that is invaluable on return trips to the various areas.

We did see a mix of yellow and red snapper, a few Almaco jacks, leopard grouper, white fish, triggerfish, and bonito. The highlight was a rare 57-pound black sea bass, legal in Mexico, not in California. However, they are not a very common catch locally.

Stars & Stripes Tournament is in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Photos

Happy New Year!!

Don't forget to register for the 25th Annual Stars & Stripes Tournament. Be sure to register early, as you will not want to miss this event!!

The 24thStars & Stripes Charity Tournament donated the 300 pounds of fish caught to feed the local Los Cabos community! In addition, they give back in many other ways. They provided hospital equipment and training for doctors in LaPaz for heart patients, plastic surgery for children, and mastectomy patients. They also award college scholarships to teens through Building Baja's Future. They work through TLC, Tilly's Life Center, transforming youth's lives, and they improve the lives of critically ill kids and their families through Miracles for Kids, plus many, many more programs.

Bucket List trip to Magdalena Bay @ Lopez Mateos…Mark Rayor

I had the pleasure of fishing with Rubin Duran on his 21-foot Mako, “Sofia,” for three days last week out of Lopez Mateos.  Unfortunately, the forecast called for strong winds in the Pacific, so we elected to stay inside the estuary, which is more protected from the elements, rather than going offshore.

Each morning, motoring a short distance from the launch ramp, we spotted pelicans feeding on Monetary sardines.  Rubin only had to toss his cast net once each day to make all the bait needed to fill the well...Captain Mark Rayor

Bluefin, the very fish that ushered in California's sportfishing, vanished from its coastline for nearly a century. The giant bluefin returned this year, rivaling the golden era of the past. With pacific bluefin populations still well below historic levels, every angler on the west coast is wondering if this fishery is here to stay or if the golden years are here and now.

Folklore Films by AFTCO presents "Year of the Bluefin" — a story told with a whisper of the past, something only someone like Greg Stotesbury, a bit of a legend around these parts, could manage. Seasoned, just as you would imagine, he is a man who has spent many long, hard days on the water, and he has spent his best ones offshore somewhere in the Pacific chasing sails, marlin, tuna — you name it, he's caught it.

October 8th, 2021, we had a shock! About 9:00 a.m., a little-known species was discovered on the beach near Los Frailes in Baja Sur. It was a crocodile, and though it was already dead, it was fresh; its temperature reading was perfect and complete.

Hurricane Olaf hit the Los Cabos resort area, forcing around 20,000 tourists to stay inside their hotels. "The State Council of Civil Protection of BCS canceled dozens of flights," said Lilzi Orcí, president of the Los Cabos Hotels Association, "However," she continued, "no deaths were reported."

This was the last fish and the LARGEST fish of the day and of the entire Bisbee East Cape Offshore for that matter. I approached Hugo Pino, a legendary local angler who won last year’s Los Cabos Billfish with both Tuna and Marlin catches aboard the Stella June (a 593 pounder that time); and who now, with today’s monster fish, clinched the win for the Tiger Spirit. It was an epic team effort, especially after yesterday’s happenings, when they had an issue with the boat’s hydraulic system that didn’t let them get out to their fishing grounds as quickly as they would have liked. “Slow and steady”, Pino said. They fought the fish close to two and a half hours, on a Shimano reel with 100 lbs line and 400 lbs leader. The BLACK MARLIN weighed in at an impressive 597 POUNDS. A BIG congratulations to anglers and crew aboard!...Rebecca Ehrenberg, Pisces Sportfishing.

-- Earth Ocean Farms (EOF), with the support of the federal and local governments, released 20,000 juvenile Totoaba, raised through sustainable aquaculture practices, as part of the yearly effort to restock the Gulf of California. This release adds up to other efforts carried out by EOF, resulting in the restocking of over 140,000 totoabas since the aquaculture company was created in 2014.

The Totoaba is an endemic fish of the Gulf of California that is in danger of extinction, due to illegal fishing for its swim bladder. This conservation effort took place at Playa Santispac, Municipality of Mulege, in Baja California Sur, chosen for having the adequate characteristics for the juveniles to thrive, such as several small islands that offer protected surroundings.

Team Juampi and angler Daniel Diestro from La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico, take the 2021 Dorado Shoot Out with their 46.6-pound dorado. In addition, they won a 2021 Volkswagen 4x4 Amarok and all the Jackpots worth a grand total of $142,205.

Thousands, maybe millions of sardina discovered on 9-mile stretch of the shoreline of Vizcaino Bay. Along with lobster, sea bass, and other species. According to local fisherman and head of fisherman’s union. The phenomena was probably caused by extraordinarily high sea temps.

Wesley Brough – aka Cabosurfcaster shares his recent catch of a potential IGFA All-Tackle World Record White Snook on the Pacific side of a Cabo San Lucas beach.

We saw decent signs of bluefin. There weren’t many surface signs but we were able to mark the few we saw around 150’. We hooked one off a flat fall rigged with heavier hooks and leader. We haven’t gotten a weight, but we based it off the one we hooked and landed and they have to be bigger fish. We were very glad we had the heavier tackle this time around

This 240-pound swordfish at the Official Certified Weigh Station, according to my friends the Abaroa’s aboard the ‘What a Journey.’ Javier, Jr. called me after the almost two-and-a-half-hour fight ended.

They had made it happen for angler Evan Pritchett and his son from Texas.

Evan was proud to have landed one this season after sighting and trying to land at least twenty fish without success. He fought the fish on a Shimano 30 Tiagra with 60# line and 200# leader. This was another surface sword that took a live cast bait. Congratulations to the anglers and crew! …Rebecca Ehrenberg, Weighmaster

Smart Skipper™ consists of innovative Smart Mate devices and the Smart Skipper™ app. Smart Mate devices use Bluetooth 5.0 mesh technology, which does not require line of sight to each device, dramatically improving connectivity and ease of installation even in the most demanding of marine environments.

The dedicated onboard smart tablet or phone relays the Smart Mate boat data to the cloud via a Wi-Fi or cellular connection.

Security features include geofencing, unauthorized entry monitoring, and motion detection. Safety features include fire detection, battery voltage, and current monitoring, high water alarm, bilge pump activation, run time, and more.

Thirty teams consisting of locals and visitors met in competition last weekend in Marina Puerto Escondido, Loreto, with excellent results.

Mother nature provided ideal conditions during the two days of the tournament, underscoring the fishability of the fertile waters of Marina Puerto Escondido.  The waters surrounding Loreto lived up to their reputation for being one of the most prolific fishing grounds in the Sea of Cortez.

It was a long wait since the First Marina Puerto Escondido Tournament took place in 2019. Team “TAG,” the overall winner of first place in 2019 returned seeking a repeat performance only to be nudged out of the “release” top spot by the time of catch in the release division by newcomer “Team La Chingona.”

Awesome swordfish catch today for Roger Lewis caught aboard his son Greg’s boat, a 60’ Bertram “Cloud Nine.”  This was a bucket list fish for Lewis that he had sought since 1978 fishing in Cabo. He finally landed this prized catch at age 76 in the company of his grandkids.

BIG SNAPPER on Pisces 28’ Andrea plus some great days aboard Pisces 28’ Andrea! Today, this awesome daughter and father duo, Hannah and Larry Simmons had five of these nice snappers! On previous days they’ve released multiple striped marlin and some roosters

Baja Bytes – March 30, 2021

Que Pasa

At Gonzaga Bay, the big grouper to near 100-pounds have nudged yellowtail, cabrilla, and pargo farther down the catch list, while yellowtail continue to be big news up and down Baja from BOLA to Muertos Bay. As April rolls in, the north winds are subsiding and larger numbers of billfish, dorado, and yellowfin tuna are beginning to show up in more catch reports.

The consensus seems to be that spring is arriving just a tad early.