EAST CAPE FISHING FOR 70-YEAR-OLD DAD
PRODUCES FIRST-EVER DORADO, ROOSTERFISH, AND TUNA

June 4, 2004, Jeff Williams, Rancho Leonero, East Cape, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

I just got back from six days at Rancho Leonero. Took my Dad down for his 70th birthday and to celebrate his retirement after teaching outdoor and marine biology for 48 years.

East Cape weather was perfect-low 90's, light wind and low humidity. Water temp in the high 70's. Fished with Indio out of Panga #6 for four days.

East Cape, May 29, 2004: Headed out 15 miles at 090 and trolled for 4 hours in blue-green water that Indio said was too cold "pescado no quiren comer". So we headed in to Punta Colorado and played catch and release on small roosters.

East Cape, May 30, 2004: This time we went ~30 miles at 090 and found the fleet working school of very small, all black dolphin (Vaquita?). Got YFT from 12-25#'s on bait, hoochies, and feathers. Water was deep clear blue-nice stuff.

East Cape, May 31, 2004: By request, we ran down about 5 miles south of Punta Los Frailes and to troll for a hour and a half for Wahoo in murky green water-nada. So we headed in shore and slow trolled live bait back up into Bahia Los Frailes for roosters. Saw many fish but none interested in our offerings. So we pulled up and headed to the lighthouse at Punta Arenas. There we had Dad on a nice rooster in minutes--biggest fish he ever caught. We followed with some smaller ones and headed for the barn.

East Cape, June 1, 2004: Indio decided we should head north to the shark bouys as the fishing had been a bit off elsewhere. Trolled for 8 hours resulting in one ~35# bull Dorado.

It was a great trip. Each fish was one Dad had never caught and he really got into the rhythm of Baja. His first trip down since some research trips in the early 70's. The fishing was on the slow side, but there were decent quality fish caught by all boats each day.