EAST CAPE PANGA SOPLADO TOUGHS IT OUT
IN UNFAVORABLE FISHING CONDITIONS

Feb. 12, 2005, Russ Fritz, La Ribera, Baja Sur, Mexico Fishing Report:

This week started with the wind on Monday, so most pangas were beach-bound. I tried launching on Tuesday, but the surf was just too big at La Ribera.

Brad Meister, of San Clemente and I were able to fish on Wednesday and got only 4 bonito and 1 small dorado (mahi-mahi).

Thursday afternoon the wind let up, but skies were gray, and we got scattered showers.

Friday morning was tranquil, but the surf made launching perilous. We managed, and fished north to Punta Pescador, landing 1 nice dorado, loosing 1 at the gaff, and teasing a marlin into the spread, but not on the hook.

The seas were rough, and the gray clouds turned dark with rain, which obscured the coast for several hours. Capt. Congo, on the Two Awesome, had 3 marlin caught and released by 10 a.m, and 5 before noon. We trolled home in the rain, almost running over another tailing marlin. It rained all night, but is beautiful this morning.

I got a water temperature of 72 degrees, during the storm on Thursday. We are launching my panga "Soplado" from the beach in La Ribera. My launch method is to ready the panga at water's edge, then back the panga rapidly into the water, while someone holds the bow rope from the beach. The trailer has rollers, so the panga rolls off into the water, and I drive my 4x4 quickly away from the surf. We try to keep the boat off the beach, and just beyond the breakers until a lull between sets. With proper timing, we scramble over the bow and push off. We have only swamped the boat once in many launchings, and that was probably due to poor timing, and big surf.