NINE-ANGLER GROUP FISHES OUT OF EAST CAPE'S HOTEL PLAYA DE SOL

July 28, 2005, Dale Brown, East Cape fishing trip report, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

This year there were 9 in our East Cape fishing group, 5 new to Mexico, and as usual we stayed at Playa Del Sol.

We were at Playa from the 18th to the 26th. We fished for 5 days on three boats, three to a boat, El Tio, Maria II and the Rosa. Most of the time we went out about 15-20 miles on a southeasterly heading. Those boats which went north did not seem to find porpoise easily and didn't catch as many tuna. The water temp was in the low to mid 80's and there were two or three days with rough weather, 6-8 foot swells and windy. The weather didn't affect fishing, in fact on the high swell day we caught over 20 tuna on my boat alone.

Live bait was unavailable on several days due to the rough conditions and on those days we had to rely on frozen Ballyhoo. We did catch one of our Marlin on a tossed out Ballyhoo but had several others ignore the Ballyhoo completely. When it was calm at night we were able to get live Caballito, mackerel and mullet. The tuna were taken on natural colored Cedar plugs and Blue/silver Hoochies. Lots of flying fish and the Hoochies were by far the top bait for footballs up to 15 pounds. Our bigger tuna, 3 over 50 lb, were taken on the cedar plugs.

The fishing simply could not have been better. We fished 3 to a cruiser and on the first morning within 10 minutes of leaving the dock, my son Adam who was on the Maria II with myself and my longtime fishing partner Tom Hutches, hooked into a sailfish and fifteen minutes later had his first ever billfish on the transom being quickly photographed and then released.

We then continued on out in search of porpoise which we found less than an hour out. During the remainder of this day we caught 15 tuna with three being over 50 pounds.

Our next two days continued with more of the same. While fishing for tuna on the second day Adam was bringing in an 8 pound football when right at the boat a Striped Marlin tried to take the tuna. We tossed the marlin a live bait and immediately got a hook up.

A short time later Adam had landed his first Marlin. Not to be outdone, my friends Paul, Gary K. and Jason, 3 of the new guys, each caught a Marlin on the same day as well as plenty of tuna.

Tyson Riggs, another of my long time fishing friends, had the fish of the trip on his second day of fishing on the El Tio. Tyson and his group of Gary H. and Dan hooked and fought a Blue Marlin estimated by Ramon, the captain of the Tio, at well over 500 pounds. The fight lasted for 3.5 hours and as can happen the line parted with the fish within 30 feet of the boat. Talk about the big one that got away. Well they still have an incredible experience to look back on.

My moment in the sun came on our last fishing day. We were now fishing the Tio and had all the tuna anyone could ask for so we chose to do some reef fishing for Pargo. A marlin was spotted sunning on the surface and a mad dash was made to toss out a live bait. Before the marlin could take the bait a Big Bull Dorado ate the bait and the fight was on. After about 15 to 20 minutes we got the fish within gaff range but after being gaffed the fish broke free and it took another 15 minutes to get him back to the boat. This time the Gaff held and I was helping hold up the largest Dorado of my life. 63 beautiful pounds.

Overall our group caught 12 Marlin, 2 sailfish, 150 Tuna, 3 Dorado, 16 Triggerfish for Ceviche, 1 roosterfish and 4 pargo. We didn't bother to count the Bonito.

This was one of the best fishing trips of my life and I haven't even been able to tell you about the wonderful time we had at the hotel each and every evening.

The East Cape is a wonderful place and the people of Los Barriles are a joy to be with.