LA JOLLA KAYAK FISHING TRIP TO EAST CAPE'S HOTEL PUNTA COLORADA

Oct. 23-28, 2005, Jim Sammons, La Jolla Kayak Fishing, East Cape, Baja California Sur, Mexico Kayak Fishing:

How would you like your first fish from a kayak to be a fish of a lifetime? That is precisely what happened with La Jolla Kayak Fishing clients, Scott Demoss and David Schlottman, during their recent East Cape fishing trip to Hotel Punta Colorada with guide Jim Sammons.

Demoss of Boulder, Colorado, and Schlottman of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, were among five anglers on the trip to land a billfish from the kayaks.

For these two, kayak fishing was a new endeavor and catching a 100 pound plus billfish was beyond their highest hopes.

By the end of four days of East Cape kayak fishing, four striped marlin and three sailfish had been dragged across the kayaker’s laps for a quick photo then released. Several more billfish were hooked and lost during this incredible trip. While fishing from the panga, the group also landed another marlin and sailfish.

The first marlin of the trip, landed by Demoss, was hooked within ten minutes of putting the kayaks in the water on the first day of fishing. Demoss scarcely had time to become comfortable sitting on the kayak when the fish exploded onto his bait and fled with a fantastic aerial display. The fish was hooked approximately three miles from shore just off the lighthouse, while trolling a live mackerel. Following a two-hour battle the fish was landed and released, to be quickly followed by another hookup.

This time the angler was Daryl Laroque, of Big Bear, Calif., on an estimated 125-pound Sailfish. Another two-hour battle ensued. No sooner was the photo taken when the shout went out that Corey Wyrick of Malibu, Calif., was onto another Striper. While Corey fought his fish, two other Billfish were hooked and lost by other anglers in the group, one a Sailfish that hit a yo-yoed Megabait iron jig. All the guests concurred this was the most incredible day of fishing any had experienced.

By the end of the trip the final tally was: Scott Demoss, one Marlin and one Sailfish; Corey Wyrick two Marlin; David Schlottman one Marlin; Daryl Laroque one sailfish; Kurt Schindler one sailfish from kayak one from the panga; George Pflaum one marlin from the panga.

All fish were hooked in the same general East Cape fishing area off of Punta Arena, trolling live mackerel on 20 to 30 pound line.

While the plan had not been to target billfish on this trip, it made for a very memorable experience for all the anglers.