LONG HOT TROLL FOR EAST CAPE SPORTFISHING BOAT OUT OF BUENA VISTA

Aug. 21, 2006, Torrance Eddy, Buena Vista, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

East Cape pangueros Elias and Travanco, and I set out to go fishing at 8:30 a.m. We would have gone out earlier but Elias needed to return from Pargo fishing at night and Travanco needed to return from selling live bait from his boat in front of Hotel Palmas de Cortez.

We flooded the chamber in the panga and tossed in ten live baits. I forget what they're called here, but in California we sometimes called them green bait‚ or Spanish mackerel. In California they were quite small, but here they're 10-12 inches long and they do well on the hook, staying vigorous for a long time.

We started trolling about three miles out, going almost due east until we reached a point about 5 miles northeast of Punta Arena. We had a large selection of large marlin feathers and one really big one.

We did not see one marlin all day.

From that point, we made a 10 mile long loop the shape of a football. On two or three occasions we put ourselves in front of a porpoise school hoping for a Tuna using our live baits. Throughout our tour, we did see an occasional boat with a Tuna hookup as manifested in the usual image of the rod bent heavily and line straight down.

Then we turned eastward for about 1 to 1-1/2 hours until we were about 4 miles directly north of La Ribera.

We trolled at about 9 m.p.h. almost due east which was exactly the wind speed and direction. It was 93 degrees with 70 percent humidity. It was quite unpleasant. We did have plenty to drink. I said little more than an occasional "mucho calor." I am proud to say that it was Elias who threw in the towel but without much resistance from me.

But, as always, it was great fishing as there is no other kind.

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