ALUMINUM BOAT TUNA AND MIXED SPECIES FISHING WITH REBEL LURES

Nov. 12, 2006, Torrance Eddy, Buena Vista, East Cape, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

This has been an extraordinary week. I left the Piedras Gordas Beach, near the Pemex in Los Barriles, at about 5:45 a.m. It was still pretty dark but I now have a running light. I was headed to some 170 foot deep water off the beach of the little village near the mouth of the canyon from San Bartolo, or about one-third the way to Punta Pescadero.

Naturally I trolled all the way with my two "usual suspects," #14 Rapala Magnum blue mackerel and 5 inch Rebel silver blue.

Just about 100 yards from my destination, I saw some bait being chased a very high speed so I wandered over to the general area.

Suddenly line started screaming off my Jigmaster using the Rebel. Twenty minutes later I boated a 22 pound yellowfin tuna. My eyes nearly fell out of my head when I saw what it was. I was guessing another Toro. I didn't have very much ice and I wanted to treat this fish well. So, I sliced the gills, for bleeding, and poured five gallons or so of salt water over what ice I had and headed home. With my 2 horse motor, it took about an hour to get back. I released a 3.5 foot needlefish and a small bonita. I landed at 9:30 a.m. I plan so eat one filet and smoke the rest.

Nov. 9, 2006:

On Tuesday, I got underway very early. I have added a single 360 degree white running light to my boat. So I was able to get ready on the beach in the dark and leave before the sun came up. It was my plan to go a little down the coast from Rancho Leonero about 1/2 mile out. But just off Rancho Buena Vista, about 500 yards, I had a double sierra strike and hookup. And happily, I boated both sierra. The strikes occurred at exactly sunrise, 6:30 a.m., mas o menos. One was 27 inches long and the other 26 inches, bigger than I usually get.

I fished the general area for another hour and took two smaller ones. Then I decided to fish out beyond the boats in Los Barriles. There I caught two needlefish to use later for triggerfish bait. At about 10 a.m. the wind blew me off the water.

Today, my mission was to catch a bunch of needlefish for triggerfish bait for fishing with the Aguilar brothers Friday or Saturday morning.

I left the beach at about 7 a.m. Using about a five-inch surface rebel, black and gold, and not jointed, my first fish was a triggerfish, yes, a triggerfish on a surface lure.

Over the next 90 minutes, I took two needlefish and three ladyfish. All the ladyfish were caught while fishing right in front of the Palmas de Cortez pier. When the fishing their slowed down, I headed for Buena Vista and slow trolled close to shore all the way to Rancho Buena Vista Hotel without anything more than an occasional bite.

I decided at that point to try for some Sierra. It was about 10 a.m. I started trolling a blue Rebel Fastrack directly away from shore right at the hotel and caught a 24 inch Sierra at about 400 yards in 20 feet of water. I fished the area for another hour and took two more. There were lots of fish surface feeding on bait fish. I thought they were Sierras at the time.

After trolling twenty minutes without a strike I headed home trolling parallel to shore in 20 to 25 feet of water. At about halfway home I had a big strike on a Rebel Fastrack silver-black. This was a very strong fish. The Fastrack hooks do not lend themselves to horsing in a big, strong fish. So, the fight lasted between fifteen and twenty minutes. I should have known what it was with that hard a fight. It was Jack Crevalle between 15 and 20 pounds, estimate by Elias Aguilar. Happily, I know someone who likes to eat them.

Now this part is the truth.

Shortly after landing, a very good looking young (most are young to me) woman in a black bikini wanted to know if I caught any fish and if I wanted to sell one. It turned out she lives across the street from me, that street being Highway 1. So, I gave her a small Sierra inasmuch as it was for only two people. She's a realtor and is living in and selling this fancy, big house for $1.5 million.

East Cape weather today was calm but with enough breeze to be comfortable. The water was so calm, that I was able to come into the beach bow first.

I find launching easy up to waves not higher than 2.5 feet. Landing is and entirely different matter. While not difficult, it is tricky and takes good timing and concentration. I don't have a motor big enough to speed onto the beach. But that is hard on the boat. So, I would do it as I do regardless of the motor size. I land parallel to the beach and get out of the boat before reaching the beach but not before the water is shallow. I let the waves push the boat up onto the beach and hold the boat onto the beach as the wave recedes. Then when a bigger wave comes in I let it take the boat further up the beach until after five minutes or so it's not going to get higher. Then I pull the boat up the beach with my 4x4 high enough to get the motor, cooler, electronics, etc., off the boat and into the car. Then I pull the boat up the beach until it is high and dry.

(See "Mexico Fishing News" online for current fishing reports, photos, weather, and water temperatures from East Cape and other major Mexican sportfishing areas. Vacation travel articles, fishing maps and seasonal calendars, and fishing related information for East Cape may be found at Mexfish.com's main East Cape page.