TIN BOAT BONITO AND DORADO FISHING NEAR THE BEACH

Jan. 24, 2006, Torrance Eddy, beach launched boat Reina Maria II, Buena Vista, East Cape, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

Not many people have fished at East Cape this week. They say it's the cold or the wind, or both, and they're right unless they actually go out. Fishing is good only for the early.

I was on the water late, at 8:30 a.m., because the main purpose was a shakedown for my new motor and that's not one I want to do in the dark. The motor ran great.

The water temperature read 69 degrees, but I have my doubts.

Almost immediately, I saw birds working only 200 yards from where I launched near the Pemex station.

So, I chased over there, now that I can reach the breakneck speed of 12 m.p.h.

Dorado were boiling and occasionally jumping out of the water. I was pulling a light green hoochie and a Rebel Fastrack in black/silver.

At one point, I enjoyed a real fishing "first." The bait fish, flying fish, were jumping so close and fast that half a dozen flew into the side of my boat.

But alas, I didn't have what the dorado wanted.

Later in the morning, near Ranch Buena Vista in 50 feet of water, I did catch a nice Bonito of about five pounds. I had the species verified as there are so many mackerel, bonita, and skipjack varieties around at East Cape.

This one has nice light-colored meat.

I also caught several of those "other varieties," and I took the back half of a fillet, stuck a hook through the small end, and skimmed it on the surface, but I only caught the interest some pelicans who passed it over.

I was on the water about 2.5 hours.

Another East Cape fishing boat beached the same time I did and they had about a 10 pound dorado.