ENSENADA FISHING ABOARD JOHN STRICKLAND'S BOAT TOP DOG

Nov. 26, 2004, Don Fagan, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico Fishing:

Monday morning, Tom Tamarine and I went fishing out of the harbor at Ensenada on the boat Top Dog with Capt. John Strickland, a good guy!

We stopped at the Ensenada bait receiver and got a couple of scoops of anchovies, and headed out at 6 a.m.

We trolled a ways and hit some mackerel right off, then nothing more for a while. We stopped at a few of John's Ensenada fishing spots and by 1 p.m. had picked up a good mixed bag of whitefish, bonito, cabrilla, lings, sculpin, cabezon, and a couple other species, alternately bottom fishing and fly-lining live bait.

Ensenada water temperature was 59 degrees, and we had a light chop from northwest. We picked up a rain squall about 9:30, and the bite picked up so we would stay on deck and get soaked.

The Top Dog is well equipped and comfortable, and John's deckhands are good guys as well. Altogether good day! Top Dog is a charter boat, and his Ensenada slip is right next to Sergios'. His phone from the U.S. is 011-52-646-186-1291. The boat is a 35-foot Bayliner, and is equipped with outriggers, downriggers, GPS, fish finder, and has a good sized bait tank. John Strickland is knowledgeable of the Ensenada fishery. In season he goes way out for albacore, etc.