SEA LION YELLOWTAIL--Gail Ross with a 12-pound yellowtail caught at Ensenada's Isla Todos Santos aboard the Bad Dog out of Marina Coral. The fish was "saved" when a big sea lion jumped onto the swim step to grab it while it was being filleted in the marina. Photo courtesy Steve Ross.

ENSENADA BOAT BAD DOG FISHING TRIP TO PUNTA SAN JOSE

May 15, 2005, Steve Ross, Bad Dog, Marina Coral, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico Fishing:

Bad Dog went fishing on Saturday, May 14th, 2005, off Punta San Jose. We started fishing for shallow water, 160-foot, rockcod off of Punta la Custa del Gatro. Owners of Bad Dog, Steve and Gail Ross, with their marinero Alejandro Ruiz-Ochoa, caught their limits of 3-4 pound red vermillion rockfish in 58 degree green water. There was a little red tide up and down the coast and inside of Marina Coral, but the water turned green at Punta San Jose. We then went to the San Jose lighthouse and caught limits of sand bass in 30-foot deep, 53 degree water, of which some were 4-5.2 pounds, and limits of a highly prized "cinnamon" or canela rockfish which gets $8 per pound in the live market. Also caught was one calico bass and one halibut. Bad Dog got anchovies from Mike Richardson's Ensenada live bait company.

The Bad Dog also caught a Todos Santos Island 12-pound yellowtail, caught trolling a Rapala in 58 degree green water on April 23, 2005.

Outside of the entrance to Marina Coral, we dropped anchor and began filleting our fish there in 20 feet of water. Three sea lions showed up and a 500 pounder jumped onto our swim step and lunged at Alex's back, trying to drag him into the water in an effort to get the yellowtail he was holding. They have become more than a nuisance.