FIRST WHITE SEABASS A 60 POUNDER

Aug. 22, 2006, Jeff Squires, Erendira, Baja California, Mexico:

I was down fishing at Castro's Camp last weekend with 3 friends.

We went out with Capt. Oscar on the boat Don Vicente on Saturday and Sunday.

We headed south each day and were fishing a mile or so off shore. The bait was boiling all around us, small brown fry and 4-10 inch Mackerel and 10-15 pound Bonita under that.

At around 9 a.m., I hooked into a large fish. I was using an Avet MXL 2-speed reel on an 8 foot Brownie with 50 pound line.

The captain started the boat and gave chase and we moved in on the fish and put the boat between the fish and 3 large sea lions. I started to wind hard and soon saw the prize. A 60 pound White Sea Bass. It circled a few times on top and Capt. Oscar gaffed it and it was in the boat.

This was my first White Sea Bass ever and it also made my largest fish I have boated. The smile still won't go away.

We continued to fish the day and boated a few Yellowtails and Barracudas as well as making a run to the zone and filled up the cooler with assorted Reds and Lingcods. But we headed back to Castro's Camp by 1 p.m. so that the White Sea Bass would still be fresh.

On Sunday we headed out to fish again with Capt. Oscar, to the same spot, and I hooked up a second White Sea Bass but could not get this one in the boat.

But the feel of that fish and the experience of the first one will be with me for ever. The rest of Sunday was just having fun with Bonita and Mackerel. We did get a couple Yellowtail and a Barracuda or two. But the bait was so overwhelming that we just had fun.

Over all we caught the following between the four of us:

1 White Sea Bass 60 pounds; 6 Yellowtails; 5 Barracudas; 8 Bonita; 20 Rock Fish.

It was more than enough for the 4 of us to share.

The water conditions off Erendira were calm in the morning and the wind picked up in the afternoon, as they always do down there. We stayed at Castro's. Love that place.

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