UP-AND-DOWN FISHING FOR BOATS IN FICKLE WEATHER

July 25, 2004, Jonathan Roldan, Tail Hunter International, La Paz and Las Arenas, Mexico Fishing Report:

JUST ONE OF THOSE WEEKS...

This has been the most up-and-down week of the season by far for La Paz fishing. Highlighted by fickle weather including sporadic heavy rain, winds, waves, lightning as well as fickle fish, we still managed to find enough windows to get a few fish. However, you either had to scratch for them or you found a nice zone of fins. Those who hung in there and put in time at the rail did the best or made the best of what was there.

Derek Taguchi's group from So. Cal, including Dick Uranga the former owner of Ironman lures broke out the light tackle and jumped all over the jacks, roosters, small pargo and dorado, even finding some tuna and a smack of wahoo in the channel. A few marlin and sails were also aboard, but I couldn't tell you which side was better. Both the La Paz and Las Arenas fishing sides had their moments...both good and bad. You just had to hang in.

So often this week La Paz sportfishing was thwarted by this or that unexpected thing that had us dancing to get our fishermen the best shot at getting fish. Our skippers really busted nutt and butt staying out longer...getting extra bait...pushing extra hard and often, that just wasn't good enough...when you can't control wind or rain or fish that look at your bait and swim away or waters that are perfectly blue and warm but are seemingly as empty of life as a glass of water.

Tell ya what...I fish hundreds of days out here...twice this week on boats that I worked on...we got skunked! That NEVER happens! The highlight of one day was a pelican! But we always made comebacks.

I think there's gonna be sporadic storms. It's that time of year. Be flexible. Work with the skipper. If the dorado aren't biting...fish for what's biting.

In the long run, all this southern stuff will bring even more warm water! The water is an incredible 80 degrees or more right now. Warmer water should bring up even more fish!

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