FOOTBALL TUNA FISHING GOOD BETWEEN RAINY PERIODS

Sept. 11, 2004, Jonathan Roldan, Tailhunter International, La Paz, Mexico Fishing:

It's rare that I get guys actually saying they are tired of fishing! Or should I say "catching?" Despite some intermittent rains, we've had some incredibly fun fishing, especially around Las Arenas.

The Punta Perrico area just south of the lighthouse has been kicking out almost as many football tuna as our guys could want. Some of our La Paz anglers have been hooking and releasing 20-30 tuna.

Even more impressively, we've been in the middle of the best wahoo bite I have ever seen. I have no doubts the wahoo schools have taken up residence south of Cerralvo Island. Unbelievably, boats averaged 1-2 wahoo per day! Folks come for years and never even see a wahoo, let alone hook one! Julius and Rhea Estanislao from Torrance CA fished almost all week with us and one day alone, got FIVE wahoo and a marlin plus pargo and dorado.

The bite off Las Arenas has just gone WFO! It's off Punta Perrico to be exact, but there's a line of fish extending from Cerralvo Island to Pescadero that's giving us perhaps the best fishing of the season. Anglers this week were taking 10, 20 and even up to 30 tuna per boat caught and released. Throw in some dorado to 40 pounds and some days we were actually coming to the beach early or looking for something else to catch! Despite the fact that there are still some occasional showers, hot humid weather is second only to the hot fishing.

DORADO STILL PRODUCING FOR LA PAZ FLEET

Wow...there was some really ugly weather early in the week for our La Paz fishing boats...where even our big boats had to make like plows in "Victory at Sea." You can imagine what it was like for the smaller La Paz super pangas. However, it got bit better as the week went on, but even when it was hairy...dorado still came to chew. Just had to find the right spot. Find the zone and the fish could go off. Not so many schools as previously, but more quality fish to be found.

JONATHAN IS TAKING ON SOME NEW ADVENTURES!

For those of you in California or the Western States familiar with Western Outdoor News, they have asked me to join the staff as a feature writer. I've just accepted a position as their new Baja editor and will be writing the weekly Baja column that has been done for the last few decades by some of the great giants of Baja...Ray Cannon, Fred Hoctor, my friend, Gene Kira, and most recently the last few months by Fred and Gloria Jones of the Vagabundos. In all those decades those are the ONLY folks who've occupied that spot and this is an incredible honor to come off the bench and fill in those shoes. It's a bit like being the next guy who plays center on the Lakers now that Shaq is gone! Gene will still be doing his usual stellar job writing the fishing reports for the paper, but I'll be doing the feature column. I'll also be writing for the Western Outdoor News magazine in addition to the weekly paper and will have the back pages to fill. But...nothing changes! This will NOT affect what we do in La Paz and the rest of Baja! We're still gonna tear 'em up like always and get you into the fishing and diving, but now we have a great platform and vehicle from which to talk about some of the great things and adventures in Baja! Gonna be quite an adventure and I hope you stick along for the ride! I guess I better think of something to write!!! I've got 52 articles to come up with! It might take a tad to get up to speed, but we're gonna put the key in the ignition, drop back the feathers and see what comes up! Thanks for all your support! Never a dull moment.

(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.