GOOD DORADO FISHING AT SOUTHEAST CORNER OF ISLA ESPIRITU SANTO

Nov. 3, 2006, Betty Hill-Crofoot, boat WICO, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

Our boat, the WICO, made it out fishing at La Paz a couple of days this week.

Our fishing partner, Phil Gilson, from Lake Stevens, Wash., Mimi and John Ferlin from Bellingham, Wash., my husband Tad and I went Monday to the southeast end of Isla Espiritu Santo.

We were soaking with live bait and after an hour gave up as all we were doing was feeding the needlefish. We then decided to do some trolling with feathers and a cabo jig that resembles a squid on top of the water. The cabo jig did the trick as a huge Dorado went after it with Mimi taking the rod. She had a real fight on her hands before she handed the rod off to her husband, John, when she had to replace her fighting belt, only taking time to get on a new one. John tried to weigh this monster but with it's tail still dragging the floor he thought he got a reading of 47 pounds then the scale broke so weighing time was over.

Phil, John and I went after Dorado again yesterday, Thursday, at Isla Espiritu Santo even though the seas were choppy and the wind was howling which made for a rough outing. Again we were soaking with live bait and right away I had a big bull Dorado on controlling me more than I was controlling him even though I was outfitted with a good harness and fighting belt. It took me the better part of an hour, with an aching back and blisters on my right hand, to get a nice bull to the boat. In the interim before I landed my fish John had hooked up and had gotten a nice Dorado in the box while I was still in my fight. At the end of the morning we had six nice Dorado aboard ranging from an estimated, no scale, 25 to 45 pounds.

The night temperatures at La Paz are getting cooler but the water temperature Thursday was still holding at 83 degrees. Hopefully the Dorado bite will continue for some time to come as you sure get an adrenaline rush once you hook up with the big boys jumping and trying to throw the hook.

We have not been out Marlin fishing but have had reports of other boats hooking up. Heard just two days ago an avid fisherman went out by himself, took only one rod and reel with him and started trolling offshore of Isla Espiritu Santo. When he heard something behind him he looked around just in time to see his rod and reel leaving the boat with a marlin attached to the other end of the line. Oops!