PANGA MOTHER SHIP ERIK FISHES AT ISLA MAGDALENA AND BAHIA SANTA MARIA

Nov. 12, 2004, Dana Kerby, Baja Sportfishing, Inc., Erik, Magdalena Bay and Thetis Bank, Mexico Fishing Trip Report:

The San Felipe panga mothership Erik fished on its second of three fishing trips out of San Carlos at Magdalena Bay, Nov. 5-12, 2004, with 15 passengers on board.

They fished around the south end of Isla Magdalena and in Bahia Santa Maria, just outside Magdalena Bay, a couple of days due to high winds and heavy, 20-foot swells. They were not able to do much fishing for those two days.

They did get to the Thetis Bajo on the mothership, not taking the pangas because of the high seas. They trolled from the Erik, using pink, purple, orange and yellow-mackerel MirrOlures.

But the second day they went back to the Thetis Bajo, the seiners had been there and they caught no fish at all.

One of the fish caught in that area was a 6-foot Magdalena Bay wahoo that weighed about 75 pounds. It was caught by Casey Bayless.

Bill Hudson caught a 9-foot mako shark that weighed in the 200 to 250-pound range. All told, the fishing at Magdalena Bay resulted in: 197 tuna, 5 wahoo, 7 grouper (one at 40-plus pounds), 50 yellowtail, 12 dorado, and a lot of bonito. Of course, everyone raved about the food that Alfonso and Josue prepared for them each day. Gustavo Velez, owner of the Erik, has been on board both Magdalena Bay trips, overseeing their progress. The last Magdalena Bay fishing trip for this season will be departing San Carlos on Sunday morning, Nov. 14, 2004, and returning on Friday night, Nov. 19, 2004.

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