ATLANTIC MEXICO FISHING PRODUCES BIG CATCHES OF RED SNAPPER

Dec. 16, 2006, Restaurant El Manglar, David Burns, Tecolutla, Vera Cruz, Mexico:

The Restaurant El Manglar is super busy with preparations this week, so the fishing report will be short and sweet.

The weather along the Mexico Atlantic coast at Tecolutla improved Tuesday and has held out nicely through to the filing of this report. As a result of warmer temperatures and fairer seas, the fishing has been outstanding.

Early this week the bite was on for red snapper.

Many of the Mexican commercial fishing lanchas gambled their gas money and headed out 25 to 35 kilometers and won the bet. There was so much red snapper or huachinango that the co-op wouldn't accept anymore, and, again a restaurateur's dream come true, the fisherman's wives were going from restaurant to restaurant selling the premium fish at a nice discount.

I guarantee that there will be some very happy customers this weekend at the El Manglar as I pass on any discount I get to the clients.

Can you say "red snapper in garlic sauce please"?

As the week progressed the fisherman along this part of the Mexican coast stayed closer to shore and used a combination of long nets or, if bottom fishing, spreaders with four hooks and cut bait.

There is a plethora of fish species including Cojinuda, Boquilla, Rubia, and Anchoa available in Tecolutla. We continued to stock up as vacation officially commences Thursday at which point wholesale prices increase, and often double, and any available product is in high demand.

Fishermen will tell you that the Peto start to run thick and heavy on December 12th which coincides with the saint's day for the Virgin of Guadalupe. Mexicans are both religious and superstitious (is there a difference? I leave it to you to decide), and it was only this week that I finally "got" the significance of the date, the wishful thinking, and the hope that it represents to the local fisherman.

Once again this week some Peto were caught, more than last week, but we all patiently await their big seasonal return.

This week's Mexico fishing photo is of a very nice 1.6-kilo Huachinango caught by captain Cero. I am holding the fish in front of the restaurant where we fly the Mexican flag for my wife, the Canadian flag for myself. and the American flag for our son; call us the "NAFTA family," but unfortunately last weekend's storm accompanied by strong winds literally shredded our American flag and I have plans to raise a new one tomorrow; so, for those of you that know us, don't be disturbed by the missing flag.

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