BAJA ANGLERS CATCH 28 FISH SPECIES DURING TRIP TO BAHIA SAN NICOLAS

Aug. 22, 2004, Jeff Rumble, Bahia San Nicolas, Baja California Sur, Mulege, Mexico fishing report:

Pete Jenista of Grants Pass, OR and Jeff Rumble of Whittier, CA fished the southern Bahia San Nicolas area south of Mulege for 5 days during the week of August 9-15. Baja water temperatures were 85° - 87°, and the water was clear and blue. Air temperatures were uncomfortable but manageable.

We fished all over the Bahia San Nicolas area. The deep reef at Pta Pulpito didn't seem to hold much other than Gold Spotted Bass on the bottom and a large concentration of Green Jack up in the water column. Pete did catch one interesting fish there - a Mexican Hogfish that, though it had the shape, fin structure, and yellow stripe of a male, was bright red rather than the more typical turquiose-grey.

Along the Bahia San Nicolas shoreline we found many triggerfish, plus a few smaller pargo. Barreds & Yellows.

Our near shore trolling was mostly done with Rebel Fastracs, with the "Perch" color scoring most rapidly, especially in the sunny afternoons. At one point, a juvenile Rainbow Wrasse, no more than 4" long, hit Pete's Fastrac.

Casting from shore the place was filled with scorpionfish (A little less so now. Yum yum.).

At night, casting from the Baja shore, we got a variety of grunts, plus a few barred pargo, including one for Pete that was just over 9 pounds. Pete also caught a Burrito Grunt that was 6 pounds during one of our nightfishing sessions, which basically involved shrimp on dropper loops cast over the near shore shallow reefs.

Offshore toward the southern end of Isla Idelfonso we found large numbers of Barred Needlefish and Mexican Bonito. A little bit further out, we got a small dorado and Pete caught a large sailfish. It was released. Most of our offshore trolling was done with Yo-Zuri Hydro Magnums. Lots of Boobies made trolling difficult. We repeatedly found ourselves pulling in our lures and running several hundred yards to get away from the birds. Still, we caught several.

Also near shore we found three Roosterfish to 38 lbs. These were caught trolling live mullet which we netted on the spot. All Roosters were released. Standing on a cliff overlooking the water as a big roosterfish attacks a school of mullet is a wonderful experience.

The meteor shower was exceptional.

All in all we caught 147 fish of 28 different species in just 5 days of Bahia San Nicolas fishing.

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