GOLDSPOTTED BASS AND A BIG TOADFISH CAUGHT IN LOCAL FISHING

Aug. 19, 2006, Mike Auditore, El Gato Blanco boat fishing report, Rocky Point (Puerto Peñasco), Sonora, Mexico:

I left the Rocky Point harbor around 8 a.m. in calm seas. I had three anglers with me.

Our intention this day was to catch Dorado. The air temperature at Rocky Point was 100 degrees with very high humidity so we thought trolling would be more comfortable than bottom fishing.

We headed south from Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point) and tried to make some bait at 5 and 10 miles out with not much luck except for a few Grunts, one Sierra and a small Yellowtail.

I continued southwards, looking for paddies, boils, and birds working.

We found nothing for 50 miles.

We tried trolling current slicks with no luck.

At this point we were a little frustrated so we all agreed to try bottom fishing. After a couple of tries at setting the anchor we went for it. The current was very strong. We had to put on two pounds of lead to keep our bait on the bottom. After an hour or so, the four of us managed to catch only one Red Snapper at 7 pounds and one Gold Spotted Bass at two pounds.

I decided to drift fish the area with no luck on four passes.

Everybody was pretty hot and tired and ready to call it quits. I suggested that we try a little further south on a reef that was 3 miles south of us. Everyone agreed.

It was a good move. As soon as we dropped all four had double hook ups on large 8 pound goldspotted bass. This continued for the next hour. We also caught a Baqueta at 10 pounds and a huge Toadfish which ate a Damsel Bass that was caught on cut bait.

We filled the fish box and headed in to Rocky Point. The seas were calm and the water temperature was 87 degrees.

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