PANGA FISHING THE MIDRIFF ISLANDS ABOARD THE ERIK

Aug. 28-Sept. 2, Mothership Fishing Report, Dana Kerby, Erik, Baja Sportfishing, Inc., San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico:

My husband Jim and I went on the San Felipe fishing trip, along with three of our neighbors from the Punta Banda area--Des and Marla Moreland, and George Conlan.

There were 18 people on board. The water was VERY rough on the trip south from San Felipe, but was calm when we started fishing on Sunday in the area of Puerto Refugio.

First thing out, I caught a cabrilla of around 8 lbs. Then a 3-lb (approx) golden cabrilla, which I released, then caught 3 more smaller cabrilla, which I released as well.

Sunday night we tried to catch bait in the area of La Vibora, then fished that area on Monday morning. Tom Hickey of Chino, California, caught a 32 lb. yellowtail. There were several other just a little smaller caught that same day in the area of Suspira and Isla Partida.

Jim and I caught 14 yellowtail in the 12-18 lb. range that day.

Monday night we caught bait, but again it was scarce.

Then on Tuesday morning went back to Isla Partida and La Raza for more yellowtail, some pargo and cabrilla. Two dorado were caught as well.

Tuesday afternoon we were back in the area of San Bernabe. Fished in the area of San Bernabe on Wednesday morning, then midday moved to Las Animas. I and a couple of my friends on board went snorkeling and was amazed at the variety of fish in the rocks just offshore.

I saw a number of golden cabrilla, parrot fish, a leopard grouper in the process of metamorphosis from Leopard to golden. There were fluorescent blue damsel fish, sergeant majors by the thousands, from dime size to hand-size, several very large angelfish with a fluorescent blue edge along the top fin, triggerfish of all sizes and quite a few others that I couldn't identify. Thousands and thousands of fish in a very small area.

Later on Wednesday we moved toward the north and the pangas started out somewhere in the area of Punta Remedios and fished to Salvatierra, where they caught up with the ERIK and we ate dinner on the top deck (barbequed steaks) while the ERIK motored up to the Encantadas. We fished in that area until noon on Thursday.

There were a few white seabass caught, as well as some really nice sized cabrilla.

The sea was again quite rough going north to San Felipe, due to some chubascos over on mainland Mexico. We could see the large clouds and lightning, and it disturbed the water. Everyone was happy and had their limits of fish to fill their ice chests.

Fish count: yellowtail - 221 (one 32 lb.), cabrilla - 154, pargo - 14, dorado - 3, giant squid - 10.

We still have 5 spots available on the Mag Bay-San Carlos trips for November 7 and 14.

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