HEAVY SQUID POPULATION MAKES BAIT HARD TO CATCH

June 26-July 1, 2005, Tony Reyes Jr., Tony Reyes Fishing Tours, Tony Reyes, San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico Panga Mothership Fishing Trip Report:

We departed San Felipe and fished at Partida Island and then moved to fish at San Francisquito where we found abundant yellowtail. They were caught mostly on MirrOlures and 6XJr. jigs in chrome and blue-white.

Then we moved to fish at Snake Island, looking for cabrilla and bottom fish. We caught lots of those on cut squid bait. Then we went fishing at Puerto Refugio and caught some leopard grouper, and the last day we ended up fishing at the Enchanted Islands before returning to port at San Felipe, Mexico. The highlights of this trip included kids fishing for squid one night, nice fishing weather all week, dog tooth pargo to 14 pounds caught at Punta Final, and using kayaks to explore the islands and beaches.

It was hard to make bait because there were so many Humboldt squids. The best lure of the trip was the MirrOlure in pink, orange, and purple.

Fish count: 258 yellowtail to 32 pounds; 180 cabrilla to 12 pounds; limits of spotted bay bass; six broomtail to 25 pounds; plenty of squid for bait; 35 pargo to 14 pounds; 125 sheephead to 8 pounds; six dorado to 10 pounds; 115 miscellaneous fish; one 15-pound golden grouper released.

(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.