Santa Rosalia, Mexico:
2004 Isla San Marcos Yellowtail Shootout Fishing Tournament Report

May 25, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

It's hard to tell the total number of fishing boats in the tournament. Some fished the first day, but not the second and then vice or versa. At least 20, and of that, 3 chartered from Mulege and 1 from the Island.

FOOD SALES AND SHIRTS: 2,953 pesos. BEER SALES: 4,843. SUBSCRIPTIONS/DONATIONS 18,435. Sub total 26,231. Expenses Shirts and beer 4,845. Profits 21,386. They told me that it was the most successful event to raise money for the community ever! I said look out for next year! Word has gotten out. Getting more emails from people asking how it went.

W.O.N. subscription winners: Denny Ledford, Kurt Lundquist, Leif Lundquist, Doug Moranville, Larry Soverr, Kevin Ward, and Alain Lewis.

Thursdays COMSA pre-tournament meeting: The meeting took place in the main conference room of the COMSA building. The GM of the Island (Agustin Casanova Cruz) started the meeting by telling all the supervisors of how I've been trying to expose the world to where and what the Island and it's community is all about, by means of the sportfishing resources available in our area, as well as the future of San Marcos after the gypsum reserves are gone.

After that Ofelia Peralta (heads the community committee) took over and went over what was needed for the event.

During the meeting something was said about giving token rocks mounted on wood, to the participants that showed up for the Captains/Participants meeting. I thought cool, some of those gypsum rocks that get washed and shaped by the sea, yah small rock on wood.

Later that night the guy who makes them came by with a sample to get my opinion. I almost fell off my chair. These weren't just rocks. Most of them were carvings of sea animals or weirdly natural sea-carved and big, 6-8 inches in height! I said these are what you're giving out?! Can I have one?!

Friday, I told the Island the only way to get some kind of turn out was to send two Pangas to San Lucas Cove and pick them up and take them back after it was done. Off go the Pangas.

The boats returned about 20 people to where the weigh station was set up so that way they know where to go once the event took place. From there we put them in a stake truck and drove to the beautiful Casa Club which is atop the cliff looking over the Sea of Cortez.

There I informed everyone to enjoy some snacks and I would go over the rules and particulars of the Tournament shortly.

So after me flapping my jaws, they were asked to move over to the other room with the TV and watch a video on the COMSA company and community of the Island (this was a professionally made video). With that complete everyone was put back in the truck and then given a tour of the whole Island, Town and Mining Area. After that back to the boats where each couple or single person picked out a token of San Marcos.

None of them had any idea all this was going to take place. Some told me that alone was more than worth the 25 dollar subscription price.

Later that night the GM (Rual Lyle) of the Guerrero Negro salt production and his supervisors, who where invited to participate in the ShootOut by COMSA, arrived by twin engine plane. I meet them at the hotel here on the island and went over the event. This was getting interesting to say the least.

Day One! ShootOut!:

Got up around 3:30 a.m. Went over the boat with my deckhand who was taking some people fishing in the ShootOut. With that done I set up my weigh station under the Palapa next to the Hospital.

Radio, cell phone, company raido, and the scale from the gypsum lab which was certified and very accurate in kilos 1.000. Believe me no two fish came up with the same weight! Coffee machine and all the other stuff.

With that finished sat around till I announced scales where open to receive fish at 10 a.m. At 10:01 the first fisherman was in, so my assistant Sara Grose (Kevin Ward's girlfriend) went to work, 12.580 kilos, length 42", and time I shouted out and she wrote down, without her I would have surely gone insane.

As the day went by the fish kept coming in, over 53 which were all filleted for the next day’s free fish tacos.

By the day’s end (5:00 p.m.) a 15.580 kilo fish was sitting in first place.

By the way, I gave out Emergency cards with 3 cellphone numbers and Radio channel to use. It was needed for one fisherman. Cut his foot real bad. We took him 150 yards from the weigh station to the Hospital were he received 6 stitches free of charge!

Day Two:

Bigger yellowtail started hitting the scales, 16.010, 16.335 and then 17.010. All said and done, overall weight one yellowtail each day (two fish total) winner Humberto Perez of Guerro Negro 29.580 kilos; second place Dirke Thacker of Palm Springs 29.380; third place Alan Lewis of San Lucas Cove 28.500; Biggest fish whole event both days Humberto Perez, 17.010. Side Jack Pot, Humberto Perez. Out of 20 boats and 45+ fishermen it was a ShootOut to remember. Humbefto caught only two fish during the two days. Got the right two! That's why I told the company I needed that scale from the lab, real close.

The Awards Presentations

I started with thanking everyone who fished and made this Grand Event like no other in all of Baja! All the while everyone enjoying the food and hospitality of Isla San Marcos.

With my open address over, Carlos Garces (COMSA engineer) took over in Spanish. We proceeded with some girls from the school performing three Mexican dances, then I started with the raffle and finished with the winners.

While all this was going on I happened to notice that Jose Antonio Iturriaga (GM COMSA, Mexico) was sitting at the Guerrero/COMSA table! He got on a Jet from Mexico City flew to Loreto then to the Island just for this? That's what I'm talking about. This company and the people of San Marcos are truly golden and he was very impressed by the whole thing. Really made me feel great!

I need to Thank the Following, for we are all looking forward to next years event and I'd/ We would love to have the same and more sponsors help us.

First Thank You WON for all the Ink without it this could never have gotten of the ground! SHIMANO Marc Mills and Doug Bouse for the Great Gear; Kevin Ward and Sara Grose for all the Searcher swag; Kicker Jigs; Branding Iron; Fisherman's Landing; H&M Landing; Bob Linsay custom rods; Hotel Las Casitas; and speical thanks to Alan Lewis who sold most of the subscriptions; COMSA and the people of Isla San Marcos.

Very Special Thanks to all who participated in the event. Hope to see you next year!

Santa Rosalía Fishing Tournament 1

Santa Rosalía Fishing Tournament 5

Santa Rosalía Fishing Tournament 4

Santa Rosalía Fishing Tournament 2

Santa Rosalía Fishing Tournament 3

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