Santa Rosalia, Mexico: Constant Winter Winds Hamper Local Fishing Boats

Dec. 18, 2004, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia fishing, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

It's getting close to Christmas, and all I want is the wind to stop! It's been a tough December, to say the least. We only had six fishable days for the month, and I only got to fish four of them. I kind of wished I'd fished all the days, if I knew it was going to be blowing the whole time.

It has been windy, just like last week. Air temperatures were about the same, in the low-50s in the mornings, with highs to 70 degrees during the days. Winds have been constant, at 25 to 40 knots, and gusts to 50 knots. I can't say for sure about the water temperature and visibility, I because haven't been able to get on the water since last Sunday.

Last Sunday and Monday were the only days nice enough to get out and do any fishing. I did fish Sunday and got a couple nice yellowtail on the outer bajo before it slowed up. I then moved into the 110 bajo, dropped a few mackerel on the slider down to the bottom, and picked up a pair of leopard grouper.

The bonus of the day was while fishing the bottom, just about 150 meters inside of the spot, I noticed Blue footed Boobies diving for bait. There are always a few different types of sea birds along the reef at all times, gulls, pelicans, shearwaters, and the like, but when I see boobies diving it's usually on fair-size bait fish, due to their long narrow beaks.

I made my way over there and while en route saw what I've been waiting for this month, big yellowtail breezing on bait! I pined a live mackerel onto my long rod, a new Calstar 800M, rigged up fly-line, put a lob cast right to where the fish last surfaced, and it bit on the splash! After a good battle with lots of sweet runs, I had color on a nice 30-pound class yellowtail. Later, on back at the dock, the fish weighed in at 31.5 pounds.

The next day, Monday, I figured I'd go to town for gas and supplies, thinking the weather should hold for a few days. Big mistake. It's been blowing ever since. I did see some fishermen returning while I was gassing up my boat, with good numbers on nice winter yellowtail. Each boat averaged about 5 to 7 fish. I learned a good lesson this month: fish when you can, for this year the wind has been a mother.

Inshore fishing is about all you can do with any consistency. If you're running out of San Lucas Cove, good catches of small leopard grouper and sierra are being made north and south of the entrance by tin boaters. Just don't get too far out and the water is still safe.

On my one fishing trip last week I was treated to clear skies during the early morning run to the bait grounds and saw an awesome light show of meteors streaking across the dimly lit morning sky.

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