Our Dad, the one and only Ralph Clock, left his earthly life on May 8, 2023, surrounded by his entire family. He lived life to its fullest, and while our hearts are heavy with grief, we are so lucky that he was our Dad. A memorial and celebration will occur in Newport Beach in July or August … Betsy Clock Bjornsen, Ralph Clock.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/05/10/baja-in-may-is-good/
Fly fishing for roosterfish with @thereelbaja.
We did most of our fishing from the boat this past week, but we managed to get out on the beach some of the time. We are still taking the long run to the North for bait when fishing from the boat, as the island has good concentrations of sardina. Sooo, that is where we have been going, and that is where we have been doing the better part of our fishing. On the days we were on the beach, we saw good mullet schools but only a handful of sardina.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/05/02/baja-roosters-tease/
What a difference a week can make! The billfish bite heated way up moving into this weekend, and with the marlin came a few nice dorado, too. And although There weren't many, the ones caught were of very decent size. Crews mostly fished inshore at the beginning of the week, with some wind and choppy seas. However, they still produced, primarily in our "Other" Category – catching mainly sierra mackerel, bonito, and grouper. But by Wednesday, we saw the marlin begin to show up at the 11:50 Bank, and by Saturday, the fleet had released 100 marlin total! Compared to last week, when we saw about 15% of the boats releasing marlin, we had nearly 50% of the boats land 'em this week. The weather also got friendlier towards the end of the week, with winds dying.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/04/26/baja-bytes-from-surface-to-bottom/
Action on the bottom showed signs of improvement recently, even though the bonito were still the most common species found. We saw a few more leopard grouper, Almaco jack, and red snapper (huachinango) while working for the rock piles with yo-yo jigs. In addition, we saw a mix of barred pargo, yellow snapper, triggerfish, and additional species, which are delicious eating fish. Scattered throughout these same grounds were a handful of dorado, a few of which was over 15 pounds. No wahoo were reported, though as the weather continues to warm, we expect water temperatures will also warm, and the wahoo should become more active, as they typically do this time of year.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/04/19/baja-bottom-fish-rock/
Our spring season is in full swing with roosterfish, amberjack, yellowtail, sierra mackerel, grouper, mako, and thresher sharks, some decent mahi catches, and still, some marlin are around … Pisces Sportfishing…Pisces Sportfishing Fleet
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/04/11/baja-roosters-begin-to-crow/
The week's highlight was the wahoo that anglers
hooked into while trolling closer to Punta Gorda or Cardon. Not the typical
season for these highly prized pelagics, but it proves that you can never
really know what might happen. These fish prefer warmer waters, but the bite
was sporadic daily, and slow trolling live bait was the best bet, particularly
the elusive chihuil. We saw one monster 79-pound wahoo landed and several
others over 50 pounds, so of the handful brought in, they were of
impressive size.
This episode is also available as a blog post:
Captain Jose Antonio “Pepe” De la Peña Castillo and mates Arturo Peralta and Ulises on the 62 ft Viking “Chasin Tail” had heard some rumors that a few swordfish were seen finning at the 1150 Spot during the past several days. After tacking back and forth searching for the swordfish tail and dorsal, often referred to as a “two-finner,” they finally spotted some commotion on the surface, creating a large patch of white water. Suddenly the fish appeared near the top, confirming it was a feeding thresher shark...More
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/03/29/baja-spring-on-the-horizon/
Shrimp boat BUSTED in El Sargento
• As a result, 1,600 kilos of shrimp extracted without permits were retained, in joint action between FONMAR, CONAPESCA, PROFEPA, ROC and SEMAR.
Following the indications of the Governor, Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío, in the sense of permanently monitoring the correct use of marine resources on the South Californian coasts; personnel from the Fund for the Protection of Marine Resources (FONMAR), the National Aquaculture and Fisheries Commission (CONAPESCA), the Secretary of the Navy (SEMAR), the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) and in response to complaints from the fishing sector, Network of Citizen Observers A.C. (ROC), an inspection and surveillance operation was recently carried out in the area of the Gulf of California, in front of the fishing town of El Sargento in the municipality of La Paz, obtaining as a result the lifting of two reports on the shrimp boat " Sebastián XV” for breaking the law.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/03/07/fonmar-conapesca-profepa-roc-semar-working/
Highlighting the participation in the form of the federal deputies members of the Fisheries Commission, Leonor Coutiño Gutiérrez and Ángel Miguel Rodríguez Torres; Porras Domínguez pointed out that it is necessary to join efforts to stop the initiative to catch the dorado for commercial sale if it were presented before the Congress of the Union, since “it is a commercial fisherman and not recreational anglers who want to catch dorado for commercial sale.”
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/02/28/fonmar-declares-to-protect-sportfishing/
"First Annual Sport Fishing Forum in Baja California Sur," during which the status of sport fishing in Baja Surwill be analyzed.
February 22 and 23 at the Hotel Tesoro in Cabo San Lucas, BCS.
· There will be limited space; pre-registration is open at www.foros.fonmar.gob.mx.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/02/20/fonmar-sportfishing-forum/
That Baja Guy - Gary Graham
Feb 15
Bajabytes Sport Fishing Update February 14, 2023
2023 Sportfishing Tournaments offered in the upper section of the Baja Peninsula has something for everyone – from fishing the shore to chasing bluefin tuna on the high seas.
The various events offer fishing opportunities in Ensenada, San Felipe, Punta Bunda, San Quintin, Bahai De Los Angeles, Cedros Island, and the many destinations, beaches, and lagoons.
Visiting anglers can compete in events with entry fees that range from very reasonable to very dear.
In addition, when visitors and locals meet, they share their passion for sports fishing, comparing the ultra-new equipment to the techniques handed down from generation to generation
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/02/15/baja-norte-tournaments-announced/
A total of 181 fish were caught TODAY, with the dorado picking waaaay up!!! 122 of those 181 fish were dorado (with anglers and crews respecting limits and more than half of those Released), we also had blue marlin, striped marlin, sailfish, wahoo, and tuna.
52-pound dorado landed on Pisces 31' Tiburon, plus more dorado and striped marlin Released!
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/02/07/baja-sur-spring-sportfishing-tournament-dates-announced/
"Annual Sport Fishing Forum in BCS" will bring together policymakers, academics, and researchers.
At a press conference was presented the "First Annual Forum of Sport Fishing in Baja California Sur", organized by the State Government through the Fund for the Protection of Marine Resources (FONMAR) to be held on February 22 and 23 in Cabo San Lucas.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/01/31/annual-sport-fishing-forum-in-bcs/
Bajabytes Sport Fishing Update January 24, 2023
The season’s opening trip was terrific in Laguna Ojo de Liebre! There were many whale moms and babies and mating trios to see. Of course, they were still a bit shy, but we saw a bit of everything – breaching, spy hopping, courtship, and those cute little newborns! I’d say we saw about 30 whales in front of our camp.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/01/24/whale-watch-season-begins/
Bajabytes Sport Fishing Update January 17, 2023
Cabo San Lucas
Incredible fishing continues in Cabo with excellent catch success rates for the fleet and CRAZY numbers of marlin caught and released just this week. We had 899 marlin released in Total! In addition, we had 141 dorado caught, 192 yellowfin tuna, and 56 in the “other” category, including species like sierra mackerel, thresher and hammerhead shark, grouper, wahoo, bonito, and skipjack.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/01/17/899-marlin-released/
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/01/10/stripers-and-snook-kick-off-2023/
How did we get to this fantastic number? Well, some boats headed to the Finger Banks, a little over 50 miles from Cabo and had non-stop, muscle-cramping, action-packed days that put them into double digits on marlin catches. “La Chingona,” a beautiful 46 ft Viking Billfish, led the pack this week, with 111 marlin in the 60 to 100 lb class released by anglers Adam Carlis, Charles Harris, and Kerry Stritt from Houston, Texas. As if this were not enough, they also caught 6 dorado. Definitely a fishing day they will never forget. On the same day, December 17th, “BBII,” another Viking Billfish, only a bit smaller at 37 ft, did a fantastic job of finding 61 marlin and 6 dorado for their guests, using a combination of live mackerel and frozen ballyhoo...Rebecca Ehrenberg, Pisces Sportfishing
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2023/01/04/crazy-marlin-week-in-cabo/
Cabo is experiencing fabulous billfish fishing at present in what traditionally would be a slow time for anglers. Boats have been fully booked for many days; no more slow season in Cabo! Not only do we have fish, but it's also a nature show. While fishing, anglers can see whales, dolphins, turtles, and sea lions.
Striped marlin have been the predominant species recently, with no signs of catches slowing down anytime soon, as long as bait stays in the area.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2022/12/27/bajabytes-wrap-for-2022/
Billfish: Cabo is experiencing fabulous fishing right now, in what should traditionally be a slow time for anglers going out, boats were fully booked many days; no more slow season in Cabo! Not only do we have fish, but it’s also a nature show out there, while sportfishing anglers can see, whales, dolphins, turtles and sea lions. Striped marlin was the predominant species this week, with no signs of catches slowing down anytime soon, that is as long as bait stays in the area...Pisces Sportfishing Fleet
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2022/12/21/cabo-billfish-still-on-fire/
In operation FONMAR-CONAPESCA boat and equipment are retained for fishing in protected natural area
Fisheries in the State (CONAPESCA) carried out the retention of a boats and diving equipment for carrying out underwater fishing in a protected natural area without having the permit to do so.
On instructions from the Director General of FONMAR, Martín Inzunza Tamayo, the team from the Coordination of Management, Inspection and Surveillance in the Municipality of La Paz, headed by José Lizandro Olachea Burgoin, moved to the vicinity of Isla Cerralvo to carry out a joint surveillance operation with CONAPESCA personnel on December 1 and 2.
In the place, a boat with five people on board carrying out the underwater fishing activity was identified, which, upon noticing the presence of the authorities, fled, catching up with the FONMAR boat and requesting the CONAPESCA authorities to show the permits. corresponding.
The crew members could not prove that they had the corresponding permits, in addition to being scuba diving with oxygen tanks, which according to NOM-017-PESC-1994 must be done only with the lungs.
In the act, the federal officials of CONAPESCA carried out the retention of the boat, an outboard motor and fishing gear consisting of complete diving equipment, compressor, oxygen tank and diving hose.
FONMAR will continue to work in coordination with the surveillance authorities in response to the indications of the State Governor, Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío, to ensure the safeguarding and correct use of South California fishing resources.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://bajabytes.com/2022/12/13/baja-sur-fonmar-at-work/
