SHHHHHH....AWFULLY QUIET DOWN HERE!

Originally Published in Western Outdoor News the Week of May 18, 2009


Well, judging from the preliminary reports this season, I would think that the Sea of Cortez and the Baja in particular are in for a pretty nice fishing season. It started early with the incredible marlin bite that was off-the-charts around Cabo San Lucas. Words like “epic” and “historic” were often attached as boats slammed striped marlin in record numbers.

Waters have warmed quickly and the body of marlin has moved up and into the Cortez early as have other pelagic species as well. So far, the reports on early season dorado, sailfish, tuna, wahoo and even blue and black marlin have locals and veteran visting anglers cocking eyebrows and rubbing chins. The bite is on and seemingly getting better. Is this going to be one of THOSE years?

Even further north towards Loreto, Bay of L.A. Concepcion, Mulege, things are percolating. There are some unusually good catches starting to bubble up and the anticipation is growing. We could be in for something special.

Just one problem…

No one is here!

I watched several planes unload here in La Paz the other day. Almost empty. Clients coming through Cabo San Lucas tell me planes had a dozen people in them. It was so empty you could lie down across several seats.

I took clients to the airport today. It was a bit like walking through a museum or a library. Awfully quiet!

Mexico, and Baja in particular, has gotten a quadruple whammy. It’s gone 4 rounds with the champ and taken it on the chin with a few too many haymakers.

First, and foremost, the economic slump in the U.S. has shut off the tourism on so many levels. Fishing, diving, hotels, restaurants, tours, gasoline…you name it. Squeezed like a lime being pressed in a margarita.

Then, it was the perception that Mexico is overrun with druggies shooting willy-nilly at each other and pegging tourists in the process. A “Crime Spree Grips the Country!” screams the TV. Of course, many people don’t realize that Mexico is bigger than the U.S. and, although bad, the actual spots are localized. But, the whole country gets painted with the same tainted paintbrush.

Third, we get the pig flu. Exhale. Sigh. What the..? (I don’t even know how to say that in Spanish!)

Again, the paintbrush comes out. All of Mexico is rampant with this plague-of-a-flu. In reality, it’s about as potent as the thing your kid brings home from school. Yes, unfortunately, people have died in Mexico City. But thousands die yearly from regular flu and no one gets upset. In Baja, as of this writing, not a single person has come down with the swine flu along it’s entire 1000-mile-long state.

But, people stay home. Toursits give up. “Honey, let’s go to Disneyworld instead. We can eat Mexican food in Fronterland.”


Unofficially, I hear Cabo is at 22 percent occupancy. On the Mainland, places like Cancun usually filled with the sun-crowd is at a whopping 7 percent occupancy.


This past week, even the people that wanted to come down were thwarted. Reports of clients showing up at airline counters ready to go on their vacations being turned away were not uncommon. They were told, sometimes with no warning, that the flights were canceled simply because there weren’t enough people on the flight! “Gee, sorry about that. I’m sure the kids miss you back home anyway.”

Ridiculous. Rather ironic. The planes are empty because so many people canceled because of the swine flu. The planes aren’t flying because they are empty. Circular.

If you do come to the Mexican airport, you’ll be surprised by a little device they are using to take your temperature. No, you won’t “feel a little pressure.” It’s not that kind of a probing device! But, when you arrive and depart they touch it to your head to take your temperature to make sure you’re not running a fever. I guess you don’t get to fly if you have a bug…any bug.

Anyone noticed that all the “news” about the crime seems to have vanished for the most part? Guess the druggies are wearing surgical masks and staying indoors.

What next? Any more calamities and some of these Baja towns will look like high noon waiting for a gunfight. Just add tumbleweeds and dust blowing across the street. And a little Clint Eastwood spaghetti-western music.


That’s my story. If you ever want to reach me, my e-mail is riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com.