Photo 1: Shawn James from Los Angeles and his dad Jack James from Washington, D.C. had always promised to fish together. They finally pulled it off and had a great time this past month in La Paz.

THE LAST BAIT REVISITED

Pulished in Western Outdoor News week of May 2, 2007

OK, just so you don’t read further if you don’t want t this isn’t about Baja. Nor is it about passports; luggage; or how to rig your line to catch more dorado or trailer your boat across the border.

Sorry.

But maybe it’s about something more important.

Back in February, I wrote a column entitled “The Last Bait” about two older gents that had approached me at one of the fishing shows year after year always promising to come down to fish with us. It was always “next year for sure!”

When I ran into them this year, one had terminal cancer. The other had lost his wife. These two former fox-hole buddies from the army had waited a bit too long. The point of my column focused on being careful not to let too much of life pass you by until the boat was headed back to shore and you had just one more bait in the tank.

The two old veterans promised for sure that this would be the year to come fishing.

Well, I have never gotten such an outpouring of e-mails and phone calls. Somewhere in the collective hearts of you readers, that column touched many of you.

Let me share…

“I wanted to thank you on behalf of all old guys like me who have been in love with Baja for decades. When you wrote that our adventurous side tends to wither as we age, it really struck a chord with me. I used to fish Baja at least three times a year, but that gradually diminished to a single annual trip for 4 or 5 days.. .

Early on, I had the great good fortune of driving to the tip three times in my VW camper, staying on remote beaches and following the advice of Kelly & Kira to find the "glory holes." My fishing buddy and closest friend of 37 years died of cancer in 2000, at the tender age of 51. Since then, my enthusiasm for the Peninsula has not been as keen, but I was unaware that it had diminished so far until reading your column. I will be retiring at 62 years of age on my next birthday, and I'm taking my wife on a 30 day overland trip to Cabo, thanks to you. There ARE only so many empty spaces left at the rail, and I intend to squeeze in there at least one last time.” R. Williams, Arizona

“. . .I had my wife read your "One Bait " article. I told her I was going to send that to a bunch of my friends and family. We need to learn that life doesn' t always go as planned; that it doesn't always have a happy ending; that the trip you are putting off ‘til you have more money may never happen if you don't make it happen NOW.

“I've been on 2 party boats that had a son and a father along, both with the dad dying of cancer. They had always talked of going on a boat together, and were excited they had finally done so. Neither dad was capable of fishing, but was excited to be there with their son. How much more meaning would that have had had they been able to actually fish together, and down a beer or two over bragging rights.” R. Newman, Las Vegas NV

“. . .this last one about the two old guys. All my friends get on me as I’m always preaching these same things. I've recently became a father of twins and they are going to see and do everything. I think especially in the U.S. we get so caught up in the pursuit of the material status, that we don't stop to smell those fish tacos cooking on the side of some dirt road.” P. Mostert, Long Beach CA

“. . .you got me again that was a great article about the lifelong friends (sadly one has cancer). Got me enough . . .to call my friends and bug them about a trip Baja. (two of whom have cancer).” B. Dyer, S.Francisco CA


“You really hit me this time. Your story about the two Korean War buddies hit right at home. I'm a Korean vet, and I have spent the last several years burying some of my buds and their wives.........trust me, the road behind is a lot longer than the one ahead.
That's why I spend as much time on my boat and in Baja as I can ! I know exactly how
those guys feel.........Man, where did all the days go?” B. Owens, Oakland CA (USMC ret.) Semper Fi

Many of you were curios about the two amigos that were the genesis of the original colum. I have yet to hear from the two veterans. Wherever they are, I wish them well. Even if they don’t or are unable to do a trip with me or anyone else, somehow their story got under my own skin. It got me to write my column. It got a lot of you…all of us…to take stock.

The week’s column is dedicated to my competitor at the Pirate Fleet, Leonard Philips, who just lost his own dad this past week.

Flat seas and calm winds…





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

PARGO ON THE ROCKS!

Published in Western Outdoor News Magazine Baja Beat Spring 2007

PHOTO 1: Dog tooth snapper...cubera snapper...pargo perro...whatever you call them, these are tough customers when combined with bad attitudes; big teeth; keen eyesight; natural wariness and a bunch of rocks to hide in!

Photo 2: Pargo Lisa aka Mullet Snapper. They often run in schools in the shallows during the spring looking like a moving carpet of red and dark copper clouding the water. This one topped out a 50 pound scale and it was not the biggest fish in the school.
PHOTO 3: Even fish like this 20 pound pargo lisa can be as frustrating as any fish in the Baja. It takes a combination of skill and luck to land any of these fish which are great sport as well as great eating!

Initially, it was almost undetectable except to the experienced eye. A small ripple. A discoloration of the water. But if you looked carefully, it was there. A large patch of copper-colored water just below the surface. It was the size of a suburban lawn.

And it was moving!

Like an undulating amoeba it elongated and compacted then strung itself out again then pulled back into a dense rusty patch with occasional flashes of bright orange or red.

The anglers in the surrounding pangas watched with anxious fascination as the surging mass came closer. The water was no more than 20 feet deep and in the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez, huge boulders, could be seen on the reef below. Fingers pointed, voices murmered and anglers got twitchy as the patch moved in and out of the glare of the rising Baja sun disappearing only to be met again with “There! Look, there it is!” emanating simultaneously from several onlookers.

Then, one of the panga captains tossed a handful of sardines at the mass.

And all hell erupted! Like turning on a light switch, the sardines hit the water to be greeted with explosions of big shouldered fish and broad tails; slashing bodies and orange-hued scaled backs seemingly big enough to saddle! The thick mass of amorphous color had been transformed into a maelstrom of attacking bodies intent on shredding every last morsel that hit the water as now more boat captains tossed handfuls of bait into the boils

“Oh, wow! What is that?”
“Sheesh! Did you see that?”
“Lookit the size of those!”

Wonder had turned to awe…to admiration…to perhaps even a little nervousness.

“Oh my gawd. They look like Japanese koi on steroids! They’re huge!”

Rods zinged. Trolling motors kicked in. More bait hit the water met time and again with explosions of rusty bodies. Excitement meters ratcheted up into red! This was gonna be great! This is what we came for. This is pargo fishing that you hear about! Battle stations. We’re gonna kick some pargo tail! Whooo-weeee!
But within the span of a few hours. Elation had turned to frustration and disappointment. “Never seen anything like that,” said more than one dejected angler.

“I musta hooked ten of them,” said another. “I didn’t boat a single fish!
“I hooked a few and couldn’t stop them with 60 pound test and drags buttoned down to max!” replied another puzzled fisherman.

“Those freaking rocks below cut me off every single time,” I heard another say. “How do you stop a fish that heads into a cave?”

“At least you got bit,” chimed in another. “They crashed on every bit of chum we threw, but would not hit anything with a hook. It was like they knew which ones weren’t real food.”

“I tried heavy line to avoid the rocks, but couldn’t get bit. But when I switched to lighter line, I got bit. But how do you stop a fish with a freight train attitude and knows every crack and crevice down there? I got sawed off every single time!” explained another.

That’s pargo fishing in the Baja! One of the most prized and perhaps one of the most frustrating fish imaginable, pargo probably send more anglers into conniptions than any other fish in the Sea of Cortez.

In springtime, schools of these fish come up into the shallows of the southern Baja and it gives a whole new meaning to “rockfishing.” These aren’t your deep-water pacifist species you see in the states. On the contrary. These fish have attitude coupled with linebacker mentality plus the agility, intelligence and keen eyesight that make fishing for them as challenging as any you will ever do.

These fish can be anywhere from 5 to close to 100 pounds and in waters that you are shallower than your home swimming pool. That is, if your swimming pool bottom was covered with rocks, boulders, sharp reefs, caves and crevices that can saw off 80 pound mono in one zingpowie breath!

Actually, about the only thing in common with “rock fishing” as many anglers know it, is that the term “pargo” down here in the Baja is the generic name for several of these critters. Just like so many fish north of the border are called “rock cod” but the term applies to a score if different fish.

With the pargo, it’s sometimes confusing. There are the “pargo lisa” (aka “mullet snapper “ and “goat snapper”) that look like a giant red or orange carp with a bullet-shaped head. Then there’s the “pargo perro” (aka “dog-tooth snapper” or “cubera snapper”) that has a deep full-body like a bass and is often the color of a copper penny with about one-third of the body being it’s large muscular head. There is also the “pargo mullato” (aka “barred pargo”) which is more flat and is often vertically striped avocado green and orange as well as the “pargo rojo” (or “red snapper”). All of these fish have tank-like armored scales and a mouthful of chopper-fanged teeth and sharp spines and gillplates perfect suited to take you down.

But how do you catch them? I have to admit that I used to to actually teach a pargo seminar and I honestly don’t know! More often than not the pargo win and I used to tell my student that if you hook 10 and get one to the boat you’re doing well. I would also tell them to be aware of the frustration of seeing so many huge fish blowing up then not being able to catch any.

All you can do is try to increase your odds at success.

Reels should have excellent drags. Don’t even come to play if your drags aren’t squared away. You don’t need a lot of line capacity in your reels since the fish are literally in shallow water and aren’t going to make any tuna-like blistering runs. So, I like a two-speeded reel similar in size to a Penn 4/0 Senator style. The newer reels like Avet, Pro Gear, Accurate, Okuma, Shimano, Diawa, Penn and others all have reels that fit the bill.

Rods should be short and beefy. You do not need a long rod to cast so stay short and put your energy into a rod that’s going to help you lift and stop the powerful pargo runs. Even if I’m using the lighter line, a trolling-style rod or something in that class is preferred. My own personal “pargo sticks” are 4 ½’ to 5 ½ ‘ long and rated 50-100 pounds.

My line? Hmmmmm…you’ll get a lot of argument, but I prefer green mono. It would seem logical to use spectra, but these fish have such good eyesight that you at least need mono on top. Further, the fish are often so shallow you never get deep enough into the spool to get into the spectra.

In my last few seasons, I’ve noticed a remarkable difference when I used fluorocarbon leaders. I don’t think leaders joined with a swivel work as well so learn to join lines-to-lines with several simple knots that are easy to learn. Whatever you do tie your hook to, the paradox is that lighter lines are less visible (even with fluro) and your bait will swim better, ergo, you get more bites. The trade-off is that with lighter lines you’ll also get broken off more. Finding the balance between bait presentation and saving your line from the rocks is critical.

As for baits, I’ve never found lures to work well…or at all! I’m not saying they will never work but live bait is the best. Having sardines allows you to chum the fish up so you can cast a flyliner bait into the boils. However, I’ve also tagged the larger pargo slow trolling a mackerel, small barracuda and even a small needlefish. I cut small vertical scores into the side of the larger baits and also nip off a bit of the tail so the larger bait swims erratically. Just be prepared to be short bit and losing the tail. Sometimes a trap hook works, but often it doesn’t. I attribute it to the keen eyesight of the pargo themselves.

Besides having the right gear and the right bait, you need two other things. You’d better have your “A Game” together because any miscue and within seconds you’ve lost your fish. Even if your captain guns the boat to try to pull the fish away from the rocks, any hesitation on your part and the pargo will turn his head into the rocks.

The last thing you need is luck! Better to be lucky than good! Oh…and bring a sense of humor and humility too. These fish have a knack for bringing that out of more than a few anglers.

That's my story!

Jonathan

TSA NOW SAYS IT'S OK!!!

Originally published in Western Outdoor News week of April 17, 2007


If you’re a frequent Baja traveler, fisherman, or sportsperson, you have no doubt been perplexed by many of the changing security rules in the aftermath of 9/11. No doubt the biggest bugaboo has been whether you can bring reels aboard as carry-on luggage if it has line on it.

I’ve detailed this subject before, but basically, many of the airlines forbid such carry-on luggage like spooled reels as a safety threat. (But of course, a sharp pencil, nail file or cosmetic items were OK…)

Airlines went back and forth. Often what their reservation agents said was different than what was done at the actual check-in or what was allowed by the mercurial whims of some of the whiz kids working the TSA x-ray machines.

However, TSA itself is now actually saying they “recommend” you bring things like reels and a few other things aboard.

“Tackle Equipment - Fishing equipment should be placed in your checked baggage. Some tackle equipment can be considered sharp and dangerous. Expensive reels or fragile tackle such as fly's should be packed in your carry-on baggage.”

For the full text go to: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1188.shtm

We called TSA and they verbally told us that this included reels with line. I would suggest you make a copy of the webpage and bring it with you. I’ve been told by several readers that they have carried a paper copy in the past and had no problem with having their reels aboard in carry-on luggage. It’s good insurance against a TSA agent who didn’t get the memo.

It’s kinda interesting that under this wording, you can bring stuff that was originally thought to be dangerous like fishing reels, but they will still take away that economy sized shampoo or toothpaste you packed into your carry on!

Anyway…

One airline has finally stepped up and put something down in writing that you can “take to the bank” so to speak. Alaska Airlines is making a strong push in the Mexico travel market and the link below confirms that Alaska allows some of your tackle to be carried free in addition to your two checked bags.

Many of the airlines, especially since the demise of Aero California, have been charging for bringing rod tubes. As long as they are encased in tube (no fair taping more than one tube together…they’re onto that little trick of ours!) Alaska Airline says:

“The following items may be checked free as a third bag: Two rods, two reels, and one tackle box encased in a proper hard case or Alaska Airlines box.”

You can check out the full text at

http://www.alaskaair.com/www2/help/faqs/SportRelatedItems.asp

That’s pretty good news. Just be aware that the weight limits are all being restricted. The days of two check-in bags of 70 pounds each seem to be gone, replaced now with limits of 50 pounds each. Overweight and oversized charges seem to run $80 to $100 on the average. If you’re flying “domestically” for example, Tijuana to Loreto or Cabo San Lucas, your TOTAL of all luggage is restricted to no more than 50 pounds.


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

DOLLARS AND SENSE

Originally Published the Week of April 10, 2007 in Western Outdoor News

Well, the spring rush to Baja is on. Are the MTV cameras rolling? Have you tried to get a last minute plane ticket for April?

Contrary to what so many of us think that summer fishing brings the hordes to Baja, it’s actually April when more folks travel south of the border than at any other time. Most could care less about fishing, but in addition to the sportsmen, add in all the spring breakers, the families, plus the Mexican folks themselves who do a lot of visiting during the Easter Holidays and it makes for some jammed up traveling!

If you’re headed down in the next few weeks or making those plans for the next few months, let me pop you a few tips about your money.

If you’re headed to most major destinations in Baja, your U.S. money is fine. You do not have to worry about exchanging it to pesos before coming down. Most cities have exchange kiosks dotting the cityscape where you can “buy” pesos, but they do charge a premium on the exchange rate! I’ve found that the best exchange is actually at the larger super market customer service desks like at GIGANTE or Centro Comercial Markets or the Aramburo chains.

I rarely exchange my money. Mexicans love American dollars. They would rather hold and horde them than their Mexican pesos. U.S. greenbacks hold their value and are less apt to fluctuate. That’s why often, you’ll pay for something in dollars and you’ll get back pesos in change. It’s not that the vendor doesn’t have American change, it’s that he’d rather offload his pesos on you!

To avoid that, bring small bills. This serves several purposes. First, it’s best to pay for something in the smallest denominations possible. If something costs about 4 bucks, pay with a fiver, not a 20 note. That way if you do get pesos in change, it’s only a buck of change.

Second, small bills are handy as tips. For a week I often tell amigos to bring 100 bucks in 1 dollar bills. Great for the bellman, taxi driver, room maid or street vendor.

Third, in some places many Mexican vendors simply don’t trust denominations over $20 dollars. I know some vendors won’t accept our 20’s anymore. Some taxi driver are like that too. The money changes so often with different colors and designs that it even looks odd to Americans sometimes! Further, part of it is our own fault. There has been a rash of counterfeit 20’s running around Mexico.

Think of it. With a good computer and scanner you can almost create your own currency these days and foist it on an innocent vendor. That 20 dollar sale might be the biggest sale of the guy’s day then to find out it’s phoney really hurts. So, don’t take it personal if a vendor asks if you have anything smaller.

Also, as a matter of practicality, sure it’s comforting to have a big old wad of stash in your pocket. And I’m sure you’re impressing everyone when you whip that fiver out’ve your bank roll to pay for the round of tacos, but eyes are watching. Don’t set yourself up as a target for pickpockets or worse.

I’m not saying you’ll get hit, but that could happen as easily at your crowded hometown mall as in the vendor booths in Cabo. Use common sense. I keep small bills in my pocket and my larger bills tucked away somewhere else. (Like in my socks…but don’t tell!) Besides, when I’m bargaining for a new Corona t-shirt, it helps my negotiating when the vendor and I are having fun and we’re both laughing and I pull out only a handful of single dollars and tell him I’ll only pay 4 bucks when he wants 12!

About coins…they don’t work in Mexico. Dumping a handful of your laundry quarters on your bellman is like….well dumping your laundry on him. He can’t use it!

Whenever I return home to La Paz, half the guys in the hotel ask me if I will exchange their tip coins for dollars for them. Bank of Jonathan is open for business. I get about 10 pounds of coins dropped on me. You see, Mexican vendors won’t accept coins. Mexican banks don’t exchange coins. So, no one can use them!

A final note, the 14th Annual “Fishing for the Mission” charity tournament in Loreto has been set for July 12-14th and is had really turned into a great event for a super cause. For more info: www.fishinforthemission.com.


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

SOMEONE ELSE'S RIFLE

Originally published week of April 1, 2007 in Western Outdoor News


My own epiphany came about 45 minutes into the battle. Biggest fish of my life to that point. It was 20 years ago and I had never battled anything larger than an 80 pound yellowfin.

A huge black marlin had swallowed..no INHALED.. a little yellowfin tuna we had dangling off the stern of the panga. You have to be careful what you wish for.

I was paying for it now. Back and shoulder aching. No rod belt. Sweat running into my eyes burning with sunblock. Rod cramping my fingers and the rod butt (sans rubber cap…just a hard metal gimble) digging into every part of my torso putting round bruises on my dark skin that would last for the better part of a week…like an octopus had gone on a hickey fest…

The big billfish had sounded and we had not seen it since the first five minutes of the battle. It was bit like Spencer Tracy in “Old Man and the Sea. This thing was silently towing us out to open sea…backwards!

In the heat of battle and delirium of fatigue, you think of goofy stupid things. You paid all this money and hurt like hell and you wondered what the heck you were doing. This wasn’t like the magazines! No glamour in this at all! Where’s that bikini babe they always show in the pictures you see next to the guy in the fighting chair?

And, for me, at that point the fear hit me. I hated this. Yes, hated this. It was not supposed to be like this.

Back in our hotel room I had top shelf gear. I had really prepped for this trip. (In fact we had borrowed gear from Pat McDonnel!). Every rod was matched up. Every reel was tuned to it’s lethal best. But we had decided to take only some light gear today to whack some small punk football tuna off San Jose del Cabo. So, being pretty cocky, I left all my heavy gear back on the beach. Even my rod belt. Ha! We didn’t need artillery for these baby tuna! Small boats (pangas) is where you catch small fish!

Well, it was fine until the big marlin hit. And it just happened to hit the rod I was now holding in my aching arms. At one time, it might have been a fine stick…back when Pancho Villa rode. But now, the wrapping was coming off. One guide was held on with duct tape. One guide was busted. One guide was missing. Another looked like it had been glued with string! The rod top was twisted completely over.

It didn’t stop there. The straining line going “blink blink blink” at higher pitches like an overwound guitar string… the skipper nervously informed me 10 minutes into the fight was “mas o menos” (more or less) two years old! It had dusty salt residue on it and was not translucent. It was more a brittle opaque green. And the Penn 6/0 reel…As it creaked and strained and the drags slipped and skid and stuck and ached like my burning back, was covered in rust and oxidation and had a bent handle!

But while were were banging little tuna on our smaller sticks, this is what our panga captain had baited with one of the small fish and tossed overboard to drift in the chum. That tuna was now in the belly of a pissed off black marlin.

This wasn’t supposed to be like this because I was gonna do a big fish on MY good gear, not this stuff I wouldn’t have bought in a yard sale!

There’s an old saying, “Don’t go to war with someone else’s rifle.”

A man know his own tools. Davy Crockett wanted his long rifle Betsy. BB King doesn’t take the stage without Lucille.

There’s a lot to be said for that. I’ve fished in many places in the world and have seen great gear and so-so-gear and not good gear on boats. They would probably all catch fish but in the middle of a big fight is not the time to be wondering if the reel will misfire. Is the line old or is there a fray somewhere deep in the spool? I was an hour into the battle and it’s all I could think about.

The reason I bring this up is I get a lot of questions about whether it’s worth it to bring your own gear. I don’t quite know how to answer that. Sure, with the new baggage regulations, it’s a pain in the butt to haul around plus you get charged too! And those few reels…well, as one client told me…”My wife says she could pack 4 more pairs of shoes if I left 3 reels home!”

Baja rental gear runs the gamut from state-of-the-art stuff to well…swap meet specials. I’ve run into a lot of folks who really wouldn’t know the difference between a lever drag or a spinning reel. For them, rental gear is fine. But I imagine most of you reading this column at least have some knowledge of fishing. Maybe not.

Sure, there’s plenty of times when either you don’t have the gear or you simply cannot bring your own stuff. Understood.

I just know my own weapons. I know where it’s been and how the line was put on it. I know if the drags were checked and how much tension I can put on a rod to hurt a fish. It’s not that I distrust any one else’s tackle wherever I travel. It’s just that I trust my own tackle more. And, if something happens...well, I have only myself to blame.

Anytime you have a bait in the water in Baja, you have the opportunity to catch the fish of a lifetime. But those opportunities don’t come by often. In the middle of that battle is no time to question whether the gear in your hands will suddenly blow up on you.

Oh…I did finally get that marlin. Two hours. 400 pounds. It towed our panga 17 miles out backwards. Twenty years ago, it turned out to be my first photo in WON. If I know Mexican panga captains that skipper (great guy!) is still using that same rod. And he’s using it on YOUR next trip!


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