San Carlos Trip Pt.4 - "The sea was angry that day, my friend" - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

dgax65 · 03-06-2007, 07:55 AM

FishinSteve
Surprisingly, everybody dealt with the enforced sobriety very well. There was no bitchiness at all throughout the trip. This group meshed well handled the adversity without much complaint.
I think there are other trips available later in the year. Anytime before May is going to be a bit of a crap shoot. You can't do anything about the wind. It really boils down to management of expectations. Don't go to Baja or the Sea of Cortez in the winter and expect to be able to fish every day. The odds are that the wind will be a factor. We also learned some valuable info about fishing for big jacks, pargo and grouper. The bottom structure is going to make it very difficult to get a large fish on the kayak. With a boat you have some options, but on a kayak you are very limited in how you can fight the fish. When you start pulling on it, you are going to end up directly over the fish. This makes it very likely that your line will be rubbing across some rock. Catching the big winter fish from a yak will be a challenge. If you go down there knowing this and adjust your expectations you should have a good time. As you could see from the pictures, there were plenty of fish to be caught (not by me, of course....but the others did well). Go down there with the expectation that you will catch some tasty fish, have to work for your catch, see some beautiful sights and maybe do some diving and you'll be happy. If you go to catch the "right kind" you ought to wait until summer. It was fun, regardless of the number or type of fish that were caught.

Kevin · 03-06-2007, 12:58 PM

Doug,

Thanks for posting all the reports. I trully enjoyed reading each one of them.

I think kayak fishing is more about the adventure than fishing the same spot time after time. Even though you may have that one spot dialed in. Fishing new places alway seems more rewarding to me.

Dupree · 03-06-2007, 07:52 PM

Thanks for the wonderful travelogue and pix. Victory at Sea without beer sounds rough.

You guys should all get medals for surviving the crossing!

steveooo · 03-07-2007, 10:34 AM

Thanks for the entertaining read.

I know that those reports take a looooooong ass time to write up

Def gonna try to hit up one of those trips this year...

aguachico · 03-07-2007, 01:21 PM

HA; you guys got your asses kicked! Chalk up another one for the Cortez in the winter. I've had my share of bad trips from January to April. Wind, wind and more wind - topped off by lousy fishing. I've given up the trips south before May.

I'd like to try Santa Rosalia's big winter YT. Mike Kanzlar has that dialed in pretty good, but yaking is out of the question since the island is 10 miles from shore. I guess you could drag the yaks out to the island, but why get out of a perfectly good boat?

Anyway; thanks for trying, always double your beer predictions.

AC

jscott · 03-08-2007, 08:19 PM

Nice 4 part read! I know you put quite a bit of time and effort into that. I for one appreciate the story/adventure!

Thanks.

I am getting down into baja next weekend...puerto santo tomas. Just hoping that there is NO WIND!!

-scott

cabojohn · 03-09-2007, 04:16 PM

What a great read.

...I'm sure you guys will always remember that trip. Sounds like you all had a good time and made the best of the conditions. Yer all home safe and that's what really matters.
That wind musta sucked...almost as bad as running out of barly pops.

lol

03-06-2007, 07:55 AM	#1
dgax65 Guerro Grande Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 629	FishinSteve Surprisingly, everybody dealt with the enforced sobriety very well. There was no bitchiness at all throughout the trip. This group meshed well handled the adversity without much complaint. I think there are other trips available later in the year. Anytime before May is going to be a bit of a crap shoot. You can't do anything about the wind. It really boils down to management of expectations. Don't go to Baja or the Sea of Cortez in the winter and expect to be able to fish every day. The odds are that the wind will be a factor. We also learned some valuable info about fishing for big jacks, pargo and grouper. The bottom structure is going to make it very difficult to get a large fish on the kayak. With a boat you have some options, but on a kayak you are very limited in how you can fight the fish. When you start pulling on it, you are going to end up directly over the fish. This makes it very likely that your line will be rubbing across some rock. Catching the big winter fish from a yak will be a challenge. If you go down there knowing this and adjust your expectations you should have a good time. As you could see from the pictures, there were plenty of fish to be caught (not by me, of course....but the others did well). Go down there with the expectation that you will catch some tasty fish, have to work for your catch, see some beautiful sights and maybe do some diving and you'll be happy. If you go to catch the "right kind" you ought to wait until summer. It was fun, regardless of the number or type of fish that were caught. __________________ Douglas Gaxiola Team No Fish- Amateur Staff Last edited by dgax65; 03-06-2007 at 07:57 AM. Reason: sp

03-06-2007, 07:52 PM	#3
Dupree Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Temecula, CA Posts: 78	Thanks for the wonderful travelogue and pix. Victory at Sea without beer sounds rough. You guys should all get medals for surviving the crossing! __________________ Rock me on the water ...

03-06-2007, 12:58 PM	#2
Kevin Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 78	Doug, Thanks for posting all the reports. I trully enjoyed reading each one of them. I think kayak fishing is more about the adventure than fishing the same spot time after time. Even though you may have that one spot dialed in. Fishing new places alway seems more rewarding to me.

03-07-2007, 10:34 AM	#4
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,922	Thanks for the entertaining read. I know that those reports take a looooooong ass time to write up Def gonna try to hit up one of those trips this year...

03-07-2007, 01:21 PM	#5
aguachico Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 719	HA; you guys got your asses kicked! Chalk up another one for the Cortez in the winter. I've had my share of bad trips from January to April. Wind, wind and more wind - topped off by lousy fishing. I've given up the trips south before May. I'd like to try Santa Rosalia's big winter YT. Mike Kanzlar has that dialed in pretty good, but yaking is out of the question since the island is 10 miles from shore. I guess you could drag the yaks out to the island, but why get out of a perfectly good boat? Anyway; thanks for trying, always double your beer predictions. AC

03-08-2007, 08:19 PM	#6
jscott Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 138	Nice 4 part read! I know you put quite a bit of time and effort into that. I for one appreciate the story/adventure! Thanks. I am getting down into baja next weekend...puerto santo tomas. Just hoping that there is NO WIND!! -scott

03-09-2007, 04:16 PM	#7
cabojohn PROBATION Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 657	What a great read. ...I'm sure you guys will always remember that trip. Sounds like you all had a good time and made the best of the conditions. Yer all home safe and that's what really matters. That wind musta sucked...almost as bad as running out of barly pops. lol