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BAJA ROUNDUP
40 April 13 - 27 , 2018 VOL . 37 • ISS . 09
Anglers Dodge Wind For Mixed Bag Action In La Paz
“
W ell , the good news is that after 3 weeks , the winds settled down a bit and allowed us to get to do a bit of fishing . The bad news is that well … there weren ’ t many fishermen ,” related Jonathan Roldan of Tailhunter International .
“ For folks that made it out coldwater species like snapper , cabrilla , pargo , jack crevasse and yellowtail mixed it up with warm water species like dorado and even a few tuna and lots of bonito . The better action and most consistent bite was in shallow waters over structure for the colder water species using Rapalas , live bait and dead bait . We found fish close and around Punta Perrico and also at the north and south ends of Cerralvo Island ,” Roldan concluded .
Johnny took a long range trip on the Independence this January and caught several fish including this awesome yellowfin tuna .
Photo courtesy of INDEPENDENCE SPORTFISHING , San Diego .
Bubba Gets Fished ( Part 2 of a series of what I use and why I use it )
Last time around , I introduced my buddy Bubba ( whose real name is Dan ) to some “ backyard ” fishing by going after a few saltwater panfish here in the bay .
Now , truth be told ( and I always tell the truth ), you don ’ t need to use what I am about to recommend ; but there is a reason or two that I choose to use what I do . Lord knows , the “ little
SALTY TIPS by Steve “ Hippo ” Lau guys ” in the bay have been caught on everything from ultra-light tackle to big surf fishing stuff , but , well ... read on .
Rod : Cousins Tackle ’ s RAZE series RDS701S light spinning rod . There are a lot of seven-foot light spinning rods on the market , but this rod by design genius Wade Cunningham at Cousins Tackle is outstanding . The rod is within their bass fishing series of rods and as such , has a light , sensitive and firm tip ( as opposed to a dropshot rod which has too light of a tip ) that transitions smoothly to a progressively powered lower section .
Ultralight rods may be fun to use , but are too wimpy to set the hook consistently against these salt water bait stealers . Response time is critical !
Also , I have on occasion , hooked stripers and bat rays , so a little more ooomph is appreciated , With an MSRP of $ 160.00 , this custom quality rod is a bargain .
Reel : It is no secret that I am a fan of Daiwa reels . I have lots of other reels ( ask my wife ) but Daiwa consistently impresses me . The model I like is the Daiwa BG2500 ( the new BG , not the old BG ) although I have more of the older Legalis 2500s .
The big factor is that they both have aluminum bodies , which makes for a stiffer reel ; and the rule is , the stiffer the body , the smoother the drag . The
six disk drags on these reels have lots of surface area and can be enhanced with the application of Cal ’ s drag grease on them . I once landed an 80 lb . batray on 8 lb . line on one of these reels and if that isn ’ t a workout on a drag , nothing is . The BG has an MSRP of $ 99.00 , and that ’ s for an aluminum , not graphite bodied reel .
Line : P-Line ’ s CX Premium has proven to be a great general purpose line . For heavy duty saltwater fishing , I have been a fan of P-Line ’ s CXX Xtra Strong monofilament for decades ( I once landed a 32 lb . yellowfin tuna in 45 seconds on 15 lb . CXX ) but it is very stiff for spinning tackle . CX Premium is a lot softer and more manageable .
The fluorocarbon coating may or may not help with the “ invisibility ” of the line , but it does keep the line from absorbing water and making it stretchier and dying faster .
Hooks and rigging : VMC SureSet dropshot hooks have grown on me like I can ’ t believe . To be sure , it is a funky looking hook , but it is super sharp and very strong for its diameter due to ( if you believe heir literature ) VMC adding vanadium to their steel . Not an easy hook to find , but worth looking up .
Good alternatives that I used quite often before I started using the SureSets are the octopus style hooks from Owner or Gamakatsu . I rig these up dropshot style with dropper loops instead of the traditional two hook surf leader style with snelled hooks because the reaction to a bite is much faster and I have never had a fish swallow a hook dropshot style , a common problem problem with the tradition rig .
Let it be known ; I am not “ sponsored ” for any of these products . I have to get them pretty much like everyone else . But they do make the catching a lot more fun and productive .
When you head down to Baja , it ’ s always a good idea to bring along a reel or two even if you don ’ t bring rods . Most boats have plenty of rods and the skippers will gladly mount your reel on one of their rods . This way you ’ ll know you have fresh line and a reliable drag when the big fish start biting .
The PENN Fathom star drag series of reels is perfect for this work . They are solid and reliable , yet they are not excessively expensive .
The Penn Fathom Star Drag , with the revolutionary Live Spindle design , is the most castable reel in the market place . The improved configuration allows the spool to spin independently of the spindle and pinion gear , which significantly reduces friction experienced from the extreme acceleration of the spool when casting .
Other reels using a ‘’ fixed spindle ’’ design slow the rotation of the spool and reduce casting distance . Additionally the Live Spindle improves the retrieve of the reel because the spindle and pinion do not need to turn relative to each other during heavy loads , unlike a ‘’ fixed spindle ’’ reels that result in a difficult retrieve and erratic drag .
For more information about PENN Fathom reels and their entire line of fine fishing gear visit them online at www . pennfishing . com .
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