I was thinking, well, dreaming actually about fishing in the Cabo Tuna tournament.
I came across this article and thought it might help.
Here goes:
Should you trailerboat your rig to Cabo for the Tuna Jackpot? You could combine your tournament fun with a great trip to Baja’s other famous fishing spots and save some money!
Here’s how one angler did it last year.
By PAT McDONELL
WON Staff Writer
The vast majority of boats in the second annual Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot Tournament are diesel-powered charterboats, but the first annual event was won by a Mercury-powered panga and last year several trailerboaters avoided the cost of airline flights, cabs, hotels and chartered sportfishers and opted to take their own boats to Cabo.
Why would someone want to run their own boat 1,000 miles down a Mexican Highway, fraught with storied pitfalls of narrow lanes, bandidos, bad gas, potholes the size of trash cans and cows that can’t seem to get off the asphalt?
Why, indeed.
"You’re your own skipper, and once you’ve been on your boat making your own decisions, it’s hard to get on someone else’s boat," said Tom Rogers of Fountain Valley who fished the Cabo Jackpot tournament last year on his 24-foot Boston Whaler Outrage Believer. "The challenge is to find the fish, getting the boat to the fish. That’s what I thrive on. And it is cheaper than chartering a boat and flying to Cabo, but it’s a long drive down, that’s for sure."
An angler flying down at $350 a round trip ticket, chartering a $1,000 a day boat, paying for crew/captain tips and $2 a piece of bait, the costs of competing and traveling in speed and comfort can be high. Add to that an expensive condo or hotel, plus the entry fee $500 to $4,500, and you and your teammates are forking over some major coin. A team trailering down can save money on the travel end and put that extra money into optional daily jackpots for a chance at the bigger bucks.
There’s no question the Tuna Jackpot tournament can be fished with one eye on the budget while keeping the other eye on the big cash awards. The other advantage is that, if you have the time, you can use the opportunity to fish other great areas of Baja on the way down or back. Legendary Baja hotspots like the East Cape, Mag Bay, Loreto, Mulege and L.A. Bay.
Rogers said not all trailerable boats are compatible with the rigors of fishing big tuna off Cabo in a tournament situation, but what his 24-foot Outrage lacks in sheer size and electronics such as side-scanning sonar, it makes up in speed with twin 225 outboards.
The team of Rogers, Jim Mitchell and Jeff Stewart caught a 116-pound tuna the first day in front of a porpoise school after finding the spot first and stuck with it after other boaters gave up. Unfortunately, the big tuna was cut by the prop in the last seconds of the fight and was disqualified as a "mutilated" fish because half of the tail was chopped off. Had the fish not been damaged, it would been the third largest fish in the event and as a 100-pound tuna would have qualified the team members for the special drawing for the Ford Truck.
There’s always next year, and Rogers is planning to make the run down Mexican Highway 1 in November for the Nov. 7-10, 2001 event sponsored by Mercury Marine outboards. He sat down with WON recently and went over the costs, time frame, preparation and pitfalls for his trailerboat trip south to Cabo.
First off, there’s fuel. Rogers said you can expect to spend $400 in gas down and back over the 1,000 miles at 10 mpg and $2 a gallon for gas or diesel. He runs a Ford 250 diesel rig. Smaller rigs might spend less, bigger rigs more. $200 each way is the average. Then you throw in the fuel when you fish, which at the Cabo marina is $2.50 a gallon for gas. If you travel any distances during the two days of competition, and prefish for a few days, the cost will be around $400, although that amount can vary greatly. That’s a total of $700 at the high end for the entire trip.
Remember, the fuel and all other trip costs and entry fees are spread among team members, just as the winning are.
Insurance is a cost factor. Rogers buys his from Club Vagabundos at $300 a year. He advises, though, that each insurance policy is different. His insurance only kicks in if there is a total loss. "If you disconnect the trailer and the boat is stolen, it’s no longer covered. Once the boat is off the trailer, and in the water, it’s not covered.
Club Vagabundos, said Rogers, does offer full boat insurance for on the water through an American company. There is also the matter of Mexican liability insurance. You must have it. Without it, you will go to jail if there is an accident until Mexican authorities figure out whose fault it was and, possibly, how much you have to pay. Even with a policy, you might still spend a short time under police jurisdiction until everything is sorted out, but having Mexican liability insurance will keep the stay short.
As for licenses, all competitors must have annual licenses. All team members should obtain them before leaving for Mexico, and the boat requires an annual operation permit (see related story on costs and here to buy them) The paperwork is extensive and arduous once you enter Mexico, so do it before you leave.
The question of launching, boat slips and trailer storage are always foremost on trailerboaters’ minds. Rogers said it cost $30 a day for a slip at the Cabo marina, and he received one free launch and pull-out for his stay. To launch and pull out, its $5 in and $5 out. Keeping your boat in the water is particularly cheap if you stay on your boat and avoid a hotel bill. If you do choose to launch and stay at the marina, contact the marina’s dockmaster Tim Schahf and ask about availability. His number is 0115211431251. You can fax him (easier) at 0115211431253.
The marina provides water, cable TV and electricity with the slip, and Rogers said trailerboaters can use the marina’s dry storage or use parking areas at Cabo hotels if you stay there. Ask beforehand if a parking area is nearby.
Not all hotels and/or condo complexes have such parking, and if they do have nearby parking, it’s usually not secure. By the way, Cabo is not always expensive when it comes to rooms. There are several new hotels close to the ramp such as Best Western Cabo Las Flores (949-706-4477) that have double rooms at less than $50 a night.
Rogers had no problems with his rig during his stay, but suggests bringing a large padlock and heavy, long chain to run through the tire rims and around the trailer frame to discourage tampering.
Most questions about trailering to Cabo or other Baja areas is the time involved and the condition of the road, and also the availability of gas. Gas and diesel is available throughout Baja, but always keep your tank half full or close to it. Also, make sure you don’t get ripped off at the pump by looking to see if the pump is started at 00.0 showing. The road, said Rogers, was excellent with few if any potholes, and the road is wider than ever because of constant work on it since it was built in 1973. Still, it can be a scary experience in a big rig.
On the way home after the Jackpot, Rogers did what most people would not recommend. He drove it alone, it under 26 hours, and drove at night.
"I left Cabo at 3:30 p.m. " said Rogers. "I got to Guerrero Negro at 3:30 a.m., was back on the road at 7 a.m. and crossed the border at 5:30 p.m. That’s 26 hours. I had three hours sleep at Guerrero Negro, but that’s it." That sort of schedule is not one that most people could handle, especially alone and driving at night.
"Every single trip I’ve done since 1976 I’ve driven at night," he said, "but I obviously go much slower at night and I would tell people to not drive at night if they don’t have to."
He averaged 50 mph on the trip, but during the day on long, flat stretches he’d get up to 70 mph. His average speed was cut considerably by mountains and driving at night. He made several gas stops, and on the way home was stopped six or seven times and searched by federales, with no problems other than the loss of time.
" I didn’t see any cows on the way home, but I saw a lot on the way down," he said. "Driving at night can be dangerous, but you just have you keep an eye out for cows in the distance."
The best schedule on fast runs home or to Cabo is to leave early in the morning from Cabo or Tijuana and split the drive into two 12-hour shifts with an overnight stay at Guerrero Negro.
"I wouldn’t be surprised if the costs were about the same for trailerboating as they are for flying down, but I have to have my own boat and make my own decisions," said Rogers.
Here’s what you need to drive into Baja and fish in Mexican waters. Make sure you have these papers before you enter into Baja California:
— When trailering a boat, a valid boat permit for the exact vessel you are taking. This includes cartops, inflatables or any other vessel with the main fishing vessel you are bringing. Permits may be obtained from the Mexican Department of Fisheries in San Diego, (619) 233-6956. The phone number is just a 24-hour recording on permit and license information, as well as where you can purchase permits and licenses. The recording is easy to use. The office in San Diego on 5th Street is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday
through Friday.
-- As of deadline (Jan. 1), annual permit cost is $30.15 for boats under 23 feet; $60.25 for boats between 23 and 29 feet, 11 inches; and $90.30 for boats longer than 30 feet. The permits are good for 12 months from date of purchase. Costs will vary at tackle shops where usually there is a $10 handling fee. Remember, a tackle shop owner has to buy the permits in volume at face value. Call ahead to make sure the shop has the right permits, as some shops don’t carry permits for larger boats, or they run out at certain times of the year. If you don’t have this permit while on the water, and you are boarded by the Mexican Navy, your boat will be confiscated and you can kiss your personal belongings on the boat goodbye and you will be incarcerated.
— A valid fishing license for each person who intends to fish, or who will be in a boat when fishing is taking place, including children 16 and under. License fees are $21.20 for the week, $30.40 for the month, or $39.50 for the year, per person. They may be obtained through the fisheries office in San
Diego on 5th Street by mail or in person, or at an authorized license agent. Rates are subject to change every three months.
— Current insurance on your boat and vehicle and your boat, motor and gear. Check with your U.S. agent about liability and boat loss insurance. Note: Mexican law does not recognize U.S. policies when it comes to liability insurance. You must have Mexican liability insurance or face being taken to jail until an incident is settled. To that end, the 14,000-member strong Club Vagabundos (800-474-BAJA) based in Rio Vista offers discounts on annual boat insurance, just one of its outstanding membership services they offer with a $35 annual membership. web (
www.vagabundos.com.)
.
— Either a valid passport or a certified copy of a birth certificate for every member of your party. Drivers licenses are not acceptable, and voter registration cards are questionable as means of identification.
— Mexican visa form, which may be obtained at the border, at an airline ticket counter, or through a travel agent.
Later,
Mr. F......
Going to Baja - need advice
jcarufo
Linear Mode
