fishing equip. for baja trip?

[bentrod]

In May, 4 of us are going to east cape bet. cabo and la paz for 8 days of fun. We have reserved guided boats 3 of those days and plan on surf fishing more days, along with just being bums at time. The boats we chartered charge $10 a rod rental and the resort also charges a rental fee of $10 for a surf rod. I have all the rods and reels needed to fish the area, I would just have to buy some lures. My question is--is it worth the trouble to take the fishing gear done there? Or it is easier just to pay the rental fees? I've never been that far south in baja, and would appreciate any advise. Thanks is advance.

[Fishmstr]

You should definitel bring your own gear. It is not that hard and you never know what you'll get on a panga or what they'll rent you. I've seen some pretty scary gear on Pangas.
You don't need to bring the whole tackle box, but a few of the below should suffice.
Offshore: Tuna clones and rapalas (cd 14) for trolling, dart or tady jigs for jigging, winding and yo-yoing, and swimbait for what ever.
Shore: krocodiles and swimbaits for casting and retrieving, and a top-water plug (a popper or chugger).
Also, hooks and weights for fishing bait, both offshore and onshore.
Good luck. I am heading down friday for two months in Baja. Hope to spend a few weeks at Los Frailes. May even meet up with Puffin down there. You'll love Baja.
adios,
steve

[Gun Rod Bow]

Sounds like you might be near Las Barilles. I've stayed at Rancho Leo Nero a few times.

Bring salmon rods or even heavy spinning gear for surf fishing. You can rent quads, ride along the beach and look for feeding fish.

Cast red/white Cotton Cordel Pencil Poppers in 5" or 7". Also Yozuri poppers if you spot Rooster fish. Also take some 2-4 oz chrome Krockodile spoons and Castmasters with green or blue prizm tape also silver in same size range.

A jointed (floating) Rapala is also a good bet for casting and slow trolling along the beach.

Take some 6-10" wire leaders with clip swivels in case "Sierras" are around. They have teeth like scissors.

9' salmon rods with tuff line or fireline (for spinning reels) with a swivel and 14" 30lb mono leader.

On your way back to the resort, stop at some near shore rock piles and use "Fishtrap" or similar swimbaits (small, 1/2oz) and catch a couple of Trigger fish. Take them to the kitchen and ask them to make Ceviche'. Sierras also work.

Try fishing for "Pez Gallo" (Roosterfish) along the sandy beaches just North of Cabo Pulmo. The Pangeros will slow troll live bait. If you get a rooster following, or better yet spot one off the bow, cast the poppers at them.

Those jointed blue/white rapalas are great for slow trolling near shore too.

Man I love that area!! Send Pics

Que Suerte'!!

[Chukrchaser]

Bring 3 rods --
8' 8-20# with a calcutta or amb. 6000 w/15#
7' 15- 40# with an SL30sh or penn 500 with 30#
5 1/2' troller with a penn 6/0 or shimano TLD 50
loaded with 60 or 80

Trilene Big Game or Ande- don't use the fufu pink or HiVis yellow.

For the surf -- 1/2 to 1 oz Krocs Silver or silver prism and some 3-4 inch plastics in anchovy or brown bait colors.

The 7' rod is not the ideal rig to throw Tady's but an acceptable compromise to use as a bait rod as well. Most consistant colors are blue/wht, scrambled egg (brown,yellow and wht) and wht with a red head ("mad" squid) and Dorado (wht/yel/grn).

Hooks from 2/0 to 6/0 use Owners -- Gami's will break on you. -- Lead -- 2 to 6 oz. tie everything direct except the Rapalas and tuna clones then use high end snap swivels (Sampo)

The Tadys will be hard to come by unless you lay over in San Diego -- Fishermans Landing is a 5 min. cab ride from the airport. With luck you should get out of there for less than -- well -- you got to see that saltwater tackle shop.


Good fishing -- whishin' it was me

Chuck

[bentrod]

Thanks for the information it is very helpful! I hope to give some great fish stories when we get back. Anymore info would be greatly appreciated.

[backlash442]

I'd take 3 rods too. One for surf fishing with a spinning reel. One for bait fishing. Probably a 30# outfit. The last for trolling. 60# should be sufficient. I like the TLD series reels.

As for lures, you know what they say about Mexico; bring any color you want as long as it's blue and white. Rapala or Yozuri size CD18. I like the Yozuri because the lip can't bend. Broomtail Zucchini. Large tady's and mega baits. Poppers are fun with dorado. Krocs. Oh and bring extra line. You can also use line to tip the pangeros. I've read about it and done it myself. The line on some of those reels they have is pretty nasty looking. Of course cash works good too.

[Silver Eagle]

Just be sure to bring a little extra, because if you want a friend for life just give your Captain some gear, its hard to find good gear and very expensive down there, I took five or six packs of "feathers" down last trip, the blue and white we use for Sea Bass and caugth some nice bait on them and gave them to the Captain, belive it or not after about four hours and we were out of beer he found Cold beer, I say it was a great thing. Ray