Sea of Cortez

[Art Vandeley]

I know this topic has come up. Me and 8 guys are traveling to East Cape, Mexico on the 17th. We will be fly fishing Roosterfish and go offshore a couple days for dorado and sailfish. This will be all flyfishing. We have been gearing up and are getting ready to go. I guess I am asking for just any random advise someone could give us. We will have guides for 4 of our 6 fishing days. We are kind of jumping on the band wagon with Rooster fish, and understand that they can be very tricky to catch.

This is a link that will show you kind of what we know and what we plan on: http://www.bigrflyshop.com/baja.html
Thanks for anything you can let us in on!

Mitch

[Stickswinger]

Mitch,

Sounds like a great trip! The learning experience alone will be all worth it. Anyway, I am sure there are a few guys on here that can help you out but there have also been some recent discussions over at westfly.com as well discussing baja on the fly. Good luck and give us a detailed trip report and plenty of picts when you get back!

Ryland

[garyk]

Looks like your basecamp is Rancho Leonero -- nice place! Search that name on SaltyDogs and there's a post I made two years ago with lots of pics from that locale.

Other input...

Hope your forearms are up to the challenge of punching out flies from the beach... the fish will not be at your toes. You will need to cast some distance. I never saw bait being crashed by jacks and roosters within flycasting range --- maybe this time of year is different?

They don't mention the guides speaking English ... so expect "Span-anglerish"

Fly gear is not available in Los Barrilles - what you bring is what you have.

I'd seriously consider packing a spinning outfit so that after dinner at the Rancho, you could walk the beach and toss some long distance metal like Buzz Bombs and other jigs.... especially for when you see crashing bait.

Good fishing and looking forward to your post-trip pics!!!!!

[richleblanc48]

This sounds like an awesome trip! Check out this video a buddy sent me the other day (he found it, it's not actually him).

If this doesn't get you excited about chasing (literally chasing!) roosters I don't know what will.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgeTz14Oa5s

Enjoy!

[Zugbug66]

Mitch, I'm totally jealous! I have watched numerous videos on guys fishing for roosters on the fly............Holy SH%&. Looks like the most productive method was trolling just outside the surfline with flies as big as your hand.
Good luck!

[Bill Rogue V.]

Man, that looks like fun!
Mitch: Please report with photos as soon as possible.

Go Ducks.

[FrozenFish]

I just love the fact that BIg R has a fly shop... who knew? Search up th movie Running Down the Man if you want to really get your blood pumping. -FF

[Horsecreek]

Originally Posted by richleblanc48

If this doesn't get you excited about chasing (literally chasing!) roosters I don't know what will.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgeTz14Oa5s

Enjoy!

Way...Way...TOO COOL.......

[Jad Donaldson]

Just came back from a Roosterfish trip in June. We stayed south of Rancho. Fishing was good and we caught Roosters, Dorado, Wahoo, and more. Rancho is not exactly on the "cutting edge" of flyfishing, but is a safe choice. make sure you have some good Sardina patterns as the more you chum, the more exacting/selective to the fly the Roosters become. feel free to fire any specifics via Pm. Plan on guiding down there for the 2010 Rooster season.

Jad

[Art Vandeley]

Just got back from Baja last night! Caught several Roosterfish, a couple Dorado (trolling flies, we never got into a school that we could cast to), some Jack Crevalles, Lady Fish and more. I think by far the lady fish put up the best fight. I've never actually hooked a tarpon, but all the video's and pictures I've seen look like they fight the same as the Lady Fish. They make really strong runs and jump all over the place. Anyways, I have several pictures I will post once I find the cord that connects my camera to computer.

Mitch

[DR. Feelgood]

Sounds like your trip is over so any comments I have won't help this time.I and 2 brothers own a property just south of Rancho Leonardo(the beach north of Cabo Pulmo) (Running Down the man was filmed from our place)I'm local but one bro(Bill AKA Guiddyap) lives down there except for hurricane season( Mid Aug through Sept)Don't go then: too hot too still and too humid.Rooster are best April through early July.Bill runs a bit of a B&B(www.cabopulmoecopalapa.com) for tourists and fishermen.You can cotact him for local info. or he comes up for Steelies on the Deschutes in Aug and Sept).Jad with Kauffman's took a group down last June.He'd be a good contact for future trips.The local guides ARE important. I'd suggest planning on buying a few flys from them(You can tie your own or buy more after that) Frank Smytherst's (Runnin Down the Man)Rasta fly seems to be morphing more toward a Deer head Muddler style fly with Yak or synthetic sparse streamer body(Don't overtie as the more distant the cast the more likely you'll attract the attention af a sighted Rooster when they're cruising off shore. However when the Roosters are in good numers they can be 10 feet from shore as well as 50.On many if not most days ( esp early AM) you can blind cast to Lady fish till your arm falls off. Great fighters and jumpers but don't count on em for lunch. Sierra are a winter, early spring fish. Dorado almost never from shore. Toro(Jack Crevalle), Pompano and abunch of others can be incidental catch from shore.I'd suggest some time on open water in boat for all of the above but also yellowfin,yellowtail tuna and Dorado as well as Roosters(Papagallo).In Baja Espanol is nice but totally unecessary...The locals are very understanding and by Mex standards affluent and are generally happy to see Grigos but Don't kid yourself They can get along just fine without us(A good thing)Any way i can help let me know..Steve White MD aka Dr Feelgood