 |
| Author | Post |
|---|
Stuart
Member
| Joined: | Wed Oct 26th, 2005 |
| Location: | Tempe, Arizona USA |
| Posts: | 434 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: |    |
|
Posted: Mon Nov 7th, 2005 09:07 pm |
|
Thought I'd share my weekend adventure in Puerto Penasco with you San Carlos folks:
I can sum up the fall fishing in Puerto Penasco in one word – FANTASTIC! Don’t walk, run and hook up your boat and get out there and do it right now! It doesn't get any better than this! Pick the way you want to fish - trolling, spincasting to fish on the surface, or dropping to the bottom - there's something for everyone right now.
I launched the Constancia from the main harbor at 7:15 Saturday morning with Ric and two other friends, Dennis and Paul. Headed straight out to the 16 mile reef and made bait with sabiki rigs. We spent about an hour putting live mackerel in the bait tank, as well as some grunts, croakers and small rose snappers. We caught several horse sardines as well and put them on ice.
I then headed out to the 51, running through fairly calm seas at a pleasant cruise of 35 mph. About 40 miles out, I noticed the water started to look very scummy and we started seeing a lot of surface activity. We rigged up and dropped back a few of my personally-built ”dorado killer” lures and started trolling. We immediately got a strike and boated about a 12 pound dorado. We trolled the area for awhile, but couldn’t seem to get any other takers. There were many schools of dorado that we could see working the surface in nearly every direction. I was actually surprised to find dorado still around in November, but the water temperature was 78 degrees. I suspect they’ll hang around for a few more weeks if our current weather pattern holds.
We then headed back on course to the 51 Mile reef and started seeing large schools of skipjack all around us. We’d cruise right up near a school, then cast metal minnows into the fray for instant hook-ups. Managed to boat a couple of these, but also lost some lures on break-offs. Pound for pound, nothing fights like a skipjack when hooked on light spinning gear. Although I don’t care to eat skipjack, we kept a couple to use for cut bait.
Mike Auditore on El Gato Blanco caught up with us while we were chasing the skippies. Both boats then headed to the 51. Mike got set up and anchored and we motored around a bit longer scoping out the bottom. On our first drop, we hooked up immediately with a large halibut. That was followed by a hook up on a big black seabass. Paul worked the fish for about 35 minutes to get it to the surface. It was so big, that we had to gaff it and bring it around to the back of the boat and two of us worked together and pulled it straight into the boat between the motors. No way we could lift it over the side; we estimated about 225 lbs! Soon, another baby barn door halibut, followed by a smaller black seabass (about 85 pounds). We also caught some large huachinango (red snappers), a nice-size sardinero (leopard grouper) and several beefy gold-spotted bass. The action wasn’t fast and furious, but was pretty steady the entire time we were at the reef. There also seemed to be some Humboldt squid in the area. My live mackerel got picked up on the way down. I couldn’t set the hook because I was using a large circle hook, but the line would go slack and I’d feel pressure from the squid. When the squid let go, I reeled up a pretty raked and chewed mackerel.
El Gato Blanco had similar results, boating three black seabass and some red snappers. One of the guys on Mike’s boat was injured when a 16/0 circle hook went completely through his hand while they were landing a big black seabass. The gaff broke and the top hook on the rig went into his hand. They managed to remove the barb and back the hook out, but the poor guy can now whistle through the hole in his hand! I only mention this as a reminder to all of my fishing amigos – accidents DO happen! I can’t overstress the importance of having a good first aid kit on board to handle emergencies like these! After first aid, the guy was in good spirits and doing okay.
We fished until about 3:45, then washed down some of the blood and mess on the boat before heading back in. We raced the sunset for the last 10 miles at 45 mph and made it back into the harbor just as the sun dropped below the horizon at about 5:45. I did take a few pictures, but it was dark as they cleaned the fish. I’ll try to download the pictures from my boat and provide some more links in this post later this evening or tomorrow.
All in all, we enjoyed a great weekend, great fishing and had yet "Another wonderful day on the beautiful Sea of Cortez!"™
Some pictures from Mike Auditore's boat:
"Behemoth on Deck!!"
http://members.cox.net/pictures22/Audi1.jpg
"Fish Wrangler!!"
http://members.cox.net/pictures22/Audi3.jpg
"Freakin' OUCH!" - Warning! Do not look at this picture if you are squeamish!
http://members.cox.net/pictures22/Audi2.jpg
Last edited on Mon Nov 7th, 2005 09:08 pm by Stuart
|
PQ Almada
Member
| Joined: | Wed Oct 26th, 2005 |
| Location: | Guaymas, Mexico |
| Posts: | 336 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Tue Nov 8th, 2005 02:55 am |
|
| wow...those look like cows...1 of them would keep a frezzer full for all winter!
|
Ric Rokey BAHA-DIAMOND
Member
| Joined: | Wed Nov 9th, 2005 |
| Location: | Mesa |
| Posts: | 1 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Wed Nov 9th, 2005 04:02 pm |
|
Stuart,
Wow !! That’s one of those trips where you don’t hear “ya oughta to have been here yesterday.” Good job. Now I understand why you keep the Constanza on the trailer. I’m off for Ks. to pheasant hunt for a week and then back to your old stomping grounds to chase Rockfish for six days. The cow Stripers (not to be confused with Strippers whom are also most likely in the vicinity) are just starting to show up at the CBBT. After those two trips, it’s look out Yellow-tail at San Carlos. Again…congrats on a super day of fishing and thanks for sharing. Ric
|
Current time is 01:59 pm | |
|
|
|
|
