Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3801 Dec 22-Jan 4 | Page 28

28 “ Dec 21, 2018 - Jan 4, 2019 BAJA ROUNDUP VOL.38 • ISS. 1 Marlin, Dorado, Wahoo & Tuna Tangle With Tackle Off Cabo M arlin fishing has been some of the best I’ve seen in a long time, with boats hooking fish every day,” reported Captain Jerry Chapman of JC Sportfishing. “The marlin fishing has been pretty good from 95 to Horseshoe and Jamie Banks with most being caught using live bait. All our boats have been landing marlin every day and back at the dock early. What a great week it has been in Cabo. Get down here fast and book a boat.” “We had 6 out of 7 days that were really good for dorado. It wasn’t like last week when they were off the hook, but 6 out of 7 days scoring dorado isn’t too bad. You won’t get those odds anywhere else in the world. We had good luck up at the lighthouse all the way up to Migrino this week using live bait and lures. We have been getting limits on dorado about every day this week. I think if you book a boat this week you will have a more than average chance to catch a few dorado,” related Chapman. “There have been good numbers of wahoo on Rapalas up to 35 pounds and all caught up in and around the Golden Gate area. That’s good news as this will make for some great grilling,” said Chapman. “The tuna are scattered out all over the place. I have heard of some pretty good scores, like a boat yesterday went out and found a school of porpoise and ran into the tuna about 6 miles out. King Busters landed 6 fish all about 20 pounds. The action was off the Light House,” Chapman disclosed. “Inshore sierra are starting to show CONTINUED ON PG 27 Cold Weather Fishing Opportunities BRRRRRR! It’s cold outside! a sliding sinker rig with a small Well, maybe not so cold if you 1.5”-2.5” grub or section of Berk- are from Minnesota ley’s Power Sand Worm or Alaska, but for for bait. folks around here, Cast and retrieve this anything in the lower rig until you get that tap- 40s starts to feel tap-tap of an interested pretty chilly, espe- customer, set the hook, cially for guys like and you’re on! Don’t be me who only wear surprised if once in a short pants! while you set the hook So here it is in De- into a striper instead of cember and a good a perch. Stranger things number of acquain- have happened. by Steve tances are packing When the weather away their tackle for has that chill in it, those “Hippo”Lau in the know will get the winter. There’s all the usual stuff like: ready to catch some of stripping the line off of reels; the biggest jack smelt available. breaking down,cleaning, and OK, I realize that jack smelt lubing reels; scrubbing down are not the culinary delight that and waxing rods; and clearing salmon, striped bass, and hali- out tackle boxes of excessive but are, but I catch them for one gunk and goo. (Somehow I al- reason only ... they are extraor- ways manage to find parts of an dinary ling cod bait! anchovy in my tackle box!) After bringing them home, I For those who are willing individually quick freeze them, to bundle up a bit, there are a ice glaze them, then pack number of fishing opportunities them away for later in the year. that await with the chilling of the Rigged on a tandem hook rig, weather. jack smelt have accounted for Some of the heaviest AND more 30+ pound ling cods than calmest surfs happen in the any other bait I have used. winter months, and with the Then, of course, winter usual- calm surf comes the possibility ly heralds in the serious busi- of whacking some of the big- ness of sturgeon fishing. Long gest surf perch of the year. With gone are the days when I was most of the striped bass popu- able to catch these elite bottom lation gone back up the rivers, suckers on a Sturgeon Death the surf perch have the tidal Rig, but it still is a challenge to zones all to themselves, free catch them with a single barb- from the threat of being eaten. less hook. Actually, I think it is This is a prime time to hit the getting so much easier these suds with nice light steelhead days using superbraided lines rods or other outfits handling that some of the challenge is 6-12 lb. test line. gone, but nevertheless, a stur- Bait is always an option with geon is a sturgeon and they are surf perch (especially sand incredibly good eats. crabs!) but if you’re planning to So don’t pack your stuff away be more active, using a grub- just yet. Clean and maintain bing rig is the way to go. I am your equipment, yes ... just sure you can find a lot of details make plans to use it again be- on YouTube, but this is basically fore the weather warms up. SALTY TIPS These folks took a trip to the East Cape and slammed these dandy dorado on November 23. Photo courtesy of VAN WORMER RESORTS, East Cape, Baja. 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