Recent Baja Trip

Lots of pictures to share this time! We had a great trip and ended up having to come home early due to a full ice chest and sore bodies.

First couple of days weren't anything to brag about, typical Sea of Cortez mystery, nice in the morning, blowing hard in the afternoon, dies for a bit, then kicks back up to full gear, only to repeat the next day.

With the wind blowing I started off with a few shoredives and went two for two with cabrillas to dives. Landed a nice "dinner" cabrilla around 8 pounds to start things off and shake off the bugs. Shot it in about 15' of vis in some sargasso. (picture 1)
The next day, I tried to lay low and did some projects around the house to make living just a little easier. I got antsy around 2 and took the kayak out with the wind howling. I had to choose a spot to anchor, so I chose a protected point and started working it. After 15 mins I was about done with the vis, as it had dropped to about 5' and wind chop was giving me the burpies. Started heading back to the yak and decided to head shallow to poke around some. Saw a few tiny cabrilla in the 15" range and a dark shape caught my eye just a tad deeper than I was. Stuck out my gun and fired. My float line started ripping on out and I applied hard pressure to keep the fish from holing up. I made my way to the cable and saw a beastly cabrilla with a shaft through it. SCORE! I must say I was slightly disappointed that it was a cabrilla and not a gulf grouper, but it was still a PB! Borrowed a neighbors scale and it weighed 22.3. Did a couple of fish prints for some wall art. (picture 2 ,3 & 4)

Dad and I decided to launch the boat the next day since the wind was calm. Made two dives without too much luck. I saw a gulf grouper close to 60# but unable to close the gap and get a decent shot. On the way to spot two Dad spotted a fin about 200yds off the bow and we made our way to check it out. I immediately started suiting up again if it was something worth diving with. Upon closing the gap I saw the white spots and it was on. It was a 25' whale shark. Absolutely massive. It's head was wider than the beam of our boat. Jumped in and grabbed its tail, but it didn't take to kindly to that so I moved up to its dorsal. It didn't like that very much either, to I was holding on tight as it started down and fast. My snorkel was banging against my head and feared my mask would rip off. I decided to let go and had to time it so I wouldn't get hit by its tail moving increasingly faster. I must have timed it wrong because as soon as I let go I got slammed by its tail. My hip still is a little funky. My sister wasn't too happy as she has had that on her bucket list for quite some time and I was so nonchalant about the whole deal. Truth be told I almost forgot to tell you guys and came back to edit.

Spot two had immediate success as Dad's first drop got him a solid graybar grunt. I made two drops right after and took a shot on the next largest in the school that was very broken up. Worked a bit longer and I found a JBL polespear and a couple of dives later I found the matching slip tip. Saw dad heading back to the boat so I went to go dive 'his' spots. I dove down to 45' and saw a shadow of a decent cabrilla so I shot and had an immediate holed up fish. Took two dives to get him out and boy was he scratched up..(picture 5)

The next day was a fishing day with only one fish being caught in over an hour. We headed in for cold beers and shrimp tacos at Alfonsinas. Set up with Chuy, a local ponguero to take the whole family out to the islands since our boat could barely make it around the bay with three people.

Got to the ponga the next morning at dead low tide and the ponga was HIGH and DRY. Took six full grown guys to push (plus my sister) the ponga out to water. Made it to the spots early and immediately showed we weren't dumb gringos as our spots produced. Dad boated the first fish, a 12# cabrilla, within five minutes of hitting the water. We boated seven more fish at that spot (six cabrilla and one pargo). I landed my first pargo and should have had another (25-30#), but passed on it since I thought my dad was going to take it. Score was six-two in my favor.

Next spot was amazing. First dive saw a few cabrilla in the 15-20# range, but the Chuy ran over my float line and I was SOL on those shots. Next few dives for my dad landed himself two more cabrilla. I was holding out for the dark shapes out on the horizon. Had a few gulfies come in and check me out on a few consecutive dives, but held off for a closer shot. Had one come in too close and I took a shot hit high, and knew it wasn't going to stick. Sure enough he tore off in a matter of seconds a little worse for the wear, but still alive and well. I took a frustration shot on a cabrilla the next dive to get it out of my system. Numerous more dives without seeing the pack again.

One last dive in deep water got me seeing what I wanted. A pack of ten to fifteen gulfies all over 50# checked me out. A few BIG ones were nose first checking me out that I think were easily over 100. Picked a smaller one out that was too close and took a good shot. He B-lined for a cave. Called my dad over to spot me as I was getting tired. He jumped in and I made a dive to see the grouper. He was holed up deep and I went in and grabbed the shaft and gave it a wiggle, very loose. Got up and called for a second gun. The ponga man took forever to get to me and my sister threw in my dad's gun and I headed over. Breathed up and headed down. At about 30 feet, the gun got yanked. The floatline was all tangled up around the bouy. Took a couple of minutes to untangle and I headed back down, but the grouper was gone. picked up my shaft clearly bent and headed back. I was done.

All of my fish are the pargo and to the left. My dad's are the two he is holding and the two in front of him.

Edit: Forgot to mention the water was 74-76 and the air was 80's & 90's.

For all the trip photos:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150194767969506.312347.682329505&l=979e730cab

Quote from Spearonick

You son of bitch Davis, I envy you so much. I just got back from a charter boat to Santa Cruz and the warmest the water got was 55 degrees and the best viz was 15' in 49-51 degree water. You lucky guy you. I'll talk to Lonnie about your gun build idea today. I'm sure he would love to whip up something like that. I'll post some pics on Facebook of the three guns he just built when they are all finished.

It was so nice! I never got cold once. Although there were some jellies at one spot, but only got stung once or twice if that makes you hate me a little less.

Sick dude, I need to make a few calls out to some manufacturers about 3/8ths shafts and if anyone still makes them. I heard Mori, but still need to talk to him.

BTW Talk to Cortlen, he is coming down in a few weeks. Try and snag a ride.

Quote from spearstuff

Arg! I don't know if I want to read the report, seeing these pictures are getting me way to jealous right now. I'll have to read it later when I calm down.

BTW did you get any video this trip Davis?

Ah prepare to be jealous.

No video this time. I borrowed William's camera last time and am waiting for my birthday in 15 days to see if I get one. My mom dropped my camera in the ponga getting those water shots and I was barely able to pull the photos of my big cabrilla off of it, so I think I will be getting a new camera to replace it.
Definitely wished I had video of the whale shark (spoiler if you haven't read it yet) and the gulfies cruising in to check me out, but I don't think I would post a vid of it, just keep it low key with friends.

Quote from spearstuff

But I must say I'm a little disappointed that your cabrillo wasn't a gulf grouper, lol.

Haha, sorry to disappoint..

Quote from Don Paul

I really liked reading the report and seeing the family pictures, Brian is a King in my book .:thumbsup2:
Nice hunting guys.

Cheers, Don

Thanks Don, we had a killer time down there. Can't wait to see pics of you and your son slaying it! :toast2: