TWO ISLAND KAYAK FLYFISHING

REPORT

May 2005

In a weeklong fishing trip, many things happen. I will try to be brief and just mention some of the highlights, with apologies for anyone’s fantastic adventure that I am not recounting here.   there are loads of pictures that I couldn’t fit into this report-I’ll get some up in a gallery. The spring 2005 Two Island Trip started out by driving north from La Paz up a dirt road along the coast of the Sea of Cortez. After  a couple of hours   We arrived at San Evaristo Beach, loaded our bags and rods and were ferried across the channel to San Franciscito Island  The kayaks, cold beer, and our cook Alvaro were waiting for us in a cove at our beach encampment, a few miles off the southern tip of San Jose. The Corumuel wind was breezing every morning, so after lunch we headed for the big lagoon to see what we could find in the protection of the mangroves. That is where we wanted to be. Upon entering the tidal river that leads into the main body of the big lagoon we started catching fish immediately. Jeff, John, Dave, Bruce and I waded, tying our kayaks off to our legs. Others kept paddling up river towards the main lagoon, stopping to cast into the edges of the mangroves. Ketan and Chris decided to stay outside the mouth of the river. It was a spring tide and the water was moving fast. The four-foot deep channel just outside the lagoon mouth just looked fishy. Their persistence paid off! Ketan and Chris landed several small roosters.  

 John landed an impressive mangrove snapper and Jeff once again scored on the barred chubs lurking in the roots just inside the entrance. In the shallows, we discovered a big conch to go into the ceviche with our “chocolata" clams. The snappers, barred pargo and African pompano were willing. We saw roosters busting bait on top every day, but didn't connect. Kayak fishing for the “pelagics” can be challenging- since we do not use any chum. To my surprise, a foot long bonefish came to hand At last; I can say I have caught a Baja bone! It was very much unexpected-I was sure I had hooked into mullet on steroids until it was

landed.  I could not believe it when the next day as I was casting off the lagoon bar I hooked into another one half again as big. That was the only day I forgot my camera, of course. Now I know they are there. In the meantime, Ketan, who was proving to be the new young gun, landed a jack crevalle of about ten pounds at the main lagoon entrance

One afternoon we fished around what we call "the Spine", a string of rocks jutting out of the water to the west of remote San Jose Island's southern tip. Barracuda (Mexican),   cabrilla, green jacks (cocinero), some leapin' ladyfish (sabalo) and yellowtail snapper.  Everyone hooked up that afternoon. We hated to see the sun go down.

Wednesday we packed up for the second half of our adventure and took the hour and a half boat ride to Espiritu Santo Island. Out on the point near camp, where we usually hook up on big black skip jack , sierra and sometimes yellowtail or yellow fin tuna, there were hundreds of manta rays circling  on the surface, often leaping into the air and coming down with a loud splat that echoed off the cliffs.

Someone yelled that a shark was tailing me. From this photo of a manta you can see why. At one point I saw Rich hook into a fish and suddenly his kayak swung around and took off at about ten knots! I have never seen a kayak move so fast. His fly had snagged a large manta and it was almost impossible for him to bring it to the boat. We laughed and laughed at the sight of him zig zagging around for at least a half hour. We did catch some fish at that spot but it was not as productive as other years. I think all the commotion of the manta mating season had sent a lot of the other fish packing.  We did succeed in landing some good triggers, a few skipjack, ladyfish and cabrilla. Triggers are a very hard fighting fish. And their crushers can actually cut a forged hook in two!

Los Islotes is a seal island off the northern tip –a favorite place to find dorado and big skip jack. We snorkeled over the gorgeous reef and played with the sea lions for awhile before boarding our yaks once again and heading into the open ocean where we found some sizeable barrolette (the formal Mexican name for black skipjack).

One sea lion decided that she really liked me (or my kayak) and gave my yak a full- flippered seal hug, which I must admit was a little disconcerting!

The morning winds dictated that we find sheltered fishing grounds on the lee (east) side of the island so we headed for the Partida-the passage between the two islands that make up the archipelago. This is where we got our first dorado from a kayak a few years back

Before everyone had stepped off the panga onto their sit-on-top "steeds” Ketan had connected with a big fish and was being towed into the distance. He was fishing a ten weight rod and using an Abel Super 8 and the tools were being tested. We thought he had hooked into a big black skipjack. An epic battle ensued. In the meantime Bruce landed a beautiful flag cabrilla. Some of our other compadres hooked up with small skippies and pargo 

Chris paddled along with Ketan to see what could be. When after forty five minutes or so, a large roosterfish finally appeared Ketan relied on his tarpon experience and reached under the gills to get a firm hold on his trophy roosterfish. What a prize! What a way to end a very good week! Lots of laughs, great weather, wild food and a little tequila on two remote and pristine islands all combined to make it a memorable expedition.

"Yep", we proclaimed, "he is ruined now".

2003-2005 copyright gary bulla