Return to Cabo San Quintin
 

Last week I took the family to San Quintin with hopes of hooking into some nice fish.

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall.../wsb070809.jpg

As indicated by my post about that trip, I didn't get to fish much...

...this week I decided to try something different...

I took off for my first solo trip to Baja. I left Wednesday morning around 3am. Arrived
in SQ around 7:45 and headed out to the point via my 4x4. I really didn't want to
paddle 8+ miles again (like last week).

Light wind and tide pushed me to the point at a nice pace, while I made bait and enjoyed
a couple of whales.

http://www.abszero.com/fishing/07-08/whale-02.jpg

-until they got awfully close.
This whale came within 20 feet of my kayak.
http://www.abszero.com/fishing/07-08/whale-01.jpg

I decided I had enough bait and paddled to the point. Trolled live bait for over an hour while
the wind steadily increased.

I decided to get closer to the shore to avoid some wind and try for some 'butts.
I found this little 5+lb. guy within the first few minutes.
http://www.abszero.com/fishing/07-08/butt-070808.jpg

Eventually the wind got too much, as it was blowing over 20kts. I paddled against
the wind for about 1 hour and 40 minutes until I made my way
back to my car
on the east point and crashed for a couple of hours.

At the Old Mill, I ran into Adam. I helped pull him out of the sand at LJ one morning and
he must have recognized my truck. He stopped and said hello and we decided to
fish together in the morning.

That evening, I did some recon work to find a different spot to fish than the point. I found some thick kelp
and decided I would fish there in the morning.
In the morning, the wind was calm and the surf was small, so I launched out to the kelp.

After about an hour of trolling different lures and live bait rigs, I got hit.
Immediately, my lines were tangled, but I was able to free the active line quickly. The line
when slack, and I was bummed for a second, but then realized I was still hooked.
I was getting towed and the feel was different, so I was hopeful for the right kind.
I still don't have the FF hooked up to the new yak, so I didn't know what was below
me. I kept a light drag and let him run, as I've lost fish with an overtightened drag.

After 3 or 4 deep runs and 2 360s, I brought this guy to color.
http://www.abszero.com/fishing/07-08/wsb070809.jpg

Easily, my happiest single moment fishing.

I've finally broken the WSB barrier - this was my first WSB.
Now the problem is that it'll be a tough one to beat.
This weighed in at 48.8 lbs. on the OEX Certified Scale.

This trip was a personal best for me - 1st WSB, 1st fish close to 50lbs., biggest halibut.

Congrats man! That is a hell of a nice fish!! I repeat on HELL of a NICE FISH!!
Matt

That is one hell of a fish!!!! Good job.

Now that it how it is done! certified weight for the jackpot(no WSB jackpot Dave?), tape shot(s):D and the big fish on yo lap for the sub.

Helluva fish! Congrats!!!:luxhello::luxhello::luxhello:

:luxhello::luxhello:... Damn, finally Dave. Nice work there.

Nice
 

Nice first WSB :luxhello: :cheers1:

Yeah Dave good job. Nice fish.

And you didn't have to drive all the way to punta baja.

gabe

Awesome! :you_rock:

sweeeeeeeeeeet fish yet to fish baja in tha yak

Redemption finally! Beautiful fish! Loco solo pescador!

Good job Dave. That thing is a monster.

Sweeet Fish!!! Nicely done:luxhello: :luxhello:

'nuff said. :D

That's a bleater.
Great job Dave! :cheers1:

Congrats, nice beast of a fish

Great first Seabass. Solo in mex. Can't beat that.

Nice fish Wavster! Congrats on the cherry popping.

Nice Dave!!! Your persistence is admirable! :cheers1:

:luxhello:

NICE!!!:cheers1:

thats A GREAT photo! who took that? I cant get a program working here to resize my photo. working on it... mine weighed in at 55 lbs on the digital

Wow! Congrats, Dave.

Ojos, I think you can just upload to the BWE gallery and that will auto resize for you. Then you can post the link here. Congrats to you, too!

Ojos: I pulled some guy out of the sand to take that photo! :D

Congrats on yours. I did look a bit fatter than mine. Did you fillet it down there? Or are you back in SD?

By the way... it looks as though someone edited my original post... how does that happen?

Very nice fish Dave and a great write-up.

ok finally got the resized image. My wife and I decided a Baja run was needed. Surf was predicted flat for the entire week so we drove to San Quintin for a few days. Went out on a panga and got valuable info - being a polyglot does have great benefits. I ran into Wavester and recognized him from LJ - he had pulled my Honda Civic out of deep LJ sand around 4:30 am some months ago. We exchanged some info and decided to meet the next day.

Day 2 launched at 6 am in the kayak and birds were working just offshore. I knew it would be a great day. I hooked up trolling a 18 cm Yo Zuri. The rod bounced a tad, I turned and looked at the tip, and the entire rod jerked violently followed by line zipping away on 30 lb test. Yeah!! The birds continued to work and I made a half hearted attempt at number 2 but I knew I was done for the day - no need to be greedy

It weighed in at 55 lbs on the digital :)

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...0/IMG_1035.JPG

Adam, nice fish. I'd love to see the pic. The URL you embedded seems proper but your PhotoBucket gallery may be private or something. Upload the pic to your BWE gallery and then throw a link to it in your post.

Dave, your post got edited to add that picture in the top so it can be anchored for the BWE site front page. If you have a problem with that, just let me know.

COngrats to both of you again. :cheers1:

I was going to say. Who's nice looking blue T160 is in wavster's pic? :hmmmm2:

Nice job Adam. Can't wait to see the photo.

Nice Adam... :cheers1:

There's this silly WCW game we're playing, you may want to check out the rules... :)

Baaaaaaaaaaaah

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...uintin_041.JPG

Congrats!:notworthy: :notworthy:

No problem. I just was wondering how it got edited. Then I saw it on the front page
and thought - COOL!

Thanks for that.

--Dave

Wow! A couple of great fish!! Congrats guys!:luxhello: :cheers1:

grait trip and some grait fish you.
menash

Great Job Dave
 

Nice Fish dave :you_rock: