March 2014 GONZAGA BAY

[makobob]

Baja or Bust is happy to announce another spring time trip to Las Encantadas, just 10 miles north of Gonzaga. Paved all the way except the last 1/2 mile. Almost any vechicle can make it. We will have use of neighbors bathroom, shower and other ammenities. Should be good trip, super easy beach launch and landings.

Gonzaga Trip ADDED for 2014!
March 20-24th, this is the second BIRTHDAY TRIP. Janine, fishtales, aka halibut hunter, will be celibrating her birthday in Gonzaga. Leaving morning of 20 March, should be another great trip, all are welcome to join us for this trip. Post here or pm Makobob, thanks.
Tight lines and bloody gaffs. Happy Birthday Janine.

Anglers are:
Janines.fishtales OUR MERMAID had to cancel, life got in the way. THIS TRIP IS STILL ON.
Makobob
Svendawg
Chuck D
Eod
??Bigbarrels??

Trip is open to all, enjoy Baja with us!!!

Makobob

[rossman]

Where are you planning on staying

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[makobob]

Ross, we will probabally stay at campo beluga, but might stay near a house in construction that is for sale. Still in the planing stage. Ross do you have any suggestions? Thanks, we are trying to lease a place here.

Makobob

[svendawg]

Put me on the list

[makobob]

Originally Posted by svendawg

Put me on the list

AWESOME, Sven, welcome aboard! Looks like another great trip.

[troutking]

makobob, if I can get Thursday, Friday and Monday off of work I'd be interested in joining.

[rossman]

I have never had any real problems finding bait on the cortez side but using live bait including squid is a real pain because of the ubiquitous trigger fish. You cannot find any deapth where they are not, and they tend to take crescent shaped bites out of any live bait. After a few minutes the baits comes back looking like a piece of swiss cheese. The same thing happens with plastics. Hardbaits like irons megabaits shallow and deep running crank baits and top water baits are the ticket. Last two trips to Gonzaga I didn't even bother with my bait tank.

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[SDROB]

Just saw this link on BD. Do those Islands look familiar BOB?

http://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/thr...ontoon.530104/

[makobob]

Originally Posted by ROBMONEY

Just saw this link on BD. Do those Islands look familiar BOB?

http://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/thr...ontoon.530104/

You KNOW it does, guys this is where we are trying to get a lease for a place for all of us to be able to stay. about 10 miles north of Gonzaga. Biggest problem is the divers can do real damage at some times of the year, the grouper can be thick, but only bite on the tide swings and for a short time. However they live on the reef and do not seem to be afraid of divers. That said the fishing and diving can be world class. 619-SWIM-DOG welcome aboard, I will add you to the angler list.
Hunter, NO small orange mouth Corvina were the go to bait for totuba, which are illegal to take or possess. Big grouper seem to like them too. But most fish ARE caught on Iron or top water plugs.

[buddha]

Originally Posted by rossman

I have never had any real problems finding bait on the cortez side but using live bait including squid is a real pain because of the ubiquitous trigger fish. You cannot find any deapth where they are not, and they tend to take crescent shaped bites out of any live bait. After a few minutes the baits comes back looking like a piece of swiss cheese. The same thing happens with plastics. Hardbaits like irons megabaits shallow and deep running crank baits and top water baits are the ticket. Last two trips to Gonzaga I didn't even bother with my bait tank.

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Ross,

I sent you a few PMs and called you a few times. Did you receive any of those?

[makobob]

Just got a pm from ChuckD asking the right kind of questions about this trip, so it is looking like we will have a nice group for Janine's birthday. Any one else interested? 45 days and counting!

Makobob

[Chuck D]

March is looking pretty good, I think I am in!

[jorluivil]

I can't do this one, the old lady's bday is March 23rd

[svendawg]

Originally Posted by rossman

I have never had any real problems finding bait on the cortez side but using live bait including squid is a real pain because of the ubiquitous trigger fish. You cannot find any deapth where they are not, and they tend to take crescent shaped bites out of any live bait. After a few minutes the baits comes back looking like a piece of swiss cheese. The same thing happens with plastics. Hardbaits like irons megabaits shallow and deep running crank baits and top water baits are the ticket. Last two trips to Gonzaga I didn't even bother with my bait tank.

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Eod,

Read the quote above. It was posted by Rossman on page one of this post. You may have missed. It has the information you asked about and explains the bait situation pretty well. Rossman fishes this area often so he knows his s--t.

[walrus]

What to expect the first time:

Friday – March 14, 2014 We crossed the border without incident, were briefly checked at military checkpoints by friendly soldiers and made it to Las Encantadas by 1:00pm. It took seven hours, but, we might have gotten there a little earlier but Sven was pulling a trailer containing a Polaris 4X4 and a dump trailer designed for the Polaris by Sven. We were concerned about how the trailer would handle the vados, so we slowed down a bit. The area that concerned us was the “dips” or vados on the older highway between San Felipe and Puertecitos. It is not a problem if you just slow down a bit, you don’t want to launch a fully loaded vehicle, the distance of the dips will have you landing hard against the far side of the dip. The speed limit posted there is a little too high here for depth and length of the dips, just back off on approach and it will be fine. Not all dips are signed either so you must use your eyes to determine when to slow.


If you cross into Mexico at Caliexco, you’re on Mex 5, so just follow the signs thru Mexicali and San Felipe. A white sign on the left side of the highway “Las Encantadas” is about 100 yards before you turn left toward the sea. The dirt track to camp has a green sign with white letters that say “Campo Turistico La Poma”.


It’s an easy drive with little traffic after San Felipe. There was only a handful of vehicles on the highway Friday. On the dirt track g keep going toward the sea, when you arrive at the beach turn left.


CAUTION, stay on the heavily worn tracks of vehicles, the sand on this beach is sugar fine and you’ll dig your tires in fast. If you stay on the track a two wheel drive vehicle is O.K. And a word to 4X4 owners, if you don’t have high floatation tires that are aired down, stay on the tracks too.


Check the pictures to see what it looks like and you’ll find camp quickly after getting on the beach track, it’s before the two story place (about the third house you past after turning on the beach).


Weather was 72-74 degrees daytime, 64-67 degrees nights. Friday and the first half of Saturday there was little breeze the sea was glassy flat without even a swell as far out as the island. Saturday and Sunday morning there was a breeze no harder than what is found on San Diego Bay on a typical day. The breeze made the sea choppy and created ankle slapper waves along the shore line. The breezy conditions are not enough to keep you off the water but, you work harder.


The difference between high tide and low tide was about 15 feet in depth. Be sure to keep you kayak beached above the high tide line.



Have Fun I’m Sure You’ll love it.


(I'll post this also on the "Baja of Bust" group area to make it easier to find in the future).

[makobob]

In San Felipe you will take a right from the main drag toward the airport, a few miles down you will take a left toward Puertecitos and the turn off to our beach is at km 134, less than two hours south of San Felipe and 10 miles north of Gonzaga, roads are good all the way past Gonzaga. Have a good trip!

[makobob]

Yesterday, Sunday 9 Feb a lease WAS signed on a property in Campo Las Encantadas. Located at km 134, about 100 miles south of San Felipe. Just 10 miles north of Gonzaga Bay. The road is in excellent condition, going non stop from the border it is just under 6 hours from San Diego. The last 1/2 mile is off road but any vechile can do it. 4 wheel drive is needed to drive the beach. High tide we are 300 feet to the Sea of Cortez. If going to Gonzaga the last 8 km are off road as construction is still going on. Going down we went through Mexicali, we returned on a Sunday afternoon so we crossed at Tecate, just over 1 hour crossing time, so much better than the 2+ hours in Mexicali and 3+ in TJ.
We hope to have 1st floor enclosed by end of May. Before pictures to be posted this week.

For Mermaids trip we should have use of the house next door for support, bathroom, and shower, and if needed cooking, and sleeping.

Makobob

[SDROB]

Here's the view directly from the front. Launch in minutes

[walrus]

Paradise!!

[makobob]

Wally, thank you for your generous donation of 2x4's. They will help jump start the project. We should be well along when you come down in April. Thank you, thank you again.

Makobob