Sardina - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

rossman · 02-13-2016, 03:33 AM

IMG_20160212_154505~2.jpg

The sardina have arrived in great numbers here in Asuncion. The pangeros are out in force wrapping them for lobster bait. I watched them unload at the ramp for a couple hours yesterday. Quite a sight. The pangas come in filled to the gunnels with sardines with 3 pangeros perched on top. No more than 3 or 4 inches of free board available. The big tractor pulls them on the beach and the crane unloads the big brailer nets into the blue boxes on the flatbed trucks. I watched them fill 10 of those boxes yesterday. The sardines are taken to the co-op and frozen into 40 or 50 lb blocks wrapped in plastic and delivered to the lobstermen in the morning.

Not surprisingly the fishing the fishing has improved significantly with the arrival of the bait. By Asuncion standards my fishing has been actually quite poor since December. Mostly rat Yellowtail and when you catch a larger model, they have a 40 lb head on a 20 lb body. I he'd two skunk days in a row last week. This week is a different story. I was out on Wednesday and landed 11 yellows, 4 of which were the nicer variety.

Zed · 02-13-2016, 07:35 AM

Do the pangas just dipnet bait? How do they collect the 'dines?

rossman · 02-13-2016, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zed

Do the pangas just dipnet bait? How do they collect the 'dines?

Not totally sure. The delivery pangas have no nets so I think there are some seiner pangas that wrap them and offload onto the delivery boats.

Billy V · 02-13-2016, 12:25 PM

Do you know Miguel Arce Aguilar of Miguelito's Sport Fishing ?

I fished with him a few years ago with a couple of guys from this site. We absolutely killed it. He and his family extended us great hospitality.

I came home with an arm injury from pulling on yellowtail for 4 days straight. Crazy plug the boat - quad hook action.

This is his Panga - MIGUELITO - 1

rossman · 02-13-2016, 01:57 PM

Sure, I know Miguel. I just spoke with him this morning as a matter of fact. Good guy and he puts a lot of people on a lot of fish.

kayakfisherman · 02-13-2016, 08:15 PM

Rossman, your reports always put a smile on my face.
I'm either reminiscing about surfing or fishing my favorite
Baja spots as I read your stories.

I've got a suggestion for you. Sardine tacos. I grew up
eating fried sardines that my mom would just gut,
gill, and scrape off a few scales. Then she would dip
them in flour and fry them whole. I can still feel the
crunching bones in my mouth. They were damn good.

So one day I fried up some sardines and made fish tacos
with them. Give them a try and blow some local minds with
them. Bon appetit!

02-13-2016, 03:33 AM	#1
rossman Marginally Irrelevant Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bahia Asuncion Posts: 936	Sardina IMG_20160212_154505~2.jpg The sardina have arrived in great numbers here in Asuncion. The pangeros are out in force wrapping them for lobster bait. I watched them unload at the ramp for a couple hours yesterday. Quite a sight. The pangas come in filled to the gunnels with sardines with 3 pangeros perched on top. No more than 3 or 4 inches of free board available. The big tractor pulls them on the beach and the crane unloads the big brailer nets into the blue boxes on the flatbed trucks. I watched them fill 10 of those boxes yesterday. The sardines are taken to the co-op and frozen into 40 or 50 lb blocks wrapped in plastic and delivered to the lobstermen in the morning. Not surprisingly the fishing the fishing has improved significantly with the arrival of the bait. By Asuncion standards my fishing has been actually quite poor since December. Mostly rat Yellowtail and when you catch a larger model, they have a 40 lb head on a 20 lb body. I he'd two skunk days in a row last week. This week is a different story. I was out on Wednesday and landed 11 yellows, 4 of which were the nicer variety. __________________ "When beholding the tranquil beauty and brilliancy of the ocean’s skin, one forgets the tiger heart that pants beneath it; and would not willingly remember that this velvet paw but conceals a remorseless fang. " — Herman Melville Y'all come see me now, hear!

02-13-2016, 07:35 AM	#2
Zed BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: W of 5 Posts: 1,265	Do the pangas just dipnet bait? How do they collect the 'dines? __________________ Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man and he'll eat for a week.

02-13-2016, 12:25 PM	#4
Billy V Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bay Ho Posts: 1,382	Do you know Miguel Arce Aguilar of Miguelito's Sport Fishing ? I fished with him a few years ago with a couple of guys from this site. We absolutely killed it. He and his family extended us great hospitality. I came home with an arm injury from pulling on yellowtail for 4 days straight. Crazy plug the boat - quad hook action. This is his Panga - MIGUELITO - 1 __________________

02-13-2016, 01:57 PM	#5
rossman Marginally Irrelevant Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bahia Asuncion Posts: 936	Sure, I know Miguel. I just spoke with him this morning as a matter of fact. Good guy and he puts a lot of people on a lot of fish. __________________ "When beholding the tranquil beauty and brilliancy of the ocean’s skin, one forgets the tiger heart that pants beneath it; and would not willingly remember that this velvet paw but conceals a remorseless fang. " — Herman Melville Y'all come see me now, hear!

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02-13-2016, 08:15 PM	#6
kayakfisherman Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 715	Rossman, your reports always put a smile on my face. I'm either reminiscing about surfing or fishing my favorite Baja spots as I read your stories. I've got a suggestion for you. Sardine tacos. I grew up eating fried sardines that my mom would just gut, gill, and scrape off a few scales. Then she would dip them in flour and fry them whole. I can still feel the crunching bones in my mouth. They were damn good. So one day I fried up some sardines and made fish tacos with them. Give them a try and blow some local minds with them. Bon appetit!