2016 Gonzaga Bay, Baja - Thanksgiving Weekend

[Denis_Ruso]

In addition to SDRob's and CJLeon's report, I wanted to recap my experience of my first time in Gonzaga Bay, Mexico.

Wednesday Nov 23
CJLeon and I were packed, ready and on the road at 4:15 AM.

By about 8:30 AM we met Druko, Chris138 +3 in Calexico just before the border. By around 8:45 the caravan of 4 cars were across the border, double parked and getting our FMM visas.

Short stop in San Felipe for tequila and gas we arrived in Gonzaga Bay at the 134 Kilometer Marker around 2:30.

We met SD rob and dispersed across the camp. With not much sunlight left CJleon and I made our way to the rocks and fished from shore for a little for about 5 small spotted bay bass.

Thurs Nov 24
The weather was forecast to be windy and it did not disappoint. Winds roared and kept us off the water most of the day. We fished the shore a little more for a few more spotted bay bass. We also launched at Papa Fernandez just before sunset with nothing to show for it as the wind kept us in very shallow water. We used the time to explore the area and check out Alfonsinas further south. Many Cervesas and margaritas were has at the restaurant and we decided that this would be an ideal launch location for the next morning.

Friday, Nov 25

CJLeon and I wake up with the sunrise and are the only ones to leave camp this early. We pass the military checkpoint and have some trouble with the guards letting us to the Alfonsinas area this early as the restaurant was closed. CJLeon didn't take no for an answer and persuaded them to let us in.

We launch early in the morning and I get my first fish on the trolled rapala. A pesky trigger fish that bit my rapala while I was completely stopped talking to CJ.

Nearing around the first cove and a few triggerfish later, we see our first boil. I am able to land a 6 lb yellowtail in 15 ft of water by the island and loose it right at the kayak. I see the boil pop up and sink out a couple of times. We are able to get on it again and I land another small yellowtail. We find another boil where I am able to land a 1lb sierra.

The boils disappear and we see some birds working at outside point of the island. We paddle 2 more miles to the point and find this area loaded with yellowtail. I am able to put 3 more yellowtail from 7-12 lb onboard and CJ catches his 1st yellowtail ever.

As we get off the water around noon. The rest of the group shows up ready to fish. We give them our fish report and paddle back in. Back at the camp we clean fish and wait for the others to return.

Saturday, Nov 26

With the best weather forecast and a plan to return to yesterday's bite we woke up even earlier than the day before. We planned to paddle farther this day. As we gathered and got on our way we saw some coastal action and launch much closer to camp than planned. (Boil 20 Ft from the beach)

Chris and Druko planned to hit the island and Rob had work to be done on his place so Cj and I were on our own again. We launched in search of the school we saw earlier, it took us an hour but OH BOY did we find them!

We spent an hour being pestered by wide open spotted bay bass, trigger fish and baby grouper. Then finally the boils appear around the next point.

The yellowtail were pushed up against the rocks in 2-4 ft of water, with birds diving and boils everywhere. There was a ton of micro (half inch) bait in the water and everything was feasting. The grade was small but there were some bruisers mixed in. 6-20 lb grade.

We also encountered a small school of whiteseabass boiling and big sierra splashing on the outside of these boils in 10-15 ft a little deeper. Either way, the next few hours were wide open on a variety of fish. It was a sight to be seen and words just don't do it justice. So I will just leave you with this:

https://vimeo.com/193773557?ref=em-