Thank you Lebo is a success!!!

[yakrider]

Well,
we did it...
the "thank you Paul Lebo extravaganza" was a success...
We...Pierpont and I...met Paul at the airport in
Mazatlan at around 5pm...

we piled in the
truck and headed for Cardon resort...
it's a surf camp right on the beach about an hour north of Mazatlan...

true to our addict colors...we couldn't wait to soak a line...
so armed with some rediculously long rods and some fresh shrimp...
off we went...oh and right when we got there they hooked us up
with some killer shrimp taco things...mmmmmm....


I was lucky to be the first to hook up with a nice little grouper...
signs of life...the surf was big so our hopes were no high, but...
we had to fish!!!

maybe Paul shoulda ate one more taco...
he likes shrimp!!!!


then Paul hooks up...fun stuff when you got a tugger on the line....
take note of the big grin!!!! this was but the beginning of tons of grinnin' and laughter to be had this trip!!!

next...I was able to land my first ever pargo...man those things
really like to try and get away!!! can you say tuff little guy?
he wieghed 3.5 lbs on the Boga...


Pierpont likes to have a big rod in his hand....DOH!!!

so the plan was to head to El Salto...a fresh water resevior inland about
about an hour from the beach...and fish two days there and two days
in the salt...so we got up Friday morning and headed to El Salto...
we did not do any kayak fishing...we stayed on the bass boats...
we had two bass boats and two guides...
Mark and Annette (the wife of the cardon resort guy, and a helluva fisherlady) were on one boat and Paul and I on the other...
we were not quite awake as the boat left the shore....

it was top water for the first couple hours in the morning...
Paul's first fish was a 4.75lb beauty that crushed the pop R...

man, the surface poppers are a blast!!!

don't forget the sunscreen!

team Pierpont...


Lebo soakin it all in!!!

ok...so the first part of the morning, Paul and I got maybe two or three
fish each...it was tough fishing...and we kept hearing Mark and Anette whackin' 'em...one after the other...both Paul and I are getting frustrated...
what gives...we're all using the same crap, we are suckin' bad...
so it was just about 9:15 or so, and Mark hooks up with a nice 5 lber...

and then Annete hooks up an a 5.5 lber...

well that just chapped our
arses to say the leasts...we were not happy about having Pierpont taunting us with those fish after the really painfully slow morning Paul and I were experiencing...just about then, my hunger kicks in. as it will around 9 am...
and I look in my lunch and what do I find....
a beautiful perfectly ripe delicous BANANA!!!!
and Paul finds one in his lunch!!!! AH HA!!! Mark and Annette are laughing as hard as they possibly could...they got us...
they secretly planted
BANANAS in our lunches...oh yeah?...we'll show you...
so Paul and I proceeded to eat our bad luck charms simultaneously!!!!
I chit you not...we put our peels in the bag (dint wanna litter)...
I picked up my rod and the very next cast....
I get a new personal best LMG...6.5lbs...
"EAT THAT BANANA PLANTERS" I say!!!

and from that point on, with the BANANAS gone, Paul and I were catching fish after fish...we went on to finish the day with 79 fish on our boat!
it was siesta time at noon...

from noon till 2 we got shuttled back to a nice air conditioned hotel room, took a shower and a nap, and went back at 2....
oh...and when ou get out of the truck, they have a tray of frosty margaritas waiting for you....great service...

day one ended with Team Lebo taking the fidolla JP...
day two was more of the same...lots of fish...lots of laughter...

Paul in action...

Pierpont ended up with the biggest fish of the trip...he got a 7.75lber...
(I have no pic of it so you may call bullship untill he posts it)
any hoo...here's a nice 6 lber he nailed...



and another 6 lber

day three was supposed to be fishing the salt out of Mazatlan, but the swell and wind had the harbor closed...
it was closed the day before also...
we voted amongst ourselves and decided not to gamble on the next day and unfortunately called it a trip on Sunday afternoon and headed home a day early...
I'm sure Paul will chime in and express his gratitude himself, but, he was extremely appreciative of the gester we all made to give him this gift...
thank you to all who made it possible for him to go!
cheers from Paul!!!

by the way...all fish were released....