Buddha's Bufeo Birthday Bash - 3/5-3/11 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

FoodGeekFish · 03-15-2016, 09:18 AM

As all adventures must, this one started with challenges. After leaving North County San Diego at 3:45ish for our 5am meet-up with Makobob and Jeff in El Cajon, we discovered that we had left about 5 minutes from Bob's house, and could have just caravaned straight down. We headed across the 8 to Calexico to meet up with Frank. Coming out of the pass, Bob's brand new truck threw an idiot light for exhaust issues. It threatened to limit his speed to 5 mph until fixed, so Frank got on the phone to a buddy in a local dealership repair shop and we headed over.
A diagnosis of expired/out of spec DEF was ascertained and after clearing the light and driving the truck for 30 miles, we were diagnosed as clear. Of course, instead of hitting the border at 6:30, it was now nearing noon. We crossed over through Mexicali and headed down the Mx5 to San Felipe.
Adding to our woes, the birreria stand was already closed, so were forced to reroute for fish tacos instead.

From there, Bob, Jeff, Mike and I headed off to Bufeo while Frank headed out to meet up with a friend. We reached the camp at around 4pm, and Bob's first words were "Don't bother unpacking, for all we know this may be the best night of the week. Get your boats on the water and fish!"
Mike, Jeff and I hit the water in the encroaching dusk (despite the good natured ribbing about fishing from a tandem) and threw irons on light spinning outfits for a mixed bag of spotties, triggers, and corvina. Multiple cabrilla found the scattered rocks of the reef without ever showing their faces. We ended up with 3 corvina to the boat, 2 landed. Mike's 7#er was bleeding from the gills, and sent to the kill sack.

A lovely dinner of steak shishkebobs and roasted chiles in salsa Maggi from Jorge met us at Bob's place and we devoured them with reckless abandon. Everyone turned in early in preparation for a run down to Gonzaga on Sunday morning.
We passed through the Gonzaga military checkpoint and drove out to Alphonsina's to launch into a glassy bay.

We boated a few small cabrilla, another nice 'vina, some tough breakoffs, and Jeff got hammered twice on the big swimbaits. The weather gods were tricksters, and a couple of hours into fishing the South side of Isla Willard, the blow began. It increased steadily, and Frank struggled to drive his yak into the teeth of it. He finally made his way in and we retired to the restaurant for lunch, which of course caused the wind to immediately stop blowing. After lunch, we considered getting back on the water, but the wind began to ripple the bay again, and we headed home for grilled Korean pizza.

We had decided to try and get out on the panga on Monday morning while Frank was still around, but our pangero, Miguel, showed up at Bob's around 8:30 with dire warnings of rising winds, poor fishing, and an all around poor time. On his advice, we begged off the boat ride and put yaks in the water. Mike and I headed well north of Bufeo, picking up the usual mixed bag of fish on small freshwater hard baits, and added Mike's first Sierra to the tally. A growing wind and a rising surge put us back at camp by mid-day as the weather grew less and less pleasant and the clouds rolled in. We headed to the restaurant on the south end of Bufeo where they put Frank's pollo asada to great showing, with sides of grilled onions, refried beans, 3 salsas, and fresh tortillas. We exited the restaurant to whipping winds and sand.
Tuesday brought slightly reduced wind in the morning, but a heavy storm surge. We pushed through to launch, but it became quickly apparent that the wind was building heavily and quickly, and the storm surge increasing. We boated a few mixed fish, and Mike's second sierra, slightly smaller than the day before. We splashed (but not crashed) into shore and stowed gear for the day. I taught Jeff to play cribbage and caught up on some reading, while others relaxed/napped/etc. Winds dropped off as night fell, and we kept our fingers crossed for the following day. I threw together my cheater's chile verde, and we all ate well.
Wednesday morning, per Bob's prognostication, dawned flat and calm. We piled yaks onto vehicles and headed south to the end of the beach at the point. We cruised s from Bufeo and back north again for about 6 hours. I picked up a small yellowtail on a blue/white trolled 6x Jr, and Mike nailed a fat (PB) 20# YT on a blue/clear holo 6" Pearl swimbait on a 1oz head.

Jeff grabbed a PB sierra early, topping the scales at 8#. On the return north I managed my first leopard grouper on an olive/white 6x Jr, and we managed to share a close encounter of the gunwale gripping kind with a baby (17-18') whale shark.

A brief respite, then we were back on the water at camp, where Jeff tallied a nice corvina and a fat sardinero. A crankbait cast into heavy boils was rewarded with a screaming run, a burrowed fish, and another breakoff. We retired to the closest restaurant for pork ribs, garlic butter shrimp, rice, beans, and tortillas.

Thursday put us back at Gonzaga, hoping to catch the corvina rushing the back bay on the incoming tide. We worked out to the mouth from the south side of Willard and managed a few small cabrilla and a nice leopard off the face, as well as some tackle busting never seens. I threw a gren/clear holo 6" Pearl up into the shallow rocks on the North corner of Willard, and after 3 cranks was rewarded with a brilliant flash of orange rising out of the rocks, and a taut line. I managed to get lucky and bring the gorgeous golden to hand, did the "grip 'n' grin", and slid her back into the water.

We tailed into the back bay, but a choppy wind and a high and unblocked sun left us corvina-less. We grabbed ice at the store, headed up the line, and Mike whipped up a pot of hearty "jambalaya." There was a bit of fading light, and we made one last pilgrimage to the shore, before resigning ourselves to the finality of packing up for the next morning's departure. A couple of barracuda attacked our trolled crankbaits, but the water was as still underneath as it was above. We headed in to shore and began the process of saying goodbye to our home away from home.
We were out of camp before 7 on Friday morning, and headed up the line. We stopped in San Felipe for a birrria and tacos (breakfast of champions) and then headed up the line to Mexicali, a reasonable border wait, and then we were back in the US, and heading home.

Full set of images available here

Sully1 · 03-15-2016, 10:14 AM

Looks like fun!

walrus · 03-15-2016, 10:29 AM

Baja! Great report!

tattuna · 03-15-2016, 10:30 AM

Killer trip! I can't get enough of that place. Gotta admit I'm jealous of all you guys who catch golden cabrilla down there. I've been trying to catch one since the late 90's. Hoping to make it down there soon. Congrats on a great trip! Lots of variety and quality. Btw, the fish in the pic below the yt and above the whale shark is a baby gulf grouper.

Zed · 03-15-2016, 10:40 AM

Good mix w an xl shark bonus. Thanks for reporting.

FoodGeekFish · 03-15-2016, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tattuna

Killer trip! I can't get enough of that place. Gotta admit I'm jealous of all you guys who catch golden cabrilla down there. I've been trying to catch one since the late 90's. Hoping to make it down there soon. Congrats on a great trip! Lots of variety and quality. Btw, the fish in the pic below the yt and above the whale shark is a baby gulf grouper.

Tattuna - thanks for the clarification!

SDROB · 03-15-2016, 10:57 AM

Great report! Sounds like you guys made the best out of the weather window you were given and managed a great trip.

Way to go with the release on the Golden Grouper. As tempting of a meal as they look its definitely the right thing to do. It's a fish of a lifetime.

Happy belated B-Day buddha!

EastLosYaker · 03-15-2016, 02:35 PM

Happy BDay Jeff, wish I could have made it down.

Zed · 03-15-2016, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Mike nailed a fat (PB) 20# YT on a blue/clear holo 6" Pearl swimbait on a 1oz head.

My favorite part.

CaliHalikiller · 03-15-2016, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tattuna

Killer trip! I can't get enough of that place. Gotta admit I'm jealous of all you guys who catch golden cabrilla down there. I've been trying to catch one since the late 90's. Hoping to make it down there soon. Congrats on a great trip! Lots of variety and quality. Btw, the fish in the pic below the yt and above the whale shark is a baby gulf grouper.

Charles hit me up got a house down there were going the week of the july 4th lmk

Dannowar · 03-15-2016, 03:59 PM

The real question is, who lost sleep because of excessive snoring.

Gr8fuldude · 03-15-2016, 03:59 PM

Awesome report, thanks for the vicarious thrills! Whale shark, the mythical golden cabrilla, unbelievable!!

Happy belated birthday, Jeff, looks like you had an amazing time.

Roberto, can't wait to get back down to Gonzaga next month. This report has me muy emocionado!

619-SWIM-DOG · 03-15-2016, 06:06 PM

Looks like another great trip down south. April can't come fast enough.

buddha · 03-15-2016, 06:24 PM

Thanks grt8fuldude, sd rob, east los yakker for the birthday wishes. Dannowar nobody down there snores at all!

blitzburgh · 03-16-2016, 08:09 AM

Very cool! Thanks!

FoodGeekFish · 03-16-2016, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dannowar

The real question is, who lost sleep because of excessive snoring.

Thought somebody was smuggling lumberjacks in Buddha's Kamprite. Didn't realize it was snoring

farreola · 03-16-2016, 10:04 AM

I slept outside, that should say it all!!!

makobob · 03-16-2016, 10:28 AM

Attesting to the snooooooooooooring. Lot's of nice fish. NOW JUST FINISHED. Roof over the concrete slab took 2 1/2 days to complete thanks to SVENDAWG. So if Jeff sleeps inside there is covered camping outside.
Thank you Sven!!!!!
Coming NEXT OUR OWN Bathroom with sink, commode, shower. Then outside rinse area and 8 foot long S/S fish cleaning table.
Campo looks better every week. Hope to see YOU there this year or next.
Tight Lines

Baja_Traveler · 03-16-2016, 01:58 PM

Looks like you guys had a great trip!

I warned Mako about that DEF crap before he bought a new truck! Always keep a spare bottle behind the seat - or suffer the consequences! Me - I'll never trade my trusty 7.3 liter...

makobob · 03-16-2016, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baja_Traveler

Looks like you guys had a great trip!

I warned Mako about that DEF crap before he bought a new truck! Always keep a spare bottle behind the seat - or suffer the consequences! Me - I'll never trade my trusty 7.3 liter...

PUT 2.5 GALLONS IN DAY BEFORE WE LEFT, GOT 30 MILES BEFORE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. Drove to Caliexico dealer to get it repaired. Error message said I had 40 miles to go before it slowed down to 5 MPH. Dealer said it was probally contaminated or out of code DEF???????? WARRANTED.

03-15-2016, 09:18 AM	#1
FoodGeekFish Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 323	Buddha's Bufeo Birthday Bash - 3/5-3/11 As all adventures must, this one started with challenges. After leaving North County San Diego at 3:45ish for our 5am meet-up with Makobob and Jeff in El Cajon, we discovered that we had left about 5 minutes from Bob's house, and could have just caravaned straight down. We headed across the 8 to Calexico to meet up with Frank. Coming out of the pass, Bob's brand new truck threw an idiot light for exhaust issues. It threatened to limit his speed to 5 mph until fixed, so Frank got on the phone to a buddy in a local dealership repair shop and we headed over. A diagnosis of expired/out of spec DEF was ascertained and after clearing the light and driving the truck for 30 miles, we were diagnosed as clear. Of course, instead of hitting the border at 6:30, it was now nearing noon. We crossed over through Mexicali and headed down the Mx5 to San Felipe. Adding to our woes, the birreria stand was already closed, so were forced to reroute for fish tacos instead. From there, Bob, Jeff, Mike and I headed off to Bufeo while Frank headed out to meet up with a friend. We reached the camp at around 4pm, and Bob's first words were "Don't bother unpacking, for all we know this may be the best night of the week. Get your boats on the water and fish!" Mike, Jeff and I hit the water in the encroaching dusk (despite the good natured ribbing about fishing from a tandem) and threw irons on light spinning outfits for a mixed bag of spotties, triggers, and corvina. Multiple cabrilla found the scattered rocks of the reef without ever showing their faces. We ended up with 3 corvina to the boat, 2 landed. Mike's 7#er was bleeding from the gills, and sent to the kill sack. A lovely dinner of steak shishkebobs and roasted chiles in salsa Maggi from Jorge met us at Bob's place and we devoured them with reckless abandon. Everyone turned in early in preparation for a run down to Gonzaga on Sunday morning. We passed through the Gonzaga military checkpoint and drove out to Alphonsina's to launch into a glassy bay. We boated a few small cabrilla, another nice 'vina, some tough breakoffs, and Jeff got hammered twice on the big swimbaits. The weather gods were tricksters, and a couple of hours into fishing the South side of Isla Willard, the blow began. It increased steadily, and Frank struggled to drive his yak into the teeth of it. He finally made his way in and we retired to the restaurant for lunch, which of course caused the wind to immediately stop blowing. After lunch, we considered getting back on the water, but the wind began to ripple the bay again, and we headed home for grilled Korean pizza. We had decided to try and get out on the panga on Monday morning while Frank was still around, but our pangero, Miguel, showed up at Bob's around 8:30 with dire warnings of rising winds, poor fishing, and an all around poor time. On his advice, we begged off the boat ride and put yaks in the water. Mike and I headed well north of Bufeo, picking up the usual mixed bag of fish on small freshwater hard baits, and added Mike's first Sierra to the tally. A growing wind and a rising surge put us back at camp by mid-day as the weather grew less and less pleasant and the clouds rolled in. We headed to the restaurant on the south end of Bufeo where they put Frank's pollo asada to great showing, with sides of grilled onions, refried beans, 3 salsas, and fresh tortillas. We exited the restaurant to whipping winds and sand. Tuesday brought slightly reduced wind in the morning, but a heavy storm surge. We pushed through to launch, but it became quickly apparent that the wind was building heavily and quickly, and the storm surge increasing. We boated a few mixed fish, and Mike's second sierra, slightly smaller than the day before. We splashed (but not crashed) into shore and stowed gear for the day. I taught Jeff to play cribbage and caught up on some reading, while others relaxed/napped/etc. Winds dropped off as night fell, and we kept our fingers crossed for the following day. I threw together my cheater's chile verde, and we all ate well. Wednesday morning, per Bob's prognostication, dawned flat and calm. We piled yaks onto vehicles and headed south to the end of the beach at the point. We cruised s from Bufeo and back north again for about 6 hours. I picked up a small yellowtail on a blue/white trolled 6x Jr, and Mike nailed a fat (PB) 20# YT on a blue/clear holo 6" Pearl swimbait on a 1oz head. Jeff grabbed a PB sierra early, topping the scales at 8#. On the return north I managed my first leopard grouper on an olive/white 6x Jr, and we managed to share a close encounter of the gunwale gripping kind with a baby (17-18') whale shark. A brief respite, then we were back on the water at camp, where Jeff tallied a nice corvina and a fat sardinero. A crankbait cast into heavy boils was rewarded with a screaming run, a burrowed fish, and another breakoff. We retired to the closest restaurant for pork ribs, garlic butter shrimp, rice, beans, and tortillas. Thursday put us back at Gonzaga, hoping to catch the corvina rushing the back bay on the incoming tide. We worked out to the mouth from the south side of Willard and managed a few small cabrilla and a nice leopard off the face, as well as some tackle busting never seens. I threw a gren/clear holo 6" Pearl up into the shallow rocks on the North corner of Willard, and after 3 cranks was rewarded with a brilliant flash of orange rising out of the rocks, and a taut line. I managed to get lucky and bring the gorgeous golden to hand, did the "grip 'n' grin", and slid her back into the water. We tailed into the back bay, but a choppy wind and a high and unblocked sun left us corvina-less. We grabbed ice at the store, headed up the line, and Mike whipped up a pot of hearty "jambalaya." There was a bit of fading light, and we made one last pilgrimage to the shore, before resigning ourselves to the finality of packing up for the next morning's departure. A couple of barracuda attacked our trolled crankbaits, but the water was as still underneath as it was above. We headed in to shore and began the process of saying goodbye to our home away from home. We were out of camp before 7 on Friday morning, and headed up the line. We stopped in San Felipe for a birrria and tacos (breakfast of champions) and then headed up the line to Mexicali, a reasonable border wait, and then we were back in the US, and heading home. Full set of images available here Last edited by FoodGeekFish; 03-15-2016 at 09:24 AM.

03-15-2016, 10:14 AM	#2
Sully1 Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: The Beach Posts: 290	Looks like fun! __________________

03-15-2016, 10:29 AM	#3
walrus Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Baja fish camp Posts: 478	Baja! Great report! __________________

03-15-2016, 10:30 AM	#4
tattuna Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pasadena Posts: 329	Killer trip! I can't get enough of that place. Gotta admit I'm jealous of all you guys who catch golden cabrilla down there. I've been trying to catch one since the late 90's. Hoping to make it down there soon. Congrats on a great trip! Lots of variety and quality. Btw, the fish in the pic below the yt and above the whale shark is a baby gulf grouper. __________________ IG @tattuna

03-15-2016, 10:40 AM	#5
Zed BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: W of 5 Posts: 1,265	Good mix w an xl shark bonus. Thanks for reporting. __________________ Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man and he'll eat for a week.

03-15-2016, 10:57 AM	#7
SDROB Malibu Stealth 12 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Hollywood, San Diego, Gonzaga Bay Posts: 512	Great report! Sounds like you guys made the best out of the weather window you were given and managed a great trip. Way to go with the release on the Golden Grouper. As tempting of a meal as they look its definitely the right thing to do. It's a fish of a lifetime. Happy belated B-Day buddha! __________________ She will keep you warm in the winter and give you shade in the summer (Rossman) I'm telling ya, you have to keep these suckers on a game clip until just before you drop them in the frying pan.(Rossman) Last edited by SDROB; 03-15-2016 at 02:55 PM.

03-15-2016, 02:35 PM	#8
EastLosYaker Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: East Los Angeles Posts: 220	Happy BDay Jeff, wish I could have made it down.

03-15-2016, 03:59 PM	#11
Dannowar Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 1,823	The real question is, who lost sleep because of excessive snoring. __________________ "Beware the lollipop of mediocrity; lick it once and you’ll suck forever." — Brian Wilson

03-15-2016, 03:59 PM	#12
Gr8fuldude Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Tehachapi, CA Posts: 166	Awesome report, thanks for the vicarious thrills! Whale shark, the mythical golden cabrilla, unbelievable!! Happy belated birthday, Jeff, looks like you had an amazing time. Roberto, can't wait to get back down to Gonzaga next month. This report has me muy emocionado!

03-15-2016, 06:06 PM	#13
619-SWIM-DOG Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 619	Looks like another great trip down south. April can't come fast enough.

03-15-2016, 06:24 PM	#14
buddha Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: chula vista Posts: 907	Thanks grt8fuldude, sd rob, east los yakker for the birthday wishes. Dannowar nobody down there snores at all!

03-16-2016, 08:09 AM	#15
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	Very cool! Thanks! __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

03-16-2016, 10:04 AM	#17
farreola Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Calexico Posts: 134	I slept outside, that should say it all!!!

03-16-2016, 10:28 AM	#18
makobob Baitless on Baja Join Date: May 2013 Location: Vista California, Gonzaga, San Quintin, Asuncion, Mag Bay Posts: 4,250	Attesting to the snooooooooooooring. Lot's of nice fish. NOW JUST FINISHED. Roof over the concrete slab took 2 1/2 days to complete thanks to SVENDAWG. So if Jeff sleeps inside there is covered camping outside. Thank you Sven!!!!! Coming NEXT OUR OWN Bathroom with sink, commode, shower. Then outside rinse area and 8 foot long S/S fish cleaning table. Campo looks better every week. Hope to see YOU there this year or next. Tight Lines __________________ http://www.mako-ville.com Home 760-630-4470 Cell 760-520-2514 YES YOU CAN

03-16-2016, 01:58 PM	#19
Baja_Traveler Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Table 17, Bay Park Fish Co. Posts: 943	Looks like you guys had a great trip! I warned Mako about that DEF crap before he bought a new truck! Always keep a spare bottle behind the seat - or suffer the consequences! Me - I'll never trade my trusty 7.3 liter...

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