Now for the last fish of the trip.
PART 6a I've recorded a little previously about that last fish, but to get the full impact, it would be good to cover some of the events that led up to that fish. By day 4, Jim and I were literally dorado'd out. We wanted something different! So when we boarded the boat that morning, we negotiated for Chencho to take us out for Roosterfish. If dorado are gymnists, then roosterfish are weightlifters with stamina. Really, a 2 pounder will beat you up on anything less than a 10 wt.! I caught a pound and a half one and swore it was a 10 pounder until it surfaced at the boat. Boy, was I humbled! And these guys can get over a hundred pounds! They really start to be bruisers in the 30 pound class, and I've seen mounts up into the 80's. As I mentioned before I left, it is truly a quandry trying to pick the right rig for what you could encounter. So, after our cast-netting session, we headed for a far shore to look for them, as they like coastline areas, especially breakers. When we got there, we slow-trolled poppers to try to locate them, as blind casting would be futile with dozens of miles of coastline to cover. Chencho would toss a sardine in every hundred yards or to look for a taker. While we were trolling the shallow rocky-bottom waters close to shore, we could look down into the water and see hundres of fish, dozens of species, milling around below the boat as we passed. From tiny clown fish to giant groupers and rays, to angel fish and puffers- fish of every size, shape, and color. The fish-watching was as fun as the fishing. But no takers on sardines or our poppers. So after about 2 hours and a few places, we headed for open water. Our pelican friends, who had kept us company all this time, trying to catch the sardines being thrown in, were now left behind. As we headed out, a school of beautiful, slim, rainbow runners passed by, porposing with incredible speed, not making a splash or a sound as they re-entered the water. Then the reason showed up. Just on their tails, literally, were 3 or 4 dorado, in their usual bluegreen-over-white coloration, chasing them at equal speed, matching them leap for leap. We steered that way and Chencho started pitching over sardines when we got to where they should be. Sure enough, there they were, chasing the sardines right out of the water. Jim and I were ready, and we both cast simultaneously and began a series of fast casts and pick-ups. Within a halfdozen casts, one took a liking to mine and we were on! The photo with the mountains close in the background is the one with that fish. ( I'll be posting these soon) The rest of the day was a dorado-day, and a good one. We didn't mind having lost the time hunting for roosters as the fishwatching was worth it. By now we had completely lost count of fish. Once you reach a certain point, numbers is not the measure, but quality. And when every fish is quality, where do you go from there? OUT TO SEA FOR SAILFISH!!!! So the next day we had Chencho head out again for sailfish, 'Pez vella' in Spanish. This time we swung out below the tip of Isla Carmen and then headed east to 2500' deep open ocean. Out here are 6-8' swells, and everyone that ventured out here except Jim and I got seasick. It was a long boat-ride, fortunately we got our sardines quickly again, with Chencho's superb eye, so we had time and extra gas to go way out. But look as we may, it was just not to be this year for the sails, or marlin, for that matter. Water too warm for stripers, too cool for sails, but just right for dorado. So after searching for hours, we headed north by the east side of Carmen up towards Isla Coronado to get a few Dorado for the day. I decided to fast troll a bucktail anchovy, and it wasn't long befor I was getting many small but hard takes. Finally a hook-up, a sizzling short run, and I knew I had a bonita on. I easily boated him on the 8wt as he weighed only a couple of pounds, but he was a beautiful little silver bullet, chrome plated head to tail with hot blue racing stripes on his back. Jim then caught and landed a huge needlefish that went for a marlin fly! Interesting day, now. So we got back into the dorado grounds and caught a few before it was time for the long ride back to the Oasis. The water had chopped up by now, so I got soaked again on the way back from waves breaking over the bow. But we did spot one sail as we were coming in, so maybe the last day? Part 6b...
