Fishing around the Island of Espiritu Santo, produced some beautiful Yellowtail including some 40+ pounders caught on live mackerels (the bigger the better in this case).  Also hitting the beaches gave some hard fighting Roostertails a chance to smoke your reel.  We’ve had a particular good season for Roosters and Yellowtails, they showed up early and have stuck around longer than usual.  As the waters continue to warm-up, there is no telling how much longer these fighters will be here.

Fishing further south near Las Arenas and Cerralvo Island was a different story.  I’m not trying to take anything away from the anglers that had great success closer to La Paz, but this was a great month!  Huge pargo are still up from the deeps and breaking people off in the shallow rocks.  As a matter of fact, anglers are probably losing more pargo than they are landing.  What a challenge going for these beasts, sometimes rewarded and sometimes you’re not; but hey, that’s fishing.

The Dorado fishing seems to be heating up more and more with the southern end of Cerralvo still being the better area to target.  Nice yellowtails are still are hitting live sardines with El Bajo (Embudo Bank) once again highlighting as the hot spot to be.  We’ve started to hear more reports of billfish making their ways back into the area, as well as yellowfin tuna biting strong; looks like we’re setting up for a great summer!  What can we say, this is what people come here for.

With Dorado getting pulled out of the water, try this recipe on your next Dorado:

Macadamia Crusted Mahi-Mahi with Fresh Mango Ginger Chutney

Ingredients

• 4 (6 ounce) skinless mahi mahi fish steaks fresh caught from www.LaPazFishingCharters.com
• 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
• 1 large mango, diced 1/4-inch
• 1 tablespoon minced red onion
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint
• 2 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup roasted, salted macadamia nuts, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs (Japanese-style)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1. Place mahi mahi in a wide, shallow bowl. Drizzle with 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar and soy sauce. Refrigerate 30-60 minutes, turning fish over once.
2. Meanwhile, prepare chutney in a medium serving bow by combining mango, 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar, red onion, ginger, mint and coconut. Add more seasoned rice vinegar, to taste, if desired. Let chutney sit at room temperature until ready to serve.
3. Combine macadamias and panko bread crumbs in a shallow bowl.
4. Beat egg in another shallow bowl.
5. Melt butter in a 10 to 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drain fish and pat dry. Dip each piece of fish in egg, then in macadamia mixture; place in skillet.
6. Cook over medium heat approximately 8 minutes per side, or until cooked as desired. Serve with Mango Ginger Chutney.

Because of the sporadic windy conditions, typical this time of year, we tried to keep the fishing close to land, where there was a bit more protection from gusts.  There were quite a few fierce battles with pargo species inshore; many were landed, but more were lost.  Cabrillas, Sierra Mackerel, and Roosterfish, were all readily available if conditions were right.  Most of these inshore fish were caught with live bait, either casting out, or on a slow troll.  Another hurdle this month, was locating bait.  Was tough to find in rough conditions and when even the water was calm.

Call it El Nino or whatever, but an above average number of Dorado were caught south of La Paz towards Bahia de los Suenos, formally known as Muertos Bay.  Heading south towards this area definitely warrants trolling along the sandy bottoms near La Arenas, the Roosterfish capital of the world.  These beautiful and unique looking fish give anglers an epic battle, especially on light tackle, but are not to enjoyable on the pallet.  We always encourage the release of these aquatic warriors.

All in all, it was a pretty good month, considering the crap shoot with wind and bait conditions.  We should be getting into a stronger Yellowtail bite soon.  These popular fighters usually show around March and can last for a few months.  The Embudo Bank, also known as “El Bajo” is a great underwater structure that holds a lot of Yellowtail during their run through our waters.

We had RIFFE’s International Dive Team on board for a 4 day trip at the beginning of the month.  Good thing they were aboard, as there wasn’t much doing at all with line & reel.  Good thing they were on board, because we probably wouldn’t have landed anything without them.  They supplied a wonderful variety of pargo, sierra, and yellowtail, which we immediately used for sashimi & ceviche; the rest we brought to Resort Gran Sueno as gifts for their guests.

We look forward to handling your vacation requests.  Spots are filling up quickly, so give us a call and we will work together to build you an experience you’ll always remember.

Stronger NE winds and a cold water surge altered the feeding behavior and increased the frustrations during this time.  Not much from the Pelagic roster, many of those species seemed to have moved further south for the moment.  I sent a boat to Cabo San Lucas the week before where there were more Pelagic fish spotted, but the colder greenish water was frustrating for anglers there too.  These conditions make it more difficult to get bait, which naturally makes it more challenging to catch fish.

However, when factors are in your favor; one of the greatest pleasures while experiencing the Sea of Cortez near La Paz, is the overall variety anglers can catch year round.  Sierras continue to be the most sought after this month; these tasty mackerels are great fun on light tackle and even better on the grill.  Some beautiful pargos were caught and some speared around Cerralvo Island.  Live sardines (when available) still continue to work best for, but triggering some reaction bites off of irons is always a great test of skill too.

Yellowtail fishing should start to build strength the closer we proceed to the end of winter.  Last month we had a few Yellowtails caught as they came through on their way up to Loreto. We are having a good winter season, winds haven’t been too bad, and we’re looking forward a strong February too.

Try this recipe on your next grouper, pargo (snapper), or any other similar style of fish.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 whole canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives, drained
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 pound Pargo/Grouper fillets freshly caught with www.LaPazFishingCharters.com
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and saute onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and saute for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, capers, black olives, red pepper flakes, and parsley. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in a 11×7 inch baking dish, and arrange the fillets in a single layer in the dish. Drizzle lemon juice over the fillets, and then pour the remaining sauce over all.
4. Bake for 15 minutes for 1/2 inch thick fillets, or 30 minutes for 1 inch thick fillets. Baste once with the sauce while baking. Fillet is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

Fishing has remained strong and weather continues to be tolerable this winter.  With 2010 coming to a close, things look to be shaping up for an awesome 2011.  We’ve been able to stay consistent this winter catching, what we call, “Typicals”- Typical fish that one could expect to experience on a trip to La Paz Baja California Sur, Mexico.  Dorado have remained available pretty much all season as well as some Roosterfish.  Their sizes have fluctuated, but the waters over by Bahia de los Suenos have been your best spots.

When it gets windy, it usually gets wet; that’s when we go inshore and really go after Pargo, Cabrilla, and Grouper.  Sardines are nice when targeting these fish, but using lures and jigs are a great way to get he big ones on a reaction bite.

When the weather is nice and wind is down, Cerralvo island is your best spot to get out to.  Here we’ve had success with Yellowfin Tuna and even Wahoo toward the south end of the island.  The MARIANA is a great boat to take anglers out to the islands:  She’s big, stable and once you’re out there, you can fish many of the sheltered inlets and rocks that makes this areas so popular.  These spots are not just great on line and reel, but scuba diving and spearfishing are outstanding here also.

Give us a call and let’s us help you build your trip.  This is a great time to see various species of whale as they roam the waters in and out of Magdalena Bay.  As we get ready for 2011, don’t forget about our destination vacations as La Paz Fishing Charters can also offer trips to Loreto, Cabo/East Cape, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta.

For the Yellowfin Tuna that you catch with us, try this Pepper Crusted Seared Tuna dish for your next date.

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 oz fresh tuna steak recently caught with LaPazFishingCharters.com
• 1/2 cup 5 pepper melange (black, green, white, pink, & sancho)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Sea Salt
• Olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Coarsely grind the peppers/cumin and combine with the paprika.  Set aside, don’t add this to the Tuna yet.
2. Season the Tuna with the sea salt and place in the refrigerator for about an hour.
3. After the hour, liberally cover the Tuna with the grounded spice mixture.
4. Heat a cast iron pan, almost to its smoking point and add your olive oil.  Sear the Tuna about 15 seconds a side, for a total of 1 minute.
5. You can serve these thinly sliced over salads, or sliced and served with a Soy or Teriyaki sauce. Don’t forget a nice bottle of wine too.

Activity on the Sea of Cortez is a year round hot topic.  Anglers are experiencing a strong bite in terms of frequency, duration, and variety.  Most species are still around, but we haven’t seen or heard of many huge fish this week.

The waters around islands of Espiritu Santo and especially Cerralvo remain the strongest areas for Yellowfin, dorado, and wahoo.  You have to be committed, because taking the long ride out to the islands is hit or miss when dealing with these winds and cooling water temps.  Dorado are still schooling in healthy numbers in a lot of areas, but nothing huge or worth bragging about is getting pulled out of the water.

Inshore fishing continues to strengthen; I don’t know if it is actually better or just more appreciated action during these windy days.  Either way, with the cooling air and warm water temperatures, the open water tuna bite is keeping everyone pretty happy this late in the season.  Continue to expect inshore fishing for Pargo, Cabrilla, and the famed Sierra Mackerel to get better and better.  In fact, as winter progresses, whale watching becomes a very popular past time for tourists when these magnificent mammals make their way up the Sea of Cortez towards their breeding grounds near Loreto.

Give us a call and don’t forget to ask about our upcoming promotions and parties as we wrap up 2010 and get ready for 2011.  Buen suerte los pescadores!

Try this recipe on your next Dorado:

Macadamia Crusted Mahi-Mahi with Fresh Mango Ginger Chutney

Ingredients

• 4 (6 ounce) skinless mahi mahi fish steaks fresh caught from www.LaPazFishingCharters.com
• 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
• 1 large mango, diced 1/4-inch
• 1 tablespoon minced red onion
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint
• 2 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup roasted, salted macadamia nuts, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs (Japanese-style)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1. Place mahi mahi in a wide, shallow bowl. Drizzle with 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar and soy sauce. Refrigerate 30-60 minutes, turning fish over once.
2. Meanwhile, prepare chutney in a medium serving bow by combining mango, 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar, red onion, ginger, mint and coconut. Add more seasoned rice vinegar, to taste, if desired. Let chutney sit at room temperature until ready to serve.
3. Combine macadamias and panko bread crumbs in a shallow bowl.
4. Beat egg in another shallow bowl.
5. Melt butter in a 10 to 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drain fish and pat dry. Dip each piece of fish in egg, then in macadamia mixture; place in skillet.
6. Cook over medium heat approximately 8 minutes per side, or until cooked as desired. Serve with Mango Ginger Chutney.

A lot of dorado, smaller, but they’re still dominating the scene and keeping everyone happy.  Size didn’t matter this month as there was lots of action and we are holding fish this late.  Dorados were feeding on a variety baits; smaller fish generally like smaller foods, so little chovies and strips were working well while you’re stopped or on a skid.  While on the troll, stay consistent changing colors until you find some that work well.

South of La Paz towards La Arenas, is where most of the action is.  Schools of Dorado can be caught basically the whole way down to Muertos Bay; if you’re ever looking for a change-up, the rocks always hold great pargo and goupers.  Las Arenas is considered the Roosterfish capital of the world and they’ve remained hungry.  HUGE roosters are still roaming the sandy shores, so match-up properly and git ‘er done!  Not generally caught for the table, they put up great fights and we always encourage they be released.

We always have a great time here La Paz, whether it’s fishing, snorkeling/diving, or staying over night on the MARIANA, the Sea of Cortez can be your playground.  This is a solid time of year to visit as migration season is starting to bring numbers through…..again.  We look forward to serve your vacation needs, please feel welcome to call or email with any questions.

Bien suerte los pescadores!

There is still a strong Wahoo bite that are being caught south of La Paz towards Muertos Bay/Las Arenas; this has been a strong year for these underwater missiles.  If you make it down that way, don’t forget about the Roosterfish in the sandy shallow areas; big ones (30-50lbs) are still there.  Roosters are better fighters than they are meals, so please make every attempt to release these beauties.  Giant Squid can still be found near Muertos Bay area; strips of squid make great bait, good on the yo-yo, but better on the slow-troll.

Fishing the different coves and rock structures of Espiritu Santo and Cerralvo islands make a nice change-up to the open water action that we normally experience.  Drop anchor, get the snorkel gear and the spearguns out, life underwater in La Paz is world-class!  Tuna showed up again south of Cerralvo; if you had the time/patience to get out there, you were rewarded with the awesome Tuna action that we all love.

We look forward to sharing your stories from La Paz, as every experience is a memeorable one.  Availability is going fast, so please call us in advance so we can build your private charter aboard the MARIANA.