# Flyfishing the Baja: Part 2 the fishing



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

The primary purpose of this trip for me was to catch a roosterfish over 30 inchesâ€¦.and reduce my remaining personal bucket list down to one remaining fish, the Giant Trevally.

Upon arrival at Baja Joeâ€™s, I learned that the roosters were very scarce in this part of the Baja along with their favorite food source, the sardines. The sardines were not in the area at all and ballyhoo were the primary bait fish for the predators. Not only was this a huge problem for the fishing but also for the choice of flys which I carried to the Baja which were almost all sardines flies.

So, as is often the case, right off the bat, the game plan had to change. The alternate plan was to cast net for live ballyhoo and use them as chum to try to get the predators in a feeding frenzy when they would more readily hit your sardines streamer flys. 

This technique worked very well for firing up the schools of dorado ( dolphin aka mahi mahi) that cruise the open waters of the bays and hang around any buoys or objects in the water, just like they do here in our Texas Gulf. 

The action for me started slow the first day. That first day always seems to be a day of learning the techniques, getting the rust off your fly casting, and honing your striping and hook (strip) setting skills. I managed to earn the title of â€œrancheroâ€ which the guides assign to someone who makes a mistake which costs them a good fish in one of the technical aspects of fly fishingâ€¦.but in succeeding days I was able to quickly shake the â€œrancheroâ€ label and achieve success where many did not. 

Over the course of the week the Dorado provided the bulk of the action, but each day at times fish were caught over reefs such as sea bass, trigger fish, various snappers and some fish I didnâ€™t recognize. These reef fish would readily eat clousers fished on sinking linesâ€¦but I much preferred the action of the Dorado on floating lines and top water flies such as the crease fly. 

I used 10 wt floating line for the Dorado and 10wt sink tip for the reef fish. I averaged 20 Dorado per day on the 10wt ranging from about 5 pounds up to 40 pounds. I might add that taking over 20 per day on a fly rod becomes an exercise in endurance. They are an excellent match for the 10wts and give a battle worthy of the great fish they are. 

It was very much like my experience on the Texas coast where the large bull Dorado were generally open water single fish and the smaller Dorado ran in schools of voracious feeding fish. 

The largest Dorado pictured was estimated at 40 pounds by the guideâ€¦.my three foot tape measure (we needed a bigger tape) fell far short of covering the fish which was about 52 inches total length and simply brilliant colors. The Dorado on the fly are outstanding opponents and great fun.

But this trip was to catch the roosterâ€¦.what about them?

After my constant whining to the guides each day about lack of roosters, we finally got a brief shot the fourth day at a pack of 5 of them tearing up some ballhoo bait off of Baja Joeâ€™s. This was a very brief, very intense encounter that really showed why this is such a great, great fish. 

We let them rest and then on the last day of the trip went back to seek them armed with ballyhoo, 12 wt floating lines, and a fly which we created to match the ballyhoo. The roosters showed in their regal fins slashing the bait and attacking like a pack of wolves. They teased us and refused our flys while they devoured very ballhoo we had. 

We reloaded with bait and went after them againâ€¦and this time scored.

What a great thrill!! The one fish landed was not a huge roosterfish by most standards but easily exceeded my requirement for one larger than 30 inches with a 32 inch length and weight estimated by the guides at 20 pounds. 

They are one magnificent fish ranking with the best of all fish in appearance, heart, and attitude. We tagged the fish and released it quickly back into clear blue waters of the Sea of Cortez.

Pictured below are the largest Dorado, typical average Dorado and the rooster, a fish which I now love and will seek to catch again many times. 

Anyone with any questions, particularly on the technical aspects of this fishing are welcome to postâ€¦and Iâ€™ll try my best to answer them. Thanks for reading.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

I wanted to see your trip. Sounds like a grind but very rewarding. Yall, got r done. Catch & release thats cool. Good job Lark.


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## big D. (Apr 10, 2010)

Very Nice! 

Once my kids are grown, I plan on making a trip to Cabo for some Rooster Fish myself! Your Pictures are outstanding! Love the bright colors!


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## Joe T (Dec 13, 2012)

Awesome report and then some.is that a ladyfish with a yellow head?


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Joe T said:


> Awesome report and then some.is that a ladyfish with a yellow head?


Its a Texas Tarpon.
Whats the black fish called? Looks like yall are right off the beach there. How deep is the water where you are in the picture?


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Yes, ladyfish with the yellow head...and trigger fish = the black one. There were thousands of trigger fish on the rocks. 

The roosters cruise near shore, attacking the baitfish in packs in about 25 feet of water right off the beach. Its a thrilling sight, one of the most awesome I've ever seen in a lifetime of fishing. 

The Dorado were mostly in the open sea...and since we didn't have a depth finder I don't know the depth but it could have easily been several hundred to thousands of feet.


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## Finn Maccumhail (Feb 16, 2009)

Regarding pictures...


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

As you wish...

The Marlin was caught in another boat....notice the hooked dorado jumping in the background of the third picture...also shown is the crease fly in the first picture, sometimes used for Texas reds


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

The sardines fly shown in the next one...and efforts at releasing the dorado without bringing them out of the water. The last picture shows the sunrise on the beach where I stayed and 50 yards off the beach was where the rooster fish attacked.


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## Finn Maccumhail (Feb 16, 2009)

Awesome. If a non-fishing spouse were to come along, what is there for them to do? Drink and get sun?


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Finn Maccumhail said:


> Awesome. If a non-fishing spouse were to come along, what is there for them to do? Drink and get sun?


 Pretty much. Snorkel, kite board, kayak, paddle boards, mostly water stuff.


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## Finn Maccumhail (Feb 16, 2009)

Gracias.

Awesome pics. I'm quite jealous.


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## Bottom bouncer (Jul 26, 2010)

Looks like a great time and much warmer than chasing spring time zebras in Ark


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