Northwest Fishing Reports

On our last trip down to the Caribbean, we decided to hit up some sailfish fishin and see what that's all about. We'd seen it on tv and of course, it looked like a hella good time and it looked like something my girl could handle as Marlins get much heavier, so we figured this would be a good place to start. We chartered a vessel with a couple guys who didn't really speak much English, but whatever, "when in Rome" right? That always makes it more fun and more of an adventure too! Kinda like our snorkeling tour that neither the guides or the other participants spoke ANY English, but that's a whole 'nother adventure/story. One motor not working, and cutting out, having the guide work on it as the other outboard is trying to keep up some momentum, hahaha. Good times! Anyhow, we chartered a boat and headed out. There is nothing like the crystal clear blue waters of the Caribbean, we'd never seen anything like that before we started our travels down there and can't wait to go back this May! You can see down to the bottom even when it's thirty/forty feet deep, maybe deeper, it's hard to tell where it's shallow and deep it's so clear. Finally, after we got out about thirty miles off the coast towards Cuba (kinda neat, never been that close to Cuba before!) we started trolling. Now, this SURE ain't the trolling we're used to. We must've been going ten to fifteen or so knots!!!! The squids were just bouncing along the surface, and not really all that far back either; but sure 'nuff we got some action. After my brother took the first hook-up (ended up being small, maybe four feet), I let my girl take the next one and she was one this one for a while. It soared out of the water, shaking violently numerous times and she finally got it to the boat. It did end up being the biggest of the day, taking mine by probably six inches and some girth too. Then it was my turn, but I got mine in within fifteen minutes, twenty tops. It was much easier than I'd anticipated for sure. All were released good and healthy and clean. This year we're not taking any fishing trips out to the main ocean, maybe a little skiff fishing in the lagoon just to get my fix will do, hahaha. Both of ours measured over eight feet and are definitely our biggest and most exotic fish to date! Someday though, I wanna tie into a Black Marlin and see what that's like! It took everything I had, along with the deck hand to hold that fish for the pic and my girl, well, she's little so the fish wouldn't let her get a pic of it straight, but then again, theres' something to be said about being overpowered by the fish you caught!

Sounds like a great time was had by all! Thanks for the post and pics!:cheers:

AWESOME!!!

While youre sweating in all that heat,were here in the northwest not having to use our air conditioning.Were not hot and sweaty like you guys in Mexico.Were cooling off in the frozen lakes and rivers.Hahaha See what youre missing
Nice looking fish!!!

Yeah, we go down in May so the heat isn't quite unbearable, but the humidity takes some getting used to. Speakin of frozen lakes, I was out in one today, IN MY CANOE!!! I'm posting a report shortly as I just got off the water, or ice, hahaha, my ice-breaker canoe! It'll be in the secret lakes section.

Yup, we try and make it every year, but missed last year. It should get easier from here on out, mom said she's gonna buy a condo down there that way if her man or his friends/relatives are using his condo that we normally use, we'll have access to one every year for vacation. It's an incredible area, totally different than the west coast of Mexico, white sands, blue water and on the Caribbean. More like Costa Rica than most people's perception of Mexico. I don't think we're gonna do the deep sea fishing thing this year, but maybe go out in the lagoon that seperates the island of Cancun from the mainland of Mexico and see what the haps is out there. I'd really like to bring some sort of gear of my own, maybe a portable rod/reel combo, but I'm not sure as to what I'd be able to get on the plane and stuff. I could always just hit wal-mart or costco of all places down there and pick something up to use, haha. There's tons of little places just off the road where I see locals fishing, man, May will not come soon enough!!!!! Can't wait, then in the end of July-beginning of August we're taking the Inside Passage Cruise to Alaska on a boat that's over 800 feet long. Never actually ridden on a ship that size, should be awesome!!!

the lagoon at Cancun is full of big Lobsters. Get a mask and snorkle slip on your fins and go for a swim. Surf casting for Barracuda!!!!! you might rile up some of the beach folk. Cast a big shiny lure of any kind and they'll go for it! I spent a month there a number of years ago. swimming just past the surf there're cudas swimming every where.

Yeah, we ran into plenty of Cudas down there snorkeling, heck, we weren't even in the lagoon, haha. I was worried when I'd get too close that they'd go for my shiny jewelery as it's multi-colored and very sparkly. I definitely wanna hit up the lagoon though, I just gotta come up with traveling pole....I do have a hard case...hmmmm. Maybe I should just bring my eight footer and some gear.... We ate Cuda too, although it's not recommeded due to the high levels of toxins, just don't eat the big ones and you'll probably be ok. I must say, it was DAMN good fish. May will not come soon enough!!! Now I wanna go turn over some rocks in the lagoon and find some shellfish for dinner too....mmmmm. I love Cancun, I don't think I'll ever go anywhere in Mexico but the Yucatan Peninsula, I've been spoiled by it's beauty and super friendly people.

They hide up in the mangrove roots. Kinda scary swimming with a bunch of sticks poking up all around you but it's worth it. Big daddy's !!!!!!

Those barracudas are dang fun to catch. We spent a half day deep sea fishing in the Cayman Islands last spring....On our way in, we had to go about 5mph for 30 mins over a reef about 10 feet deep. Usually, the lines are pulled by then, but the captain was dissapointed that he couldn't put us into any fish, so he said, keep the lines out there and we just kept pulling in barracudas for fun while we kept motoring in to the harbor....Nothing special, especially on deep sea gear, boat always kept moving, but it was a decent way to cap off an otherwise unsuccessful day.

Bodofish wrote:They hide up in the mangrove roots. Kinda scary swimming with a bunch of sticks poking up all around you but it's worth it. Big daddy's !!!!!!

Yeah, snorkeling can be unsettling here and there in places like that. We hit Xcaret for a day and came into some mangroves like that....made awesome pictures while in the water. Doesn't hurt to have sixty pound parrot fish swimming around you either.