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Weapons of mass destruction The East Cape fishing season is rapidly coming to a close as weather changes and more kite boarders arrive. The water in the Sea of Cortez is still blue and above 80 degrees but history tells us these conditions will be short lived. A real time view of current East Cape weather can be viewed on our live webcams at: http://teamjenwren.com/east-cape-webcam.html Fishermen on the East Cape have had to travel long distances and still struggle in search of action while in Cabo San Lucas action has been full throttle for the last several weeks. Both Jen Wren boats participated in the WON tuna tournament in Cabo. Pre fish went very well but landing a money fish in the tournament didn't go our way. Winning is always the most fun but I have to tell you win lose or draw at this tournament a great time is had by all. Pat McDonald and WON do an incredible job putting it all together and this year was no exception. My hat is off to them. After enduring the strongest hurricane in recorded history "Cabo strong" is the motto in Cabo San Lucas. There is still evidence of the destruction caused but the community has banded together to rebuild and make certain visitors have a good time. Following the tournament we were scheduled to depart for Mag Bay. Because fishing was so good in Cabo and reports of tough fishing in Mag our guests decided that we should change plans and just fish Cabo. I love Mag and initially was a little disappointed but in the end believe it was a good decision. Jim Froehlich had been trying to catch a marlin on the fly for several years and we checked that one off his bucket list. He also landed a 50lb tuna and countless bull dorado on his fly gear. After an outstanding trip we agreed that next year would be Mag Bay or bust. We just put Jen Wren III in dry dock for winter and I was amazed how big her arsenal is. It didn't look like much with everything in its place on the boat but in one big heap, yikes! That is the new Accurate SR6 in my hand. For light tackle it stands up. All the Accurates on the glass table are like fine jewelry. Matched with Calstar rods this gear is a perfect weapon of mass destruction for fishermen. Humpback arriving is a sure sign of winter Shrimpers also come with winter Obviously a Cabo tuna. East Cape hasn't seen a fish like that for more than a month. Fish were eating the fly so well I got in on the action 50 lb tuna on the fly is impressive Bucket list marlin Dorado Sailfish action Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

East Cape - The good, the bad and the ugly The good: As hard as it might be fishermen traveling to Los Cabos have persisted in finding a way to get here. When Los Cabos airport opened on October 8th the first planes in were loaded with fishermen headed to the East Cape and the flow has continued ever since. Lynn Rose's East Cape Classic was attended by 40 teams, the Los Cabos off shore tournament had 81 teams, the Bisbee Black and Blue had 127 teams and the prediction is the WON tuna tournament will have more than 120 teams. Also very good has been our weather. The humidity of summer has vanished and air temps have become very comfortable. The off shore breeze has transitioned from south to north but has been just a breeze. The bone chilling, teeth rattling north wind has not arrived. Wind surfers and kite boarders are starting to arrive for the winds but will just have to wait as fishermen are enjoying the flat seas. Our water is still 83-84 degrees and a gorgeous blue. The Sea of Cortez is teaming with life and we are sighting, turtles, mantas, whales, porpoise and schooling bait everyday. Bait has been easy to get. After a 2 year absence sardines have returned. Ballyhoo and caballitos have also been plentiful. The bad: I hate to beat a dead horse but airlines are still canceling flights. I find it unconscionable that without explanation or an alternative the airline can just ruin patrons vacations that have been planned for months and months. We had guests arriving November 23rd and US Air just said sorry Charlie we are not flying. It sends a message to potential visitors that maybe they should not come. The good people of Baja work hard to promote tourism that benefits the airlines and the airlines turn right around and discourage travel to this destination. East Cape's bread and butter are fishermen and like I said they are finding a way. It is San Jose and Cabo San Lucas that attract more than fishermen that are suffering. The ugly: The bite has been very tough. Most boats are only having one or two events each day and if it doesn't go your way it is easy to get skunked. From what I am hearing it is the whole southern region not just East Cape. We have been working hard and have been able to scratch out a few nice fish but it is definitely not the constant action that we are accustomed to. Like Arnold they will be back. It is just tough right now. Here is a link to a youtube posted by Tim Hodges whose group was the first to arrive. The whole thing is very cool but it starts out with the celebration by the airport employees as they arrived This youtube was put together by Accurate Jack Nilsen during the East Cape Classic. He captured some great stuff Thanks to Tim and Jack for putting these fun videos together. Spinners, tuna wouldn't come to play this day GoPro shot by Jack Nilsen Dorado in the game Nice hoo! Popping with my new Accurate SR6 spinning reel. What a hoot! Jigging the bottom while drifting for tuna scored this nice grouper Blue marlin explosion Sails up bottoms up that is my report Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

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East Cape - Double your pleasure Since my rant last week SJD airport has opened and even though flights are limited things are getting back to normal on the East Cape. Hats off to Tim Hodges and his group for sticking with it and working his way through the maze. The Tim L. Hodges group was on the first plane to land since the storm. They were greeted with a celebration including mariachis at the airport upon landing. Our weather has been spectacular as the season changes from summer to fall. Water temps have dropped a few degrees to 84ish degrees. I have to smirk saying" dropped off" because 84 is still almost bath like. In any event, the breeze we enjoy from the South is starting to turn to the North and air temperatures are cooling. The outstanding bill fishing we have enjoyed all season has come to a halt. Sailfish have disappeared, a marlin or two are being picked off each day but it is more the exception than the rule. Most action and our best bet right now is to run to the San Luis bank. It is not my preference to make the 40 mile run to the South but it has been the only game in town and very fruitful Tuna fishing has been very good drifting sardines on the bank and most boats have been picking off a wahoo or two trolling marauders or ballyhoo. The Jen Wren live webcam has been building more viewers all time. During Odile we did not lose internet and views went through the roof. The page has become so popular we have decided to double your pleasure and installed a second camera pointed the opposite direction. This will provide a view of sunrise over the Sea of Cortez. Please check it out at: http://teamjenwren.com/east-cape-webcam.html If it is not up when you look it should be sometime today. It is just a month away and this is last call for anybody interested in a trip to Mag Bay. We have openings starting November 15th. The place is very remote and it takes a commitment to get there but the boat camping is fun and the reward of insane fishing makes the effort worthwhile. Yellowfin tuna T. L. Hodges team enjoying fresh sashimi Jen Wren style Striped marlin on the feed Pete Gray's 20th anniversary Let's Talk Hookup tournament Fishing Jen Wren III Pete's team scored 7 wahoo in 2 days Not my Boo it is another hoo! Nice tuna on the Accurate SR12 Gary Graham captured this Jen Wren III shot with his drone New webcam view check it out: http://teamjenwren.com/east-cape-webcam.html Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

Los Cabos - Rated "R" I'm going off on a rant! If a couple of swear words or a very pointed view offend you just click on by. Hurricane Odile is old news now and thanks to the Mexican government and the hard working people of Baja the best part of the mess it made has been cleaned up. Yes, there was impact that will take more time for some things to get back to normal but a huge percentage of the businesses that serve our tourist trade in Los Cabos are ready to rock and roll. What has impacted many of these businesses most is the closure of SJD airport. Yesterday the airport opened for domestic flights but won't open until the 8th for international. With SJD closed for more than 2 weeks La Paz airport is the only option to fly here. The problem with that is no direct flights are offered from the US so travelers have to get to San Diego and make their way across the border to Tijuana or fly through Mexico City or Guadalajara to get to La Paz. Whichever route you choose, it is just not easy and then there is the couple hour taxi ride to Los Cabos. That is not to mention what an armpit the La Paz airport is. Alaska and Southwest made a huge deal and tooted their horn about the humanitarian flights they provided to evacuate stranded tourists out of Cabo. I say big woop! They brought them in, and in my mind, had some duty to jump in and help get them out. Once the evacuation was over Alaska showed their true colors and suspended all flights to Los Cabos until November. Other airlines have jumped on the band wagon canceling flights throughout October. Now Alaska has thrown Los Cabos a bone offering one flight a day from Los Angeles but San Diego and all other destinations are still cancelled. The bulk of Los Cabos economy is tourist driven and everybody is choking. Worse yet, even after the airport opens the greed of many airlines has made them choose not to fly. If they can't fly full they are just canceling flights. Few tourists are here so the first planes in will have to dead head back empty. The airlines would rather just cancel flights and drop the good people of Los Cabos on their heads, cutting off their life blood until a fat profit can be made. For Christ sake! Yesterday a cruise ship made port in the Cabo Marina and the airlines don't want to fly. I know in time this will become a distant memory but hope this writing will remind some how poorly the airlines treated us. Copied here is an email I woke up to yesterday: Hi Guys, I took my wife to dinner last night to celebrate putting the tournament to bed and the great response we have had in light of all that has stood in our way. Then my phone rang. It was one of my team captains. United airlines had cancelled our flight once again and re-booked us all over the US. They had some of us coming in on the 9th some on the 10th. Routing us through up to 4 cities. the longest one I heard was 29 hours. I went home got on the phone with united. my wife started calling guys. We found a red eye out of Houston and got almost everybody re-booked. I don't know if I can get them all. As it stands we are still coming on Oct 8th and staying till the 12th. If this one doesn't fly I don't think I can rally support for the trip. The guys have been awesome but they are succumbing to doubt. I hate to say this but I will not ask this of them or my poor wife again. Lets hope these crazy airlines are done messing with us. Without regard to the impact they cause the region they are supposed to be serving or for their patrons who have planned up to and more than a year in advance these greedy bastards just cancel. No explanation, just cancelled. How come you can ask the person sitting next to you while flying how much they paid for their ticket and find it was only half as much as you paid? Why are they allowed to gouge? I could go on and on about the airlines. They have us all over a barrel and know it. It is just not right! It's just my opinion I could be wrong. At least game fish are treating us well. The few guests that have found their way through the maze to get here are enjoying typical outstanding October fishing. For the first time this year live bait is plentiful and tuna, dorado, marlin, sailfish, wahoo and roosterfish are providing constant action. Walking the beach this morning I captured this amazing rainbow on my iPhone Also found signs of a new turtle nest Even if our guests can't get here we are going fishing Tuna are here So are dorado. Diego withg a good one. Chuy is bent. Striped marlin The old guy can still pull. Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

East Cape - Dorado, tuna, groceries and beer Dorado A lot of bull Limits have been easy. Sailfish Spinner dolphin, a sure sign of yellowfin Sashimi time! Our local market has been well stocked with fresh produce, dairy and most important cold beer. Rescued this poor guy. It was good to see him swim away. By now I believe everyone is aware that on September 14 Cabo San Lucas took a direct hit by the largest hurricane to make landfall in the area in recorded history. Devastation was widespread and in normal fashion the news media dwelled on every little gory detail. As bad as it was the press always seem to have a way of making it look worse than reality. Hurricane Odile did bring hurricane force winds and several inches of rain to the East Cape but damage was very minimal. What has been most harmful and has had the largest impact is the closure of the Los Cabos airport until October 8. Also, the lack of current updates by the press of the amazing recovery and response of emergency relief by the Mexican government. I have been receiving correspondence everyday from folks questioning if it is safe to visit our region. The picture that has been painted of no supplies or water and safety issues has frightened many. The fact is even the first arrivals on October 8 once leaving the airport will see very few signs that a storm ever hit. We have had several cancellations because our guests have not been able to get here. To keep my sanity in the absence of charters we have gone fishing the last few days. Dorado, tuna and sailfish have been abundant. Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

East Cape - CANCELLED! A few days ago it was announced that the East Cape Tuna Shoot Out was cancelled because of pending weather. At that time I thought the call was made prematurely. It takes a lot of planning and many anglers make commitments so canceling a tournament is a hard decision. As our weather has panned out it was the right call. Today would be tournament day and southern Baja is under tropical storm watch. The Sea of Cortez looks like a pond at the moment but there is not much doubt that this is the calm before the storm. Hurricane Odile has been off of Manzanillio for the last couple of days almost sitting stationary building strength. This is the 15th storm in the Eastern Pacific for the 2015 season but the first one of the year making me pucker. Forecasters can't make up their minds which way this storm will track and in the meantime this big mama continues to become more powerful. There are several boats out fishing today but I anticipate almost everybody will start battening down tonight or tomorrow. Live East Cape weather in real time can be viewed on our web cam at http://teamjenwren.com/east-cape-webcam.html. Over the last several days the bite has picked up. Sardines have become more available and have been the ticket to catch yellowfin tuna. The bulk of the tuna action has been down south at the San Luis Bank. It is a long run to get there but making the run has reaped the reward. Footballs have been a slam dunk but some better grade fish from 40 to 80 pounds are also mixed in. It has taken light line and small hooks to get the bite which has made it very challenging when the larger fish bite. Closer to home fishing for marlin, dorado, wahoo and roosterfish has also picked up. Seems like Hurricane Norbert shook things up a bit with a big swell and it has kick started the bite that was lackluster for a few weeks. My prediction is Odile will make it un-fishable for the next three days or so and then again it will be game on. Traditionally, October is one of our best fishing months of the year and I can see the stars starting to come in a line. There will be Pete Gray's Lets Talk Hook Up tournament followed by Lynn Rose's East Cape Classic and then we will move to Cabo for the WON tuna tournament. After that we will finish our season with a bang at Mag Bay. Limits all around for those making the run A few nice fish mixed in. Rick finessed this dog on 30# Sardines starting to show up and down the coast A few billfish around Roosterfish are not getting much pressure but ready for action Don't mess with mother nature! Odile has me on my toes. Nobody wants another event like this. Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

East Cape-Beach patrol Over the weekend Hurricane Marie passed by in the Pacific 500 miles below Cabo San Lucas. Marie is the first Cat 5 storm in the Eastern Pacific since Celia in 2010. We are fortunate the storm passed at such a distance and never made land fall. The port was closed in Cabo for a couple days because of high surf and our East Cape fleet watched very closely with anticipation. Normally when we have approaching low pressure game fish go on the feed and we experience outstanding fishing. This was not the case as Marie passed. It has been frustrating as marlin, tuna and dorado have all been very finicky. Now post storm the bite seems to be picking up. Tuna under porpoise schools have become more aggressive in the afternoon and sailfish have taken over most of the billfish action. A wahoo or two are also being picked off by lucky anglers. The huge surf from the passing storm has lowered sea temps a couple of degrees which could be a factor. The water is now 84 to 86 degrees which is pretty much normal for late August. I want to share the crazy and unfortunate streak Team Jen Wren has been on over the last several weeks. First, Jen Wren hit a whale shark punching a huge hole through the fiberglass hull. Quick action by the crew saved the boat and with the help of our friends we were able to complete the repair and get her back in operation in an unbelievable 5 days. Last week the port engine on Jen Wren III started making a strange noise. Upon inspection we found a seal on the aftercooler had failed. It destroyed the aftercooler and allowed saltwater to intrude into the motor burning an intake valve. I pride myself in being prepared and did have an extra head. The problem was we didn't have a head gasket set and there were none to be found anywhere in Mexico. I was able to find the gaskets we needed at Pacific Cummins in Irvine, CA. Wayne McCormick was scheduled to fish with us 2 days later and agreed to bring the parts. Cummins sent the parts next day air to Wayne's office. It was a relief when I received email from Wayne that the eagle had landed and he had the parts in hand. After he arrived we could do the repair in one day. That is not the end of this story. The following day I received a call from Wayne on his way to the airport bar. He explained that while in the air their plane had been struck by lightning and they had to return to San Diego. What are the odds? I am sad to report as things turned out Wayne's luck didn't change much. He arrived in the face of Marie and fished in rainy windy conditions. They say break downs come in threes. After completing the repair on Jen Wren III and launching her the high pressure air system went out on our Caterpillar loader. Without air pressure the brakes will not release. This machine is essential to our operation. Especially during hurricane season when we may have to pull our boats to avoid weather on a moment's notice. Now I'm exhausted but all of our equipment is back in operation and I can laugh about the trials and tribulations we have been through. Someday I will write a book and this episode has surely earned a chapter. Sailfish Ready for release Manuel on the wire Diego leaders a dorado Most dorado are punk size Yellowfin getting in the game Omar Ariza on beach patrol. Grupo Tortuguero has already harvested turtle eggs from 105 nests. This is way ahead of last year. Plan "B". Using a Suburban to pull an 18,000 lbs boat is kinda hair ball but in the face of a storm what's a guy to do? Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

East Cape-wahoo wann-a-be East Cape anglers have struggled this last week with hard weather and tough fishing. Two different storm cells passed dumping rain with strong winds. Billfish have saved our bacon providing action and have been close to home and also off shore in the same area as porpoise schools. Dorado have also been in the count with many anglers taking limits of the schoolie size variety. Early in the week tuna were cooperating for anglers south of Los Frailes drifting with sardines. Also, porpoise schools off shore 20 to 40 miles were yielding quality sized yellowfin. With the grumpy weather sardines have been hard to find and vital for the Frailes bite. Off shore we can meter tuna at 100 to 200 feet deep under porpoise but they don't want to come up and play. Several days we found large schools of spinner and spotted porpoise but couldn't get the tuna to go. It has been very frustrating but at least marlin and sailfish have provided steady action while hunting for the yellowfin. One day soon these fish are going to get hungry and it is going to be game on. Wahoo have made a showing and everyday a fish or two have been picked off. Yesterday we went one for 4 on the wahoo. Yahoo wahoo! Wahoo wann-a-be. Sorry Charlie, wrong chops Bigger than Pete George Gavallos boating his personal best First sailfish for Jackson Blue marlin in the hood Circle hook did a perfect job on this wahoo Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

East Cape-Half way across the pond Our weather has turned very hot and humid with water temperatures ranging from 85 to 88 degrees. The warm water certainly has not hurt the fishing. This week yellowfin tuna have made the best showing of the season. After a couple week lull it is WFO for boats choosing to go the distance. Fish have been on porpoise schools from 25 to 50 miles off shore. Yikes! 50 miles off shore is half way across the pond. The tuna have been good grade with very few dinks in the mix. Blue marlin, sailfish, roosterfish and an odd wahoo are also providing good action closer to shore. Recently I have heard all this chatter about how this is an off year and how the El Niño has adversely affected our fishing. All I can say is not in my book. On a side note, It is always a treat to see orcas in the wild. This week we sighted a couple of female orcas while fighting a sailfish. It was unusual to not see a whole pod which always includes a large male. Also it is obvious sea turtles will be making their march on our beaches to lay their eggs soon. Now we are sighting a great many every day. They are like a Baja cow in that they won't get off the road. Skippers have to pay close attention to avoid hitting them. We had a little father versus son contest. The 4 young boys thought they had it in the bag all limiting out with a total of 20 tuna. The 2 dads returned to the dock with only 10 tuna which was also limits. I call it a draw. Boys having fun Tuna take over the spotlight It has turned into a banner blue marlin year on the East Cape Lots of sailfish Always an exciting event Wahoo in the mix Sea turtles a plenty. This boobie helped me spot this one Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

East Cape-I'm not going to go on a rant Our week started out rockin' 'em until stormy weather arrived. A couple of days of rain and winds shut it right down. Anglers that are working hard are still scratching em out but not getting as many opportunities. The weather seems to be straightening out today so I'm confident the bite will bounce back. I heard a few boats were getting sardines for bait and found it strange nobody was talking about it. Upon investigation what I found was the bait is being taken from Pulmo in the protected reserve area. Even worse, tuna have gone off in the reserve and several fleet boats have been poaching them. Some skippers are being pressured by anglers that don't care while other skippers are fishing in the park to get the count without making their anglers aware. I'm not going to go off on a rant on this but will tell you Jen Wren boats will not participate in illegal practices. Trying to purchase Mexican fishing licenses has been a hot topic on internet forums lately. I can't talk about other areas of Mexico but will say buying a license on the East Cape is a no brainer and they are easy to find. Party foul! Sailfish are packed up. Double hookups are not uncommon Stripers still providing action Striper on the fly this week with guide Lance Pedersen AFTCO owner Bill Shedd on the wire Accurate Fishing Products Ben Secrest's daughters Summer and Kailey on a double hookup Diego doing his best to keep Jen Wren anglers happy Dog tooth snapper are surprising anglers looking for roosterfish Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

East Cape-First day of summer ha! My calendar indicated the summer solstice considered first day of summer was just a couple days ago. It may be the longest day of the year but our summer conditions started in April when it was supposed to be spring time. To regress, we had spring-like weather at Christmas time. It has all been a little bizarre but we are enjoying the great weather and outstanding fishing. I'm going to keep it short and let a few of the photos we captured this week tell the story. 11 year old Sam Sullivan handling the gear like a pro Sam with his first marlin Sam's buddy 12 year old Tobias Toncrely scores Sam's luck continued The boys let the dads get in on the action These father son teams are hooked. Boys will be boys The Wilson Sabino group got in on the action. Amberjack More tuna Steven Tucker on Jen Wren Strange looking rooster Tucker's also released marlin and sailfish Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

East Cape-blame it on the Strawberry moon Personally, I don't subscribe to the full moon theory. This week started out with great fishing but as the moon became full the bite fell off. Having no other explanation for the lull in action I'm going to blame it on the Strawberry moon. Striped marlin continue to be the main source of action but the last couple of days anglers have had to settle for one or two fish days compared to the four fish days earlier. Dorado have mostly disappeared and tuna action has been inconsistent. Cabo Yachts Bad Medicine did weigh a 176 lb. fish that was taken using a kite. Several other fish in the 40 to 80 pound range were also brought to the dock. Targeting tuna has been a gamble - right place at the right time thing. While seas have been calm in shore they have been a bit grumpy outside where tuna are being found. The bait situation remains difficult. Yesterday we were able to fill our tubes with bullet tuna which is a real candy bait. Also several skippers have been able to find Camisetas on the buoys for bait. Big appetite Going the wrong way Heads up Dorado are still in the count but hard to find Puttin on a show AFTCO's sales manager Greg Stotesbury with AFTCO's customer service manager Vivian Hayes hooked up. Troy Bryant fishing Pete Gray's Lets Talk Hookup tournament based at Rancho Leonero Lisa Bryant scores one for the tournament Ever think of a drone for the father who has ALMOST everything? Just horsing around at Latitude 22 Cabo Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

East Cape-How long will it last? What an incredible season we are experiencing. Southern Baja pretty much missed having a winter this year. Spring just flew by and we have gone straight to hot summer mode. Our tropical fruit trees are already bearing summer fruit. Yikes! The water in our swimming pool is already 91 degrees and the Sea of Cortez is 83 to 84 degrees. This is not typical for June. There is no more speculation about El Niño in my mind. We are living it. Sportfishing has been spectacular the last few weeks. This last week has been a skippers dream. It has been one of the special times that anglers can order off the menu. Marlin, Dorado, wahoo, roosters, tuna, just say the word and we can most likely go find em. Ryan Loria with his son wanted to target marlin and released a blue and 3 stripers in one day. He decided to try for wahoo and we had 11 strikes and put 5 hoos on the deck another day. I don't know how long this incredible bite will last but it is here now and we are enjoying it. Tuna have been the most elusive of the game fish. The fish are here but some days hard to locate. Other days the bite is WFO. Over the last several years the charter sportfishing biz has changed. With excellent weather forecasts and communication to monitor how good the bite is many wait until the last minute to plan a trip. If you are not on the web making reservations after reading this report you are missing the boat. Striped marlin Blue Marlin Wahoo Some good eats here Ryan Loria had the hot hand Don't try this at home boys and girls Dorado Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

East Cape crazy, crazy! Yes, it has been a crazy, crazy week. We started out with a red hot striped marlin bite but as the week progressed it got tougher and tougher. Also, larger yellowfin showed but that was short lived and turned into straight football sized fish. The billfish are still here in big numbers but getting them to go continues to be difficult. While the stripers are not cooperating larger tuna reappeared yesterday and it is kind of a right spot at the right time thing. We have been pretty lucky with the larger tuna and all of them have been coming on Halco Lazer Pro 190's. Dinks are taking the cedar plugs, hoochies and tuna clones but the Halcos are attracting all the quality. We did get a couple bites on a kite bait yesterday but none stuck. To add to the chaos blue marlin and sailfish have started to show. Also there are still dorado on score cards and broadbill swordfish have been showing on the tuna grounds everyday. If that is not enough excitement the Pacific is experiencing the first hurricane of the season. Amanda developed rapidly and puffed up to 150 MPH winds. It appears she is departing as quick as her arrival without hitting land fall or causing damage. Yikes, we are going to have to start looking over our shoulder early this season. I hope this storm brings us some much needed rain. Stripers are playing hardball again Sails and blues have arrived I took the neighbor kids fishing this week Antonio with a fattie Brayan has his hands full Quality tuna have arrived Two happy kids Free jumper Got this one to go and it put on a show Another gorgeous morning sunrise Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

The "T" word Here in Baja, Semana Santa (Holy Week) is hugely celebrated. Banks, schools and many businesses are closed. Believe it or not our municipality offices closed for the entire week. The holiday is so big I heard Sam's Club in La Paz ran out of beer. Hundreds of Cabo and La Paz residents invade and camp on East Cape beaches for the holiday. Typically the weather is cold and very windy. Every year we are happy to have the holiday behind us because that is when the weather is certain to change. In 23 Easters I have never seen the weather this nice for this time. Marlin have been the main event again this week with most boats scoring more than one per day. A few dorado and wahoo are being taken but it is anybody's guess where they will pop up and very hard to target. Spotted and spinner dolphin showed for a couple of days last week and one day a few tuna were taken. Everyone is holding their breath in anticipation of the tuna going off. Showing my age the present situation reminds me of the old E. F. Hutton commercial. Just mention the "T" word around here and everybody listens. Conditions are right with warm blue water and we all have our fingers crossed that it will be soon. Airborne Marlin have become very aggressive The star of this week's show We celebrated scattering Brent's best fishing buddy's ashes while releasing a marlin That is a first marlin smile Putting on a show Happy campers line the beach on Semana Santa The holiday used to leave our beaches a huge mess. Now the municipality has gotten involved and it is a more organized mess. Check out the East Cape weather on our live webcam at: http://teamjenwren.com/east-cape-webcam.html Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

Very fishy East Cape weather has been picture perfect all week with warm sunny days and little humidity. It doesn't get any better than what we are getting right now. Conditions on the Sea of Cortez have also been excellent with calm seas and 75 to 79 degree water temps. The water is a gorgeous purple blue and loaded with life. Off shore we are sighting huge schools of flying fish puddling up and lots of bird life. There are so many sea turtles in the area skippers have to stay on their toes to not hit one. Fish are here but getting them to bite has not always been easy. Striped marlin have been most consistent with just a few dorado and wahoo in the mix. Big news is spinner and spotted dolphin have been sighted a couple of days and the first yellowfin tuna of our season has hit the deck. Contrary to last year's late showing it appears the tuna are going to get the party started earlier this season. Also in shore roosterfish are starting to show in packs. The bait situation is still very grim. Fresh ballyhoo have been the mainstay with sardines and mackerel nowhere to be found. Jen Wren III has always been very fishy but this was ridiculous. While battling a striped marlin this bad boy swam up to our transom looking for something to eat and practically begged like a dog. I didn't know if I should grab a bait rod or my camera. The fish hung out long enough for me to get the shot while Diego pitched the bait. Lots of striper action Diego letting 'em go Not too many dorado this week Eating a rigged ballyhoo Putting on a show Like a pond Sherry battling a striper "Frito" bending a rod While being slow trolled this contraption truly looks like a school of baitfish and attracts marlin into the lure pattern. Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

In a word, inconsistent East Cape conditions continue to be outstanding. Short sleeve weather daily with water temps ranging from 74 to 78 degrees. These conditions are unheard of for early April but we are enjoying it. Traffic has also been very light and there are not many boats fishing right now. The bite has been very inconsistent. One day it is constant action and the next it is a struggle to find fish. It has just been hard to stay on the fish consistently and we even got the goose egg one day. This week striped marlin have been providing most of the show with fewer dorado in the mix. Good news is the dorado landed seem to be a little better quality and the odd wahoo now and then is also being taken. It is hard to figure but some days live bait has not been available and anglers have had to resort to only having ballyhoo. We are sighting huge schools of flying fish off shore and also watching birds feeding on red crabs. Also a couple of broadbill were sighted this week which gets my heart pumping. Some days stripers are everywhere Some days they are hard to find. Pat wanted a dorado for 70th B-day Pat's wish came true Lots of frigate birds tell me the fish aren't far Feeding on red crabs. How do they do that? Throwing the bait but not the hook Diego hard at work Diego when the boss is not on the boat. Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

Turning heads East Cape conditions are more like summer time than the first week of spring. Seas have been calm with water temps topping out at 78 degrees. Also the water is a beautiful purple blue not common for this early in our season. Off shore we are seeing huge schools of flyingfish, sailfish and blue marlin. The stage is set for the bite to explode. Striped marlin are plentiful and we are sighting double digit numbers tailing and jumping most days. The problem is the fish are very lethargic and it has been difficult to find an aggressive one. In the course of a day just a few of the many sighted will turn their head and look at our baits. Dorado have also been here in big numbers. Most are peewee sized with just few keepers mixed in. East Cape sunrise A biter not far off Punta Colorada Charlie Williams hung a striper on the fly. Closing the deal. Congrats to Charlie! Working hard to find aggressive fish. Most are small with a few larger models mixed in Still sighting humpback whales everyday If you see this sign on our live webcam: http://teamjenwren.com/east-cape-webcam.html first caller wins a Simrad prize Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

The double black diamond Before I get into this weeks report about fishing I'm excited to announce that our new webcam is up and operational. Now viewers no longer need to rely on reports and can see a live stream of East Cape conditions. The cam is pointed at our moorings so along with waves lapping on the beach, you can view our boats departing and returning at: http://teamjenwren.com/east-cape-webcam.html Click on the 4 arrows in the right bottom corner and the feed will open full screen. It is the next best thing to being here. We have planned a contest for the near future where viewers paying close attention will have the opportunity to win prizes. Stay tuned! The buzz in weather news is that we may experience a "Super El Nino". I try not to pay too much attention to these types of predictions but it is March and we are already fishing in 74-75 degree water. Winds have been a little crazy with some calm days then a blow from the north followed by one from the south. The wind is warm though and it hasn't seemed to affect the water temperature. Fishing started in full speed at the beginning of the week with striped marlin and dorado giving anglers all the action they wanted. As the week has worn on the bite has progressively gotten tougher every day. Even when there is a lull in the fishing we are sighting whales breaching, pods of dolphin, jumping mantas and sea turtles. The Sea of Cortez is alive with life. We were fortunate to assist several anglers in catching their first marlin and another get one on his birthday. I do have one story in particular that I would like to share. Sixteen year old Mike Kurpa along with his father fished with us this week determined to catch a marlin on the fly. To do this we pull a couple of hookless teasers hoping to raise a fish and tease it close enough for the angler to present the fly. It is not easy because a normal pattern of lures are not deployed and the ones that are don't have hooks. Like I said Mike was determined and we trolled all morning without raising a fish. About 1PM his father suggested we put out the whole spread with hooks and catch a fish. The kid wanted no part of it and preferred to wait for his shot. I was very impressed with the focus of this young man. About 1:30 up popped a marlin behind a hookless ballyhoo we were pulling. Diego slowly started turning the reel handle keeping the bait just in front of the fish. Almost in casting range for Mike, the fish sank out. It was exciting for a minute but now we would have to wait for another opportunity. Minutes later another fish popped behind the ballyhoo. This time Diego was able to keep the marlin interested as the marlin stayed after the ballyhoo. Mike made a perfect cast and the fly landed within inches of the marlin's bill. Our adrenaline started to flow with anticipation but the fish just sank out and it was over. It didn't happen for Mike this trip but I am confident that with his determination it will. In our discussion at the end of the day Mike's father described what he was trying to accomplish is like the double black diamond. I couldn't have said it better myself! Streaming live. Adios amigo Who is having the most fun? My bet is Diego. I can't let Diego have all the fun. Another first Perfect day Birthday marlin Dodo on the fly Nice fish! Sole proprietor Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

Se fue a pescar (gone fishing) It has been two weeks since my last report and I would like to say it is because I was fishing but that wasn't the case. A trip to Gringolandia kept me off the computer. First stop was at Mammoth Mountain where we witnessed a dump of 5 feet of snow in two days. It kept us from skiing but we don't get much snow in Baja so it was fun to experience. Next, we set up our annual exhibit at the Fred Hall show in Long Beach. It is always a blast to see old friends and meet new ones. It was reported that in our absence the East Cape experienced some beautiful weather. It was gorgeous upon our return and I immediately got both Jen Wren boats in the water. Right out of the gate without even time for a shakedown we took Chris McMahon and his family on our first charter of this season. Dorado were cooperative but striped marlin not so much. Not that we didn't have opportunities but ended up zero for four on the billfish. Aside from the fishing action Humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins and a huge pod of common dolphin all put on a spectacular show. We were supposed to fish again yesterday but the north wind has reared its ugly head and we are stuck on the beach watching the boats bob up and down. Speaking of watching the boats, it has been a long time in the making but by my next report we should have our new weather-cam fully operational and viewable on our web site teamjenwren.com. We will be streaming live weather with the camera pointed at our boats. Viewers will not only see the Sea of Cortez in real time but will also be able to watch our boats depart in the morning and return in the afternoon. Good to get wet! Giddy up. Dorado camped out here through the winter First dorado Diego is after em Dorado for dinner tonight Our new weather cam will stream live Jen, I'm certain we parked the car around here somewhere? Meeting new friends. Just part of the job at a trade show. Connecting with old friends is where it is at! Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

Fact or fiction? Not much of a fishing report this week because there are not that many fishing. Off shore the showing of striped marlin and dorado has continued for the few boats out there. In shore yellowtail are in the neighborhood but finding live bait has been problematic. Fact or fiction Fluorocarbon has little or no stretch? At a Super Bowl party I posed this question. (Heck, the game wasn't worth watching and we needed something to talk about.) The consensus was fact. I also asked seasoned sport writers and skippers who made their living sportfishing. The result was the same. Everyone I spoke with agreed that fluorocarbon did not stretch much. As it has turned out I and everybody I asked have been mis-informed. Fluorocarbon does stretch. In fact it may stretch more than monofiliment. Last fall we switched all of our mono and florocarbon to Momio and it didn't take long for me to be convinced it is the highest quality product on the market today. Speaking with the folks at Momoi we started a dialog about the characteristics of fluorocarbon. That is when I discovered my perception was all wrong. Hi-Liner Fishing Gear and Tackle that distributes Momoi in the US has a $10,000 machine specifically built to test line strength. They have determined that their monofiliment can be stretched 100 times and will return to it's original length and strength without fatigue. They boast theirs is the only mono produced with this ability. Putting fluorocarbon on the same machine they have found that it stretches as much or more than mono before breaking. How could I and so many others not be aware of this? I believed what Hi-liner was telling me to be true but wanted to do a little more research just be certain. And there it was on Seaguar's web site. "MYTH: Fluorocarbon has very little stretch or none at all. FACT: Yes, fluorocarbon lines and leaders do stretch, but not as much as mono. Line typically has more stretch than leader. All Seaguar lines and leaders provide the optimum amount of shock impact/stretch." So it seems not everyone completely agrees to the degree of stretch, but I have come to the conclusion it has a considerable amount. Posted are a collection of "Baja centerfold" photos captured on Jen Wren Boats last year. 7 Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

Disappearing Halco's? In anticipation of winter I stacked up about a cord of firewood, dusted off my Ugg boots and moved all my long sleeve t-shirts to the front of the closet. It is amazing that we are moving toward February and the expected cold snap never arrived. We have already dodged the harshness of a good part of winter and are enjoying warm sunny days. We have had our share of wind but it doesn't seem to be as harsh as past years. There hasn't been that earth shaking pound of the surf typical of winter. Exciting news is that yellowtail have showed early and it appears we are in store for another great season. Most of the fish are being caught by pangeros fishing at night and finding greenback mackerel for bait has been key. Most are having a tough time finding the bait but it has been a bonanza for the guy that does. Speaking about finding bait. I can't say enough about our Simard electronics. The depth sounder takes all the guess out of finding the bait and every stone we have metered on the bottom is marked on the GPS. We motor from spot to spot and don't waste time making a drop until we see the bait. We know that when we find the bait the yellowtail won't be far. On a different subject, all brands of fishing line are not created equal. A good friend who works in the sportfishing industry mentioned that I should do myself a favor and try Momoi fishing line. I had never heard of the stuff but searching the net discovered Momoi's Hi-Catch is very popular on the East Coast. Fishermen in the East can go to almost any tackle outlet and have their reels filled with Momoi Hi-Catch mono or braid and buy their fluorocarbon but it is not so easy to find on the West coast. I was on a mission to try this product and placed an order for a couple of spools. The results of trying Momoi have been amazing. At Jen Wren Sportfishing we take pride in using nothing but the best and I have found Momoi to be just that. We have put it to the Baja acid test and have been very pleased. This line casts better than any other I have ever used. Some folks reading this might be thinking what the heck is he talking about? An unbelievable difference in total performance is what I'm talking about! Momoi's Hi- Catch was a great tip. I am not willing to give away all my line but will pay this one forward if a couple of the local fisherman living here on the East Cape read this and want to give it try. Get in tough and bring over a reel that has a braid backing and I'll load up a top shot for you. I believe you too will be amazed at preformance. So, why are my Halco's disappearing? It is because they get bit so well. During our season a great deal of what we do is sight and surface fishing. Over time I have found it has paid off to put a diving lure in our trolling pattern. My experience is the Halco's get bit as well as any diving type lure on the market. A huge bonus is their economical price. I prefer to tie them straight to the mono with no leader or wire and sometimes pay the price. It is a price worth paying for more bites and the reason it is called terminal tackle. So why spend more for a different brand that doesn't work any better? Okay, I have already offered a few top shots of Momoi I'm not giving away Halco lures. Either buy your own or come out on one of our charters to see how well they work. I have rambled on enough here and will talk more about our tackle preferences another time. Posted are a few Halco successes. Now that's what I'm talking about! Striped marlin by the tail Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

Back to Magdalena Bay Every year around this time we pack up our camper and head out to Mag Bay to duck out of the East Cape north wind for a few days. Yes, I sound like a broken record reporting on wind week after week. It is just that time of year. This week Lord of the Winds competitions for wind surfers and kite boarders will be held. I believe competitors will be pleased with the high winds predicted again for this coming week. This is a bench mark for me that calm weather will be on its way. Back to Magdalena Bay. For the last 20 some years we had been taking the same turn off of highway 1 and bumped our camper down 20 miles of dirt road through the desert to the waters edge of the bay. The place has always been pretty much timeless. There is a small military base that has always looked the same and a small fish camp that has had little growth each year. Our trip is always planned during extreme tides which has made it easy to find chocolate clams when the water is out. Twenty years ago I could fill a 5 gallon bucket with clams in about an hour. Now it takes me about 60 minutes to fill the same bucket. Like I said not much has changed. We have always packed a small inflatable to fish the mangroves. Spotted bay bass, grouper, halibut, triggerfish, pacific barracuda, red mouth corvina and several other species have always kept our rods bent year after year. The place just seems timeless. Sightings of an incredible variety of aquatic bird life is another ingredient helping to make this a very special place. So we fish all morning, clam a bit in the afternoon, gather some firewood, then buy fresh caught jumbo shrimp, lobster, and crab from the local fisherman. We drink our nectar all night long and feast on fresh seafood. It is a perfect vacation and even after being there 20 some times I plan on going back again next year. Speaking of next year. Actually, November of this year we will be taking Jen Wren III back to Mag Bay. The location is remote and not easy to get to making it a little expensive but well worth it. Trips will be live aboard and we do have some dates available. Mag Bay sunrise Mangrove grouper A good guide allows his passengers to catch the good ones. That is my story and I'm sticking to it. Mangrove halibut Frigate birds The mangroves are very peaceful and the birds don't spook easily. I did miss a spectacular shot of a bald eagle when my camera battery died. It was a heart break. Chocolate clams my favorite way. Split the clam, garnish with a splash of green salsa and a slice of pepper jack cheese. Pop them on the barbi and when the cheese melts they are ready Another Mag sunrise Jen scores again This morning Jen had her bag limit before I finally got in the game Sunrises like this made it hard for us to pack up and head for home. Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841

Fun in the Baja sun or Bendo? Walking the beach the other morning I discovered a small squid at the water's edge. I don't know if it just washed up or was chased out of the water under pursuit. One thing for sure is the presence of this bait is why fishing for game has remained consistent through these winter months. Aside from the squid I'm also finding juvenile sardines, balloonfish and coronetfish heads littered along the surf line Where there is bait, gamefish aren't far which explains the current action. Striped marlin, dorado, wahoo and the arrival of white bonita are all here for the party. There is a lack of anglers though and only a couple of boats are fishing each day. East Cape wind is pretty typical for this time of year with it blowing 5 or 6 days out of 7. Air temperature has been a bit warmer than normal and we have not had to break out the flannels or Ugg boots yet which is a bonus in my eyes. Some find it odd to see coronetfish heads floating on the water or on the beach. It is not uncommon that certain times of the year marlin and other gamefish feast on coronetfish. There was a period of time last spring I could see marlin feeding but we couldn't get them to go. Watching the action we determined the billfish were feeding on red coronetfish. I could see schools of the slender bait in my Simrad sounder and they were easy for us to catch on Sabikis. This strange looking bait was the ticket and using them we got all the action we could handle. I have also watched marlin and dorado feed on balloonfish but haven't sorted out a way to catch or use them for bait. Going through some photos in my archives and I picked a few to share but can't decide if this group of images should be called Fun in the Baja sun or Bendo? My best friend Del Marsh, may he rest in peace Mark Rayor teamjenwren.com markrayor.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing US cell 310 308 5841