Spring Fling

[bajainfo]

The arrival of springtime fishing coincided with the return of Pudge Kleinkauf's annual event here at the hotel. Pudge is the owner of Women's Flyfishing®, based out of Anchorage, AK and for the past 15 years she has brought a group of first-timers and seasoned fly-fishing veterans who have welcomed East Cape's warm springtime weather. In addition, this year's lady anglers enjoyed the week of good-to-great inshore fishing.

According to guides Jeff DeBrown and Lance Peterson, the species list included bonito, skipjack, sierra, jack cravelle, roosterfish and cabrilla … so numerous that it wasn't unusual for all the women on the boats to be hooked up at the same time. By week's end, all were pleased with their catches and their digital cameras were filled with photos to share with friends and family when they returned home.

Another hotel client, Tom Kolasinski, aka Beerman, and his friend Rolf from California fished on Alegria with Captain Juan last Saturday.

Beerman and Rolf were waiting at 7 a.m. sharp as Alegria slid along the portable pier. Within the hour, the lures, rigged with ballyhoo, were popping in and out of wake behind the boat. As the second hour of the day began, the white and green 3.5 Zuker lure was hit hard; Beerman grabbed the rod and five turns of the handle later the mystery fish was gone.

Still moving at trolling speed, Beerman jigged the lure back and forth hoping to attract the mystery fish back for a re-match. The mate grabbed a live-bait rod and dropped the rigged mackerel back. Before the bait even reached the first lure, a telltale sickle tail appeared behind the live bait. As the marlin turned and headed for the horizon, the Owner circle hook impaled the fleeing fish in the corner of the mouth … FISH ON!

Rolf is old school and was quite comfortable battling the fish to the side of the boat in 20 minutes with a Penn 4/0 loaded with 40 pound line.

Then the trip became all about rest and relaxation as the anglers sipped beer or napped while trolling.

Suddenly, well, three hours later, the mate jumped down from the bridge, grabbed a bait rod and flung the hapless live mackerel as far as he could off the side of the boat. The striped marlin swimming on the surface immediately turned and inhaled the bait and it was FISH ON again.

Beerman plopped down in what he refers to as the office chair and began battling the good-sized striper. This one was not a wimp and behaved more like a blue, skimming across the surface. At one point, it outraced the boat, forcing the angler out of the chair and to the gunnel, so Captain Juan could follow the disappearing fish. Then it tail-walked some distance behind the boat. Next, it was a few feet off the transom waving that fearsome bill in the angler's face. It was another half hour before the hook was removed and the fish released. Two stripers for two bites is a pretty good way to spring into an early Baja season!