"Shut up and fish"
...it said on the back of his t-shirt. Captain Dustin, a slightly mad norteamericano who's made lots of money as a Harley Davidson Dealer, drank too much, did Heroin and has been married 6 times. He now lives in Baja full time, doesn't drink or do drugs, appears to married happily and fishes, a lot! This was the captain of the boat I got to go fishing on!
This all started the following evening in the bar when Beto, a regular at the RV park, struck up a conversation. He was off to organize a fishing trip for the following morning and was looking for a third person. He asked if I fished, 'No.' I replied, 'but H is very keen to go, I mean, very keen.' He wondered off with a potentially exciting reply that he would see what he could do.
Later that evening he returned to the bar to find the two of us further in to the cerveza's than before. The news, H was to join Captain Dustin and himself on the boat the following morning to go fishing for BIG fish. He regaled us with his stories for the rest of the evening, this guy has a lot of stories.
As H thought it through that evening she decided the prospect of a small boat and catching BIG fish was just too much for her phobia. I was dispatched in her place at the ungodly hour of 5:00am to join Beto at his van for some seriously strong coffee. We picked up his gear and walked the short distance to Captain Dustins boat. As Captain D navigated his 24ft panga out through the seriously shallow Mulege river into the open water the sun was merely a lightening of the eastern horizon. We cruised out into the darkness with the wind whipping past our faces. The sea was flat calm and the moon was a sliver overhead. The sun stained the sky red as it sneaked over the horizon, needless to say I was impressed, this is in part due to not having seen many sunrises, sunsets yes, sunrises no!
The fishing commenced. We were fishing for BIG fish so dragged reflective lures at different depths along behind the boat from short thick rods. The radar showed fish but they weren't biting what we were dragging. My primary role turned out to be as ballast. Keeping the boat flat as Beto and Captain D fished and drove the boat. The consolation turned out to be seeing lots of wildlife instead of dead fish. I saw wales, females with their calves heading steadily south as well as males being a bit more excitable and thrashing their tales on the surface. I also saw lots of dolphins. The highlight was standing on the bow of the panga looking in to the clear water as we steamed ahead with two dolphin racing and jumping just ahead of the boat.
The fishing was wholly unsuccessful even with lots of swearing and changing of rods and lures. Whilst cruising back to the estuary we got all excited by a lot of activity in the water. Rooster fish was the thought so the rods came out one last time. The rods were readied to cast into the shoal of cresting fins. The fins turned out to be a large school of small dolphins heading into Bahia Conception. A final denial!
An incredible trip for me and a shame H didn't make it.
This all started the following evening in the bar when Beto, a regular at the RV park, struck up a conversation. He was off to organize a fishing trip for the following morning and was looking for a third person. He asked if I fished, 'No.' I replied, 'but H is very keen to go, I mean, very keen.' He wondered off with a potentially exciting reply that he would see what he could do.
Later that evening he returned to the bar to find the two of us further in to the cerveza's than before. The news, H was to join Captain Dustin and himself on the boat the following morning to go fishing for BIG fish. He regaled us with his stories for the rest of the evening, this guy has a lot of stories.
As H thought it through that evening she decided the prospect of a small boat and catching BIG fish was just too much for her phobia. I was dispatched in her place at the ungodly hour of 5:00am to join Beto at his van for some seriously strong coffee. We picked up his gear and walked the short distance to Captain Dustins boat. As Captain D navigated his 24ft panga out through the seriously shallow Mulege river into the open water the sun was merely a lightening of the eastern horizon. We cruised out into the darkness with the wind whipping past our faces. The sea was flat calm and the moon was a sliver overhead. The sun stained the sky red as it sneaked over the horizon, needless to say I was impressed, this is in part due to not having seen many sunrises, sunsets yes, sunrises no!
The fishing commenced. We were fishing for BIG fish so dragged reflective lures at different depths along behind the boat from short thick rods. The radar showed fish but they weren't biting what we were dragging. My primary role turned out to be as ballast. Keeping the boat flat as Beto and Captain D fished and drove the boat. The consolation turned out to be seeing lots of wildlife instead of dead fish. I saw wales, females with their calves heading steadily south as well as males being a bit more excitable and thrashing their tales on the surface. I also saw lots of dolphins. The highlight was standing on the bow of the panga looking in to the clear water as we steamed ahead with two dolphin racing and jumping just ahead of the boat.
The fishing was wholly unsuccessful even with lots of swearing and changing of rods and lures. Whilst cruising back to the estuary we got all excited by a lot of activity in the water. Rooster fish was the thought so the rods came out one last time. The rods were readied to cast into the shoal of cresting fins. The fins turned out to be a large school of small dolphins heading into Bahia Conception. A final denial!
An incredible trip for me and a shame H didn't make it.
posted by patrick at 5:45 PM
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