Newbie going to Loreto in July.

[jurelometer]

1.  Inland touring to see the cave paintings in July -  might be too hot to be comfortable.  You might want to see how you feel about it after to get there.

2.  Plenty of room on a super panga for you & your wife.  She will need license and marine park permit, even if she does not fish.    Lots to see out in the water.  Big schools of jumping mantas, dolphins.  We saw whale sharks right at the boat the last couple years.    Sometimes we stop fishing early to go for a snorkel or swim at one of the islands.  It will be hot, so this is pretty refreshing.

3.  Customs statement is four fishing rods: http://www.sat.gob.mx/informacion_fiscal/normatividad/formas_fiscales/Documents/A30_ingles.pdf

This has been interpreted at the airport as 4 rods, 4 reels.    If you carry 5, and your wife carries zero, they will probably charge you for one (16% of value I think).   So make sure that you are not physically carrying more than 4 per person.

4.  Reserving a panga  is a good idea.  You should be able to find a  panga on short notice no problem,   but the best guys have regulars, so their calendars can get full.    SoCal knows his stuff: I haven't fished with the Torres family, but they are well regarded.   Their home base is far enough south of Loreto that they can reach yellowfin sometimes,  and the Torres' have a reputation for getting into them.    The good news is that the local skippers in Loreto mostly work together,  so if somebody finds fish, eventually everybody shows up. 

5.  Make sure that you  have one rod to troll and deep drop (two speed capable of at least 15 lb drag)' and one light for dorado.  If you want to fish the iron,  add in a standard yellowtail iron outfit.  Unlikely to be surface fish, and too hot to speed wind for me in the summer, so I do't usually fish the deep irons very long.    gear tends to get banged up in the panga, especially if you bring a lot.

[SoCalAngler]

Thanks again for all the help. Just to clarify, I should bring 3 rigs: a 30lb, 40lb and a trolling rig?

That's what I would bring for myself if I took gear down. Most of the fish around Loreto are not really line shy so I tend to fish as heavy as I can get away with. Even live baiting dorado more often than not I have a 60 lb leader and yes those fish will eat it no problem. Another reason I fish heavier there is you never know what you may hook. A few times I have been dropping macks on high spots to fish for yt, pargo, cabrilla, amber or almaco jacks and such with a dropper loop setups only to have my line stop before reaching the bottom. I set the hook and see a billfish come charging out of the water that picked up the bait before it could get down to depth. Not to mention the no-see-ums that have rocked me or when I have had to button down the drag enough to bust off a fish before I get spooled.

It seems some people here edit post made by others that have no idea of the type of fishing your looking to do but what the heck its their forum. I say fish 30 lb at your own peril, it can be done and I have done it for near shore fish like triggers smaller cabrilla and such but remember some true fish of a life time swim in those same inshore waters.

These are not all my fish but are ones that were caught in Loreto, and good luck landing them when fishing the 30 lb string.





Good luck on your trip

[Swami805]

X2 what SoCal said about using heavy line. I caught this yellowtail about 100yds off the beach in front of our hotel. The pangero was dropping me off on the beach at the end off the day and saw a swirl on the surface. I threw a live mackerel at it on 60lb with a TLD 30 and it ate it. Towed us around for awhile and we could see the bottom almost the entire time. I doubt I would have landed it on much lighter gear.

[Marc Fong]

Thank you all. I am very grateful for Alan's website and the input of all of you. This helps my learning curve and will, hopefully, result in a successful fishing adventure.
Thanks again.
Marc

[jurelometer]

Marc, check out BD Outdoors for recommendations for pangas.  You can get your license online at this address  http://pescadeportivaenmexico.sectur.gob.mx/en fast and easy service.  I get mine from this site all the time.  Purchase here you have a better selection and cheaper prices.  I look forward to pictures and a report.  If your wife will be on the panga be aware of the potty situation and she will have to have a fishing license even if she does not fish.  Dominick

I don't think this license site is up any more.  I found a new link on BD Outdoors that worked for me recently:  http://www.bajasursportfishing.com/



-J

[SoCalAngler]

If you get your license on line remember to stop by the CONPESCA office to get your wrist bands. The office is right at the harbor. Its a small little office but since there is not much there it is easy to find. If fishing more than one day I would buy one wrist band for yourself and who ever may go on the panga with you. Don't put the band on but keep it with your license. These are single use bands and have to be broken or cut off to remove them. I don't want to wear the bands the whole time I'm there as I fish several times in a week so I don't strap it onto my wrist, this way there is no need to buy a band for every day of fishing. If stopped and checked just show the license and band and your good to go. I have been checked a few times and they never cared that we were not wearing the bands, they just wanted to make sure we had them.

Edit: One other thing the office at Loreto harbor closes early, I don't remember the time but it is like 2 or 3 pm. Also, I don't know what time they open either but if your looking to fish a certain day I would get my wrist bands the day before.

[Marc Fong]

Just a few more questions. Can I use my Penn TRQ40NLD with 80 lb braid for deep drop fishing and trolling? How about my Avet JX Raptor with 60 lb braid? Sorry for all the newbie questions. I also have an old Penn Senator 113HLW with 80 lb braid. Is that good for anything? My buddy doesn't have any gear so I'm trying to maximize what I have. Thanks!
Marc

[alantani]

marc, if you can ever make it over to the house, i can probably get you all set up with gear. 

[Marc Fong]

Done. Thanks. I'll contact you this coming week if that works for you. I have court Monday and Tuesday.
Best,
Marc

[SoCalAngler]

A Fathom 25nld2 is what Rick caught the Thresher on in the above pic and my JX 6/3 (non Raptor) is what I landed 45 lb dorado with. The TRQ40NLD should be fine for what your looking to do unless you hook a blue marlin which are not common in Loreto but several are hooked every year.

Just talked to my pops and he is fishing tomorrow, seems like the dorado have moved in the last couple of days. The first wave is usually the smaller stuff followed by the larger models. YT seems slow but this is the transition time of year so that comes as no real surprise.

[Marc Fong]

Thanks SoCal. I'm starting to get excited!

[alantani]

Done. Thanks. I'll contact you this coming week if that works for you. I have court Monday and Tuesday.
Best,
Marc

i'm at the hospital every day this week, but i have the weekends off.  weekday evenings are fine, too. 

[SoCalAngler]

From Rich Hill's report through Baja Bytes.

The dorado scene blew wide open on Saturday for the Loreto boats. Kelp paddies were boiling with small to medium sized dorado with fish blasting baits as soon as they hit the water! There were wide open kelp paddies at both Punta Lobo and south at Punta Perico in the current lines.



(Not Part of Rick's report) Yes these are very small dorado in the pic but soon to be followed by larger models. I have also fished with Capt. Tony, on the right of the pic, as a matter of fact I think he is wearing the hat I gave to him last year to keep sun off himself.

Back to Rick's report:  Photo of captain Tony Davis and Kevin Ellis with some perfect pan sized dodos.
Most of the fish parked in the fish boxes were 10 to 12-pound models. Many smaller dodos did the catch and release dance.

From me and not part of Ricks report. (Watch the light gear)

Back to Rick's report: Our clients, Kevin and Peggy Ellis of Arizona broke a light weight graphite rod on a heavy weight blue marlin that was well over 200 pounds. After a 2 hour fight and a break-off at boatside it was still a terrific day. Limits of perfect sized dorado and a trophy to mark the events.

Before the kelp paddies erupted we did have dorado hitting feathers but only blind strikes. A few dorado over 20 pounds were caught out at the "30" spot east of Coronado.

Looks like we may have the summer dorado season that had passed us by for the past few years...Rick Hill, Pinchy Sportfishing

(I soon will be there and I hope the larger models are too)

[Marc Fong]

Nice! Can't wait to get down there. I don't leave until July 7, but already playing with my gear. Hopefully the wife will not see the credit card receipts. Does anyone have any recommendations on how I pack my lures? Soft tackle box checked at as baggage or should I try to bring on as carry on? I'm bringing my reels on a carryon backpack.
Thanks.
Marc

[Dominick]

Hooks in carry-on are a no no.  Dominick