Baja Labor Day Weekend - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

FISHIONADO · 09-01-2008, 09:57 PM

I didn't get to fish but have some fishing observations. I took one of my sons on a Baja surf trip before school starts, we made it as far south as Punta Baja. It looked very fishy at Punta Baja with thick kelp offshore and lots of birds hitting the bait. The locals were very friendly and offered to take me out on a panga for lingcod and rockfish and possible yellowtail, but my son was focused on finding good surf. We surfed some at Punta Baja but it was very inconsistent, good waves every 15-20 minutes. On the way back up we looked for waves at Socccoro, San Quintin, Shipwrecks, and then stayed at Cuatro Casas for two nights. Thick kelp close in and lots of birds working at Socccoro and Shipwrecks. Cuatros had thick kelp but it was at least a mile offshore. The locals fishing Cuatros were catching lings, calicos, sculpin, and rockfish. The way the birds were working a 1/2 mile to 1 mile offshore I'm sure there were some bigger fish pushing the bait up to the surface. The swell started to fill in Sunday so we got it good. I could not believe how empty the highways and camp spots were, we didn't see any other surfers except at Cuatros and even then we usually had the breaks to ourselves or with a couple other friendly guys. Some crazy offroaders spent one night at Cuatro Casas, lighting an outhouse on fire and driving a truck through it at high speed, you gotta watch the short video. I'm going to take a kayak back down very soon!

Main break at Cuatros

Archies

Punta Baja barrel

Punta Baja lighthouse

Main break at Cuatros

Skate bowl at Cuatros

Near Punta Baja

Holy Mackerel · 09-01-2008, 10:13 PM

Great pics/vids Dave! Esp the one near Punta Baja, perfect example of baja, miles of unspoiled coastline... I miss baja, thanks for sharing!

chris

Dennis · 09-02-2008, 05:38 AM

Thanks for the report Dave. What was the water temp? Full suit time? Thanks again.
-D

FISHIONADO · 09-02-2008, 06:02 AM

Water temp was about as warm as it gets down there, maybe 68 degrees. We trunked it when the sun was out but the morning cloud cover and offshore winds made the full suits comfortable.

edupa 2008 · 10-22-2008, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FISHIONADO

I didn't get to fish but have some fishing observations. I took one of my sons on a Baja surf trip before school starts, we made it as far south as Punta Baja. It looked very fishy at Punta Baja with thick kelp offshore and lots of birds hitting the bait. The locals were very friendly and offered to take me out on a panga for lingcod and rockfish and possible yellowtail, but my son was focused on finding good surf. We surfed some at Punta Baja but it was very inconsistent, good waves every 15-20 minutes. On the way back up we looked for waves at Socccoro, San Quintin, Shipwrecks, and then stayed at Cuatro Casas for two nights. Thick kelp close in and lots of birds working at Socccoro and Shipwrecks. Cuatros had thick kelp but it was at least a mile offshore. The locals fishing Cuatros were catching lings, calicos, sculpin, and rockfish. The way the birds were working a 1/2 mile to 1 mile offshore I'm sure there were some bigger fish pushing the bait up to the surface. The swell started to fill in Sunday so we got it good. I could not believe how empty the highways and camp spots were, we didn't see any other surfers except at Cuatros and even then we usually had the breaks to ourselves or with a couple other friendly guys. Some crazy offroaders spent one night at Cuatro Casas, lighting an outhouse on fire and driving a truck through it at high speed, you gotta watch the short video. I'm going to take a kayak back down very soon!

Main break at Cuatros

Archies

Punta Baja barrel

Punta Baja lighthouse

Main break at Cuatros

Skate bowl at Cuatros

Near Punta Baja

This is " La Portada" de Antofagasta ,Chile.

bajadog · 10-22-2008, 02:41 PM

Edupa,

The photo links do not work.

dos ballenas · 10-22-2008, 05:47 PM

Nice pics, cuatros can be really fun sometimes... last time I was there some stray cat pissed in my car, never leave your windows down at night...

Surf looks fun, glad you scored,

09-01-2008, 09:57 PM	#1
FISHIONADO Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 698	Baja Labor Day Weekend I didn't get to fish but have some fishing observations. I took one of my sons on a Baja surf trip before school starts, we made it as far south as Punta Baja. It looked very fishy at Punta Baja with thick kelp offshore and lots of birds hitting the bait. The locals were very friendly and offered to take me out on a panga for lingcod and rockfish and possible yellowtail, but my son was focused on finding good surf. We surfed some at Punta Baja but it was very inconsistent, good waves every 15-20 minutes. On the way back up we looked for waves at Socccoro, San Quintin, Shipwrecks, and then stayed at Cuatro Casas for two nights. Thick kelp close in and lots of birds working at Socccoro and Shipwrecks. Cuatros had thick kelp but it was at least a mile offshore. The locals fishing Cuatros were catching lings, calicos, sculpin, and rockfish. The way the birds were working a 1/2 mile to 1 mile offshore I'm sure there were some bigger fish pushing the bait up to the surface. The swell started to fill in Sunday so we got it good. I could not believe how empty the highways and camp spots were, we didn't see any other surfers except at Cuatros and even then we usually had the breaks to ourselves or with a couple other friendly guys. Some crazy offroaders spent one night at Cuatro Casas, lighting an outhouse on fire and driving a truck through it at high speed, you gotta watch the short video. I'm going to take a kayak back down very soon! Main break at Cuatros Archies Punta Baja barrel Punta Baja lighthouse Main break at Cuatros Skate bowl at Cuatros Near Punta Baja

09-02-2008, 05:38 AM	#3
Dennis Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South of La Jolla... Posts: 1,193	Thanks for the report Dave. What was the water temp? Full suit time? Thanks again. -D __________________ Hmmmm.....

10-22-2008, 02:41 PM	#6
bajadog I eats what I kills Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 393	Edupa, The photo links do not work. __________________ Please release bill-fish.

10-22-2008, 05:47 PM	#7
dos ballenas Vampyroteuthis infernalis Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 585	Nice pics, cuatros can be really fun sometimes... last time I was there some stray cat pissed in my car, never leave your windows down at night... Surf looks fun, glad you scored, __________________ ____________________________________________

09-01-2008, 10:13 PM	#2
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	Great pics/vids Dave! Esp the one near Punta Baja, perfect example of baja, miles of unspoiled coastline... I miss baja, thanks for sharing! chris

09-02-2008, 06:02 AM	#4
FISHIONADO Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 698	Water temp was about as warm as it gets down there, maybe 68 degrees. We trunked it when the sun was out but the morning cloud cover and offshore winds made the full suits comfortable.