Anyone like to catch fish like this?
[AT TACH=full]7645[/ATTACH]
Now that I have your attention, I’ll continue.
I caught that fish near Puerto Lobos, two hours south of Rocky Point. In the past year and half, I’ve made eight trips there. We're lucky to be able to camp under a ramada on property owned or controlled by a local with whom we have an excellent relationship. That’s huge because the big drawback to Lobos has been a lack of lodging unless you’re one of the very few Americans who have built houses there. But that might be changing with a new hotel and restaurant that’s under construction.
I’ve been watching this project since I first started going to Lobos in 2014, and progress has been so slow that I’d come to view it as another failed enterprise. But on my last trip in September I decided to stop in the street and take a picture, which led to getting invited in for a tour. I’ll be first to admit it doesn’t resemble a Wyndham or a Hilton, but it has more potential than I’d realized.
The Spanish colonial furniture is already in all the rooms, and each room has its own air conditioning. I stood on the top floor where the restaurant will be and was impressed with the 360 degree views. Add some stucco and paint and the place just might work for fishermen needing a place to shower and sleep.
I’m not sure when it will be open to the public (right now it’s partially occupied by caretakers/watchmen, thus the clothes hanging on the line in the courtyard), but it should open soon, as in a few months at most.
I promote sportfishing in Lobos because I’d like to see it replace subsistence fishing and clamming as the principal local industry. Some of these local guys grew up on the ocean and know all the reefs, all the opportunities and all the dangers. Quitla and Gabriel, the two guys in my grouper picture, can sure do it for you. They could make at least as much money as guides and boat pilots as they currently make handlining and plucking clams off reefs.
And why would American and Mexican fishermen go to Lobos? Because that’s where the fish are. I see guys on this forum operating much the way my partner and I used to – fishing the shallow waters around Rocky Point and asking if anybody’s seen any corvina. I know of others who drive 8 hours to Gonzaga Bay on Baja and 10 hours back with the border wait. Wise up, everybody! Fish Lobos!
That nice gulf grouper isn't something you'll catch every time out, but smaller gulf groupers and sardineras (leopard groupers) are easy to catch trolling. Here's a typical sardinera.
You will also catch sierra mackerel in the warmer months, tons of trigger fish and rock bass (good fish tacos), yellowtail in the spring, barracuda, and all kinds of other stuff. This is all within a mile of shore. Go farther out and other species such as calico and spotted bass can be caught.
A decent afternoon's catch. I believe that's a small yellowtail on the far end.
The highway from Rocky Point to Lobos is very good. As with most roads in Mexico, it should only be driven in the day time and you'll want to watch for sand drifts in the low spots.
I really don't recommend taking amigas or esposas to Lobos unless they're seriously into fishing. There's no place to shop and the neighborhood isn't exactly Las Conchas. But a hotel means flushing toilets and a place to shower, so if you have an old school lady who's pretty rugged and willing to do it as an adventure, you could consider it. For most it's probably better to leave the women in Rocky Point for shopping on the malecon and maybe one of Mexico Russ's tours, then come back a day and half later with your catch on ice.
Somebody ought to look into starting a small RV park in Lobos. That plus the hotel might really jump start the sportfishing industry there.
[AT TACH=full]7645[/ATTACH]
Now that I have your attention, I’ll continue.
I caught that fish near Puerto Lobos, two hours south of Rocky Point. In the past year and half, I’ve made eight trips there. We're lucky to be able to camp under a ramada on property owned or controlled by a local with whom we have an excellent relationship. That’s huge because the big drawback to Lobos has been a lack of lodging unless you’re one of the very few Americans who have built houses there. But that might be changing with a new hotel and restaurant that’s under construction.
I’ve been watching this project since I first started going to Lobos in 2014, and progress has been so slow that I’d come to view it as another failed enterprise. But on my last trip in September I decided to stop in the street and take a picture, which led to getting invited in for a tour. I’ll be first to admit it doesn’t resemble a Wyndham or a Hilton, but it has more potential than I’d realized.
The Spanish colonial furniture is already in all the rooms, and each room has its own air conditioning. I stood on the top floor where the restaurant will be and was impressed with the 360 degree views. Add some stucco and paint and the place just might work for fishermen needing a place to shower and sleep.
I’m not sure when it will be open to the public (right now it’s partially occupied by caretakers/watchmen, thus the clothes hanging on the line in the courtyard), but it should open soon, as in a few months at most.
I promote sportfishing in Lobos because I’d like to see it replace subsistence fishing and clamming as the principal local industry. Some of these local guys grew up on the ocean and know all the reefs, all the opportunities and all the dangers. Quitla and Gabriel, the two guys in my grouper picture, can sure do it for you. They could make at least as much money as guides and boat pilots as they currently make handlining and plucking clams off reefs.
And why would American and Mexican fishermen go to Lobos? Because that’s where the fish are. I see guys on this forum operating much the way my partner and I used to – fishing the shallow waters around Rocky Point and asking if anybody’s seen any corvina. I know of others who drive 8 hours to Gonzaga Bay on Baja and 10 hours back with the border wait. Wise up, everybody! Fish Lobos!
That nice gulf grouper isn't something you'll catch every time out, but smaller gulf groupers and sardineras (leopard groupers) are easy to catch trolling. Here's a typical sardinera.
You will also catch sierra mackerel in the warmer months, tons of trigger fish and rock bass (good fish tacos), yellowtail in the spring, barracuda, and all kinds of other stuff. This is all within a mile of shore. Go farther out and other species such as calico and spotted bass can be caught.
A decent afternoon's catch. I believe that's a small yellowtail on the far end.
The highway from Rocky Point to Lobos is very good. As with most roads in Mexico, it should only be driven in the day time and you'll want to watch for sand drifts in the low spots.
I really don't recommend taking amigas or esposas to Lobos unless they're seriously into fishing. There's no place to shop and the neighborhood isn't exactly Las Conchas. But a hotel means flushing toilets and a place to shower, so if you have an old school lady who's pretty rugged and willing to do it as an adventure, you could consider it. For most it's probably better to leave the women in Rocky Point for shopping on the malecon and maybe one of Mexico Russ's tours, then come back a day and half later with your catch on ice.
Somebody ought to look into starting a small RV park in Lobos. That plus the hotel might really jump start the sportfishing industry there.
