inshore fishing 5-18/5-23

[don]

Hi Guys,
Sorry for the long delay, but I've been extremely busy.

While were in RP for the week, the wind started blowing on the 19th and continued throughout our stay, which made fishing extremely difficult.
Wednesday evening just before sunset we headed out in the inflatable since the wind slowed. But rain clouds were building (if you can believe that).

I steered to the waypoints while my Son tied on our lures. I screwed up and neglected to tell him to tie on the lure with the larger hooks (Stu and Rics recommendation). So, I promptly lost 2 nice groupers, due to straightened hooks. Frustrated I replaced that lure with the "Heavy Duty" one and started trolling back. It started raining, the wind picked up and the sun had set.

After we passed my last waypoint we headed for the condo and my rod got hit hard. I had tightened up the drag as much as I could (out of frustration of loosing 2 other fish, since I had the Heavy Duty lure on) and even then the 4/0 reel was screaming. Yeah, I thought, I've got you now! This was a a really nice fish, one where he's in charge of which way the rod gets jerked. After several long minutes, the line goes limp again. What the ?

I reel in and the FRONT HOOK and SNAP RING are GONE. Crap! Of course the second hook is straightened out.

Boy did I screw up. Shoulda' replaced the snap ring too, or not tightened up the drag so tight. Crap, that was a nice fish.

I told Jonathan to stow the stuff a storms coming, but he insisted we troll back. I retied another lure (fishermen in us, huh?) and we trolled back.
Yeah the rod got hit again. "Jonathan, I've lost 3 fish tonight, I ain't gonna lose another... and give him the rod."

He boats a 10 pound class grouper. He's a better fisherman!

Thursday we went out again but it was really rough and no fish. Tiring day on the water.

Had to follow a Daughter back to the border Friday so we didn't make it out.
We tried again on Saturday evening and Jonathan got bit twice, missed a grouper, and landed a nice (20 inch) corvina.

Picture taken Saturday evening trolling.

 

[Stuart]

Bigger rods, bigger hooks, bigger reels, bigger boat, bigger fish! Hahhahaha! Watch out, it's a contagious fishing/boating disease commonly know as "two-foot-itis." If only I had a 16 footer instead of this 14 footer... a 18 footer instead of the 16... a 20 instead of the 18... and on and on.

Glad you had such a good time! Nice grouper!

 

[Kenny]

twin 125's

Don has a very nice wellcraft with twin 125's that we went out on the last time we fished together, but I'm really looking forward to fishing the area around Jerry's with the inflatable all next week though. We have a tentative plan to get out to Bird Island from the little estuary that we always drive down to from Jerry's place. Getting out to the Island will be no problem at all, we just have to get the boat down there. Here's a picture of bird Island without magnification from the estuary. Yes, we will have bigger this, and bigger that for the run out there. I'm going to be thinking about at least a 30# leopard Grouper.:fish: Don is going to need that club!

Kenny

 

[Wood Spinner]

Hi Kenny
Looking at Google Map it looks as if you go S. on Caborca Rd. and turn right to Campodonico then right past the next town to farm area and then left past Santa Rita to the Sea. Is this correct ? Is it a 4 wheel only Rd ?
From where I am thinking Bird Island is only about 8.3 miles out.
Any place to stay or eat in that area ?

 

[jmcdtucson]

tied on our lures.

Mind saying what kind of lures? 20" Corvina are a lot of fun I discovered...

 

[Red Drum]

Nice report, what kind of lures were you guys pulling? Thanks in advance.

 

[don]

While trolling for corvinas we'll use rebel fas tracs (thanks to Gene Kira). For grouper we'll use mirro lures or rebel deep divers. This corvina hit a mirro lure, go figure! Good Luck!