Baja trip report

Mlungu · #1 March 14th, 2006

Hi Guys,

Just got back from a really mega spearing trip to Baja with Dale pearson and the GonetoBaja team. This was my first trip to the USA let alone Mexico so it was a bit of a culture shock compared to the UK! I left South Africa for the UK 3 years ago so this was my first hardcore spearing trip for a long time.
I have to take my hat off to Dale as he was a fantastic host,making me feel not like a customer but an old spearfishing mate I had known for years.

The trip was based at Gonzaga bay with the diving at the Enchanted islands a little further north.The conditions were perfect, although the water was alot colder than expected; I had bought most of my gear with me including a 3 mm suit, luckily Dale had a warmer 7 mm going spare that I used.
We spent 4 days spearfishing various spots around the Islands. Most of the dives were fairly shallow, the deepest about 10m. We hit several spots that were full of enormous yellow and banded snapper, with Grouper lying in the rocks slightly deeper,taking about 4 fish each per day. For the conservationists among you, this was no turkey shoot.... the fish here were phenomenally skittish, you really had to use hunting skills to the max especially with the grouper. Nati, Dale's Mexican partner shot a nice 40lb Gulf grouper that made me quite envious.

I started off using my RA 110 that for the most part was adequate.However, because my arms are fairly puny I have slightly longer rubbers that means less power and range, therfore I missed quite a few nice fish

I tried out one of Dale's Riffe's (No3) and because of the multiple (thinner) bands I was able to shoot alot further and the results especialy with the grouper were forthcoming

At the end of each day we had our fish cooked up for us Mexican style and rounded off with a nice glass of single Isley Malt that I had bought in the duty free shops watching the sun go down...bliss!!

For those in the UK (and elsewhere) this is an excellent place to go for a spearing trip and your almost to shoot a big fish and excellent value for money. The flight over was GBP 320 which is quite reasonable considering it is on the otherside of the globe.Wll post afew pics later in this thread.

Cheers

Justin

Mlungu · #2 March 14th, 2006

Ok Guys,

I hope these pics have uploaded successfully.....to round off the trip, Dale took me up to the Riffe factory in San Clemente to get a new gun....also had the privelige of meeting Julie Riffe!

Cheers

Justin

foxfish · #3 March 14th, 2006

Sounds like a great trip, nice to see the pics, got any more?

rcerdena · #4 March 14th, 2006

Nice pics and great to hear that you had a fantastic time over there.
Meeting friendly local spearos is a wonderful experience, which makes the fishing even more rewarding.

Cheers,

Roberto

Mlungu · #5 March 14th, 2006

One thing to mention about this trip, I got to hear about www.gonetobaja.com from Deeperblue and arranged the whole trip via e-mail conservations with Dale.That's the power of the net for you!

While I was there we met up with another group of spearo's (one of which was an old friend of Dale's) who are also Spearboard/DeeperBlue members (Hi Eric,Fuzz, Ryan and PVspearo!) so it was nice to chat and exchange ideas + drink

By the way here are a couple more photo's of Gonzaga Bay and Eric's motely crew

Justin

Old Man Dave · #6 March 14th, 2006

Looks like you had a great time. Congrats.

Amazing how much those fish look like big ballan wrasse. Suppose that's what groupers are? Shame we don't have them over here. Roll on global warming.

Have you read "Last of the blue water hunters" by Carlos Eyles. His account of hunting Gonzaga bay in the 60's is something else. Brilliant book.

Dave

Mlungu · #7 March 14th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Man Dave

Looks like you had a great time. Congrats.

Amazing how much those fish look like big ballan wrasse. Suppose that's what groupers are? Shame we don't have them over here. Roll on global warming.

Have you read "Last of the blue water hunters" by Carlos Eyles. His account of hunting Gonzaga bay in the 60's is something else. Brilliant book.

Dave

I must admit the snapper look a bit like wrasse rather than the groupers...the grouper over there are of various species with the Gulf Grouper one of the largest. Either way they sure don't taste like wrasse

Absolutely Dave, roll on global warming we will soon be shooting wahoo, Dorado and tuna off Pembrokeshire

Justin

fuzz · #8 March 15th, 2006

Nice meeting you Mlungu!

Baja is always a fun trip. Can't beat waking up with the beach at your door...

Can't believe you turned to the dark side (Riffe)

Dale finally wore you down!

The longest gun I used all trip was my 110 omer, but I had an open muzzle which allows me to use 2 14mm bands. Never had a problem shooting groupers, lining most of them. This setup is also good since I could use just 1 band for close up yellow snapper shots.

.

Mlungu · #9 March 15th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzz

Nice meeting you Mlungu!

Baja is always a fun trip. Can't beat waking up with the beach at your door...

Can't believe you turned to the dark side (Riffe)

Dale finally wore you down!

The longest gun I used all trip was my 110 omer, but I had an open muzzle which allows me to use 2 14mm bands. Never had a problem shooting groupers, lining most of them. This setup is also good since I could use just 1 band for close up yellow snapper shots.

.

Fuzz, yeah Dale wore me down alright!mind you its good to have different guns for various things.I will still keep my loyality to RA though as they are excellent guns and spearfishing equipment.Interesting what you said about the bands....I remember going to Dive factory in Durban to enquire about the possibility of putting 2 thinner bands on the gun instead of a single larger one.They told me then that on an aluminium barrelled gun (even with the rail) the extra power can cause the shaft & spear to flex slightly making the gun innacurate.Having said that I have since seen newer RA's (? carbon fibre shafts) with 2 bands, so may have to check this out.

Justin

fuzz · #10 March 15th, 2006

Not sure why they told you that. It's standard for Rob Allens to come with either 1 20mm rubber or 2 16mm rubbers. The 2 16mm rubbers have very noticably more power & punch. All of my Rob Allens came stock with this double rubber configuration. I did change my shortest 70cm gun to a single band for convenience. If your rubbers are cut a little longer, the double setup will still give you more power than a stock 20mm single band

Old Man Dave · #11 March 15th, 2006

An amberjack was rod caught last year off Guernsey.

Some divers reckon they saw a barracuda last summer.

Tuna were spotted several times by a marine biologist giving guided tours.

We see couches bream, trigger fish and giltheads are about.

Ireland now has a fishery for at least 2 species of tuna, including 1000lb bluefin!!!

Sharpen that spear. Lengthen your shooting line. Fit a reel.

You never know.

Dave

gonetobaja · #12 March 16th, 2006

Ah Ha!!!

I have found it. I was wondering where I could get my hands on those pics!!

I had a great time shooting with you Mlungu! You need to put up some more pics of the fish, my windows 98 system is too slow and dumb to take my pics off of my camera!

The best part of the trip?.......single malt wiskey.....just a wee dram.

Come on back when the water warms up a bit and I have AC at my house. Bring another bottle of the Islay stuff, its pretty good.

It will be the DOGS BOLLUKS!!!!!!!

Yes thats right fuzz, I wore him down with my all black MT3 with the poly wings and triple bands. We all know where my gun opinion stands so I will quote Darth Vader.....

"Never underestimate the power of the DARK SIDE.....Fuzz I am your father...." or something like that.....

And in the morning when the wind was still you could hear the crys from the panicking snapper and grouper.....

"Mommy, Mommy!!! Its the mean man and his RIFFE GUNS!!! Hes comming back to the islands swim!!! SWIIIIIMMMMMMM!!!!!

GTB
www.gonetobaja.com
www.spearfishingvideos.com

Mlungu · #13 March 16th, 2006

Howzit Dale,

Saw your report on Spearboard and the pics from the "competition"

I have just registered there to give you some moral support but for some reason they have not activated my account

Anyway, it was a cool trip I must admit......need to PM you/e-mail regarding another trip.
As far as the pics are concerned, My modem is pretty slow so it takes ages to upload them, You have got the ones of Nati's monster fish on your camera, so get your new Dogs's *******s computer and put them on the net!!!

Fuzz, just had another look at my new Riffe gun...." I can now feel the power of the Dark Side, the force is strong Obi-Wan"

Justin

takeshi · #14 March 16th, 2006

Really sounds like a good place to go. Nice pics.

Did you see any sharks? To me baja sounds like shark territory, at least compared to scandinavia hehe.

Are there any deeper spots in the area?

Mlungu · #15 March 16th, 2006

there are plenty of sharks in Baja although we did not see any....2 large great whites were caught in nets by local fishermen not far from where we were diving at the time we were there; Also there are sea-lions living on one of the islands nearby.
As for depth, the sea surrounding the islands was +/- 30 m so I guess there are deeper spots.