Mystery man Blaine DeBrouwer is all smiles with his last minute 209 pulled from the water minutes before departure. Though Blaine had a great catch otherwise it's hard to argue that this fish did not add to the sense of accomplishment. Snatching a tantalizingly presented kite bait amidst hundreds of it's crashing and flying brethren this beast battled with the heart and tenacity of a fish we figured was much bigger. 209 is no slouch though, especially in the precincts of Hurricane Bank where for whatever reason the daytime trophy yellowfin tuna always seem to be a little bit, if not a lot, tougher.

Aside from our guest's sharing some good tales and cocktails not much to report from the ride north as we bumped and rolled our way along. Not a bad ride, but not a smooth ride either, thus far this passage scores somewhere in the middle; which is much better than what it could be. I've spoken of the relativity of conditions and fishing many times past. Sticking with my belief in viewing the cup as half full we'll take this ride as is without complaint. One more day to go before arriving in the beckoning paradise of Cabo San Lucas.

Speaking of Cabo San Lucas I'm steaming in as quickly as conditions allow to drop off Co-Host “Rock Cod Rick” Maxa at the annual Let's Talk Hookup Los Cabos live broadcast. Providing we make it in time I may just have a chance to throw a word or two into the broadcast myself. But it is not about Ricky or Royal Star. The live broadcasts from Mexico highlight the unbelievable spirit of “Bienvenidos” offered to visiting fisherman and travelers everywhere by our neighbor's to the south.

Suffice it to say that without the generous willingness of Mexico to allow international angler's access to the most fertile waters for gamefish on the planet our's would be a very different world. The best way all of us long range anglers can express our appreciation for the ability to share the bounty is to visit Mexico anywhere and contribute to the success of their economy. Many guests featured on the show tomorrow will advance this theme understanding that the best thing for all recreational anglers is work together toward common goals. Beyond that I'll let tomorrow's incredible line up of featured guests tell the story in their own words. If you have the chance to tune your am dial to 1090 Saturday morning please share your time with Pete, Ricky (if he makes it), President of SAC Ken Franke, and full suite of guests from Mexico that are coming from far and near to contribute their vast knowledge to this live broadcasting event.