8/28/13

A setting sublime was the pitch, and how appropriate it turned out to be. It was among those rare few days per season when
the weather is so perfect, so superb, that one can not help but stand in awe of such inspiring design. Flat calm, sun
shining but diffused by a luxurious, velvety haze the state of all things was arranged to perfection - we were exactly
where and how we wanted to be; all was well.

A top of the morning eruption of quality, 20 - 25 pound yellowtail set things in motion and ultimately opened the door for
exactly what we hoped - a pressure free day to explore the shallows for something distinct, and something more. Poking and
prodding our way around the most productive stretch of the Baja coast we were reacquainted with Calico bass central and
the enjoyment and satisfaction catch and releasing the scrappy the devils elicits.

Something about those fish is magic. I don't know what it is exactly but they seem to bring out the best side of all
anglers when we are catching them. For whatever reason there is a distinct satisfaction associated with those fish that
drives one to catch and release just one more, then another, then another. It's near impossible to walk away from the rail
when they are riled up and biting.

Now I am not equating Calico bass with anything else, with any of the apex gamesters that we are in the business of
pursuing, but when the occasion allows they always attract everyone to the rail. Through this moment I have never heard
anyone mutter a negative remark when we stop the world for a few hours and target Calico bass. The exact opposite is the
norm - tackle boxes are rifled through, the lighter outfits are rigged with various swim baits and kelp lures, and anglers
eagerly await the anchor grabbing hardly able to contain the urge to make that first cast.

Such was the theme today. From mid morning through late afternoon we mixed up the scenery and structure poking along from
spot to spot amazing everyone with the consistency of both the pace and the quality of the bass in these zones. And then,
late in day, in the eleventh hour, what we were waiting for finally occurred. One of our trusty premium yellowtail zones
detonated into a melee of big yellows and frantic birds. It just so happened that we were in the perfect place at the
perfect time.

Reading the conditions we set up accordingly and ended the day on about as high a note for this location as one could hope
for. About thirty minutes of action on 38 - 45 pound yellows with the big bruisers all fired up chasing baits and crashing
three hundred sixty degrees around the boat was the perfect closing bell. The surface pluggers with long rods were in the
zone as the ultimate opportunity in yellowtail fishing came to fruition. When those big premiums came over the rail one
after another it made quite an impression - this was one of those long range moments that does not happen anywhere else.
Good fishing to be sure.

Photos today feature the Charter Master Ben Ouano in fisherman's heaven during the big evening hit and Matt Lytle with one
of the worthy, 40 pound class trophy's in the bag.

Tim Ekstrom


Photo Here...

Photo Here...