First Yak Session at Mako Bobs (First Post on BWE)
 

2nd trip down to Baja California with fish catching machine Dave Sivak, this time a 5 day jaunt to Mako Bob's place and when left the OC at 2 am on Thursday June 30th I had no idea that I would be having my first session in a kayak at Punta Bufeo by 11 am.

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Wind conditions varied daily so plans had to be flexible and no two days were the same. We had planned to return Tuesday but the wind howled all Sunday night and showed no sign of dropping so we headed home on the 4th.

The trip was another learning experience as I usually fish in a tube or a toon and the hot and windy weather made fly casting a real challenge at times especially in the surf. Orange Mouth Corvina was the target species on the fly but the buggers didn't get the memo and were a no show. Bob got one throwing a croc tho.

Hard pulling Blue and black Triggerfish,

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/...s/trig%202.jpg

surface skittering Needlefish,

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3 feet of wired muscle

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/...20fish%204.jpg

and a plague of Spotted Bay Bass from 2"-19"

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/...ttie%201_4.jpg

Their teeth were way sharper than the NPH or SD Bay Spotties I've caught

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/...pottie%202.jpg

happily whacked any wiggly offering put in front of them and a few new species were added to the list although I have no idea what they were. The fish were hitting a 2" all white SF Blend Clouser in the surf and a big shouldered 4" Mullet fly drifting and trolling over the reefs in the yak.

Some kind of Wrasse

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/...wrasse%203.jpg

Pretty fish
http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/...wrasse%201.jpg

No idea what this is.....

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/...20idea%201.jpg

But it pulled hard

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/...20idea%203.jpg

I also had a National Geographic moment when Bob yelled "Rooster" and a 30 lb + Rooster came crashing over a reef with its massive shoulders and dorsal fin out of the water chasing a terrified airborne mullet right onto the shoreline a few feet away from me. It was all over in seconds with no time for photos and it keeps replaying over and over in my head. Needless to say the Rooster totally ignored my fly. Gotta go get one..........Big thank you to Dave for driving and to Mako Bob from for his hospitality letting me take over his Hobie Outback, first time in a yak for me and I liked it so now I'll have to get one..............and getting us to obscure beaches on his quad. Fun times indeed.

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Fish on the fly count for an extra 10 percent of cool!

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don't get addicted man. actually what am i saying, get addicted. looks like an unforgettable first trip. trust me, they just get better and better each time

Wow sounds and looks awesome! I need to learn how to fly fish. I also need to have a trip down south soon.

go back ?
 

Hey Brian....

I've been trying to tell you. Once you go Yak you don't go back!

Matt

that fatty poopeleye tho....

Good report Brian, thanks.

For those of you who have not made the trip to Punta Bufeo, DO IT!!! You wont find a better host than Mako Bob and you certainly won't regret it. Bob's camp is a great, convenient and the fishing is stellar.

Thanks again for everything Bob.

Cleaning a trigger fish, good to know when there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmHz...ature=youtu.be

Matt

I'm pretty sure after that trip he will be in an Outback pretty soon...

Out of the tube an into a kayak, huh? Pretty slick!

Great pics! It was nice meeting you guys down there. Ill add on... I snapped this pic of a whale shark while I was yakking the day before I left. I almost got close enough to touch his tale but he swam off.

Looks like a blast. Like you found, its not that far from so cal to Gonzaga. The roads are good all the way. Even OK fishing there is fun. And like you caught, the variety can be amazing. Mike

Dave and Brian, glad you guys enjoyed your trip to Paradise. How abut that Corvina nd Cabrillo dinner at the restaurant, butter and garlic, fresh caught, and AWESOME.

I will be returning to our place on the 14 or 15th for another week. You are ALL welcome, it WILL be hot and the winds about 10 mph, at least for the first few days. Pm or post if you are going. THanks and tight lines.

Great post!!!!

WE got to get you down there sooooooonnn.
Oct 24 thru 31, is the Gonzaga on the Fly trip this year. This is PRIME TIME...........................last year 5 guys caught and released 2000+ fish, YT, tuna, Roosters, bass, cabrilla, triggers, corvina, snappers and others too. Temps should have cooled to the mid 80's, water temps about the same. IT DOES NOT GET BETTER THAN THIS!!!!!!!!! Hope to see you there, those interested pm me.

Correct me if Im wrong, but Im purdy sure that the unidentified fish that pulled hard is an opal eye.

Indeed it is. The big ones fight HARD!

All long I thought it was a Cortez Opaleye.

& believe it or not, my buddy in downtown chicago at a well known spot is a sushi chef... last month while visiting here in SD he was showing me recent pics of fish and dishes he had prepared. Guess what one of theyre sashimi specials was & is occasionally... Yup, big Opal Eyes!

That scares me, TOTALLY. Many years ago a marine bioligist told me that when sea lions get old they start coming into the local bays to feed. Opaleye are one of the main targets. The dogs eat them RAW, opaleye it seems carry a HEART WORM...............I know your sushi chef friend handles his fish well and freezes them for a few days before serving....That still scares me. Time and Temperature is critical THAT worm is a KILLER. Tight Lines

God! Fishing those inside reefs is so much funnnnnnn! All those crazy fish.
Which of course can end up right in the frying pan. MakoBob is a HERO!!

Good for you guys!