Our globe-trotting correspondent discovers big striped marlin and plenty more in the Galpagos. Copyright 2023 Marlin Magazine. Over summer 2021, weve caught a whole lot of, Well, we have delayed our Mag Bay fishing reports once again, and for that we apologize. With anglers launched, the pangas remain in proximity and in contact to bring bait, food and drinks, gear, or to pick up fish for dinner and put them on ice. Mag Bay is offers super size fish options. Our 24 ft panga is for 2 anglers is $400 per day. The ProKat seemed to be in good working order along with all the fishing gear. I hadnt seen one of those reels in 30 years, so it was a bit retro but lots of fun. The bay is shel- tered from . Huge fish boils are still the norm here, providing the fly fisher the opportunity to cast a fly in the churning waters with equal chance of catching dorado, tuna, wahoo or billfish. Smith told me they were at the Finger one day when there were marlin tails everywhere and everything imaginable was crashing a bait ball the size of an Olympic swimming pool: birds, dolphins, whales, marlin, mahi. Offshore Fishing. In the bay, between 85 and 95 miles of mangrove-filled canals provide a seemingly endless source of light tackle fishing especially for groupers, snapper and snook. Saltwater charters usually begin toward the end of October and run through January. Professional naturalist and bi-lingual guides. He can probably set up anything. That day, we released 14 stripeys out of 20 bites, most on the lighter bait rods. The boat is top class, also used for deep-sea fishing, well equipped, and seaworthy. His captain, Chip Shafer, runs Smiths custom 64-foot Bayliss Old Reliable from Costa Rica or Guatemala up to Cabo San Lucas in September, and they usually stay through December. Mexico's Magdalena "Mag" Bay is among the best and most consistent sportfishing experiences in the world. Panga $450 - Unguided Light Tackle $750 - Guided Fly Fishing. T his may be their debut album, but the LA synth-pop duo Magdalena Bay already commandeer their own cinematic universe: Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin are big on TikTok and Twitch; they have . There also were two small center-console outboard boats fishing in our vicinity. If you are approaching from the north, the drive . We hefted the bow to accommodate the new trailer he backed down, and soon we were again in the water, on the inside, headed back to the lodge under the rising full moon. The excellent fishing also continued inside the bay for . Ive caught many good fish in many places from kayaks over the decades, but none offered the level of satisfaction of my first Magdalena Bay marlin. Its possible to get diesel fuel in Mag Bay, but they bring it to you by panga; its more economical and safer to just keep your cruising speed low and complete the entire trip on one load. Our stay at Magdalena Bay was both exciting and educational, but there was still more to come on this trip. Get in! Toby Larocque urged frantically as he and skipper Danny Infante slid a Hobie Pro Angler 14 off the pangas gunwale and into the Pacifics low ground swell. The sea lions also were feeding on the bait when they werent nipping at the stripeys or growling at us. It is such a large area, with so many species and migratory aspects to the fish, thatunless you were to fish 12 months a year, through all the tides, moons, and weatherit would be nearly impossible to figure out this fishery. Best time to visit. You are using an out of date browser. It feels like the curiosity is mutual. Expert Crew with years of experience fishing the waters surrounding La Paz.. 4-day fishing adventure in Quepos Costa Rica. There must be 50 to 100 marlin all around me! Daiwas Marc Mills was unable to follow that advice, as he was also hooked up. Magdalena Bay fishing area weather was partly cloudy in the high-70s, with water temperatures at 67 to 73 degrees. We spotted the frigate birds working the surface; when we got close, we could see the marlin in hot pursuit. But know this: If youre thinking of just rolling down to DIY the bay, make sure you are highly competent in a boat. Call us today for more information or to book your trip (619)483-7315. www.tailhunter.com Mexico Office: Tailhunter Sportfishing. The best time - season to fish Magdalena Bay it's from early June to late December. It is a long run from the launches out of the bay. . If you go online searching for flyfishing or outfitting in Mag Bay, youll find some operations. If there are five marlin attacking the bait, there are 20 or more slowly swimming beneath it. It is a type of fishing like you have never seen before. Private TOUR. Hi, no Wahoo never come inside the bay. This is the tour you came so far for ! The bait moves as the marlin and occasional sea lion push it forward. These videos do not represent "great fishing trips" but rather just the everyday sport fishing here in Mag Bay. Magdalena Bay is the name for a 30-mile-long harbor with a collection of mangrove rivers and swamps near the bottom of Baja's Pacific Coast. Our journey to Thetis had us leaving the lodge in two pangas at dawn for a 15-minute ride to a launch point of sorts on a shallow beach. Magdalena Bay, Lopez Mateos, Baja. With options to fish in the Bay, inshore and offshore, you'll be sure to have an amazing time fishing Mag bay. No one plans on hopping into town for supplies or entertainment, because it just doesnt exist. When we reached Thetis Bank, the crew put us in over an 80-foot high spot, though wind and currents quickly moved the kayaks off. The best fishing offshore is Aug through December, inshore . In 2018, Eli Martinez of SDMdiving.com set up a trip to Mag Bay for photographers. ith time one of the founders unfortunately passed and the remaining owners decided to partner up to open up the lodge to some lucky tourists. Get in touch now. Or, you could be left shaking your head at the fish-filled mayhem that can turn on at any moment. Its easy to understand that the more remote a location is, the less fishing pressure it receives. On morning number four of our trip, the cool bay air gives me goose bumps as we motor. E: booking@magbaytours.com. If youre lucky, you might even get your hands on some Spotted Bass, Dog Tooth Snapper, Halibut, Snook, Corniva, and Grouper. There are so few boats in Mag Bay that there is never any fighting over bait ballsbut Shafer doesnt chase them at all because he feels that it puts the fish down. He says there are still cannon balls stuck in the rocks. That creates truly special opportunities to experience packs of striped marlin in every direction and boiling at the surface, especially from a kayak. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Shades of blue mix with seasonal browns and greens where the desert meets the saltwater within the calmer main bay. The other deal is subject to the same booking conditions youve opted for with A surreal feeling begins setting in as the soft light of evening meets the low slack tide. Within a couple of minutes of hopping into the kayak, a savage strike had ripped line from the spool. . Puerto Vallarta, or simply "PV" is the epitome of Mexico's sportfishing scene. The bite for three hours was as hot as it gets for three anglers fishing a seamount 75 miles off Costa Rica. The fishing in Mag Bay is good all year round, just depends on what you want to catch! Close to 100 miles of mangrove-lined channels and shoreline encircle the area, and where the mangroves stop, the desert takes over. There were marlin everywhere, not just on the bait balls. Jonathan Roldan's. Tailhunter Sportfishing. Smith has released more than 5,000 billfish on fly in his career. Situated on a secluded arm of the Bay the Inn offers six waterside bungalows. Hands down, it is my absolute favorite fishing destination and the crew, boats, and service provided just make it so much fun. Magdalena Sport Fishing! The shoreline is home to hundreds of mangrove-lined channels and is a sight to behold. Larocque, the owner, uses 26-foot pangas as mother ships to transport kayaks, anglers and gear within and outside the bay. Eventually, the marlin would tire of the diver/sea lion combination and leave the area. Check with locals or hire one of the guides on the bay to take you to the current hot spot or species. The sardine run is going to be extinct at this rate. Nearby, Promnitz and Mills found good action on yellowtail to 25 pounds in mid-depths, fishing speed jigs. The bait fish congregate as do the predators that hunt them. Additional non-fishing guests may also be added to your room. There are more fly anglers willing to travel now than ever before. Thank you again for everything. Boat Specs - Success Sport Fishing | Fishing, Spearfishing, and Surfing Trips . Deluxe Cruiser , fly fishing guide, all fishing gear, lunch, water and bait. Yet wed never read or heard any mention of golden trevally in Mag Bay until Nick held one in his hands. While whale watching remains the primary focus in all of Magdalena Bay, fishing in Puerto San Carlos and Lopez Mateos continues to be off the charts for the few anglers who would rather fish than watch. I dont think we ever saw more than three sport-fishing boats in a day, but there was clearly a specific area where all the action was taking place. Swimming with the fishes in Baja By John Huber Photos by Nick Price. The following day, a strong tide is rapidly dumping out of the river were fishing, exposing a sandy beach. This lodge and operation is nothing short of amazing. Magdalena Bay Previous Entry. Promnitz, Hobies director of fishing development, managed four releases (helped by strong arms and 100-pound braid). I never fished Mag Bay, but I want to soon. (more). One problem I flyfish and got a guide already. It hits me with as much depth as the water beneath me. Other than whale-watching, sportfishing is what sets Mag Bay apart. Marlin Magazine may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. On one dive, there were five snorkelers in a semi-circle and a family of sea lions swimming opposite from us. The fishing they have done over the past 30 years is enough to amaze any fishermen with days on the water around hidden tuna pens that are unimaginable fishing. La Paz - Las Arenas/ Muertos Bay/ Suenos Bay/ Magdalena Bay Fishing Report from Tailhunter Sportfishing for Week of Feb. 24-March 4, 2018. . A Bonnier LLC Company. Thirty minutes later and its the post-release chatter, all high fives, and back slaps. We plan to send out a few more exploratory trips and may start running panga fishing there before the season is over. The experience is both fascinating and intriguing. Doing battle with a striped marlin from a kayak typically results in a sleigh ride. A remote, isolated bay that sits some 120 miles north of Cabo San Lucas, there is not much in this part of the Baja. Mag Bay is about the size of San Francisco Bay, and the largest villages in the area are Puerto San Carlospopulation: 5,500and Lopez Mateos, which are a bit rustic to say the least. https://magbaylodge.com/ . Guaranteed hookups on striped marlin during the season Im not sure if Ricardo is even aware of how skilled he is at imitating every bird, insect, or wild sound he hears, but Ive noticed. The inshore waters that lay just beyond the barrier islands team with sierras, roosterfish, corvina, cortez halibut, pargo, grouper, yellow tail, skip jack, dorado, yellowfin tuna and wahoo. Copyright 2018 Baja Fishing Convoys - All Rights Reserved. But yea, there are some local captains that would love to get ya out there. The Life of Ryan. You know fishing is good when it has come to strictly catch and release on wahoo and even tuna. Rumor has it that the record for conventional tackle releases at Mag Bay is close to 200 striped marlin in one day, which pretty much sums up this amazing fishery. Our guests stay at the Mangrove Inn, a new facility located just outside the port town of Lopez Mateos. Striped marlin gorge on bait balls off far-flung Magdalena Bay, creating unparalleled action and record catch numbers. You Save. Mag Bay is almost the same size as San Francisco Bay. Lopez Mateos/Magdalena Bay . You can select from a day tour (US$450 per boat for five hours of whale . Landing this exotic and surprising prize opened our imaginations. However, the crew soon gave us the high sign; with at least 2 hours to get to the lodge, it was time to pack up. full service galley A/C. The grounds we fish at are completely loaded with Wahoo, Dorado, Tuna . I put a foot in the middle of the kayak and in one quick motion swiveled to plop my butt down on the seat as Larocque leaned over the side to click a Mirage pedal-drive unit into its slots. Custom Fly Fishing Panga Package 7 days: $2950/person At The New Island Home. Baja Flyfishing Co is excited to offer Lopez Mateos/Magdelena Bay as one of our destinations, providing access to several hundred miles of mangrove channels, pristine beaches and the fabled Thetis Banks. La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico. different, you still keep your existing reservation including the cancellation policy. On kayaks smaller than the big Pro Angler such as the Hobie Passport models from which two anglers fished you can straddle the vessel with your feet in the water to increase resistance. After more than an hour, I was able to bill the beast and work the circle hook out of its jaw, then pedaled for 10 minutes or so holding the marlin by its bill alongside until it was kicking strongly for a healthy release. A half-dozen marlin were below, attacking the bait within a few feet of our group. 15. You can drive all the way to Mag Bay. It took me about two minutes to sign up for the expeditionfinally, I was going to Mag Bay. This past su. The Location and Accommodations: Lopez Mateos is still a very remote part of the Baja and as such is a long ways from the bustle of Cabo and La Paz. Required fields are marked *. Jonathan. About. modifications. The baitfish school together for protection; the ones on the outside are the first to get eaten, so naturally everyone wants to be in the center. From there we start the 6 hour drive up north to Magdalena Bay, during which we pass through Todos Santos, La Paz and Constitucion. Magdalena Bay. Mangroves and sand dunes ring the inner bays and are the hunting grounds of predatory fish, including big snook, grouper, and, apparently, golden trevally. It feels like the curiosity is mutual. As I get closer, the bluewater world comes into focus. What else is out here? Flies are cast in the general direction of these rocks while the outgoing tide makes a massive rip a half-mile wide. Incredible Striped Marlin Action in Magdalena Bay, Mexico. Looking out onto the Bay of Banderas, this town is finely positioned for inshore and nearshore fishing, with deepwater action on offer in the Pacific Ocean just a few miles out. calm waterways of a . You can leave out of Lopez Mateos or San Carlos depending who you fish with. It quickly became evident that in Mag Bay, everything is far away. The volume of commercial fishing in the bay can be overwhelming for some, yet eco-tourism and a mindset of supporting a healthy ecosystem has more than a foothold here. But we had a great morning with yellowfin tuna small to maybe 20 pounds and skipjack. This group of men and woman did not build the Lodge for a business, but rather for their friends, family, etc and they kept the Lodge low profile for many years. . Hes a perfectionist: Every leader is tied to IGFA specifications, with a 20-pound-test tippet and 12 inches of shock leader. Most of the striped marlin are between 80 and 125 pounds; rarely will you see one surpassing 150 pounds, making them perfect fish for light tackle or the fly rod. Rumor has it that the record for conventional tackle releases at Mag Bay is close to 200 striped marlin in one day, which pretty much sums up this amazing fishery.. In the afternoons we still found the bait balls, but they were smaller and probably tired. Some boats continue to rack up double and a . Have you ever noticed that fantastic fishing spots are nearly impossible to get to? It is one of the longest bays, it is considered the second largest in the Pacific. The appreciation for Mag Bay comes from the secrets she keeps. Chapstick. Bathroom and snack stop along the way. Survive, is what an angler does the first few minutes after hooking a striped marlin. Today, BD has grown into the leading digital media platform for all things saltwater fishing, bringing our large and passionate community the best and most authentic fishing information in the form of fishing reports, fishing gear reviews, fishing recipes, saltwater fishing articles, tackle tips and more from coast to coast. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Seven Store 2015-2017. quantities. Camera (get ready for some superb images!) So, here we will try to, Fishing Report MagBay Oct 13 2020 So far this season has been a little unusual. I stayed with Wilber, and he and his son will take me out in his Panga at first light. Fishing in Mag Bay. All camping equipment. The frenzy attracts frigate birds that swoop in from above. Ive battled big tarpon, but this is new, and different, and on this morning the unknown has gotten to me. Not much, that is, aside from an annual explosion of sardines that attracts mobs of striped marlin, piles of wahoo . Day 1 - The tour departs at 6am from our office in the Cabo San Lucas Marina. Discover the amazing variety of fish Mag Bay has to offer! . Fly anglers heading a few miles in any direction can find all sorts of species slicing through baits big and small. The return trip took us perhaps 20 additional minutes when the wheel bearings in the old trailer failed halfway across the sand. For more details on trip rules, cancellation and travel insurance visit our KNOW BEFORE YOU GO page. Depending on seas, etc its a little tricky to sport fish from a panga in those areas getting out in time and back. One time the marlin had moved on and we floated with six sea lions and what was left of the bait ball for probably 15 minuteswhen a new batch of marlin suddenly appeared and everything started anew. Standard operating procedure called for fishermen to simply sit in their pangas for the short ride. Find frigate birds low on the water and the stripeys are sure to be there. I recall hearing Morgan Promnitzs voice crackle over the VHF under my seat, as a stripey towed him toward the horizon: Marc! For more information about the optimal seasons to visit Baha Magdalena, as well as the sport fishing options available and other more specific details, click on the link below. including a link to the offer on the website and the exact price being quoted. So, come out and say hi and let's set you up for visiting us in La Paz in 2023! The Fishery: There are three separate fisheries accessible from the small Pueblo of Adolfo Lopez Mateos. Larocque, the owner, uses 26-foot pangas as mother ships to transport kayaks, anglers and gear within and outside the bay. I found spinners with 20- and 30-pound braid perfect for throwing poppers or Sebile Stick Shadds worked back fast and hard. ENSENADA YELLOWTAIL GURU--Panga fishing at Ensenada with Vonny's Fleet includes a traditional Baja beach launch at the southeast corner of the bay for quick access to the prime fishing grounds at the tip of Punta Banda . The inside protected mangrove channels provide critical nursery habitat for a wide variety of species including: snook, corvine, bonefish, spotted bass, pargo, snappers, golden trevalle, broomtail grouper, sierra, Cortez halibut, leather jacks, as well as roosterfish. : $950. We watch a reel getting emptied and watch the fish leap, flip, and dive. Other options are available. Bluewater in front of the bay holds striped marlin shredding bait and the occasional leader with their bills. . JavaScript is disabled. The whales might even let you pat their backs if you seem friendly. The more I see this, the more I want to be back in the boat casting to them. After catching and mostly releasing many tuna, I dropped slow-pitch jigs during the afternoon in 200 or so feet to catch Pacific red snapper, gulf grouper and various small reef fish. Ive been in the flyfishing industry my entire adult life, and I dont approach fish with trepidation. He knows fishing and is always ready. Ask Bob. What was the point? he said. It is one of the longest bays, it is considered the second largest in the Pacific. The Importance of Estimating a Sport Fishs Size and Weight, Marlin Expeditions Offers Light-Tackle Paradise in Guatemala. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Light jacket or sweater. In terms of the run up, down or across the bay to reach the fishing grounds, the ride on the pangas seldom took less than 45 minutes and often was an hour or two. Smith believes that the marlin at the Finger Bank are harder to catch on fly than those at Mag Bay. Custom Fly Fishing Panga Package 7 days: $2950/person At The New Island Home, Includes air port transfers, lodging, and meals. One of the most amazing sights at Mag Bay is watching hordes of striped marlin chase schools of Spanish sardines and tinker mackerel to the surface. This is familiar; this pull, this need to clear my line rapidly. A series of barrier Islands form a . You can find a lot of middle-price-point opportunity, and for the West Coast angler, its a lot closer than trekking to the Caribbean. Little has changed over the years in this small fishing village where the main available activities are around the fishing, whale watching and Eco Touring. The marlin pulled me through and over large bait balls, with frigate birds wheeling just overhead.
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