MAGDALENA BAY WHALES (Puerto San Carlos) - Tripadvisor 3. Other than whale-watching, sportfishing is what sets Mag Bay apart. An anglers skill set and a sense of adventure still has to be there. Its not an easy task to release a 60 lbs wahoofrom a popper on a spinning rod. I never fished Mag Bay, but I want to soon. From Cabo, its an 18-hour trip at a fuel-saving 9 knots. The ridges, peaks, banks, and underwater structure outside of Magdalena Bay offer some of the richest fishing grounds in the world. It has moved onto the next stages, where perhaps more balance can be found with each fishermans son or daughter finding opportunity in new industries that are well-managed and well-regulated. It is a type of fishing like you have never seen before. ADIOS LA PAZ CARNAVALE 2018! Those who know me, know that fishing is my life. The plan was to run up beyond the feeding marlin and cast a live bait into the fray. Check with locals or hire one of the guides on the bay to take you to the current hot spot or species. (more). Guided Panga, includes fly fishing guide all fishing equipment, bait, lunch and water. When the bite is on, Shafer will run the boat up from Cabo San Lucas, while Smith flies from his home in Florida to Cabo, then drives six hours to Puerto San Carlos where a local guide will ferry him out to the boat. About. We can customize your trip to include both mangrove and blue water days. Flyfishers will come to have a deep love and appreciation for Magdalena Bay, but not for the reasons we normally expect from a fishery. Contact Jimmy Camacho from Jimmys Sportfishing. Video by Spencer Millsap. The conditions of your booking with us still allow penalty-free cancellations and There is only one hotel for Magdalena Bay. February 2022 Baja Fishing Report - Discover Baja Travel Club Required fields are marked *. Your staff could not have been nicer, the fishing was insane, and the captains were amazing. 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. 2. Copyright 2017 - bajaflyfish.com - All Rights Reserved. The sardine run is going to be extinct at this rate. MagBay Sportfishing Charters in Baja, California, Mexico. By 3 p.m., seas were sporty and building. Get over here! We werent fishing, but were chasing birds and bait instead. Day 1 - The tour departs at 6am from our office in the Cabo San Lucas Marina. About. Or normally out of the bay? No one just stumbles onto Magdalena Bay, unless they are cruising from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and can spend a few days fishing along the way. I took it all in from a little plastic boat that weighs considerably less than I do, while rushing over the surface with no evident means of propulsion. This author does not have any more posts. If you are coming from a cruise ship we meet you at the Loreto Marina. Jimmy is the guy! Incredible Striped Marlin Action in Magdalena Bay, Mexico. the Magdalena Bay offshore striped marlin show continued into January, much to the amazement of the locals. For more details on trip rules, cancellation and travel insurance visit our KNOW BEFORE YOU GO page. Difficult as this adventure might seem, you can catch more striped marlin in a week here than you can in a half-dozen seasons in Southern California. . There is nowhere else like it on Earthyou just have to figure out how to get there. Landing this exotic and surprising prize opened our imaginations. All camping equipment. But it is also the common name of the greater environment that surrounds it, including a series of massive barrier islands with their own bays and an active offshore ecosystem. Other times, there was a guy on the bow with a spinning rod, throwing some kind of lurehe also was hooking up regularly. As you get closer, you can spot the marlins fins slicing the surface. In other circumstances, I might have thought it was a good time to return to the panga, but I was having such a blast and had gotten so used to climbing up the swells and skating back down that I hardly gave the conditions a second thought. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. 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. Dorado, Tuna, Sailfish, Marlin, and even Wahoo likely on the Fly Additional non-fishing guests may also be added to your room. Depending on seas, etc its a little tricky to sport fish from a panga in those areas getting out in time and back. The productive and healthy marine environment is an anglers dream come true! These static bait balls provided the best photo opportunities. Bathroom and snack stop along the way. 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. This experience leads to an appreciation that goes beyond the norm, beyond expectation, and certainly beyond fishing trip.. 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. Its a place for the most curious and adventurous people to be at. Smith prefers tube flies with a single barbless hook: When the fish runs, the tube fly slides up the line, so there is a good chance to get it back when the fish is released or breaks off. What I found very interesting was that as I was swimming after the now-disappeared commotion, several striped marlin would come up to the surface and swim next to me. "Get in! Often there will be a half-dozen boats circling one bait ball. Swimming with the fishes in Baja By John Huber Photos by Nick Price. . Hi, no Wahoo never come inside the bay. Reels spin loudly to the tune of unknown breakoffs and the occasional Spanish Mackerel. Each morning, we would meet the guide and run across the bay in the panga, where we then met a boat trailer ferry to take us over land and across the peninsula to the Pacific, which saved us hours of running time. As mentioned, the main predators of the sardine include the Striped Marlin, sea lions and occasionally whales, which work as a team to corner and push the bait balls to the surface from the depth of the sea, a situation that takes advantage of the earwigs, pelicans and seagulls that attack from outside by launching themselves like rockets on sardines as part of the food chain. You can select from a day tour (US$450 per boat for five hours of whale . We all know that fishing in Mag Bay is world class. Id try to follow but had no chance to catch them unless they turned back our way. The dorado . These four books will tide you over on the days you can't be on the water, At 88, Ed Darwin has spent decades mastering his local waters of Chesapeake Bay, 2023 Active Interest Media All Rights Reserved. I just want to go on a cheap $350 a day type of panga (ex: like in San Quintin, La Paz, etc). The central Baja region is home to Wahoo, Yellowfish tuna, Wahoo, and Dorado. Eventually, the marlin would tire of the diver/sea lion combination and leave the area. Smith designed the boat specifically for long-range trips: 2,300 gallons of fuel, two generators, two watermakers, and backups for pretty much everything. Then the sleigh ride began. Within a couple of minutes of hopping into the kayak, a savage strike had ripped line from the spool. The next morning, we ran 55 miles south in Enrique's panga to the estero that I believed to be Hoctor's spot. length:7.25m/23 feet 8 inches - width 1.78m/ 5 feet 8 inches weight 1500 lbs / Made from Fiberglass. Flies are cast in the general direction of these rocks while the outgoing tide makes a massive rip a half-mile wide. Casting anything you want all day long and hooking wahoo, giant tuna, dorado, marlin one after another on every cast. The sight of multiple tall dorsal fins cutting through bait schools is enough to get any anglers heart racing. Most panga fleets participate throughout the whale watching season (which usually lasts into April) at San Ignacio Lagoon and Magdalena BayLopez Mateos and Puerto San Carlos. Answer 1 of 4: Hi all, I'm going to try and keep up with an on-the-go TR for our 9 night journey through Baja Sur; helps to keep the details fresh and gives me something useful to do when I wake up before the crack of dawn. Our stay at Magdalena Bay was both exciting and educational, but there was still more to come on this trip. Next year, Im going to track down the center-console guys and book a few days of fishing to go along with the diving. FishingBooker.com. What makes the Magdalena Bay offshore fishing so astonishing is a convergence of conditions that occur in the fall. These are commercial fishing villages, where local knowledge is passed down from father to son. We're hoping to fish for Wahoo. For two days we take turns fishing this bite and entering the marlins underwater world. Captain Aldo Atonto tells us the fish will be up within the hour. There were marlin everywhere, not just on the bait balls. We work in partnership with ex-fishermen panga captains who turned to eco-experiences and have the knowledge and network to absolutely maximize your experience here. Ramon . In the afternoons we still found the bait balls, but they were smaller and probably tired. Magdalena Bay Whales - Your Adventure Our Passion . 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. Mag Bay is offers super size fish options. But know this: If youre thinking of just rolling down to DIY the bay, make sure you are highly competent in a boat. One month too long? - Loreto Forum - Tripadvisor The following day, a strong tide is rapidly dumping out of the river were fishing, exposing a sandy beach. The Magic of Magdalena Bay - an amazing place in Baja California Sur Magdalena Bay, Baja Mexico Kayak Fishing Adventure > Events Sea of Cortez - Mexico - SAN What to target, and where, within the greater Mag Bay system, are decisions that might leave anglers second-guessing over a vast expanse of quiet water. How many fisheries in the offshore world allow you to first experience the angling, then immerse yourself in the water with your quarry? Our 24 ft panga is for 2 anglers is $400 per day. Fast and very furious: Doubleheaders and even triple and quadruple hookups are the norm when striped marlin are actively feeding on bait balls near the surface. That's our story! Hands down, it is my absolute favorite fishing destination and the crew, boats, and service provided just make it so much fun. Staying suspended in their time and place. Cancn's up there somewhere. As I get closer, the bluewater world comes into focus. And yes, the snook is too big to fit between the roots.. Ive been in the flyfishing industry my entire adult life, and I dont approach fish with trepidation. At this moment the sardines move from one place to another trying to survive and it is the moment when they start trolling in our boats with quality equipment, for this reason we must be very attentive and prepared to live the moment they are hooked in the trolls and a power struggle begins between the Fish and the lovers of sport fishing, these are the last minutes or hours of life of the fight of the King of the Pacific "El Marlin", the dorado or another fish that will touch you witness live. I hop on a boat, shoot out in the morning, flip some baits around the red rooster III who just got there from a 3 day run. With options to fish in the Bay, inshore and offshore, you'll be sure to have an amazing time fishing Mag bay. These places in the bluewater world are teaming with life, and they showcase the dance on a daily basis between apex predators like billfish, sea lions, and anglers. Check out our videos just to see a trip or two when the cameras were rolling. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Its all about getting there in this case, to Thetis Bank, about 30 miles off the northern part of Mag Bay. Boat Specs - Success Sport Fishing | Fishing, Spearfishing, and Surfing Trips . Catches Likely: Marlin, tuna, roosterfish, golden trevalle, pargo, snook, wahoo, dorado, bonita, jacks, and more. The bay is obviously full of fish. MAGDALENA BAY, Mexico Just off the bow of our 22-foot open boat what Baja fishermen call a "panga" a whale spout erupts with an adrenalin-spiking "fwooosh." . Magdalena Bay Whale Watching Tours from Loreto. Our Mag Bay yacht charters are luxurious, affordable, and have all the amenities to fit your budget. In Mexico's stunning Magdalena Bay, humans and whales meet up Magdalena Bay | Travel Blog So we hop out of the panga and begin casting a variety of sinking lines and Clousers into colliding currents. 1). La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico. The bite for three hours was as hot as it gets for three anglers fishing a seamount 75 miles off Costa Rica. All rights reserved. On the other side of the islands, some of the most productive banks provide world-class fishing of pelagic species in large quantities, where each year in November, a natural phenomenon known as the Marlin run gathers in large numbers. 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. It quickly became evident that in Mag Bay, everything is far away. But there is more to Magdalena Bay than the sardine run. Gathering my thoughts and my breath, I start to move, swimming toward a grey shadow. Infante stuck a Daiwa Saltiga lever-drag reel in my face. 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. 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. full service galley A/C. Roosters are notorious for reluctantly coming to within landing distance of the beach or panga, only to run again - sometimes stripping as much as 300 yards of backing from the reel. Mag Bay Lodge is one of the few operations in the area that caters to anglers. Bluewater in front of the bay holds striped marlin shredding bait and the occasional leader with their bills. Grey Whale Watching Tours Baja California Sur 3 Days Fishing Pro Cat 36 5 Nights Lodge, 3 Days Fishing Cape Horn 28 5 Nights Lodge. Kids: $200.00 $179.00. View map . Is family owned & Operated "Proudly Creating Life-Long Memories" for morethan 23,000 people in the past 32 plus years .You will have the privilege to embark on a interactive adventure through the majestic ever glade waters of " Magdalena Bay" with father Crispin (Whale King) or one . Magdalena Bay is a gorgeous place to visit just for the pristine beauty, mangroves and giant sand dunes of the outer islands. Great, I think to myself. Magdalena Bay Bajas last frontier Part 1 - Magdalena Bay - BD 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. The Lodge at Mag Bay offers a truly extraordinary experience. They claim that they could have caught more, but everyone got tired of rigging up flies! A chain of islands that serve as a barrier protect the bay from the . Custom Fly Fishing Panga Package 7 days: $2950/person At The New Island Home. Trip Itinerary. Please call for a quote. A series of barrier Islands form a complex of inter connected bays and mangrove channels that extends two hundred miles, north and South along the central coast of Southern Baja. Seattle Times travel & outdoors editor. Dinners are not included as there are now more options to eat in town. With such a vast area, and countless species, time typically becomes a limiting factor more so than lack of fish. 4 nights of lodging in Costa Baja Resort. Panga (Boat) Price: $595 for the whole day, price will include up to 6 adults. Magdalena Bay and Lopez Mateos - Baja Flyfishing Company This is familiar; this pull, this need to clear my line rapidly. Guided Beach, includes fly fishing guide, UTV rental, all fly fishing equipment and lunch: $575. We build custom fly and light-tackle fishing packages that suit your plans, and your . Around 12:00 noon we arrive in the small fishing town of Lopez Mateos, check-in to the hotel and get ready for an afternoon of whale . 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.. Mag Bay Lodge is one of the few operations in the area that caters to anglers. Fishing Expeditions | La Paz | Baja Sur Mexico | BACo. 4-day fishing adventure in Quepos Costa Rica. . following conditions are met: According to customer reviews, some of the most popular fishing charters in Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur are: 2023 FishingBooker.com. How To Choose The Right Propellers For Your Outboard Engines. Tour will start at approx 7:30-7:45am . Thirty minutes later and its the post-release chatter, all high fives, and back slaps. Published August 28, 2017. If you just want grouper, yellowtail and those type fish then pangas are no problem. But we had a great morning with yellowfin tuna small to maybe 20 pounds and skipjack. Copyright 2023 Marlin Magazine. We will match the rate of the other deal if the We spotted the frigate birds working the surface; when we got close, we could see the marlin in hot pursuit. 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. The engine that moved my kayak at several knots (enough to leave a wake) was a large striped marlin to which I was tethered with 50-pound braid and a 6/0 circle hook embedded securely in the corner of the fishs mouth. package offer, etc.). That begs some explanation. I caught sight of motion in the impossibly clear, cobalt water beneath the kayak, my eyes drawn to flashing pectoral fins and tails edged in electric cyan. https://magbaylodge.com/ . The fear is gone in an instant. Offshore 25 miles, the wind picks up and I hear it mix with the country music coming from our little travel speaker. Our globe-trotting correspondent discovers big striped marlin and plenty more in the Galpagos. If even one of the four people in this panga had ever flyfished for marlin before, I would feel better. Fishing Magnificent Mag Bay - Anglers Journal - A Fishing Life Call or email us for pricing on other customized options. Ricardo Villegas shows us the rocky point on the north side of the boca (Spanish for mouth of the bay). 5) Clients board the kayaks at the fishing grounds with full bait tank. It is one of the longest bays, it is considered the second largest in the Pacific. Close to 100 miles of mangrove-lined channels and shoreline encircle the area, and where the mangroves stop, the desert takes over. Roosterfish - The Reel Baja Mag Bay is almost the same size as San Francisco Bay. Incredible Striped Marlin Action in Magdalena Bay, Mexico In the smaller boat, we could run ahead of the bait/bird/marlin frenzy and hop into the water. Magdalena Bay Properties; Fishing Calendar; Booking Calendar; Contact Us; SPA; ADVENTURES; YACHT SERVICES; LOCATED IN SMALL FISHING VILLAGE OF LOPEZ MATEOS AND LORETO "Olivia" 22 LA PAZ PANGA . It feels like the curiosity is mutual. 2-day Magdalena Bay Gray Whale Van Tour A half-dozen marlin were below, attacking the bait within a few feet of our group. JavaScript is disabled. There is no dependable water source in the region, which has greatly restricted development; there are also no big-boat marinas, very few hotels and a minimal supply of reliable fuel. . The Best Snorkeling Experience in Magdalena Bay - Magdalena Bay A surreal feeling begins setting in as the soft light of evening meets the low slack tide. We know the longe range San Diego boats make it a destination for the 8+ day trips, they often make bait right outside of San Carlos on Isla Magdalena as well. It feels like the curiosity is mutual. Search top fishing charters in Magdalena Bay. Be Sure to Check Out MAG BAY LURES with MAG BAY LODGE which is where we stayed and who organized this whole beautiful trip for us! At Cabo San Lucas, the phenomenal billfish bite remains the highlight. $1000 for a Cape Horn 27 and $1,750 for a Pro Cat 37. If we can't match the rate of the other deal because one of the above conditions is 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. . 1-2 Day Whale Watching Tours Magdalena Bay - Sea Kayak Adventures Nick answers my next question in the affirmative: Yes, John, thats a coyote trying to drag a giant snook into the mangroves. Bahia Santa Maria and Magdalena Bay - MV Miss Miranda Boulevard marina esquina marlin 1 lote C9 Col. Centro Cabo San Lucas B.C.S Mexico 23450, The Most Popular Water Sports That You Must Try Once. :). Ive battled big tarpon, but this is new, and different, and on this morning the unknown has gotten to me. We work closely with a group of local panga drivers who know these waters like the back of their hands.