Talk about a summer debut!
During the next five weeks, Baja Norte will host four events on both the West Coast and in the upper Sea of Cortez. Reviewing recent glowing fishing reports from Bahia de Los Angeles, San Quintin, and Ensenada, it appears that the timing seems to be almost ideal for each location.
The first event is the Fourth Annual Padre Lucas Fishing Tournament, June 27-28-29 at Bahia de Los Angeles – an easy day’s drive down from the border – a popular go-to spot for decades that has a reputation for mossback yellows with an attitude. Famous for a perennial spring and early summer bite in May, June and July, it has become a favorite for many California trailer boat anglers looking for a sportfishing tune up ... a great opportunity to fish beneath cloudless skies and blazing sun to shake off the familiar spring West Coast gloom.
To give you some idea of size fish that BOLA offers, according to Vagabundos Del Mar Mexico Boat and Travel Club Ambassador and Tournament director Jay Hammer, the winning fish last year was caught by Bob Parrott and definitely qualified as a mossback at 48.28-pounds. That topped the preceding year’s winner by one pound. Awards include Grand Champion (largest yellowtail + largest other sport fish) plus six awards each of the three days.
The second event is the 12th annual Don Eddie's 4th of July fishing tournament headquartered at Don Eddie’s Hotel & RV Park, San Quintin. This one offers Baja flavor along with great fishing, fish tacos, wonderful fun and a contest to boot.
Arrive Thurs. or Fri. (July 5 or 6) in San Quintin, (approximately five hours drive from the border), register for the tournament, party and dinner. Tournament Fishing is on Sat., July 7, with prizes, dinner and dancing that night. Sponsors are Western Outdoor News, Tecate Beer, Turners Outdoors, West Marine and Squidco. Their invitation reads, “We would love to have you join us. RSVP to Tournament Chair Bev Hawley-Martin at loansbybev@gmail.com. Boats and trusted captains are easily arranged. All have been pre-approved by Don Eddie himself.”
Then it’s back at Bahia de Los Angeles for the third event on July 14, the second of the Baja California Copa Gobernador Torneo International de Pesca series at BoLA, offering cash prizes for the largest bottom and surface sport fish caught during the one-day event.
WON/YAMAHA Hotel Coral and Marina Saltwater Championship, Ensenada, July 27-28.
Yellowtail and Tuna Inshore or Offshore in Ensenada highlight the fourth event. Conditions could be “just right,” since the yellows are already showing and conditions are prime for a great tuna season as the WON/Yamaha Hotel Coral and Marina Saltwater Championship nears.
Scheduled for July 27-28, the heart of the tuna and yellowtail season, the event will focus on those species in two divisions.
Entry fee: $100-$120 a person, two-man teams and larger. All boat passengers must be a team member. No exceptions. Early bird deadline is noon, July 25.
Cost to enter either will be the early bird fee of $100 per angler (the fee is $120 after July 25 which must be paid on-site in cash). Fee includes hat, shirt, carne buffet at awards and payback monies including the $1,000 Yamaha big fish award for biggest tuna or yellowtail plus tickets to drawings at both the captains’ meeting and awards, and pay downs to fifth place in both divisions.
Schedule: Check-in Fri., July 27, noon to 5:30 p.m. Seaguar Captains’ Meeting 5 to 7 p.m.; teams released at end of captains’ meeting.
Weigh-in: Saturday, 3-6 p.m.
Yamaha Awards Party and casual carne asada taco buffet, prizes, drawings at 7 p.m. or as soon as results are tabulated.
Format: Two divisions (yellowtail, tuna). Top weight of three fish. Pay downs to third in each division. Optionals are $100, $200 and $300, cash only. Six optionals total 80 percent payback.
Contact: Pat McDonell, Director (949) 366-0030, ext 33 or pat@wonews.com. To download the entry form CLICK HERE and mail in, or to sign up online via credit card CLICK HERE. Optional pay-ins are cash only, at check-in. There are 35 rooms at the Coral reserved for the event. If you don’t say you are with the tournament, you will be told the hotel is booked, so mention it. For hotel reservations, call the Hotel Coral 1 (800) 862-9020, the marina at 1 (866) 302-0066; from Mexico, call 01-800-026-3100. Website is www.hotelcoral.com.
According to the organizers, response for all of the events is the best it has been in several years. Hopefully, the recent promising reports on both side of the northern Baja peninsula will continue and all of the events will produce some spectacular catches.
DURING THE NEXT five weeks, Baja Norte will host four events on both the West Coast and in the upper Sea of Cortez.
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