Cabo help

[timdonalds...@gmail.com]

Relatively new to the area and TPFR, but I was hoping to get some advice from anyone who has fished Cabo.  

The girlfriend and I are staying at the Hilton in Cabo for a 5 days in late March.  Looks like that's the beginning of the season for Roosterfish, which is on my all time bucket list of species to target.  I am "allowed" to fish one day, and I am planning on surf casting versus going in a boat.  Will probably get up early to fish sunrise and beat the offshore wind, and then go back out late afternoon/early evening if the day permits.       

I have a 9 wt setup from my San Diego days, and I'm fairly competent with it.  My question is; is it critical to get a guide?  I know it will automatically bump up my odds, but I also enjoy doing research and trying to figure stuff out on my own.  Is it like bonefish where self guiding is next to impossible?  Or like Steelheading where a guide helps but doesn't guarantee success?  Do all the guides in Cabo fish from boats or is there anyone who specializes in surf casting for Roosters?  The Google has been helpful but any first person experience will be greatly appreciated.  

Also, if anyone has any Cabo specific advice please let me know (specific beaches, time of day, flies, places to eat/not eat, etc...).  Thanks,

Tim Donaldson

[Steve F]

The few fly-specific guides in and around Cabo are pretty expensive as guides go.  I took two inexpensive charters, one out of CSL and one out of SJdC, both disappointing.  I caught fish, but none came on the fly and they really didn't know how to cater to the fly.  As for DIY, the surf in and around Cabo can be a killer.  Two trips in the past two years resulting in 8ft surf on the first trip and 10-15ft surf on the second with storms offshore.  You may have better luck in March if you can find some protected water around the Hilton.  A good alternative if you have the time, is to take a day and drive up to Los Barilles or La Ribera.  You can rent a 4x4 for a fraction of the cost of a guide in CSL and the beaches are desolate, calm, and much more friendly to the fly.  

[timdonalds...@gmail.com]

Thanks Steve, great advice.  I'll check out Barilles and Ribera, renting a 4x4 and self guiding sounds like it's right up my alley.  

[Eric Y.]

StripersOnline.com had some threads a while back about fly fishing Cabo. If I recall, it was mostly geared toward fly in the surf and there were a lot of notes of great fishing but terrible riptides and generally dangerous conditions when wading in the surf there. 

[timdonalds...@gmail.com]

Good to know, thanks Eric.  

[Nedak]

When I was investigating fishing in San Diego and potentially northern Mexico, a guide warned me about Mexico enforcing a "visa" requirement to fish off the beach.  He said it was a revenue generation thing and that they confiscate your rod and gear.

Something to research before you go.

[Nedak]

Found it: 

http://www.bajafisherman.com/forum/showthread.php?842-New-visa-requirements-set-for-U-S-anglers-fishing-Mexican-Waters

On Monday, February 24, 2014 4:38:32 PM UTC-5, timdonalds...@gmail.com wrote:

[Lane Smith]

Hi Tim, I actually just got back from Cabo yesterday. The above poster said more or less what I would have though. It is striped Marlin season right now and practically nothing else was running. Their idea of fly fishing was tempting the marlin in with traditional tackle and trolling and then sight casting with fly rod. It was a little bizarre. Cabo's surf is very dangerous. I saw a ton of people surf casting in the morning and evening but not a one had so much as a bite that I observed. The marlin were a couple miles out so that makes sense. I can't imagine surf casting with fly rod there. The waves were brutal around where we stayed at Grand Solmar.

[Dalton Terrell]

Lane, that sounds more awesome than bizarre to me. Did you go out for the Striped Marlin or any other fish while there?

Dalton

[timdonalds...@gmail.com]

Hi Lane, thanks for the info.  From what I can tell the grand Solmar beach faces directly south, I would surmise (hope?) that the beaches further up the eastern coast get hit much less directly with swells, but that might just be wishful thinking.  

Were people surfing near the Grand Solmar?  

[timdonalds...@gmail.com]

Hi Nedak, I read that post on bajafisherman.com about the visas, and it seems solely devoted to boat fishing.  Any idea if it's required for fishing from the beach?  

[Nedak]

Tim

Nothing official. The guide I asked made it seem like it was ANY fishing shore boat kayak. Looks like its $35. Might be worth a call to Mexico embassy. Maybe they could assist.

[Nedak]

Tim. Don't know anything about this guide but might worth a call. http://www.baja-anglers.com/

John

[Brad]

Mexico has required a fishing permit for at least 20 years. It is a law on the books. It is, however, selectively/rarely enforced. But it does give any guy with a badge the excuse to stop you and take your kit. I grew up going down there and fishing and was never asked for it. After the first couple of years trying to get one and being met with various levels of success, we quit trying. You can get them any tourism office. If you go to a local tourism office expect the major run around. Expect puzzled looks. They will often make you fill out the paperwork and then go pay at the bank and then come back. 

Here are the official regulations from CONAPESCA - http://www.conapescasandiego.org/contenido.cfm?cont=regulations

This place says you can get one online, but the system is broken - http://www.bestbajafishing.org/fishing-permits.php

Brad

[Tim Donaldson]

Kind of what I figured. Keep cash on hand in case some local Policia wants a bribe. Reminds me of my gambling trips to TJ. Thanks Brad,

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[Brad]

Remember, have only small bills in your wallet. Don't give them any ideas. I've been shaken down more times than I can count, but only one time did it make me angry. Got a "ticket" for driving the Rhino on the beach in San Carlos (mind you there were like 100 other Rhino's on the beach). $50. Very steep for the typical shakedown. I think the price was set because he could see into my wallet (hence the small bills comment). We were so pissed we immediately drove straight to the beer distributor in said Rhino. Who was there spending our $50 when we got there? You guessed it. Oddly, he got very embarrassed and gave us $20 back. Ah Mexico. Love it.

I also hear from a buddy that goes down there monthly that porn works even better than cash at the typical roadblock shakedowns. When I was a kid, US Coca Cola in cans and ground coffee were better than money. 

On Friday, February 28, 2014 8:17:14 AM UTC-7, Tim Donaldson wrote:

Kind of what I figured. Keep cash on hand in case some local Policia wants a bribe. Reminds me of my gambling trips to TJ. Thanks Brad,

On Friday, February 28, 2014, Brad <br...@gentnergroup.com> wrote:

Mexico has required a fishing permit for at least 20 years. It is a law on the books. It is, however, selectively/rarely enforced. But it does give any guy with a badge the excuse to stop you and take your kit. I grew up going down there and fishing and was never asked for it. After the first couple of years trying to get one and being met with various levels of success, we quit trying. You can get them any tourism office. If you go to a local tourism office expect the major run around. Expect puzzled looks. They will often make you fill out the paperwork and then go pay at the bank and then come back. 

Here are the official regulations from CONAPESCA - http://www.conapescasandiego.org/contenido.cfm?cont=regulations

This place says you can get one online, but the system is broken - http://www.bestbajafishing.org/fishing-permits.php

Brad

On Monday, February 24, 2014 2:38:32 PM UTC-7, timdonalds...@gmail.com wrote:

Relatively new to the area and TPFR, but I was hoping to get some advice from anyone who has fished Cabo.  

The girlfriend and I are staying at the Hilton in Cabo for a 5 days in late March.  Looks like that's the beginning of the season for Roosterfish, which is on my all time bucket list of species to target.  I am "allowed" to fish one day, and I am planning on surf casting versus going in a boat.  Will probably get up early to fish sunrise and beat the offshore wind, and then go back out late afternoon/early evening if the day permits.       

I have a 9 wt setup from my San Diego days, and I'm fairly competent with it.  My question is; is it critical to get a guide?  I know it will automatically bump up my odds, but I also enjoy doing research and trying to figure stuff out on my own.  Is it like bonefish where self guiding is next to impossible?  Or like Steelheading where a guide helps but doesn't guarantee success?  Do all the guides in Cabo fish from boats or is there anyone who specializes in surf casting for Roosters?  The Google has been helpful but any first person experience will be greatly appreciated.  

Also, if anyone has any Cabo specific advice please let me know (specific beaches, time of day, flies, places to eat/not eat, etc...).  Thanks,

Tim Donaldson

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[Brad]

And as a point of clarification the regulations do not require a permit for shore fishing (but they do from any boat including a kayak I've been told). That doesn't mean you won't be shaken down for fishing on the beach...