Too Awesome & Awesome take 1st & 2nd place in the Rancho Leonero Tournament

This tail walking marlin continues the May madness

Barely a football – but any sashimi is good sashimi

Jim and Lynne Merry with Kim and John Plotkin from Denver, Colorado

Captain Adan Ruiz aka “The Adonis” strikes a pose alongside Jose Sandez

Flanked by  beautiful bow riders while on the hunt for tuna

Celebrating the 16th Year of Rancho Leonero’s ‘The Baja Tournament’ May 20, 21, 22, and 23rd. Out of 8 boats fishing we’re proud to share that ‘Too Awesome’ took first place and ‘Awesome’ took second!

Kim Plotkin, owner of ‘Casa del Sol’ in Rancho Leonero, along with her husband John and their friends were the first place winners on board ‘Too Awesome’ with Captain Adan Ruiz. The first day out they caught and released two striped marlin off Punta Colorado, then headed 20 miles offshore to pick up three tuna 15 to 20 pounders on a school of dolphin. The marlin were caught on the bait and switch with lures bringing them in and the marlin devouring ballyhoo which were well tossed and got the action. Things slowed down the second day with Kim’s team picking up and releasing a striped marlin caught very near the shore at the Lighthouse. On “Awesome”, once again it was our well-loved client ‘Lucky Tuna Tim’ Galli along with two friends onboard with Captain Luis Duran. Conversely for ‘Awesome’, the first day started slowly as they caught and released a striper. The second day heated up and Tim and his team caught and released three stripers on ballyhoo the second place win.

The start time for this tournament is the standard 7 am, but providing an interesting competitive and challenging twist is that lines out are at the early time of 2 pm!

It’s always gratifying to help our clients and guests on board to win tournaments. But the best part of this tournament was that raised $3000usd to provide high school scholarship funds for East Cape students through the dedication and hard work of ‘The Guild’ organization. Congratulations to Bruce Borgreve from Ranch Leonero for coordinating this great effort and to everyone who participated.

Chasing Life’s “100 Year Warranty” by Fishing to its Fullest

 At a remarkable 96 years old, Robert Howell is fishing for life’s “100 Year Warranty”

An experienced driver in the fishing chair staring down on a tail walking marlin

Unfurling a beautiful sailfish the final day of fishing

A family farewell on a final day of fishing from Robert Howell and sons Jim and Rob

If you’ve been doubly blessed by a superb gene pool, and if you live your life chasing fish, then perhaps you’ll be able to expect that, as Robert Howell does, you’ll cash in on life’s ’100 Year Warranty’! At 96 years old, he’s just 4 years shy of pulling down on the big centenarian gold ribbon of life. In the meantime, he’s living it to its fishing fullest. Following a 25-year long spring time tradition of fishing in Baja’s abundant East Cape, Robert and his two sons, Rob and Jim, all from Denver, Colorado, have just finished five stellar days aboard ‘Awesome’ with Captains Luis in the Bridge and Adan on the deck. Collectively they saw fit to make us proud each day as they came to the shore with flags flying high. First day out, Robert caught a marlin(!) – by himself, with a wee bit of help to manage the release; then added a dorado to boot. Second day, just to up the game, they looked for a more elusive fish and Robert then caught himself a wahoo in the trench off the sand dunes south of Frailes (and our 6th wahoo in the past two weeks!) Then he made sure he’d have plenty of dodo in the cooler for the summertime BarB in the Mile High City and finished off the week with our first sailfish of the season.

Each day ‘Sr. Roberto’ wears a neatly tucked white button down long-sleeved fly fisherman’s shirt, coupled with long khaki pants, shoes and socks. He has a gentlemanly air about himself and he’s spry and shockingly agile – during the five morning and afternoon shore boat loadings onto the ‘Weesome’, he never so much as got his feet wet. Likely more gangly now than he was in his youth, his long legs and long arms bear witness to what must have been a solid, muscular frame. for sun protection.

After fishing out of Punta Colorada for 25 years, it was an emotional and reluctant transition when the remote hotel was shuttered. Further, Robert’s sons Rob and Jim knew their father loved the wide open space and accommodating fishing platform they had found aboard the 12-1/2 foot beamed Island Hopper that worked from Punta Colorado. Moving over to Los Barriles and into the heart of the East Cape, the sons were determined to find another boat like the one they had enjoyed. They found the ‘Awesome’ and immediately knew with Captain Luis Duran in the bridge they’d found their new team. We’re so pleased and proud that they did and we hope to be here to help Robert cash in on that 100 year warranty.

 

Honeymoon Marlin Mania!

A sunrise morning aboard Too Awesome, the honeymooners start with dolphins on the bow

Fiona’s shouting “Let’s GO, let’s GO, put the hammer down Capitan Adan, marlin are waiting!”

Seriously. There were marlin flying everywhere – hooked up or not hooked up!

Woohoo– we’re hooked up! New Uncle Daniel inspires nephew Owen.

Aspen grew up visiting her Grandma Helen in Los Barriles, but its Daniel’s first time to Baja and now his first Marlin! A quick pic then back in the water.

April’s an old hand at the hook up, but the fourth marlin gave the girl’s a heck of a fight!

Team Awesome is all hands on deck “Need any help with the release, Captain Luis?”

Say Marlin Mania!

Friday was marlin mania off the Lighthouse and Cabo Pulmo. There were marlin flying through the air that were hooked up to boats, marlin flying through the air that were not hooked up to boats – everywhere you looked, it was marlin marlin marlin. And for ‘Too Awesome’, it was an Awesome family day with newlyweds on board and joined by their extended family. New groom and first time marlin fisherman Daniel Sykes, 26, from Bullhead City, Arizona was ecstatic to catch the first of four released marlin. Brother-in-law Brady Blackmer, 30, from Fruita, Colorado had to hold on for a ride as a monster 200-pound striper ripped line and stayed at bay for almost 45 minutes. A successful release then saw Father-in-law Ray LeBlanc, 63 from Hemet, California hook up for the marlin acrobat show of the day. The fourth marlin, another monster gave the ladies a go, with bride Aspen Sykes, 25, taking the first turn, mother Darlene LeBlanc, 61, up second, sister April Blackmer, 31, on third and finally brought to the boat and released by Charlie Blackmer, 25 of Grand Junction, Colorado. Captains Adan Ruiz and Luis Duran make the day seem like a walk in the park, and created an incredible fishing honeymoon for the couple who just walked down the wedding aisle.

Having this much fun before noon, the group then cruised into the Bay at Frailles south of Cabo Pulmo for snorkeling, swimming and an onboard lunch feast. The Sea of Cortez lived up to its reputation as ‘The World’s Aquarium’ today!

“Overboard with My Marlin” aka Guy Harvey is my hero

Call her ‘Girl Harvey’ as Theresa’s overboard with a marlin.

Safely managing the marlin near the boat before Theresa splashes in!

A cooperative dorado, then sadly gaffed onto the boat.

Diving in and dooooowwwwwn offshore with a pod of dolphin!

Reprinted here from a past season. Long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to do it. My curiosity about what’s happening under there is so intense that I simply must slip overboard into the endless deep blue sea and swim with game fish. I remember once, likely eight years ago, the first time I tried. We were on a wide open dorado bite, far enough away from land that the Baja was gone from sight. The motor was off and the anglers were having their way with a fury of goldbluegreen flashing dorado and the fish bag was bulging. With my Captain’s attentions occupied, I discreetly grabbed my fins, mask and snorkel. I went unnoticed as I quietly put one leg over the stern of the boat with a tip toe taking my weight on the swim platform. Perfect. I was sneaking out of the boat when hands the size of a steering wheel simply lifted me up, over, and back onto the deck as if I was a hapless bait fish. “No way, Thedesa, you not going in the agua. NO.” And this big, strong Captain of mine simply put an end to it. Since then, my desire to know, to see these fish swimming in their natural habitat has simply grown stronger.

My inspiration comes from my hero, Guy Harvey. If you’ve ever seen a sport fishing magazine, you’ve seen Guy Harvey. Celebrating 30 years of publishing, Marlin Magazine chose to use one of his paintings on the cover. Probably half of the ubiquitous open collared shirts most fishermen wear to dinner are a reflection of his artistic adaptation of game fish, as beautiful and magnificent as any of earth’s creatures. He’s my hero and I knew he must be going overboard to experience his models close up, first hand, in living color. Me too, me too, me too. And so…

With a more obliging crew that call me ‘Sirena’ (mermaid) because of my love of shore swimming and especially snorkeling and diving, last March was the first time I went overboard. We were offshore on a fast moving, endless school of flying mobulas, the manta rays that are so dense in population they create huge black clouds on the surface that are acres in size. Then in July on a flat calm Sunday morning we were slow trolling bridled bait in the East Cape’s bread basket a few miles offshore when a huge school of dolphin appeared portside. I squealed in delight and threw up my arms, pleading – now, now? Of course Captain Luis knew I wanted to get in, and high up in the bridge I saw his lips say ‘Porque no?” and splash I was in the water in a millisecond. Donning loooooooong dive fins and strong from a summer of swimming I tore across the surface mid-school. Under the surface it was a symphony of dolphin song  – I simply will never forget the sound of their calling and the site of dolphin everywhere, below, to the sides, out front. In the water in July, you can actually see 100 to 150 feet deep. Dolphin  are 8 – 10 feet long and at times they are so deep they appear pin sized. They move like missiles, silver streaks so damn fast first they’re there, then not. The school was full of babies and they collectively kept moving so fast they were streaming by. No way could I keep up, so as I dove down hard and fast, maybe 20 feet deep and bam – they stopped. Six big dolphin and 3 babies schooled around and made circle after tight circle around me – that was it! I needed to really get in and get down. Out of breath as I hit the surface I saw Luis was watching me and pointing and laughing as he could see them circling me. Holy deep blue sea, I thought, call me ‘Girl Harvey’!

Swimming with game fish was my goal and game fish were everywhere in November. I channeled my best ‘Girl’ Harvey personae and knew I was going to get in with a marlin. We were off the Lighthouse when we hooked up; I actually fought this fish and handed it off in the last few minutes to grab my gear, and a camera. Our strategy was to bring the marlin up on the stern for pictures, and then I would be poised when Luis and Adan eased the fish back into the water. It couldn’t have been better – when the fish was gently lowered in, there we were, with one of his big eyes looking straight into mine. No hook, no line, just a huge happy marlin back in the water making its way back to the deep blue. I was snapping pictures as fast as I could and wishing this wayfarer all the luck as he descended.

I was ecstatic. My husband, crew and friends too were thrilled and as soon as my wet feet hit the deck I was shouting ‘Dorado next!’ Favor was with us and as we wet the lure – bang – hook up! The question was how to keep from getting too close to the line, so I stayed closer to the boat as Adan lead the fish around. The 35-pound bull was calm, the hook just at the side of his mouth and the lure creating even more color on this adrenaline soaked, lit up fish. Everyone on board indulging me, we swam together for about ten minutes. I remain impressed with how unperturbed fish are by my presence; he would swim right to me and only be directed away by Adan. I peaked above the surface and realized the saddest part of the day was upon me. This obliging fish, that I had been so thrilled to swim with, was now going to be gaffed. I didn’t like this at all; from the water I asked them to release him – please please, he’s beautiful, he’s been marvelous with me, please, please. They were aghast at my question – NO WAY, he’s coming in the boat, and with deadly precision he was lanced and hauled from the water.

Another day, another dorado. This time I’m accompanied by my blonde goddess girlfriend Kym Meehan, a beautiful mermaid. Now I could photograph her with the fish, swimming together. The experience of watching the two of them interact, reaching together, separating, was incredible. Pleading for mercy found no sympathy, and the dorados that day again came on board.

I want to swim with more marlin. I definitely want to swim with big tuna. But before the warm waters return and bring more ‘Girl Harvey’ experiences, the whales are on their way and I’m getting in.