YELLOWTAIL OF 39 POUNDS REPORTED AT PUNTA CHIVATO

Dec. 30, 2005, Rick Barber, Mulege, Mexico Sportfishing Report:

Happy New Year to everyone from Mulege. I hope Santa brought you lots of "toys" that you can use here or at another of your favorite haunts. It's a great time of year when the weather is calm. Mulege fishing water is in the mid to low 60's and is very clear.

Sportfishing at Mulege during last two weeks of this year was just about average for the area and this time of year.

When anglers went out, they caught fish. When the winds kept them in, they swapped lies and sharpened hooks!

Marty Robison, one of the Mulege regulars mentioned in this column, went out fishing quite a few times during the past few weeks and he rarely got skunked. On his latest trip, Marty, his son-in-law George Azze, his grandson Jorge Azze and Marty's buddy Manuel were on the boat. There seems to be a big discrepancy as to who caught the fish but they brought back a 39 pound yellowtail. Marty was fishing east of Punta Chivato rocks when they boated the 'tail. They also caught a 12 pound cabrilla. Marty, I keep telling you, if it has a square tail, it's a leopard grouper. Cabrilla have a rounded tail! Marty's not stubborn, he's VERY stubborn! He is also a very special and generous friend.

Jim Keller was out fishing again this week and headed for Punta Concepcion and "The Mine." Prior to Jim's arrival in Mulege, we exchanged numerous e-mail messages and he brought some of the tackle I suggested. After his latest trip, he thanked me profusely for recommending the broken-back Rebel lures. He is fast becoming a real master of Mulege fishing and is sharing his newly learned information with others. Jim is regularly scoring on leopard grouper, sierra, triggerfish and other critters from the area. I recommended upsizing the hooks on the lures and he found that it was a good suggestion and does not adversely affect the lure's action.

All of the local Mulege sportfishing guides have been scoring on yellowtail primarily, but a lot of grouper and sierra are also finding their way into ice chests.

The yellowtail are in the 30's and the grouper are up to the mid-20's with the average being 10-12 pounds.

Alejandro took a diving group out to Isla Santa Inez last Tuesday but he blew his motor. I happened to be in the area but he had called Gringo for assistance before I knew he was in trouble. I went into Concepcion Bay in the morning for a photo shoot but took some rods along "just in case". About all I did was wash the dust off the lures but it was a thoroughly enjoyable day albeit a bit lumpy for an hour or two around noon.

My Mulege neighbor Dennis went out fishing at Punta Concepcion on Wednesday and brought back a half dozen or so of what he called green jacks. My father-in-law said they were "Toros." I have no idea what they were but they sure seemed to be in the jack family. Dennis said they were lots of fun to catch and dad cleaned them but I don't know if it was to eat or use as bait for triggerfish. More research is needed!

Well, that just about puts a wrap on 2005. I would again like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year and remember to keep your worm wet!

(See "Mexico Fishing News" online for current fishing reports, photos, weather, and water temperatures from Mulege and other major Mexican sportfishing areas. Vacation travel articles, fishing maps and seasonal calendars, and fishing related information for Mulege may be found at Mexfish.com's main Mulege page.