The thing about doing nothing is you never get done....

I took this picture of my friend Ramon out at Oceanica the other morning.   It really captures the contrasts that is surf fishing...we're all together but really alone, we're out of town for a while and even though we see it like here and even when we don't we know it's there, you have to go back. Every morning we're the first to see the sun and the hope, the newness that each sunrise brings. And of course the fish, that's the trick....every day is going to be 'that' day when we start, sometimes it is, lots of time it isn't. I love it.

But don't get the idea that all I do is fish, I mean we have projects to ya know. The other day we had the opportunity to see one of the worlds finest sailing vessels and we took it, in fact we were the first gringos there. I'm not going to say anything about the politics of this deal but I will say this...the world needs a little conscious now and then...it's kinda like me and my music, we do our best work when somebody is watching.

 

And lucky for us that they moored the boat right next to my favorite hike back into town. We gain 500 feet of elevation with stunning surf and city views. I never get tired of this area that drops off into the Olas Altas area of Mazatlan, the area that started it all for North Americans back in the 1950's. I'm not sure of the connection, maybe there isn't any and it's just fun but along the way we found Van Cliburn for a duet. Behind me you can see the city, the vistas that have become our 2nd home.

 

I know, I know, cut it with the 'happy wife , happy life' stuff and give us a fishing report. Right? Well....mmm....It was unbelievable, no kidding ( always be wary of that story that starts with 'this is no b.s.' ) but this is not b.s......Me and Ern were fishing the rocks at Sabalo point across the harbor from here yesterday morning. I just love fishing the rocks because it's mother nature amplified. And it's a little dangerous as you watch your footing and only with fairly flat seas do venture out where you could get washed into the ol briney. Even though we're both there for each other if you ended up in it I kinda have the feeling there'd be no getting out, at least alive. Here's a couple pics. One is how it looks where I stood casting and the other is Ern and the hillside we traverse, in the background is the old Faro resort which is deserted now. The place is so picturesque that it's a shame, but its closed up and that makes it just easier for us to go fishing.

But what happens was this....after casting and casting we work our way back and on that outcropping you see right in front of Ern he yells at me...."Jeff, Jeff, roosterfish ! wow, I look over and a rooster has chased a mullet (lisa) right onto the rocks. I run out as fast as I dared and cast my Ranger lure but when this fish is so focused on the bait he doesn't see anything else but that. I look down and the Lisa is laying there on the rocks, he's jumped out of the water high and dry to avoid being a meal. I don't have a bare hook handy so it takes me a minute to get the siwash off my Ranger and I hook the Lisa by the lip and let him swim away....it's brilliant, it's real bait, it's the best way to catch them....and it doesn't work. This mullet is impressive, it's what we call a 'macho' and I actually should have taken it home for supper. My friend Billy Carter says they're good 'when you cook em just right'. Kinda like our hooligan I suppose. That would be a 3 ounce Ranger to give you perspective.

It's driving me nuts. The water is warm and theres roosterfish around. I see them daily and I can't catch one. I really don't know whats going on but I think we're mostly seeing singles and like I said when they chase bait they're so focused that they need more roosters around to create that competition for the bite that I need on the end of my line, soon.  But I did manage this nice perfect eating size Robalo the other day. We took it to our favorite restaurant where they fry it 'entero'. I have him perfectly cleaned and scaled and the skin ends up so deliciously crunchy. And because we brought the protein it's a pretty inexpensive supper...but of course we made up for that with a couple extra Pacifico's and Margarita's. I guess it's something I learned years ago...when you get a good deal, buy more !

This next week is a big one for team X. The flat tide cycle has run it's course and the water seems to be cooling a bit so things might be in our favor for a good Corvina day or two. And, I've casted the paint off one Ranger Lure already so I figure it's simple math....I'm due for a rooster any day now. I hope you come back to see....