I might have more friends here in Mazatlan than I do in either Montana or at Mile 14. You see I left Montana and ever sense 1996 when we bought the property the summers are so work intense that I just haven't had time for more than all my boat launch and river friends. So it was with great surprise and I was so grateful when this guy here came up to me while fishing and asked " are you Jeff " ?
He is Juan Mendoza and his dad Jimmy was my first friend here in Mazatlan. In the early 2000's we could only stay a short time and were at the Mayan Palace with a timeshare exchange. Jimmy sold fishing trips there and of course I bought them. Jimmy taught me a lot about fishing and we had several suppers together through the years. I met Juan when Jimmy had us to his house in Colonia Zapata for Chile Relenos. Juan was in Jr. High and had his first guitar so we rocked it a bit and had a wonderful evening. Me moved on to our condo and Jimmy died 10 years ago so we lost track but Juan never lost the memories. So now we've fished together several times , he can throw it a mile. He's an engineer at a Tuna Factory and is married with a little girl named Victoria... We are so happy to have him again in our lives and he is now Team X emeritus and our new head of International relations. So cool.
There I am with our first consumable, almost one full month after launch. You had to know I'd catch one but if you wonder about the pic quality it's because to catch him I had to go to the 24 hour attack mode, You see the locals show up at sunset I hear them fishing into the night so I decided to ramp up the project and walla....now I'm fishing more than ever.
But what I lack in consumables I make up with on Toro's. People eat them and I have, in fact the first fish I ever caught was one that I thought it was a Tuna and Max and Sam said it was great fried fish. I think there would be little debate if I called myself the gringo Toro King of Cerritos. They seem to really go for the teaser I loop tie a couple feed above my swivel. Here's a pic of a guy who likes them and was happy for the gift and a close up of one with their preffered menu item. They are a noble fish.
So Dan and I do something we've always wanted to and just never got around to it, we went down to Olas Altas to fish and explore some of the rock out cropping and stairs to the water we had seen from the road. We parked at the Freeman and Dan headed up the beach and I headed down. I eventually got to fishing off a really cool elevated platform that is connected to the sea wall where the Piano Man is .....everybody following here ? An hour goes buy and just as Dan gets back to me I a really good Toro swallows a rubber swim fish. With rocks everywhere I tighten down and basically pull him over the tera firma until he's beached on the rocks about 30 feet below me. I decide to lift him and of course the line parted and he's just laying there. Well ever sense I did the Carl Wallenda of the rocks a couple years back and damn near broke my neck I promised MP I would cease the idiot maneuvers so I decided I wasn't going down to get him but Dan looked around and found a fairly safe way and released my slimey with me feeling a bit cowardly....Here's pic of him laying there and Daniel to the rescue.
Right before the toro fiasco I snapped this pic of the sunrise...what a gorgeous place to fish. Sun reflecting off the high risers in the Zona Dorado and it's good day to be doing what I do...
Some of you might remember the pics I've posted of the walk up and over Paseo Clausen that MP and I love to do. There are many huge cement patios and hand made stairs that go down a couple hundred feet to the water. This pic is at the bottom of one and we'll be going back to fish here, although we didn't catch that day it looks like Snapper central for sure.
I'm over and out with this edition of Mile 14, sorry I got a bit behind but I've got a few projects going and now I'm off to follow this example. I didn't get my camera out fast enough because right before I snapped both of these guys had Pacifico's perfectly balanced on their bellies at waters edge....living the life ! Continue on amigos...
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