9 Hours of Fishing – 10 Minutes of Casting

by | Dec 14, 2013 | Uncategorized | 1 comment

blog-Dec-14-2013-1-Jeff-Currier-flyfishing-for-mahi-mahiJust my marlin luck, I got to fish first this morning but it was absolutely freezing out.  I’ll guess it was in the upper 50ºs or low 60ºs at the most.  It definitely wasn’t the norm for Baja and by no means good conditions to raise striped marlin into fly casting range.

 

blog-Dec-14-2013-2-flyfishing-for-dorado-mahi-mahi-dolphinWe hit the water early regardless of cool temps.  The good news was the sun was rising and the forecast was for the 80ºs.  We drove an hour to exactly where Sammy got his marlin yesterday and slow drifted live bait beneath the boat.  The first couple hours were slow except for a cruising dorado that Grant teased into range.  I nailed him and although I’m normally a catch and release man, this mahi got whacked for dinner tonight.

 

blog-Dec-14-2013-3-flyfishing-for-marlinI stood at the back of the boat for another two hours but not another fish showed up let alone a striped marlinSammy, Grant and even the crew started teasing me about having a marlin curse.  They might be right.  This is getting ridiculous.  Just to prove to myself it’s not a curse, I handed things over to Sammy at 1 PM.  Sammy sat motionless with 14-weight in hand for another three “marlinless” hours.

 

blog-Dec-14-2013-4-frigate-birdsAt 4 PM we packed it in.  It was a depressing day.  At least we didn’t get skunked we joked.  Then as we were approaching the lighthouse near Cabo several frigatebirds began to dive for fleeing bait.  We had us a marlin!

 

Alex sped to the diving birds and cut the engines.  Grant launched the hookless live bait and in seconds the marlin took it.  Grant and the marlin played tug of war but then bad luck – the marlin stole the hookless baitfish and left the scene.  Damn!

 

blog-Dec-14-2013-5-striped-marlin-grant-hartmanGrant frantically attached another live bait.  By the time he was rigged the frigates were diving again.  Our marlin was back.  We sped recklessly to the spot, cut the engines and launched the tease.  As if the marlin was waiting for us he mashed the bait.  This time Grant teased him in range.  I landed my fly on the tip of the marlins bill as Grant yanked the live bait.  All of us figured an eat was a guarantee but the marlin took a close look at my offering and turned away.  Can you say nightmare?!  This photo by Grant Hartman.

 

We chased that marlin and the birds three more times.  Grant got him close once more but the stripy refused the fly.  We changed the fly but our marlin never came back again.  The day was over.

 

blog-Dec-14-2013-6-dorado-sashimiThe best part of the day came late.  When we returned to Sammy’s condo I filleted the dorado I caught in the morning.  Then Sammy and I went to the famous Hotel California Restaurant in Todos Santos and had them cook it up for us.  We stuffed ourselves on dorado sashimi followed by more grilled up pieces.  Thanks goodness we had enough beer to wash it all down. . . .

 

One more day to make it happen!

 

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing

1 Comment

  1. Erik Moncada

    Good stuff Jeff!

Welcome to the Blog of Jeff Currier!

Contact Jeff

I started fly fishing at age 7 in the lakes and ponds of New England cutting my teeth on various sunfish, bass, crappie and stocked trout. I went to Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, where I graduated with a Naturalist Degree while I discovered new fishing opportunities for pike, muskellunge, walleyes and various salmonids found in Lake Superior and its tributaries.

From there I headed west to work a few years in the Yellowstone region to simply work as much as most people fish and fish as much as most people work. I did just that, only it lasted over 20 years working at the Jack Dennis Fly Shop in Jackson, WY where I departed in 2009. Now it’s time to work for "The Man", working for myself that is.

I pursue my love to paint fish, lecture on every aspect of fly fishing you can imagine and host a few trips to some of the most exotic places you can think of. My ultimate goal is to catch as many species of fish on fly possible from freshwater to saltwater, throughout the world. I presently have taken over 440 species from over 60 countries!

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