Jeff Currier's Fly Fishing Presentations
"Fly Fishing Baja"
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PowerPoint Based Presentation |
 “Fly Fishing Baja” – Jeff
Currier and fellow trout bums loaded into a pickup
truck with a camper and towed a 14-foot tin boat from Wyoming to Cabo
San Lucas in search of the elusive roosterfish. Join Jeff as he
describes the adventures they encountered along the way, and of course,
the fabulous fishing they indulged upon.
The waters off of Mexico hold not only an abundance of gamefish, but an
amazing
variety as well. Dorado, roosterfish, tuna, and wahoo are among the
most-sought-after gamefish in the area, and amberjack, sierra mackerel,
ladyfish, and jack crevalle are also readily available. They can all be
caught with a fly rod and a little patience.
The roosterfish, Nematistius pectoralis, is a game fish common in the
marine waters surrounding Mexico, from the Gulf of California to Panama,
and in the eastern Pacific, from California to Peru. It is the only fish
in the genus Nematistius and the family Nematistiidae. It is
distinguished by its "rooster comb", seven very long spines of the
dorsal fin.
The roosterfish has an unusual arrangement of its ears: the swim bladder
penetrates the brain through the large foramina and makes contact with
the inner ear. It uses its swim bladder to amplify sounds.
 Roosterfish can reach 4 feet in length and over one hundred pounds. The
weight of
the average fish hooked is about 20 pounds. The fish is popular as a
game fish, but like most fish in the jack family (besides the amberjack)
it is not considered a good eating fish.
Roosterfish patrol the shoreline searching for schools of baitfish. They
will corral mullet and sardinas into tight balls and then attack. Slow
trolling live bait close to the shore is the most productive technique
for hooking into these fish, with mullet being the favorite bait and
sardinas second on the list.
They prefer sandy beaches that include some rocky structure in the
proximity. Typically they are found within 100 yd. to 200 yd. off of the
shore, and when the baitfish are abundant, it is common to see the
roosterfish actively feeding. They will work right in the heavy surf and
occasionally even end up on the bare sand while chasing bait. This is a
very impressive sight to witness the roosterfish in a feeding frenzy and
really gets an angler itching to get their fly rod and try their luck at
hooking into one of them.
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