Granny Surfs in the Roosterfish

If you have never fly fished the surf before I’ll tell you this, it can be intimidating.  The waves themselves are stronger than they look.  The force of even a small wave can knock you over.  And when they don’t knock you over on the incoming, sometimes the outgoing wash will take the sand out … Read more

Last Day in the Baja Backcountry

Our last morning waking up on the beaches of Baja was a stunner.  I slept like a rock and therefore woke up ready to go around 5.  I went for a short hike down the beach before starting the coffee.  The alpenglow framed the sea and the rugged rock formations nearby.   Granny was up … Read more

A Beast of a Roosterfish on the Fly

We ended yesterday a little discouraged with the slow roosterfishing in the morning then the entourage of people on one of the best beaches during the afternoon.  It seems that do it yourself roosterfishing is a hot item these days.  As an angler of Baja for more than 20 years its hard to swallow.  But … Read more

Last Push for Granny’s Roosterfish on the Fly

I have some great friends that either live in Baja or spend much time in Baja.  Granny and I are trying to keep things interesting and not fish the same area twice.  I dropped a random email to my friend Gary Bulla who is often in Baja hosting fishing clients, hoping he was around with … Read more

Fly Fishing for Roosterfish off the Beach

Roosterfish are unique.  While most families of saltwater fish are found throughout the world, roosters are only found on the tropical waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean.  That range is from Baja Mexico south to Peru.  Baja, Costa Rica and Panama are the leading spots to try for them but no doubt there are places … Read more

First Roosterfish of 2017

I’m not sure how many times in a row weather on fishing trips can go wrong but I guess there’s no limit when your nickname is “Monsoon”.  Granny and I came to the East Cape of Baja yesterday to escape the cold and clouds of the Pacific side but unfortunately those conditions followed us.  We … Read more

Roosterfishing Beach Jam Ends with New Species

I left out another roosterfishing hazard yesterday – other anglers.  Roosters are so amazing that these days anglers head for Baja with rods and camping gear with no idea what they’re doing.  Granny and I drove an excruciating two hours of dirt to get to one of my “secret spots” only to find five clueless … Read more

Roosterfishing Isn’t for Sissies

I’ve been roosterfishing the beaches of Baja for over 20 years.  Granny has never been, but she has rolled her eyes a time or two when I got home from a week of roosterfishing.  I generally lay on the couch and limp around the yard the first few days complaining of aches and pains.  My … Read more

Last Day Magic Strikes Again!

It’s never nice to feel its essential to catch a fish.  But today I had to catch a fish and it had to be a roosterfish.  It’s been a rugged week for me with the menacing roosters.  I hooked and lost a brute on day one and since it’s been heartbreak after heartbreak with chasers … Read more

Sammy Vigneri Teaching the Roosters a Lesson

With all the action we experienced yesterday on the roosterfish beach we headed right back early this morning.  Indeed, we got our butts handed to us and didn’t catch any but that’s the way roosterfishing goes sometimes.  Seeing them is half the battle and we saw more than normal.   When we arrived the bait … Read more

The Roosterfish of a Lifetime

I had a good hunch about the place I fished yesterday.  Twice I came close to connecting to proper roosterfish but it didn’t quite happen.  Today I had Grant and Sammy drop me off on the same beach.  In my experience great catches come after a few close calls.  The pursuit builds up then happens. … Read more

Roosterfishing in Baja

I took the last antibiotic for my tooth yesterday.  The pills fixed the infection but the side effects were adding up.  I was feeling much like this poor deceased turtle.  But today I awoke feeling so good that Sammy, Grant and I crushed some breakfast burritos in Todos Santos then bought some beer and got … Read more