Managing Editor:
James Perry

By Gary Graham

Situated less than 125 miles below the border, San Felipe is at the northern end of what is considered by many to be one of the most fertile bodies of water on this earth, the Sea of Cortez. This area is a great venue for both beginner and expert fisherman alike.

San Felipe lighthouse at dawn, looking north from the low bluff at the edge of town that was the site of the original ice house. In the background is Punta San Felipe. Click photo for enlargement

The beaches of San Felipe, stretching both to the north and south toward Puertecitos, offer challenges that the average flyfisher had not even thought of. At the northern reaches of the Sea, the depth is no more than sixty feet and the tidal flow is enormous. The best times to fish will be an hour before and after the high slack tide. Along the sandy beaches to the north and south of town, watch for bait and birds diving and you can expect to catch spotted bay bass, croaker, sargo, triggerfish, and if you are lucky a corvina under them. If you travel further south you will find structure on the rocky points that provides cover for resident rockfish.

Another option is to hire one of the local pangas for either a half or full day of fishing.

For weather information visit: http://www.sanfelipe.com.mx/livesfe.htm#anchor55011

For tide information: http://www.sanfelipe.com.mx/Tides/Tides.htm

Saltwater flyfishing is very similar to freshwater flyfishing, but to a newcomer to saltwater, everything seems different and the vastness of it all often overwhelms the first timer. As a matter of fact, many of the fishing skills acquired while fishing fresh water can simply be modified and adapted to the saltwater environment to provide the newcomer with the basis to begin a satisfying saltwater flyfishing experience.

In time, after fishing saltwater for a while, most fishermen come to realize that the sea is really just a big river that has some strong currents and tidal flows.

With air and water temperatures in the mid-sixties to seventies, waders are not needed. In fact, shorts are the uniform of the day most of the time. If you choose to use some of your freshwater tackle for your first saltwater outing, here are a few things to consider. You will need a rod that is at minimum, a 6-weight, a reel that will hold 100 yards of 20-pound dacron, a good drag system, and an intermediate sinking line or shooting head system. This will get you started for the first few trips. After you have determined that fishing the salt is for you, purchase an 8-weight, the best reel you can afford that holds a minimum of 175 yards of backing and has a good cork drag system.

More information on reels can be found at: http://outdoorsonline.rivals.com/default.asp?sId=694&StId=113075&p=2

Deserted Baja Beach waiting to be fished

Add one of the aforementioned flylines and you will have a good saltwater outfit that will serve you well for most situations (until you get into larger tuna, dorado, etc.)

For leaders use 20-pound fluorocarbon monofilament, no taper and use a Bimini twist loop for the connection to your butt section.

Your fly box for the San Felipe area should include a selection of clousers, sizes one and two, colors should be olive, brown, gray over with some flash as well as a few small deceiver patterns in baitfish colors, green, blue, and brown. Remember to pinch the barb down on all of your flies. A few other items that you should have are flats booties, polarized glasses, and a stripping basket.

For more information on flies visit http://www.bajafly.com/Beachfly.htm

While in the past, long casts have been considered a must in Saltwater, I have a lot of clients that catch fish with casts that are inside of 50 feet. Everyone would like to be able to cast the full flyline and should practice casting until they can do that. However, this does not mean that you should not fish until you acquire that skill. In many cases, letting the fly sink for a few seconds will bring you more takes. Try casting and then letting the fly sink to a count of five. If that doesn't work, try more or less until you find the right depth. I use a two-handed retrieve technique so that I can move the fly as rapidly as possible through the water. If a fish wants your fly, you cannot move the fly through the water too fast! This method also allows you to move the fly very slowly along the bottom when fishing for bottom dwellers. The other reason I use the two-handed method is that I can strip-strike when I have a take. Using the rod tip to set the hook will often result in a poor hookup-to-take ratio.

Nice croaker caught on an olive and white Clouser close to the shore

Remember, the saltwater fish fight harder than their freshwater cousins and you need to make some adjustments in the way you land the fish. Never give the fish slack line. If you have excess line in your stripping basket, try backing up the beach until you get the line back on the reel. To apply pressure on the fish keep the rod at a 30-degree angle away from the fish. This allows you to use the part of the rod where the power is. Once the fish has been caught, photographed and released (CPR) check your leader before resuming fishing. If you are simply blind-casting, try to work your way up and down the beach by moving a few steps after each cast. This will allow you to cover more beach area until you locate the fish.

For more Baja flyfishing tips: http://www.bajafly.com/Beach1.htm

Regardless of the type of fishing you choose, the uncrowded beaches surrounding San Felipe or fishing from a panga with a knowledgeable guide, your trip will only serve to peak your curiosity about the other flyfishing opportunities available on the many uncrowded beaches further down the Baja peninsula. Baja, with its over two thousand miles of uncrowded coastline and 850 varieties of fish, combined with its close proximity to the United States, is a great choice for the adventuresome flyfisher.

For more information on Baja Flyfishing visit http://bajafly.com/Books.htm

Gary Graham traces his love for sportfishing to a day in 1978 when he caught a swordfish--the hard way. Fishing alone on his 23-foot skiff, he spent 13 hours fighting the sword which turned out to be a 209 pounder. In the following year, Graham broke two world records, one a 137-pound bigeye tuna taken on 20-pound test and the other a 15-pound halibut on 12-pound test.

Conservation has been an important aspect of the sport for Graham, who served as executive director for the National Coalition for Marine Conservation in 1979 and 1980. In 1983, he won the Los Angeles Billfish Club's award for proficiency with light tackle. In 1987, Graham won first place in two out of four major Southern California light tackle tournaments as well as the Southern California Billfish Championship. In 1988, Power and Motor Yacht magazine named him one of the Top 10 Anglers in the United States.

Graham enjoys the distinction of being the only member of the Avalon Tuna Club to catch three button fish in his first year of membership. In 1993, Gary and his wife, Yvonne, started Baja on the Fly and Orvis quickly endorsed the operation as the only Orvis-endorsed flyfishing operation in Baja California. He was named International Gamefish Association Representative at large for Baja in 1994. Since 1989 Gary and Yvonne have had a home at "East Cape" where his most recent world record was caught on the beach in own his front yard. Along with their guides, Yvonne and Gary have hosted in excess of 300 fly-fishing clients in the "East Cape" and "Magdalena Bay" area of the Mexican peninsula.

Gary's book "No Nonsense Guide to Flyfishing Southern Baja" has become the handbook for those choosing to explore the flyfishing opportunities of Baja. Gary also contributes to several National publications on a regular basis. For more information on Gary and his company Baja on the Fly visit http://www.bajafly.com/

Copyright © 2000 by Gary Graham.  All rights reserved.