Memorial Day Weekend 2016

This trip was a good one with us being able to stay in Puerto Penasco for almost a full 6 days.  The first chance I had to do some fishing was Saturday morning.  I geared up and jumped in by about 8 am.  The water was about 70 degrees and the temperature outside was at about 80 and warming up.  There was a small breeze with lots of sunshine.  The visibility was close to 20 feet.  My entire dive I was surrounded by Trigger Fish with Porgy mixed in.  I was able to bag 2 of the Porgy even after one of my bands broke.  I was a bit hesitant to shoot them because the last time I shot one I felt like there were was no meat on it.  These two turned out to pay off, with plenty of meat and not to hard to fillet.  The winds picked up and made for some good sized waves.  My wife was not going to let that stop her from shooting her first fish with her new gun.  After the tide had come back in and cover the rocks  we went out together at around 3 pm.  Now the visibility was around 5-10 feet with a lot of rocking on the surface.  After showing Cara how to reload and set the bands on her gun (JBL Woody 38 Special) she was off.  Next thing I know she is shooting into some rocks, the very thing I am always telling her not to do.  Expecting her shaft to be stuck in the reef I am surprised and very excited to see it dancing around with a Sand Bass on the end!!!!  That was the only thing we were able to bag before calling it a day.

Monday I could not take it and even with 20 mph winds from the South I decided to go SCUBA diving.  I had brought all my gear and really wanted to go explore behind San Juan Hill.  I got over there and suited up and debated about bring my spear gun with me and finally chose to but only for protection ;).  I got in and sank down and there were Opaleye, Grouper and Leatherjackets all around me. Most of the fish were under a foot long but I did come across some Grouper that were just over two feet and one Gold Grouper swimming in the mix.  As I continued my dive I was followed around by a school of about 20 Porgy that would not leave my side.

Porgy #1

Porgy #2

Cara's First gun Kill Sand Bass

Getting ready for fish tacos

June 19-21 Summer Trip

We got down to the house Friday at about 4:30 pm and the water was just starting to pull out but it was calm enough to go fishing so we suited up and ran down to the water.  The water was about just under 80 degrees so no wet suits were needed.  This was Kyle's first time with a spear gun so we only took the JBL Sawed Off.  The visibility was a little over 10 ft and there were fish everywhere.  We traded off  shots but only hit sand (this is my first time shooting this gun so cut me some slack) .  The first fish that I was able to tag was an ok sized Grunt just over 8" long.  I then gave the gun to Kyle and with a good idea of how is done he landed his first kill as a spearo.  It was a Spinster Wrasse and he got him in the gut.  As we continued hunting we saw 2-3  Round Sting Rays and what felt like thousands of Trigger Fish.  The next fish I hit was a Silver Mullet over 10".  It was in about 5-6' of water and in a school of about 10.  I believe they were chasing after a giant school of these little 2" sardines that were everywhere in 3' of water.  The last fish bagged was chasing after these sardines also.  I got him square in the body and it was a good thing because he was full of fight and would of ripped off I had shot him anywhere else.  It was a Pompano that was 10".  By the time I got him on the line the sun was disappearing.  Unfortunately that was the only chance we had for spear fishing on this trip do to huge swells the rest of the trip.  

Kyle with his first kill-- Spinster Wrasse

                                       

Grunt we gave to the birds, the Trigger Fish were nibbling at him as we swam.

Pompano, tricky to fillet because he is covered in spiky fins and skinny fillets. We fried him with garlic chunks and oil.  Meat was on the tough side.

Silver Mullet,  easy to fillet with lots of meat.  We fried him with garlic chunks and oil and it was really good and flaky. 

July 11-13, 2014 Spearfishing Report

We had another great trip down to Puerto Penasco a couple weeks ago.  I brought down with me the Gray Clan (Dave, Nora and Davey).   We came down a couple of days after the wife and kids and grandparents, they said the seas had been pretty calm but wanted to wait for me to get there to do some fishing.

When I woke up Saturday morning the water was very still and the tide was very low.  I decided to go see what I could find out over the sand.  I had to of swam over 50 yards out and it only got about 15-20 ft deep.  As for fish all I spotted were dozens of Sting Rays, and some small Trigger Fish napping in the sand (it was the weirdest and funniest things to see).  I did come across about 20 Sand Dollars all in one small area, I collected all my pockets would fit and made my way back to shore for breakfast.

Later that day I took everyone out and to see what we could see.  Dave and Cara were armed with spear poles, Nora and Davey just came along to watch.  I had my Mares Viper Pro 110 with only one band due to one coming untied as soon as we got in the water.  There were fish everywhere and in no time Cara had snagged a small Trigger Fish.  Dave was able to get a Trigger Fish to stay on a very abused pole and was very, very happy to say the least.  I put them on my stringer and we continued our hunt.  Cara got one more Trigger Fish and chased countless Walleye around our new favorite rock.  This rock/reef area is 3 houses to the east of ours and about 50 yards into the rocks.  It is always full of fish and wildlife when the tide is high and it is also fun to explore when the tide is out because the entire thing is uncovered.

I had a good day myself and was able to shoot a little bit of everything.  My favorite shot was on the fish the Glissmeyer and I call the Phantom Fish, they are fast and sleek and we have never shot one before.  After some research it looks like it is a Spanish Mackerel.  He was close to 18" and I shot right behind the gill, not good for fillet but I solid shot!  I hit him in about 10ft of water at high tide right in front of the house.  We bagged about 10 fish total and ended up giving them all to the mango guy, I am wishing that we would of ate that Spanish Mackerel but there is always next trip.

That night was a Super Moon and that resulted in some crazy tides the next day, fun to watch but that is about it.

No wet suits were needed for the trip but I do need to find something to protect my chest from cocking my gun.  I have a $250 knife I won but I love how well my $.50 knife off Amazon works, and I am not afraid to loose it.

Dave with his first kill, a Trigger Fish, which one of the locals told me they call Cerdo, or pig

Watch out she is a killer with a spear in her hands, she continues to impress ;)

This is my second or third Grunt (Graybar I believe) each one has been larger then the last.

Tasty Rock Bass that I got right in the top of the head

My Phantom Fish= Spanish Mackerel, next time I will make some ceviche out of one.

Beautiful Weather and Cold Water- January 2014

We made it down to Puerto Penasco just as the sun had gone down on Friday the 24th and stayed tell Monday the 27th.  That first night it was cold and foggy, the wife was not excited but I was just happy it was not windy.  The moon was half way gone over the weekend.

The first group to get out in the water was Garrett and some friends early Saturday, then the wife and I were right behind them.  I was glad that I brought all my extra stuff because I believe there was 7 of us spearfishing at one time any only two of us that actually brought stuff down. The sun was out and the water was glass, you could see the bottom easy from the shore.  When you got in the water was a little chilly but not bad with a 5 mm suit.  The visibility was great probably about 25-30 ft over the rocks, all our fishing on this trip was just off the shore in Las Conchas.  Unfortunately the fish were hiding from the good weather and us!  Over the weekend we saw maybe a handful of Opaleye and some small Sand Bass.  The only thing I brought back up to the house was a ok size Opaleye and a silver and yellow fish with a black stripe behind his pectoral fin maybe a Burrito Grunt (I will continue to find out what it was).  I gave both of them to some Mexican fella who was selling wood sculptures, so I could not report how they tasted.

I did get to go one my first scuba diving adventure since getting certified last month.  The visibility was great but there was nothing to be seen and the deepest I could get from shore was 15 ft.

Better luck next trip.

Happy Thanksgiving- Fishing Report for Nov 2013

This trip down to Puerto Penasco was longer then most and we took advantage of that with spearfishing.  One of the best parts of the trip was introducing spearfishing to 2 new hunters, Cara (my wife) and Scott (a very close friend). We also tried 2 new spots, Playa Del Oro beach and the backside of Comp Hill just outside of La Cholla.

Our fist opportunity to go fishing was on Friday the 27th at around 11am.  We fished for 4 hours so the tide was at full tide and on its way out for the majority of our fishing.  The location was the Playa Del Oro beach on the south east side of Puerto Penasco.  This is where Cara and Scott jumped in with us.  As we fished we swam west towards a rockier area and never when farther then 30-40 yards off the beach.  We saw a great number of Spinster Wrasses and Opaleye, and got a far share of each.  We also saw a handful of Trigger Fish and Sand Bass.  Cara snagged a Trigger Fish not long after getting in and was very excited, it did not matter that it was about the size of her hand.  Scott speared a couple of Wrasses, so great job to both of them.  The largest fish of the day was Trigger Fish that I got with my gun and he was about the size of a big dinner plate.  

The next day Saturday the 28th Garrett and myself took the ryno to a extremely rocky location behind Comp Hill just east of La Cholla.  It was about 4 pm when we arrived so the tide was over half way out.  The walk to the water was miserable but the location would be great at high tide or just before.  We were only able to fish for about 1 1/2 hours but it was a great time with a lot to see.  The water was not nearly as clear as the previous day, I do not know if that is because a lack of sun light or the current being strong on its way out or a compilation of the two.  We saw a lot of Sand Bass and these white, opaleye looking fish with 2 dots on there back.  The only thing we left with was 2 interesting looking shells.

On Sunday the 29th we did some fishing out behind the house in Las Conchas just before high tide at around 9 am.  Cara joined us for about an hour and we did not go far when we found a mini reef area 4 houses to the east about 15 yards from the sand.  There was tons of fish life and we even found ourselves in a school of thousands of sardines.  I ventured out into some deeper water (10-15ft) and come across a Pacific Porgy that was just smaller then two hands, while trying to jimmy him I feel he deflated a bit.  Shortly after getting him on my line I stocked a large Sand Bass tell he went under a rock ledge.  I dove down and got of  a good shot and hit him and he went ballistic and tangled my line up and then went back under the rock.  After some work I got him out and brought them both up to the house.  The Sand Bass was great to cut up and made some delicious fish tacos.  The Pacific Porgy did not have much meat on him and the meat was pretty flaky.

Cara with her new friend!

Opaleye

Trigger Fish

Spinster Wrasse

Friday's Dinner

Porgy(left) and Sand Bass(right)

October 2013 Spearfishing - Bad Blood

Perfect Warm Water

Fishing Through Beautiful Reef

& Successful Hunting

What more can you ask for?

SpearFishing Report: October 2014

SpearFishing Report:  October 4-6

Glissmeyer, Jess and I enjoyed some great water down in Puerto Penasco this weekend.  The water was not cold at all, almost luke warm it was getting out that was the cold part.
We arrived Friday evening and began fishing right away at Las Conchas.   The tide was about half way out with about 10 feet of visibility.  We saw schools of Triggers and lots of smaller Sand Bass.  The only thing we brought back to the house was a Cortez Chub about the size of my hand.
The next day we headed over to Wrecked at the Reef on the west side of town, we had heard that it had a good size reef with lots of fish.  We arrived just after 11am and the tide was just finishing coming in.  We swam and fished for a couple of hours.  The visibility was great around the rocks 15ft at least. There is a cool 3ft cliff like reef that runs just off the beach behind the bar.  We saw schools of juvenile  Panamic Sergeant all over.  I chased after some long (18in) skinny silver fish for most the day but they were just to fast for me.  Anyone know what kind of fish they are?  Glissmeyer got a fish that was about 12in long that we believe was a Grunt maybe.
Later on that day we did some more fishing out in front of Las Conchas.  Once again there were a lot of Trigger schools.  I am pretty sure I chased after some smaller Trevally, but could not get close enough for a shot.  We saw some Rock Wrasse and Round Stingrays nothing bigger then my hand.
Sunday we did some pole fishing from the shore with my son. We reeled in a lot of small Sand Bass, Needlefish and a couple of what I believe to be juvenile Trevally (4in, silver and yellow on the tail).