In that vast Sea of Cortez was a wooden box about four feet across and below that box lie Dorado, said our deckhand David (dah-veed). So in the blink an eye, out came the rods. They were baited with live Sardinas from our bait-stop that morning and tossed out toward the box and BOOM... first line out - a strike!

I hadn't caught a Dorado yet in my life, so that rod was handed to me. Thanks guys! "Reel!" they said, but as hard as I tried to reel, I couldn't. This fish felt bigger than my marlin last year!

For every two turns on the reel, the fish took three and after a few minutes of that, I handed the rod off to Jim Gates, our boat mate and co-owner of Cabo Fishing Tours, saying, "I can't! I'm not ready for this!" And after 10 minutes of the give-and-take game, up came a magnificent Bull Dorado.

At that time I stopped focusing on this one fish only to realize that the sea was swimming with hordes of beautiful fluorescent blue/green/chartreuse Dorado. With the sun shining through almost 15 feet of crystal clear water, it was truly a magnificent sight! Mesmerized as I was, the other two reels were singing! So, okay, I wasn't ready for the first one, but I sure was ready now! Both Richard and I grabbed rods and brought up two more Dorado, a little smaller than the first. A quick gaff and a bonk on the head and they went into the live well with the first.

Our Captain, Antonio, was up on the bridge holding another hooked Dorado in the water, a trick they use to keep the school around, and it worked. The rods were baited up and tossed out again and no sooner had they hit the water, the reels sang that "catch me if you can" tune. All three of us were on again.

You've heard of the tuna dance, well this was the Dorado Two-Step....
"Coming over on your left."
"Behind you on your right."
"Under, go UNDER!!!"

David was the choreographer and we were the dancers, and with great success! In about ½ hour we had our limits and pulled up to head home. David strung the Dorado flags and we had our cervezas as we bathed in the afterglow of our exciting day's catch. At the dock we were greeted with cheers of "Bueno!" and "Mucho Dorado" as they tossed our catch off the boat. Our Captain said he had only seen that kind of Dorado bite once before in his life... the Rosa was famous that day!

Representatives from Baja Papa's East Cape Smoke House (www.bajapapas.com) were on the beach ready to count our catch and rush it to be cleaned and flash frozen. (NOTE: these guys were professional in every way, noting the size bags you wanted and whether you want some smoked as well, and now that I'm back home and have cooked some of our catch, I must say, the fish were perfectly cleaned, no blood lines at all, and tasted as if it had just come from the sea!)

Being the first back to our hotel, Playa Del Sol, we headed for the palapa bar by the pool to sample Eduardo's perfectly made Margaritas, brag about our day to anyone that would listen and gaze out to sea watching for the other boats to arrive. As each one came in, we'd count the flags... tuna, dorado and releases ... and wait for them to join us in the "Braggin' Rights" ritual. Around 7 each night, the bell would ring signaling that dinner was ready, and up the stairs would trudge 20 tired, hungry yet happy fishermen to the evening buffet, some of the best food I've ever had in Mexico (Thank you Chef)

Not bad for our first day with our hosts Jim Roberts and Jim Gates of Cabo Fishing Tours (CFT)

Having taken a previous junket with CFT last October, I thought I would do what I did then and take the day off from fishing (YES, not fish) and just veg, you know, lay around the pool, read, soak up the sunshine, swim, snorkel and visit the little village of Las Barilles (read: shop). I met a couple of great women poolside visiting from the Midwest, (their husbands were fishing that day), who were doing exactly what I was doing, so we added talking and sipping Pina Coladas to our list of vegetative activities. When the boats started coming in that afternoon, we saw the Dorado and tuna flags flying, but there was one additional today - a Marlin flag with a release below it! And it was one of our own illustrious Sniffers, Senor Bob McKenzie from the 7-man Team Kokaneemart. They had not only hit the only marlin as yet, they had got into the footballs, 15-20 lb. kick-butt fighting tuna, and were grinning from ear to ear.

Sitting around the pool after all were back, we were treated by these fellows to fresh yellowfin sashimi with soy & wasabi (great forethought fellows!) and ceviche the bartender whipped up. Afterwards, we all walked across the street to Tio Pablos Restaurant for a night on the town and to celebrate the fantastic catches of almost one and all.

Our third and last day started out as usual, with an early breakfast of sausage and bacon, eggs fried-scrambled-or special order huevos rancheros, potatoes, tortillas and fresh salsa, papayas and pineapples, french toast, juice and coffee - sustenance for what became a successful yet long, hard-fishing day. Tuna was the "pescado del dia", yet another fish I had never caught, but had heard stories, oh, the stories I've heard!!! But my stomach was full, my sea-sick patch was working and I was ready to make my own story to tell today!

After loading onto our boats in the most organized, civilized and expeditious manner I have ever seen in Mexico, we were off for bait, tuna bait to be exact. We were going for it, and going and going and going - nearly 30 miles out (I can't believe my patch is still working, like the EverReady bunny). Looking out to sea, the fleet looked like moths attracted to a light. They were everywhere, as far as the eye could see, all at full throttle speeding toward "the spot".

As we arrived, porpoises were swimming and jumping everywhere, a good sign that the tuna were below. Even if I didn't catch tuna, I thought, this sight was worth the 30 miles of thumping! Babies were swimming in tandem with parents as if they were being taught the "how-to's" of being good porpoises. They were tail-walking on top of the water as flying fish skirted the waves, flying for what seemed to be forever...sorry, I digress. Back to fishing....

As we came to a full stop at "the spot" in the absolute middle of nowhere in the Sea of Cortez, the rods had already been rigged and baited with sardinas and were standing at the ready. We chummed first and then, zzzzzzz out went the lines, then zzzzzzzzz went the reels as we all got hit - a triple! Can you say Tuna Dance? Now this was not just chance, it was the norm, with all the boats' captains, deckhands and passengers scurrying about, bringing them in as fast as the rods went out.

If the bite slowed in one spot, the captain would move 15 feet away and again, zzzzzzzzzzz! After about an hour of this, the bite slowed and, personally, my arms were aching and, since we all had near-limits and discretion being the better part of valor, we pulled in the lines and headed home for our final night, award's night, on the East Cape.

Again, that evening around the palapa, we enjoyed margaritas, pina coladas and sashimi, this time supplied by another guest, who's daughter had caught a 50 pound yellowfin that day! She was so proud, as was Dad, and wanted to share her excitement with everyone... and we thank you for that! Then it was on to our award's night...

One very special part of traveling with Cabo Fishing Tours is the final recap of the catch and all the different awards he gives for biggest fish, smallest fish, released fish and billfish. In all, over our three days fishing, our 20 member group brought in 26 Dorado (a few release), 73 Yellowfin Tuna, 3 Trigger, 1 Pargo, 3 Pompano, 8 Rooster and 2 Striped Marlin (1 released)! Jim Roberts awarded the grand prize to Bob for catching and releasing the largest Marlin, a 90 lb. striped marlin. The prize? An all-expenses-paid return trip for TWO!

To sum it all up, one Sniffer wrote this:
"Gracias por el gran tiempo mis amigos! I will remember this experience for the rest of my life. Here's my list: The fishing, the laughing - meeting new friends - experiencing and respecting the beauty of nature - watching marlin, dorado, tuna and porpoise chase bait - the tequila - the laughing - the friends - the laughing - Pacificos con mis amigos - chasing "tailing" marlin - seeing good friends with grins larger than life unable to speak while they are "fish on" - hearing our captain and deck hand say "porpoise", motion with their hands while sporting huge smiles as they reel up and quickly put the boat underway at full throttle - the laughing - trying to speak spanish to the locals and laughing with them as we strangely are able to understand each other. A grande gracias to Senor Jim de Cabo Fishing Tours for organizing a fantastic trip. He is a great patriot and an excellent host. He is, in my book, "Jefe de Cabo."

Contacts:
Cabo Fishing Tours (www.cabotours.com)
Hotel Play del Sol (www.vanwormerresorts.com/playadelsol.htm)
Baja Papa's East Cape Smoke House (www.bajapapas.com)