Cabo San Lucas no longer a sportfishing paradise reserved for Californians

Once upon a time, resorts in Cabo San Lucas and elsewhere in Baja California Sur catered almost exclusively to anglers from California, mostly from Southern California.

But thanks to expanded air service, there continues an invasion of people from the East Coast, the Midwest and the South who are appearing more frequently in the fish counts.

Amy Frey (pictured) abandoned frigid Chicago during the holidays and caught a beautiful 24-pound dorado aboard the Sea Senorita, owned by Eric Brictson, who runs Gordo Banks Pangas out of San Jose del Cabo.

Off Cabo San Lucas, where just about everyone is targeting  striped marlin, Randolph Hutton and Larry Williams from Georgia and Lee Thuston and John Petty, respectively from Alabama and Memphis, teamed to catch and release 18 stripers in one day aboard Yahoo, which can be  booked through Pisces Sportfishing.

"Running to the diving pelicans and frigates and throwing live baits in among the feeding seals and marlin resulted in many hook-ups -- both on marlin and the pelicans," reports Capt. George Landrum of Fly Hooker Sportfishing. "The other day we released three marlin and three pelicans in an hour."

These people go, of course, for sun and adventure, and Cabo served up an adventure for the ages to Bennett Savey, who battled a swordfish for 13 hours before breaking the line intentionally, at 1 a.m. on Dec. 29, because he was out of cellphone range and knew his family on shore was worried.

Savey did not list his residence but he's probably still sleeping on the sofa for waiting 10 hours after his boat was due to decide his family might be worried about his whereabouts.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Amy Frey of Chicago enjoys a break in the action after catching a 24-pound dorado while fishing near San Jose del Cabo. Credit: Gordo Banks Pangas

Comments

[edward harvey]

Had the chance to run down to Cabo and full fill my dream of sport fishing.
Wow ,What an adventure incredible. Chartered a Sport fishing yacht with
www.cabosanlucascharters.com we had such a blast, hooked up three Marlins.
Had to do it again before returning to reality in the States.
Chartered a awesome Yacht named Badcompany sport fishing.
Simply the best.
Can't wait to return