2010 » March » 29

Pig Alert** Hog Alert** Pig Alert**


Here is Wild Bill Ruediger again with yet another contribution for Allaroundangler…..this is great stuff Bill, thank you. These fish are real trophies bud.

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Words from the angler…..

“Just got back from a trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. My third trip to PV. We have an all-inclusive resort we go to called the Riu Jalisco. Each time I go I arrange a fishing trip. This time, I got in touch with a charter near the hotel. Not sure why as I’d been looking on the Internet for months. One of the problems with fishing Mexico is that there are many, many rip-offs. My first trip this time around, which was to be off-shore for dorado and sailfish turned out to be one of several rip-offs I’ve experienced. Julia and I wanted to share the fishing boat with another couple to reduce the cost – which averages $500-$800 per day. When we got to the dock, the Captain was one I’d gone out with years ago and did well. However, time did not serve him well. His was old and so was the first mate – so was the boat and fishing gear. The second couple never showed up and so he was going out with only half a fare – I knew immediately that this was a problem because the other fare would pay for the gas to go 10-20 miles out. Anyway, he fished in the harbor for Bonita and jack crevelle. We caught two small Bonita. The first mate would go up on the for-deck with a fishing rod and screw around up there doing his own fishing while the lines tangled in the trolling rods. He was lazy and didn’t take care of business. I knew within an hour I’d made a mistake. After half a day I asked him to go in. It was hopeless. Pour boat, poor equipment and poor attitude of the Captain and mate.

After getting over this experience I decided to try another trip using a guy named Stan Gabruk. Stan runs a sports fishing service called Master Baiter’s – a name that would have dissuaded me if I hadn’t heard of it from previous trips. The problem was that Stan could not find a second couple to share the trip with. On second thought, I called Stan and asked for a half day Panga trip. The cost would be $195 with only me in the boat. I decided to go. When I got to the dock, Stan met me. He’s a friendly and talkative soul, but I’d been conned before by the like. “No denero before I see the boat and captain, Stan.” I told him. “The equipment and boat have to be up to par before I go out.”

To my surprise the Super Panga was really nice – named Policon Fundica. Two years old with a 115 HP Evenrude outboard. Fish finder’s, new radio and GPS. The Captain, Jose’ Garcia was young, yet experienced and the rods were new, well organized and fully spooled with new line. Both he and the mate spoke English well. Stan is an American who lives in Puerto Vallarta.

We took off, got bait and headed out to the same area in Bandera’s Bay that I’d been the day before. The deal was we’d try the bay first, then if I decided I wanted to fish another spot further out in the ocean, I’d pay an additional $50 for two more hours. Basically the running time to get to the off-shore island where Captain Garcia recommended we go for rooster fish, grouper and other tasty fishes. Since I wasn’t going to bring fish home, this aspect didn’t have a strong appeal and I was still leery of being screwed over a second time – hence the shorter half day trip.

Captain Garcia ran the boat into big schools of thrashing birds and bigger fish feeding on baitfish. Almost immediately, he hooked up a fish and handed me the pole. We had now fished maybe 1 minute and I was into a nice Bonita on light gear. The second fish was nice jack crevelle that took out a hundred yards of line three times before being gaffed. From then on, it was one fish after another. I’m going to estimate that we caught 20 large jack crevelle, some going over thirty pounds. We probably didn’t go more than five minutes without a fish on. We caught them on bait and small jigs. Jack Crevelle are tenacious fighters, very similar to yellowtail tuna and any of you who have caught yellowtail know that catching 20 yellowtail 25 to 35 pounds is a rod bending experience! After three hours of grueling fish fighting, I told Captain Garcia to head back in. I’d had enough! We kept enough for his friends and relatives and released the rest. Jack Crevelle are not great eating, but the Mexican’s have several ways they like to prepare them, sushi being one.”

Wild Freaking Bill. Amazing. Can’t wait to meet you bud.