BAJA HOLIDAY

sportsman's paradise that's where we were headed a wonderful place we're fighting fish turned the calm waters of the Pacific into an explosive arena that takes on the aspect of a seagoing Rodale however I'm getting ahead of my story actually it began at the airport in los angeles three of us have been making fishing plans for months while we waited but Charlie to fly in from New York I show John that I thought of everything Charlie was just as excited as we were before you could say Baja California we were rolling down the runway headed south of the border you the wintry snow-capped peaks of California will left behind and we were soon cruising down the Mexican coast towards our Baja holiday it wasn't long before we drop down out of a tropical Sky onto the airstrip Antonia this is an isolated and beautiful resort at the southern tip of Baja California where nature extends its welcome to the visiting sportsman it was a little too late to get out on the golf we're off to the lake the first day but there was nothing to keep us from looking over the ocean arena where we knew the big fish were waiting for us that night we checked our gear and got everything ready for the battle we hope would be ahead sleep didn't come easy for the sound of the breakers stirred our senses with anticipation of the fun ahead the next morning the sun came up with the promise of a beautiful day we got through breakfast like kids on Christmas morning and headed for the boats the native crew must have been up earlier than we were because they already had the boat squared away ready to go it was a Chamber of Commerce sort of day whether perfect as we cruised out across the blue water Pablo is busy rigging the bait these lads really know what a hungry fish is hungry for while this was going on I glanced around and noticed the skipper was using a been her technique to jockey are waterborne chariot suddenly we saw a dark thin sliding through the water cutting the surface like a greased knife then he was on the pain a solid strike right away I found I was hooked up with a champ you we fought each other with all the strength and skill we had he leaped but jackknife and scattered across the water on the fringe of his tail fin it's easy to understand why the Marlin is known as the Acrobat of the sea it gets its name from its bill or sword that resembles a seaman's Marlinspike so it's called a Marlin or spike fish to the real fisherman the thrill is in the battle not in bringing back the fish the conservation of our wildlife is not only a sporting gesture to a worthy opponent but also helps to assure good fishing in the years ahead that's why we always cut them loose to Roma see again to propagate more of their fighting stock for the sport of future fishermen you by now the tropical Sun was getting a little warm so we put on some protection while Pablo fix the bait for the next battle it wasn't long before we were back in action it was a battle royal as John and a big fish fought at opposite ends of the line hooking into a Marlin is like tangling with a small hurricane it's one of the toughest and most thrilling fishing experiences for the big game angler these seagoing fighters can weigh as much as several hundred pounds Pacific Coast Marlin range from the channel islands of California's south they're seldom found in water colder than 70 degrees a nearsighted sigo drifted down for a quick snack and almost wound up with a stiletto through its gizzard John played the Marlin for over an hour his arms were about to come out of their sockets John was so tired he was glad to see that one swim away that was it for the first day and Pablo ran up the marlin flags as we headed for the beach after cleaning up we relaxed in the garden and tried to get the kinks out of our muscles while listening to the Latin rhythms of the pow/mia philharmonic oh really oh yeah Wow wha ah the following day we flipped a coin to decide what we do I wanted and suggested skin diving John and I backed into the water that was warm and clear as crystal I it's amazing the things you can see underwater the odd-shaped coral and all the fish that don't seem to mind strangers we were in and out of the water all day and got dressed just in time to watch the changing colors of the tropical sunset while we were admiring the Setting Sun the cooks were working another miracle in the kitchen we had appetites like a bear coming out of hibernation not only was the meal wonderful but the service was excellent and of course there was music by our strolling troubadours the familia Philharmonic who filled the room with songs of Old Mexico I I before we started off to bed Ramon told us about the legend of Neptune if you're looking for luck the thing to do is pay your respects to Neptune before you invade his kingdom the tradition is to stand beside the statue of Neptune and toss a silver peso as far as you can if it clears the sand and lands in the water you'll have good luck with tomorrow's fishing well John missed so did Charlie it was up to me to save the day I carefully checked the breeze to correct for wind ripped I made it we didn't really believe it would make any difference in our fishing still you never know the early morning sun rose out of a quiet sea and promised another beautiful day we wanted an early start to try our luck on smaller fish close to the shore but there was no frantic rush for the breakfast we offered finally John hooked into a rooster fish with its high jagged comb rough looking but good eating a little later Oh Ciara mackerel rose to the bait this action wasn't very exciting after those Marlin so we pulled in our light tackle and Tallyho for the big challenge in the deep waters the skipper had a real pedestrian approach to the art of navigation as we approached Cape San Lucas southernmost point of Baja California the look of Neptune started working you for more than an hour the Marlin exploded over the salt water son fishing sounding and leaping and it sure wasn't any rescuer on the other end of the line you you around at last our Finny friend had had enough and was brought along side we cut him loose so he could live to fight another day and here comes dinner see going green turtles called kawama by the Mexicans they abound in these waters and are easy to catch they can live for weeks without food or water and will weigh up to 500 pounds that's how Columbus solved the fresh meat problem for his crew the turtle steaks we had that night proved that Columbus was as capable a gourmet as he was an explorer I don't know whether to credit King Neptune for a little nap tunic help but Charlie hooked into a spectacular sailfish the Sailfish is a relative of the Marlin although not quite so large it is probably the Olympic champ of all sea dwellers time with a stopwatch sailfish have covered a hundred yards in three seconds about 68 miles an hour and they have been known to jump across 40 feet of water nobody seems to know exactly what the function of the sale is although when the fish is basking near the surface of the water it keeps the sails stretched out as though to absorb the sun's rays or to serve as kind of a radar or sense organ some fishermen say that the sail axe is a break to ease the landing when this speed King makes one of its tremendous broad jumps and crashes back into the water when the sail fish is swimming the great sale folds up like a fan and is tucked neatly into a convenient slot in the fish's back this is one of the most picturesque of all fish and a prized trophy for any fisherman the Mexicans call it a gue hvala door the flying needle by the time we cut the Sailfish free we'd had it we returned to shore with flags flying and hardly an unused muscle in our bodies after dinner the musicians pill the night with more Latin melodies but after the day's work out we were ready for bed you could say that old King Neptune had sure given us a run for our money that is if you're superstitious oh boy what was it will Shakespeare said to sleep perchance to dream well I don't know what will dreamed about but as for us the night was filled with Marlon whipping the waters to foam and sailed fish leaping across the waves that was a dream we wanted to hang on to but even when it is ended when our Baja holiday is over it will still be here south of the border whenever we return so it's not fair well but hasta LaVista until we meet again you you