Unfolding nicely

Over the last couple of years East Cape winters have been very mild.  That is not to say we didn't have windy days and cool weather but it wasn't as I had remembered winter.  This year has been more typical of the past with bone chilling strong north winds.

This past week we had small craft advisories 6 days out of seven.  On the only calm day I heard reports of striped marlin stacked up off Punta Pescadero and a hot yellowtail bite on the East side of Ceralvo Island.  All the signs are encouraging and I'm certain that one day soon this harsh weather will vanish as quickly as it arrived.

Meanwhile in Team Jen Wren camp things are unfolding nicely.  Our boats are ready for action and it has come to the point that we are just waxing the wax waiting for spring.

I received an overwhelming response to my question how long does it take humming bird eggs to incubate.  The general consensus was 3 weeks to hatch and 3 more before the new borns fledge the nest.  A soothsayer and omniscient friend suggested putting a feeder close by so mama bird didn't have to venture far for food and could spend more time on her nest.  Well, it worked!  It has only been 2 weeks and yesterday the eggs hatched.  Research tells me they will double size in a week and soon be too big for the nest.  This is going to be a great year!  I can feel it in my bones.

Now we are preparing for our Jen Wren exhibit at the Fred Hall Shows-The Ultimate Outdoor Experience in Long Beach California.  We will be right across from the Accurate exhibit.  This is the biggest show for the sportfishing industry on the West coast.  I am pleased that 2 days fishing Jen Wren was selected as part of the grand prize vacation package give away for the show.

Accurate Jack Nilsen has produced several exciting Youtube videos that can be viewed at this link: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF4414B05DF2EFF36&feature=edit_ok  If the timing can be coordinated he has agreed to join the prize winner and produce a video of their experience fishing Jen Wren.

As a show special we are offering 2012 pricing for all reservations taken before March 15 to fish anytime during 2013.

Yes, everything is unfolding nicely.

 If you are in the greater Los Angeles area next week please come see us.  Here is a shot of my brother helping out.

Mama getting ready to feed her babies.  The little birds are only about the size of a raisin.  I haven't been able to capture a photo of them

Mama bird prefers to sit in a tree when we get to close.

 Putting top shots on our Accurate arsenal

Lots of humpback whales in the area right now

I found these cool marlin BBQ lighters at West Marine.  They will make a great gift for the guy that has everything.  Seems like there is always at least one shark around

The best source for the latest East Cape fishing conditions "like" 
www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing


Mark Rayor
teamjenwren.com
markrayor.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing
US cell 310 308 5841

Stylin'

My essential softbaits for 2013...

Shads 

Spindle worm 

Sawamura One Up 5" & 6" 

Diawa D Shad 5.5"

Stick baits / Worms 

Wave Worm Tiki baboo stick 5" 

Illex i Shad 5.8" 

Slug-go 7.5" 

Megabass XLayer 

& Giant XLayer 

Xorus midway 5" 
Hawg Wild stick 6" 

Other

Sebile Magic swimmer soft 

                                                        The awesome Sawamura One Up Shad. 

Sharks in Cabo!

This approximate 100 lb shark was caught aboard Pisces Bill Collector at the Jaime Bank by Nathan Adams from Denver. This beautiful fish was released....but who knows what kind of shark it is? Just a few days ago we had a 200 lb mako, now this one. Looks like sharks are making a come back in this area.

Z Fish Report (2/28/13)

The inshore waters from about Petatlan on down to Puerto Vicente Guerrero are starting to get stained with a high chlorophyll count, and the temperatures have dropped below 80 degrees this week. North of Zihuatanejo, the clean and favorable 80 degree water is still on the beach. The offshore clean water is still holding from about the 100 fathom line at 5 miles, on out to the 82 degree blue water at about 12 miles. I believe the stained water is an effect of the full moon, and soon will clear up again.

Photo by Mike Bulkley on the super panga Huntress

Under a full moon, the offshore fishing for sailfish took a hit this week with the per boat daily averages dropping to 1 to 2 fish a boat, with only about one boat in five getting a nice dorado. Yellowfin tuna have been holding up, but it is still a 30 mile plus run to get to them.

Early in the week, we also had some nasty wind, making for an uncomfortable day on the water, but Cheva on the panga Dos Hermanos was still able to get two sailfish for his client Randall Sue of Houston, TX. However, considering the port closures up at Mazatlan and the reports coming from Baja, they could only wish to have the two days of wind we had. They have been lucky to just be able to get out and fish for two days a week.

The inshore fishing also had a bit of a turnaround this week. The best bite has been from about the white rocks on down to Valentine (pronounced balen – teen), where the water starts to get stained. The main action has been lots of sierras, jack crevalle, and black skipjack. Adolfo, on the panga Dos Hermanos, made the long run to Vicente Guerrero and told me there was a huge amount of large jack crevalle down there, but they wouldn’t eat anything they threw at them. He said the water was ugly, but the fish are there. He feels with the full moon, it is more of an afternoon bite, but he couldn’t stay around and had to make the long run back to Zihuatanejo.

Ed Kunze (IGFA Representative)

For a better understanding of our seasons and species of fish here in Ixtapa /Zihuatanejo, please click on the link to my web site and scroll down on the left side bar for “Calendar”… http://www.sportfishing-ixtapa.com/index.html  

I have also made two new informative web pages for people coming here for their first time. The first is for when you go to the municipal pier in Zihuatanejo in the morning to find the boat you will be fishing on: http://municipalpier.blogspot.mx/2013/02/the-municipal-pier.html

The second is for people who are looking for a place to stay: http://edkunze2.blogspot.mx/2013/02/places-to-stay.html 

Put a cork in it . . .

Capt Blair heads south to Chokoloskee and teams up with Capt. Brian Sanders for some redfish and snook, new lure from D.O.A., Mogan of the Week, and the new filming season has begun. 

This week's show has the Mogan Man and Capt. Brian Sanders using a rig some of you may not be familiar with, the Deadly Combo. The Deadly Combo is basically a popping cork fished above a plastic bait, in this case a D.O.A. shrimp. What's affectionately known as a "tourist rig" proves to be one fish catching, well . . . um, deadly combo.  Click here to find out what the Mogan Man thinks about these rigs.

You can see the rest of this episode on Saturday at 8 PM and again at 11 PM on The Sportsman Channel. You can also feed your Mogan addiction anytime by subscribing to the Addictive Fishing Channel on You Tube. Have 24/7/365 access to all your favorite Addictive Fishing episodes, free!!!   
                                                                          

What an Airhead . . . D.O.A. Lures has just introduced their newest offering, the Airhead. This bait promises to be another huge success. Several colors are now available and should be showing up in local tackle shops soon. You can also order directly from D.O.A. Lures.  

                                                            

Mogan Man in California? . . . That's right folks, for those of you on the "Left Coast" of the U.S., you've got your chance to come meet Capt. Blair Wiggins and the AF Team.  They'll be hanging out in the Lazer Trokar booth (646 - 744) during the Fred Hall (Long Beach) show Thursday, March 7th - Saturday, March 9th.  While you’re there, don’t miss out of the great deals in the booth - Buy 2 Get One Free on TroKar hooks and Buy One Get One on W&M Flats Blue Capt. Blair Wiggins offshore and jigging rods, and get an inshore rod free.  These are SHOW ONLYspecials on the Flats Blue rods, so don’t miss this opportunity. 

Mogan of the Week . . . Check out this Mogan Redfish caught in the Mosquito Lagoon with Captain Don Hutson. His client was too tired after the lengthy battle to pose with the fish. It reportedly bottomed out the scale at 55 lbs!!! Nice job guys!!!

Just Lounging Around . . .The new and improved Mogan Lounge is officially in business and has cracked the 100 member mark!  If you haven't done the switch over yet, or aren't sure how to do it, here's Mr. Producerman explaining how to join the new G+ Mogan Lounge.

Addictive Fishing 2013 Filming . . .The wait is almost over!!! The new season of Addictive Fishing is now filming!!! The Mogan Man is fishing with a vengeance and  Mr. Producerman is busy here at the studio editing some new episodes of AF which will start airing in April. Looks like it's gonna be another awesome season of magnificent Mogan mayhem!!

Keep those Mogan pics coming, give me the who, what you caught it on, and where, of your catch and you might be seeing your pretty little face on here as the next MOTW.

Cleaning up the old aquarium,

I think I just pulled a mussel . . .

Catfish Whatley

<"))))><(

Battle of the Triggerfish

I had a gut feeling that the fishing would not be good, but we wanted to go out anyway. 

The weather was very calm and the sea followed suit. The air was thick with humidity and no breeze to speak of. 

We set out, Rosie, Brendan, Paul and myself, in hopes of catching something.

Things started out really slow. Not even the bait fish were biting, but persistence paid off and a few small fish were landed. They were to be used as bait (poor buggers). 

We continued fishing with little success and much sweatiness. 

As the day progressed our catch did not.

At one point I was jigging a soft plastic when I felt what appeared to be a bite, I set the hook and prepared for a fight. Alas I was hooked to the fishes house, snagged, caught the bottom. During my zealousness to free my lure there was an unmistakable cracking sound. Yep I broke my favorite jigging rod. For those of you who have never broken a graphite rod, the crack is memorable not to mention gut wrenching. 

As the top half of my rod slipped away down the line and into the blue abyss, my heart sank with it. 

After many expletive's, I realized my line was loose. Go figure, after all that it could have had the decency to stay snagged. 

As  I reeled it up I noticed that it was a bit heavy, too heavy for my jig. Low and behold there was a fish on the end and it was...........a Leather Jacket, aka Clown Triggerfish.

Well, you have to laugh at times like this, of course that is after you cry. Nothing I can do about it now and there was still some fishing to do.

We fished on for another couple of hours to no real avail. 

I new it was not going to be a great day of fishing, but still better than work.

The start of the day.

Intense rigging going on here.

Before the brake.

The Brake

The Clown.

Little bastard.

Consolation prize, Bluefin Trevally.

Beautiful but hot.

Paul getting it done.

Until next time.

Tight Lines

Manicured Lawn

Senior Prom

We re-post this now since the court date is close and will address some important issues for Montana and perhaps fishing access across the country. Click on over to CHI WULFF for some insights and details. ((Originally posted November 4, 2012.))

 

--------

HEADS UP Y'ALL

Beware The Whisper

marshall your indignation -- again

THIS IS NOT ALFRED E. NEWMAN

-------

.. Now that the rich and infamous have gotten a toehold on restricting usage of the Madison River they are marshaling their forces in the ongoing Ruby River lawsuit.
.. As noted by Ben Lamb, (LINK,) a pair of heavily muscled groups have just joined the fight to overturn Montana's stream access law.
.. As you have probably forgotten, that lawsuit is spearheaded by James Cox Kennedy who likes to use public bridges as fence posts. You remember him. He's the media mogul that has poured millions of dollars into Grady College in Georgia. It's now his alter ego in the new media business, (LINK.) We wonder what he's done for the colleges in MONTANA.
.. Talk about muddy waters! The two briefs, recently filed,  suggest that it's really private ownership and stewardship that enables our great fishing and hunting in this state, (LINK.)
.. In addition to all the rich folks from out of state moving in to buy legislators we now have billionaires and rock stars telling us that they should own the public's resources for our own good.
.. It's time to do some more homework and gear up for the next legislative session. Developers, Real Estate Agents & Brokers, and Land Speculators are watching very closely. With all the money flying into Montana it's not going to be easy - it never is.
Interesting resources:
** A River Runs Through It, (COX LAND THAT IS !)
** PERC, (LET US DO IT FOR YOU !) [Bozeman's gift to wealthy land owners.]
** In The Beginning, (Original debate and results.)
** The Company Line, (The way FWP sees it: currently being revised for the Madison River.)

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FREE MARKET ENVIRONMENTALISM - HOW ABOUT THAT !!!

Fuerteventura fishing...shark on the fly

2.5lb of golden mullet fighting machine

Living the dream

Fueraventura fishing

Well this was my return visit to this amazing island..

February back in the uk is grim... Real grim..the grayling seem to switch off and the trout season feels miles off so nothing better than to hit the warm seas of the canaries with a fly rod in hand..

I had done the same spot last year and found my feet by the end of the holiday but this year i knew where to fish and what times..

I had packed my airflow 9ft 9# nano salt rod and my streamflex 10ft 3#, my main rod would be the streamflex for the mullet and the big airflow was if anything big came along !!

I live 2hrs away from any sea back home and have fell in love with mullet fishing, my main goal was to go and hunt these fish...

There is a obvious myth with mullet that they are impossible to catch on flys or bait, this is total bullshit BUT I must add these fish are the hardest to catch than any other fish I know!! There are many reasons for this and the main one is that mullet are sifters of food, they rummage through algae etc and can become occupied on one food source more than any wised up trout..

You may see them heading and tailing infront of you feeding there heads off but 90% of the time they are just filtering food through there complex digestive system..and what makes it even harder is most of there food source is is micro organisms..along with many other reasons these fish are super wary

This might turn people off trying for them and I don't blame some anglers but be prepared for the most frustrating fishing of your life, when you hook one you will have the highest buzz in any fishing you have done..

I had spoken to top English mullet fly man Colin mc.... He had gave me some superb advice..

This is something I have always done, I always watch speak and listen to experienced anglers all over in my fishing, I see many anglers trying to do it all themselves, thinking they know it all but my biggest advice is to learn off the experienced anglers and you will reap the rewards..

Colin had told me of the sun rise and the fall and this was the critical in what happens in all my amazing catches..

My first session was a hour before sunset so I packed my gear in the hire car and drove 5 mins down the road to the beach front.

Now if your going on holiday always look for the sandy bays where all the sunbeds are..I can guarantee there will be mullet there, most say you can't fish there but if you go in the evenings or early mornings not even a fishing Baliff will care..a man with a fly rod is much less menacing than a 15ft beach caster!!

I have also found that these islands are funded by us tourists and the locals are very polite and just leave you to it..

My first session was going to be using a bread fly.. I had caught them last year with this method, and for starters I wanted to see what was about but later in the week I was gonna tackle more trickier way with flys..

I breaded up and with in seconds small bait fish were hammering the free offerings, next I saw a big fiz as big mullet moved in to get amongst the offerings..

It was then I cast amongst the mullet with a size 16 bread fly..

It was then I felt that heart pounding bumb through my fingers holding the fly line, then a few seconds later my whole set up screamed into life as i hooked mullet of over 2lb set off for deep water!!

It's funny how you forget what it actually feels like to hook a rocket like these fish and when you do you get a real buzz.. It's not often back home you get onto you backing but every mullet you hook I can guarantee you will be way into it!!

It was good to be back and the night closed in with 3 mullet to hand and lots of bumps offs..

It quite strange how the light goes and the fish just turn off the feed at the push of a button..

The next day I was to be up a hour before sun rise, something in have never done before on holiday but Colin had highly recommended it...

Now anglers get to see some magical settings and there is nothing better than a holiday resort with not a single person about, standing in a resort bay casting a fly on a rising sun is good for the soul..

Now this time i wanted to fish for mullet with 'proper' methods using flys, no baiting up with bread just total flyfishing methods..

This was going to be alot tougher but that's how I like it and it feel more 'real'

I set up with a 15 ft tapered leader and a 3 ft of 3.7lb flourocarbon tippet connected with two of my soft touch shrimps with a red hot spot (size 16 unweighted )

There are some great mullet flys about including the dawl Bach with a red glass bead but i wanted to see my new pattern against the mullet..

Now arriving at the beach I had to have a completely different approach from the 'bread' method

I stood for 10 mins looking for mullet on the move and as the orange glow spread across the flat calm bay my heart picked up as I saw the 'mirroring' of the surface as a big shoal were 20 yards away in 3ft of water!! They were 'on it' feeding there heads off, it was obvious, they were flashing there sides and moving a good speed..

Now I knew if I spooked them with a cast over them it would be all over, these fish sence any danger whatsoever and they will just switch off the feed..

My experience back home of fucking it up time and time again had taught me well..

Cast a line 20ft plus in front of them, let them hang and see there reaction as they come though the flys, I did this perfectly and as they come through i waited for any movement in the fly line..

It did and ripped away for 10 yards until the barbless hook pinged out!!

The whole shoal bolted and my chance was gone..

I was gutted but buzzing....I had for the first time hooked mullet on flys!!!

Now after a day chilling with the mrs by the pool it was time for everyone to go in for a late afternoon kip... It wasn't for me, my insane excitement for a rod bend just keeps my tiredness at bay..

Now there are some things that happen in life that you will never forget and I can honestly say I have loads in fishing but this one just beats them all!!!

I packed my gear in the car for the evening session and arriving at the beach I noticed a full tide which looked perfect..

I stood looking for shoaling mullet but nothing showed at all.. Gutted!

I ran back to the car and got some bread.. I wasn't going to be messing around with nymphs with no fish in sight..

I filled it in and waiting for the mullet to appear......

Nothing

I could not believe it, not even the small fry were taking the bread..

I went walking along the beach and had to take a double look as I saw a huge dark shape moving in 3 ft of water..

A shark around 7 ft long!! as I looked around then appeared 6 of them!! They were where people paddle when walking along the beach...

In anti clockwise movements they were circling very calmly..

Before now a crowd had gathered around me and people were amazed to see such a sight..

I was gobsamcked, they looked around 150lb plus and totally menacing...

What did I do ? I walked up the beach and grabbed my 9ft 9# nano salt rod and clipped on a huge clouser minnow!!

Now it must be in me, Everyone was out of the sea scared and all I could think of was hooking one on the fly!!!

People were looking at me like I was insane as I started to cast the rod.. I did have a thought of what I would do to land it! Hell I would dive on it if I got the chance..

After about 5 casts I ripped it past one and it turned its head and calmly opened its mouth as the fly disappeared .. Oh fuck it's took it!!

I strip striked and set the hook!!

Now I can't really put into words what happened but I Remember looking down at the rod before I could lift into the fish and it was 20 yards into the backing.. I lent into the fish and all I could see was the shark fin out the water screaming down the edge of the beach in 3ft of water..

I looked at my reel and the 100 yards of backing was disappearing fast... Now picture this...

I started to run down the beach with this shark in view to everyone.. I had met at Scottish pike angler David and he was yelling 'goo on lad' 'let me have a hold of the rod!!

5 mins had pasted and I was still battling with the fish but i knew I was against all odds and its wasn't long after I really got stuck into it and it rolled over and I saw the line ping on its teeth!!!

It was all over.. to be honest I was slightly pleased.. I did not want to be wrestling around the beach with hundreds of people watching me!!

It's was a pure adrenaline buzz , like being totally shitting myself but buzzing at the same time..

I never got any pictures of the madness but there are two Italian girls who took some and I have them my email so I really hope they send them..

 

The next day I returned to the same place in hope of seeing these magical fish..a quick walk along the beach and no signs of any sharks so I went out in search of mullet...today the mullet were really showing thereselves as the sunbathers were packing up and going home..

I opted for the soft touch shrimp again with mullet visable all over..

For some reason the mullet were showing but they did not look in feeding mode..

This was time for me to test the soft touch by moving them to get a reaction.. Work?? Oh yes, short inch pulls were met with absolute savage takes and screaming reels..

I don't want to bore everyone with the fights but the fish I was taking were golden mullet... These fish are more aggressive than the standard mullet, smaller in size but they are absolute beautiful fish and are perfect sport to a fly angler...

Over the week I had flat head mullet over 3 pound and none of them compared to the fight of a golden grey..

Luckily I had done some soft touch shrimp for mullet with barbs, there is no change you would hold onto one of these without it..

The fishing went dead and I wondered why??

I should of

I was standing upto my balls in water and to my left something caught my eye.. A shark was cruising past me 10 ft infront of me!!

It was a big fucker too.. Really big

I calmly stepped back towards the shore and think was the wrong thing to do!! It saw my movement and kicked its tail and turned straight towards me to have a look!!

I absolutely shit myself and slipped backwards straight under water and scrambled along the sea bed to the shore!! I was just waiting for a nip on my calf and time passed very slowly !!

I clambered up the beach looked behind me to see the shark peeling off to my right.. It's had followed me all the way in...

Things like this don't happen once in your life but being around fishing as much as me they certainly do!!

Telling my mrs Michelle back at the hotel she must of thought I was insane.. She told me i was banned from wading again!!

Travally and bream on fly

Did I??

I certainly did! I was there to get the mullet and it did not stop me but I was never far from safety beleive me!!

The holiday fishing was sublime, I ended up studying mullet in feeding action, I got to see there behaviour in many ways and hopefully it's taught me loads more to catch mullet back home in the uk..

I even caught a travally and bream while I was there on my sts.. So the trip really did reveal what I wanted to..

I am sending some of the sts out to some top mullet anglers around the uk so hopefully they will work there but only time will tell...

To finish this post off I must tell people my methods to help them experience the fun i have had with mullet on holiday

1. Bread fly

This is a method that should be done for the fly men who just want to hook one a feel the buzz..it might not be the classiest way to catch them but your on holiday and you want to catch!!

Take three big sticks of bread and slowly start to feed one spot

Don't cast until the fish are well and truly 'on it'

Fish with one bread fly on a 15 ft tapoured leader with 3 ft of 3.7 lb flourocarbon

Start with size 12 bread fly and if there is no interest try going down to size 18..

Once the fish know your fly is fake they all will until a new shoal moves in.. Again change fly size..

You should be fishing the tightest line possible.. I do figure of eight at all times to stay in touch.. Do this at the slowest you can possibly do.. You will not get a single fish unless you are 'in touch'

Point your rod directly at the fly.. U want no slack in the line and the fish will hook themselves..

Do not lift the rod until the fish has screamed off your drag for 20 yards..

Set your drag at the lowest setting and have some slack hanging down from you reel.. You will know your in when the line bumbs your fingers..

2. Fishing the flies

This method is for the more experienced mullet angler and is alot more satisfying catching them with trout like methods..

I am no expert in this as yet and I have had plenty of advice from timmy mullet (Colin) off the forum..

I cracked this method on holiday and had super fun with the golden mullet landing one around 2.5 lb

You have not bread to bring them on the feed so you must go and look for feeding mullet.. You won't miss mullet feeding.. They flash and head and tail of the water..

Place you flys well infront of them and either dead drift them or twitch them in very short inch bursts..

Spook these fish with a bad cast and you should leave them and go find another shoal ...

Expect runs onto your backing

This method is more the real deal and when you catch one you will be over the moon..

I hope that my methods will give anyone going on holiday some great fly sport..

There is no fish that fight like salt water fish and the buzz from hooking and fighting a mullet will have you buzzing for months..

'Stil living the dream'

Nice one

Soft touch shrimp in the bag

Glen

Glen Pointon

07973951352

 

Glen Pointon 07973951352

Photokeratitis

fox chain of lakes area ice fishing report

Given the bluebird skies and late winter ice, I thought that conditions weren't the best and we were prepared for sluggish fish. Within the first set of holes we drilled we found that the bite was anything but lethargic. These guys were spunky enough that they were hammering spoons dangled 4 feet above their heads. Not a bad start and we had a few gills and a crappie on the ice before even setting the tip downs.

The tip downs produced some very nice perch and these guys were as big as we have ever seen them in here. A few of them hit on the drop before the minnow ever reached the bottom. A good reminder to actually work your minnow as it descends instead of just letting it free fall.

a nice in-land perch

We had one of the best days panfishing yet. Fish came in packs and for a steady 2 or so minutes, you couldn't get the baits down the hole quick enough. But, as fast as they came was as fast as they were gone. That went on and off every 15 minutes or so for a solid 2 hours and gave us enough opportunity to sort out a solid bag of keepers. 

the truck bed of death

Oh, yeah and one consolation bass...

the lone bass of the day

Given the forecast for the next ten days and the solid cap of ice over 10 inches thick, I think we have a couple more weeks of ice trips to go. I'm not so sure how long before I get back out on the rivers but I'm getting that itch, so it may be sooner then later. We will see...