AS SEEN IN THE SEPT/OCT 2006 ISSUE

An escape from modern day civilization

What started as a quest to fulfill a lifelong dream, ended with an angling adventure etched with vivid memories of trophy fish in the shadow of mountainside seascapes. Read on and see for yourself if venturing deep into the remote wilderness of southern Mexico for a shot at a once in a lifetime catch is for you. If you’re the adventurous type looking for an unforgettable experience, I would bet it is!

You can’t blame me for considering for a moment that Lorenz’s colorful description could be a bit exaggerated - nevertheless, I rolled the dice and booked a flight. Lorenz made it clear from our first conversation that this was no five-star beachside resort with well-outfitted sportfishers ready to whisk me off. There would be no room service and no chlorine flavored swimming pool in the shadow of towering palm trees. Neither of these amenities would be found here. Rather, this was Playa Escondido. This was slipping back in time to old Mexico as it used to be. This was all about targeting fish that have never seen a single lure.

Lorenz’s quant five bedroom-five bathroom adobe lodge, fully operational for just over five years, offers enthusiastic anglers a rare opportunity to experience untapped fisheries in modest, yet comfortable accommodations. Angling possibilities ranged from a variety of exotics along the shallow shorelines, to record numbers of Pacific sails, yellowfin tuna, dorado, and marlin prowling no more than a thousand yards offshore of the endless miles of deserted beaches. Could such an angling paradise still exist in modern times? Along with my teenage son, Jason, who joined me on the exploratory expedition, I was soon to find out.

Reaching Bahia la Tortuga Lodge was an adventure all its own, though well worth the twelve hours of travel time from any of Florida’s international airports. After a short layover in Mexico City and a scenic 45 minute flight over a forest encrusted mountain range to a secluded airfield in the little known town of Zihuatanejo, a one hour cab ride dropped us off at the lodge’s doorstep where John, his wife Angelica, and a staff of three anxiously awaited our arrival.

As mentioned, this far into southern Mexico is no place to look for all of the comforts of home. Tourist laden Ixtapa to the north or Acapulco, a popular honeymoon destination, to the south would be better suited for couples or families with children looking for a resort style vacation. Bahia la Tortuga is purely a fishermen’s lodge nestled on a small cove between two towering cliffs. Constructed of man-made materials and natural bamboos, the somewhat primitive facility is luxurious when compared to its neighboring community of thatched huts and weathered residences. We were in the heart of a traditional Mexican fishing village with the only marina for hundreds of miles. The entire community housed no more than a hundred families who each made their modest living from the sea.

After a quick breakfast with coffee, fresh squeezed juice and Mexican burritos, day one on the fishing grounds saw us throwing topwater plugs along uninhabited beaches lined with rows of palm trees. This was raw, hardcore fishing in glorified rowboats with next to zero for amenities. What the panga did offer was the ability to stealthily cruise the shorelines in a relatively seaworthy vessel with 360 degrees of unobstructed fishability. Captained by a local guide with a lifetime of experience fishing these very same beaches, this was sport fishing in its most primitive form. No VHF chatter, no air conditioned cuddy cabin, no recirculating livewell, nothing but us, endless miles of untapped water, and the fish. With each cast I became more mesmerized by the surrounding natural beauty. Emerald green water and remote beaches without a single footstep in the sand, shadowed by a backdrop of towering mountains, combined to make the entire scene a vision of pure tranquility. ‘Catching’ quickly took a backseat to the destination.

Day one in our hunt for trophy rooster fish produced little more than a single juvenile that managed to shake free of my plug, although a few missed boils, a handful of chunky crevalles, an endless supply of five-foot toothy houndfish, and a hungry school of colorful dolphin plugged directly in the wash kept us busy. For South Florida guys used to trolling dolphin out in the Gulf Stream, scoring these neon-green beauties on topwater plugs just feet from shore was a welcome surprise, an encounter Lorenz claimed occurred quite often due to the close proximity of deep water and complete lack of recreational fishing pressure. As a matter of fact, we never saw another boat recreational fishing during our entire stay. We were also treated to an entertaining episode when we spotted a local angler going one-on-one with a trophy-size rooster. The locals here spend their free time fishing directly from the shear cliffs with nothing more than primitive hand-lines. Viewing the determined angler finagle his prized catch between steep boulders and the breaking surf while jumping from slippery rock to slippery rock, proved to be an astounding feat, one that none of us would even dare attempting. Although our day on the water was coming to an end, we were far from disappointed and still had another full day ahead of us to locate and fool our intended quarry, so our spirits remained high.

Back at the lodge, a gourmet lunch awaited our return. Guests at Bahia la Tortuga are treated to four square meals a day, each prepared with heart by the cordial staff. From fresh fish tacos and banana leaf tamales, to grilled spiny lobster and freshly prepared octopus salad, each and every meal contained a potpourri of authentic flavors, and each was complemented by an array of side dishes and freshly blended juices. Trust me when I tell you, you’re never hungry here.

Day two, our final day on the water, was about to prove that Lorenz’s original statement could not have been any truer. Our guide for the day, Rodie, accompanied by a dozen goggle-eyes circling in his makeshift baitwell, awaited our 6:00 AM arrival. Day two was a little more to our liking as we departed at the break of dawn in a slightly better equipped panga. A makeshift t-top provided a level of protection from the blistering sun, while deeper gunnels and a stealthy four-stroke made plugging the rocky outcroppings and sandy shorelines a bit more comfortable. It didn’t take us long to realize that when it comes to coercing trophy size rooster fish in this or any part of Mexico, slow-trolling live bait is clearly the most productive method of approach. Juvenile roosters under ten pounds had no problem smashing our Yo-Zuri topwaters ripped across the surface, but the largest fish, the true once-in-a-lifetime giants that we were after, no, they strictly preferred the challenge of chasing down and engulfing a fleeing bait.

After the first pair of baby roosters had fallen victim to our surface plugs right out of the gate, we decided it was time to deploy our first livie in the hopes of enticing something more substantial. Our timing could not have been any more perfect. By noon, we had bested three monstrous rooster fish, each of which fought till the end like true gladiators expending every available ounce of energy. From the instant I set up on the first blistering strike, I knew I had found exactly what I had waited so long and traveled so far for. Line screamed off my 20 lb. conventional outfit as the furious piscatorial predator raced toward the security of the wash. The fish melted more than a hundred yards of line before making a sharp left turn into deeper water.

Forty minutes of give-and-take later, I could barely believe my eyes when I first spotted the banded silvery slab as it emerged from the near-shore depths. Both the lodge’s owner and the ecstatic guide jumped to full attention when realizing the potential size of this trophy, a true monster they both estimated at well over sixty pounds! Soaked in perspiration, after fifteen more minutes of skillful angling, I finally subdued the largest rooster fish the village fleet had seen in over a decade. If the one gargantuan wasn’t enough, the same stretch of coastline yielded two more respectable specimens in the 40 lb. class. Not only had we accomplished what we had come for, I had set the standard at Bahia la Tortuga with a new lodge record which tipped the rusty scale at an even 67 pounds, a world-class trophy rooster by anyone’s standards.

Equally as exciting, as my son, Jason, brought monster fish number two to boat-side after an exhilarating thirty-minute battle, a set of similar size roosters trailed close behind, waiting for their share of an easy meal. Live bait immediately tossed into the melee was instantaneously smashed, but the wary fish never presented an opportunity for a solid hook up. We finished the day off plugging another pair of juveniles just outside the breaking waves before finally calling it quits. Success was ours!

Back at the lodge, a cold shower and tasty late lunch were a great way to enter the evening. As we shared fish stories relaxing in the palapa overlooking the Pacific, we watched in awe as a school of small yellowfin tuna busted bait no more than a quarter mile from the incoming rollers. Afterwards, we strolled down to a rocky outcropping where an hour’s worth of casting produced a handful of colorful grouper-like species and a rare trumpet fish. In only two days, we had caught hard fighting crevalles, blue-toothed houndfish, dolphin along the surf, and of course, record roosters. We witnessed schools of tuna devastating helpless bait schools, saw more free-jumping sailfish than I can remember, and had an enjoyable time attempting to identify a wide array of bottom dwelling species brought in by the local hand-line fleet which spent each night earning their modest living on the peaceful Pacific. Looking back now, my only regret was that we had to return home without an opportunity to spend any time offshore. I can tell you, during our next visit to Bahia la Tortuga, we’re staying for a week!

Traveling to Bahia La Tortuga:

Though quite remote, reaching this piece of uncharted paradise is really a cinch. Daily flights departing most of Florida’s international airports will fly you to Houston, Texas, or directly into Mexico City. From either, a connecting flight will land you in Ixtapa/ Zihuatanejo Airport, where ground transportation arranged in advance by the lodge will be waiting your arrival. After a scenic cab ride, once on site, guests are welcomed to come and go as they please. Exercise a bit of caution, as this is remote Mexico and professional assistance of any kind is nowhere nearby. We did roll through a single checkpoint manned with machine gun armed Federales evidently looking for narcotic smugglers along our journey, which brought a greater twist of adventure to the cab ride.

What to bring:

Other than a few roadside shacks selling beverages and snacks within walking distance of the lodge, bring along everything you may need, including sunscreen, medications, toiletries, etc.

Bahia la Tortuga is not a bi-lingual facility, though communicating clearly with the friendly staff was a breeze. Each guest is provided a cozy air conditioned room with private bath, four square meals a day and adequate tackle. We brought along a pair of our favorite spinning outfits for the topwater action and a duo of conventional combos for slow-trolling purposes. I would highly recommend you do the same. A small tackle bag loaded with a variety of topwater and swimming plugs, a few pocket spools of leader material (30 lb., 50 lb., & 80 lb.), and an assortment of swivels and live bait hooks will nicely round out your arsenal. If you intend on spending any time offshore (one to four miles off the beach) chasing pelagic species like tuna, dolphin, and sailfish, of which there appeared to be an endless supply, I would recommend bringing along a handful of your favorite skirted lures and trolling feathers.

When to go:

Our exploratory expedition to Bahia la Tortuga took place during late June, peak rooster fish season, though a variety of trophy size game fish can be found year round. Discuss your preferences with the lodge’s owner, and he’ll fill you in on everything you need to know to maximize your opportunities.

Contact Info:

Bahia la Tortuga Fishing Lodge

Puerto Vicente Guerrero, Mexico.

John Lorenz

956-748-2988

956-455-6931

www.EscapeIxtapa.com

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