Catch after Catch: Fishing with Sayulita Kayak and Surf Fishing Tours
The sun was just starting to cast shades of orange and pink in the sky at 7:30 a.m. last Tuesday, and the beach was void of people, a rare sight in Sayulita. An epitome of tranquility, waves softly lapped the panga, as Jorge, owner of Sayulita Kayak and Surf Fishing Tours, navigated the small boat out to sea for a day of fishing!
Jorge started fishing when he was a little boy, and has been taking Sayulita tourists and locals on fishing tours since 2010. That knowledge and passion for fishing is apparent from the get-go. Jorge, with a smile on his face, and in nearly perfect English, started with the basics. Since Zoey and I have little fishing experience, he taught us how to cast, and super important, how to reel in a fish!
We went trolling, which is when baited fishing lines (we initially used lures) are dragged through the water. Almost as soon as we started trolling, both Zoey and I felt tugs on our lines. (I think Jorge was exited as we were!) Jorge reminded us to pull the rods up a bit and let them down while reeling, and then repeat, repeat, repeat. After a bit of a fight, we both reeled in Bonitas, and Jorge took them off the lures. (I was amazed at their sharp little teeth)! The lures went back into the water, and within a minute or two, both Zoey and I had another! It was one catch after the other!
Next we trolled with live bait, and Jorge explained that when using live bait, the boat has to go slower to avoid killing it. Jorge taught us if a fish took bite, to let the fishing line go, giving the fish time to swallow the other fish before stopping the line and reeling it in. It was my first time fishing with a fish larger than a sardine, and I had visions of catching a monster of a fish. At the same time, I also wondered how I could possibly reel it in?!
As the sun rose higher in the sky, Jorge put up the umbrella, effectively blocking us from the sun. I sat watching my pole, listening to the ocean sounds, lulled by the rocking of the boat. In the not-so-far distance, we could see a sea turtle in the water.
Turned out it was a lucky day for our bait, and we changed tactics again, going closer to shore to troll with lures. Zoey’s pole jerked almost immediately, and with our luck returning, she reeled in a good-sized Skipjack.
In total, we caught 18 Bonitas and 3 Skipjacks during our fishing tour with Sayulita Kayak and Surf Fishing Tours! And let me tell you this; I don’t think there is possibly any better tasting fish than the ones you catch yourself!
If you’d like to experience a fishing tour with Jorge for yourself, and I highly suggest you do, contact him at Sayulita Kayak and Surf Fishing Tours. In addition to panga fishing, he also offers surf fishing and kayak fishing.
Written By: Stacey Elkins
