Fishing With Gerardo

Sunrise over the water is always beautiful.

Five o'clock... I rolled out of bed and got my gear together for a day of fishing. There was a seat open on the boat, Hakuna Matata, with Captain Gerardo Kosonoy and I got an invite to get out on the water. 

We met at Barry Urquhart's house and Gerardo picked us up. By 7:10 AM we were motoring out of the Barra canals and into the Bahia de Navidad. The air was cool, almost cold, as we sped out across the water.

Setting out the five lines we fished.

Gerardo was heading out to an area where I have fished many times under his guidance. About three miles out of Barra, we set out five lures and slowed to about 9 knots. Our day of trolling had begun.

The four clients, Barry Urquhart, Jeff Cheek, Dave???? and myself flipped coins that set our seats in the catch chair. I was third in line so I sat up with Gerardo and chatted about fishing as we scanned the horizon for good signs. We look for birds, debris, long lines, and current lines. Over the years I have become very aware of these things to look for, all of which draw baitfish which in turn draw predator fish.

Fish on! A sailfish tries to shake the lure free.

Gerardo found a great current line that was full of debris and we started following it. All along this line were pieces of floating wood, seaweed, coconuts, paper, and plastic. Under each piece of flotsam was a teaming community of small fish, crabs, sea snakes, and other living organisms.

Since we were looking for the big fish, we pulled our lures through the current line in hopes that a predator would see the movement of these colorful lures, follow and attack.

The sailfish has given in and is ours.

At 10:10 AM we had a strike and a hookup. Jeff was the first chair so after Gerardo set the hook, he took over and the fight began. Behind the boat, a pointed head broke the surface. Jeff had a sailfish on his line. As he reeled it in we pulled in the other lines and Gerardo prepared to land it.

After about 30 minutes the fish was near the boat and we got our first look at its full length. Gerardo estimated it to be about 7 feet long and 65 pounds. This is considered a medium-sized fish. Jeff decided to keep it and our captain pulled it on board and administered the club. Gerardo calls his club the Priest and our friend John Sutherland calls his club Gramma's Hammer. Whatever you call it, it gets the job done.

With one fish in the boat, we continued on. Ahead Gerardo spotted a log and we pulled the lures past it hoping to get a hit. As we went by the water teemed with baitfish. Around the log were two huge turtles feeding off the growth along the wood skin.

Gerardo and Jeff with the prize.

We stopped alongside the island of life and proceeded to fish for live bait. As we caught the little baitfish, sharks started swimming around our lines. Soon we were catching sharks along with the small baitfish. Gerardo told us that sharks were good to eat, so we kept the next seven we caught. This was a very fun experience and something I had never done on the open ocean.

After a while, we pulled in the lines and set them up with hooks and then put on the live bate. We pulled this bait slower than we had pulled the lures. Gerardo headed us back along the current line and we motored on.

A little better photo of Jeff.

Gerardo cleans one of the seven sharks we caught.

Taking us home.

This photo is for Caroline.