IT'S MY 2 CENTS, AND SO HERE THEY ARE, LA PAZ VS. LAS ARENAS

THE FISHING THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAS SLOWED WITH MEDIUM DORADO HOLDING UP THE LARGEST PART OF THE GAME. RICK "EL GUAPO" (APPARENTLY THERE'S MORE THAN ONE) DIAZ BATTLED A 70LB. YELLOWFIN TO ITS' FINS, AND A COUPLE OF MARLIN HOOKED, BUT THE VARYING WINDS, SMALL LOCAL STORM FRONTS, LARGE CURRENTS ON THE NEW MOON, AND BOUNCING BAROMETER HAVEN'T BEEN EXTRAORDINARILY KIND OF LATE, MAYBE TODAY....
IN LIEU OF VERBOSE REPORT OF OUR GREAT SUCCESSES A SMALL COLUMN ON MY MIND:

EVEN THOUGH THE FISHING GROUNDS ACCESSIBLE FROM LA PAZ ARE WITHIN SITE OF THOSE REACHED FROM LAS ARENAS, THE SIMILARITY ENDS THERE. I RUN BOATS FROM BOTH PLACES, AND MAKE ABOUT THE SAME MONEY EITHER WAY, SO I HAVE 16 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH THESE LOCATIONS, AND NO AXE TO GRIND. WHILE THERE ARE DAYS WHEN THE FISHING OUT OF LA PAZ BAY IS BETTER, AND THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES LIKE 10 YEARS AGO WHEN BIG YELLOWFIN HUNG OUT AT THE BAJO FOR A FEW YEARS, I MYSELF FISH EXCLUSIVELY LAS ARENAS. FOR ME THIS COMES DOWN TO TWO BASIC DECIDING ISSUES:

#1 BETTER FISHING: I WATCH IT DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND THE VARIETY AND QUALITY OF FISH AT LAS ARENAS IS SUPERIOR. IT IS FURTHER FROM THE POPULATION CENTER, AND THEREFOR GETS SOME LESS PRESSURE, THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE AREA OFFERS AN ALMOST UNLIMITED SELECTION OF SHORELINE, SEA MOUNTS, SPIRES, AND THIS GIVES YOU MORE OPTIONS, MORE PLAN "B'S", AND MORE OPPORTUNITY IF THE WEATHER IS AN ISSUE. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT THE AREA AROUND THE BAJO DOES NOT HOLD AN AWFUL LOT OF MARLIN, BUT THE LOCALS REALLY AREN'T ALL THAT PROFICIENT, A MATTER THAT MY PARTNERS AND I ARE ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

(Hint A: #s 1 and 2 are not unrelated, how to weight them is difficult, but they are not independent events)

#2 BETTER CAPTAINS: AGAIN, AFTER 16 YEARS OF THIS, I FIND ON WHOLE THE LOYALTY, PROFESSIONALISM, TALENT, EXPERIENCE, AND WORK ETHIC OF THE CAPTAINS AT LAS ARENAS TO BE VASTLY SUPERIOR. ARE THERE GOOD CAPTAINS FROM LA PAZ? OF COURSE, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF VERY TALENTED MEN WORKING FROM THE TOWN, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO GATHERING BAIT, WORKING A FULL DAY, AND JUST TRYING HARD, THE LAS ARENAS GROUP THAT WE HAVE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO BEAT. CAPTAINS IN LA PAZ TEND TO HAVE OTHER JOBS, AND OFTEN USE SOMEONE ELSE'S BOAT. WHILE THIS DOESN'T PRECLUDE BEING A GOOD CAPTAIN, GIVE ME THE GUY WHO FISHES EVERYDAY, WHO WHEN THERE AREN'T ROD AND REEL CUSTOMERS TO GO OUT WITH GOES COMMERCIAL FISHING, AND WHO LIVES AND SURVIVES SOLELY ON HIS FISHING SKILLS. IT AIN'T A HOBBY.

"YEAH, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE VAN RIDE?" WHAT ABOUT IT? I'D RATHER GO 50 MINUTES IN A VAN WHERE I CAN AND DO SLEEP THAN POUND FOR 2 1/2 HOURS IN A PANGA TO GET OUT TO THE BAJO.

"BUT I LIKE BUYING THE BAIT, IT SAVES TIME." IT MIGHT SAVE TIME, BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT YOU GET A BUNCH OF STRESSED BAIT THAT DOESN'T LAST THE DAY, AND THAT'S IF IT IS TODAYS' BAIT. THERE ARE CAPTAINS OUT OF LA PAZ, LIKE JUAN ROMERO, WHO ARE EXPERT AT GATHERING BAIT WITH A THROW NET, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING THE CAPTAINS OUT OF LA PAZ DON'T, AND MOSTLY CAN'T USE A NET. I'D MUCH RATHER SPEND AN HOUR GETTING A TANK FULL OF FRESH BAIT THAN PAY $20 FOR A SMALL SCOOP OF SOON TO BE DEAD BAIT.

"BUT THEY USE SUPER PANGAS OUT OF LA PAZ." YES THEY DO, AND THERE IS AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE WHEN FISHING WITH THREE IN A BOAT AS MANY OF THE SUPER PANGAS HAVE BENCH SEATING, BUT FOR TWO PEOPLE, THE SUPER AND NONSUPER PANGAS ARE BUILT ON THE SAME HULL, AND WHEN YOU PUT A CENTER CONSOLE IN IT, YOU TAKE UP MY ROOM IN THE BOAT. I'LL TAKE A NONSUPER PANGA ANY TIME, BASIC, ELEGANT, SIMPLE, WITH TWO MOVING PARTS, MOTOR AND CAPTAIN. I DON'T FALL FOR "SUPER".

IT'S HOW I FEEL. IT'S A CHOICE THAT YOU CAN AND SHOULD MAKE FOR YOURSELF, BUT IF FISHING IS THE POINT OF YOUR FISHING TRIP, THEN IT IS CLEAR TO ME WHAT THE BEST CHOICE IS.

DAVID