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As some of you may have already heard, I had an incredible fishing experience in Mexico with Christoph Hottgenroth. This was an exploratory trip to assess whether the fishery was good enough to make it a regular destination and to see what species we could catch. We were particularly excited about the opportunity to sight fish for striped marlin.
We started our adventure at Palapas Ventana in Baja, Mexico, where we caught roosterfish, dorados, and skipjacks. It was the perfect warm-up, and for Christoph and me, dorados were a completely new experience. They are an amazing species to target on the fly. We caught plenty of roosterfish, though mostly smaller ones, as the prime season for big roosters is in May and June—when the larger fish enter the bay.
After that, we moved to the Marlin Camp. We didn’t fish on the travel day, as the journey took several hours by car, including a stop in La Paz to shop at Walmart.
The accommodation consists of simple concrete huts in a small fishing village on an island - very basic, but with everything you need. The food is also simple, so not a luxury, but perfectly adequate. What was really great was that our camp was located directly on an island in front of the fishing grounds, so we had a very short way from the lodge to the fishing spots.
The fishing was absolutely spectacular. Over three and a half days, we landed 15 marlins between the two of us—including two double hookups. We even had a double hookup on poppers! And all of this was sight fishing. There was never a dull moment—just non-stop excitement from one action-packed moment to the next.
Arrival at Las Palapas: November 13 (Arrival in Cabo San Lucas at 18:20), followed by transfer to Las Palapas Ventana
This year, Condor offered direct flights from Frankfurt to Cabo San Lucas at very competitive rates. Flights for 2025 are not yet listed online, but the plan is to book the Condor flight from Frankfurt to Cabo. This way, we can avoid a domestic flight, as the drive from Cabo to Palapas Ventana is only 3–4 hours by minivan.
Here you will find an overview of the most important travel information:
Accommodation in double or triple occupancy rooms
Full board (Alternatively, à la carte dining is available at Palapas Ventana at your own expense)
A bait boat to supply sardines, keeping dorados and roosterfish around the boat for longer
Land and boat transfers
International flights
Beverages (some at your own expense)
Tips for staff and boat crew
The essential equipment for this fishing trip.
It's crucial that reels for GT fishing have a reliable drag system and sufficient backing (50-80 lbs) capacity (minimum 250 - 300 meters). Also, for Bonefish and Permit, there should be at least 200 meters of backing on the reel.
It's essential that fly lines are suitable for tropical conditions. Brands like Rio or Scientific Angler offer a good selection of appropriate lines. Bring at least two backup lines for GT fishing and one for Permit!
Giant Trevally: The main lines to consider are floating lines. However, it's also important to have a full sinking line, as fishing in deeper waters is common.
Permit, Triggerfish, and Bonefish: Choosing a floating line that matches the rod weight is the right choice.
Leader Material: Fluorocarbon or Nylon
Giant Trevally and other predators: 100 lbs Permit, Triggerfish: 15 lbs and 20 lbs Bonefish: 12 lbs and 15 lbs
Giant Trevally:
Permit, Trigger and Bonefish:
Giant Trevally: It is crucial that GT flies are tied on very strong hooks.
My preferred flies are baitfish patterns around 17-22 cm in length. The best colors are: Tan/white, Black/Purple, Black/red, Total red, Orange
Permit and Triggerfish:
Bonefish:
Spawning shrip, Gotscha, Christmas Island Special
