By Paul Lebowitz

Baja California, Mexico. A world apart. The clock seems to slow. The fishing is great, the flavors are hot like the parched landscape, and the hospitality is just as warm. What to do, when you need a taste of Baja but can’t get away long from the pressure cooker of modern life? The answer mi amigo is the one day Baja kayak fishing escape.

First a word about expectations. One day isn’t enough to evade the hordes of border zone touristas, and it won’t get you to Baja’s legendary fishing. But it might just slake your appetite until you have time for a real escape, and is a great adventure for a first-timer just dipping a toe into the sea of Baja offerings.

Our target is Puerto Nuevo, known for its delicious Baja style lobster, an easy forty minute drive south of the border on the Tijuana-Ensenada toll road.

A rocky crag, the Terron de Azucar or Sugarloaf Rock in English, seems to float just offshore of the village. In actuality the rock is two miles out. The trip out there is well worthwhile, as the rock is only a small part of a reef system that harbors quality rockfish and big sand bass.

If you slip across the border and through Tijuana in the pre-dawn darkness, when you reach Puerto Nuevo the sleepy streets may still be deserted. The steep and rutted path to the narrow sandy beach is at the northwest corner of town. If you’ve got the skills and vehicle for it, you can try the road; I’d bring my kayak wheels instead. Next, spare a care when you look to park your rig.

On the weekends, the streets are sure to fill with lobster-loving tourists. A better option is parking in one of the attended pay lots at the east end of town. If they are still closed, seek permission to park off the street in a nearby yard. It might cost you a few dollars, a small price to pay for peace of mind. Remember, you’re still in the border zone.

On a recent trip my fishing partner Al Silebi solved the parking problem when he said good morning to Senora Angel, proprietor of Restauran Vista Al Mar #3. A minute of small talk, and a promise to return later to sample the house specialty, earned us the privilege of a parking spot just up the hill from the beach.

Down on the sand we met Sra. Angel’s fisherman husband, Senor Miguel Angel. Here is a man a kayak angler can understand. Like the other pangeros of his village, Sr. Angel faces a surf launch and landing every time he goes out. If it is windy, or you just want to leave the kayaks at home, you can launch with him or one of his compadres.

Past the small surf and out by the rock, Silebi and I found the rockfish biting. The fishing here is nothing exotic, but driving a hook home and feeling the weight of a fish is satisfying any time and the results are tasty. Three pound sand bass are not unusual, and the bottom fish are mostly reds and whitefish.

Out on the reef, expect to fish in about 100 to 125 feet of water. You can use lures - split tail plastics like Scampis or bottom irons such as Megabaits or Iron Mans – but we found simple two-hook rockcod rigs baited with squid and weighed down with four to six ounces of lead perfectly productive.

Like us, you probably won’t have to fish long to fill your Mexican limits. That is just as well, as even a one day trip to Baja would be incomplete without time to linger over a frosty beverage at the cantina. Back at the Restauran Al Mar #3, Sra. Angel greeted us like old friends. Our catch was taken away to be expertly filleted at nominal cost. Skipping breakfast and spending the morning on the water had stoked our appetites. If I’d have known what a feast was awaiting us, I might have passed on dinner the night before.

It started with margaritas, tortilla chips, a smoky salsa, and fresh guacamole. Next came homemade flour tortillas, refried beans, Mexican rice, and rich Puerto Nuevo style lobster with drawn butter. As we ate mariachi music wafted in from the restaurant next door. Out on the street, tourists played the bargain game for textiles, pottery, and various trinkets. Beyond it all the sparkling ocean provided a feast for the eyes as we enjoyed our meal.

After the wreckage of the demolished lobsters was removed, the lady of the house presented each of us one of the red rockfish we’d caught that morning. The fish, fresh from the sea, was served whole, dusted with spices, then fried until crisp. It was fantastic, moist and savory, even better than the lobster. 

AL SILEBI fishes the Terron de Azucar, also known as Sugarloaf Rock. The pinnacle is just a small part of an extensive reef system which holds sandbass and rockfish.

DELICIOUS Puerto Nuevo style lobster like this is available at over two dozen restaurants.

ALL THAT IS LEFT of a tasty fresh red rockfish. Most local restaurants will cook up your catch. Fresh whole fish dusted in spices and dipped in hot oil is fantastic.