By Paul Lebowitz

It's no wonder the northern Baja coast has seen an influx of Americans driving south to such areas as Ensenada, Punta Banda, Erendira, Puerto Santo Tomas, Camalu, and San Quintin. These are where great rockfishing is available year-round.

Where the “real” Baja begins just south of Ensenada is an improbably placed zone of cold waters teeming with rockfish. These fish, also known as rockcod or snapper, inhabit chilly nutrient-rich waters that well up from deep in the ocean. The tiny village of Puerto Santo Tomas, isolated and protected by nearly 20 miles of dirt road, makes a great base for accessing this Central California style shallow water rockfishing. The village has one of the few semi-sheltered launch ramps available along Baja’s cold water zone, and a modest resort which offers camping, casas, and meals.

I was lucky to be taking a trip with a group of Baja veterans. After a pell-mell rush through the border zone, and then a frenzied white-knuckle drive along dark dirt roads, we pulled into a sleeping Puerto Santo Tomas late at night to join friends who had arrived earlier.

The wind was howling out of the north but we hoped conditions would improve. We hastily set up camp then hit the sack for a few hours of sleep.

Dawn the next day failed to bring with it a morning calm. While vainly waiting for the wind to slacken I had the opportunity to take in the lay of the land and its meeting with the sea. What I saw was akin to looking back in time, when most of California was a wild land. To my left, aglow in the morning light, tawny rounded hills marched steeply down towards the sea. The hills extended in an unbroken line as far to the south as I could see, mostly untouched by the hand of man. One exception was here, in the tiny fishing village of Puerto Santo Tomas. Three modern houses and a cluster of shanties huddled at the foot of the hills on scant pieces of level ground. The buildings all faced west towards the sea. Stepping to the lip of the cliff bordering the group camping area, I turned my attention to the water.

Below the cliff lay a small cove enclosed by rocky arms. The kelp forests started just outside the cove, extending out to sea and curling north around a headland. Where the ocean gnawed at the toe of the headland a marvelous profusion of jagged rock stacks slumped into the sea. Surf breaking on the reefs sent surges of spray high into the air. The scenic splendor of this collision of land and sea hinted at an abundance of fish.

Where the ocean meets a rocky shore you can be sure reefs line the bottom. Extensive kelp forests confirm the presence of a rocky sea floor, as the tough algae requires a firm foundation. Rocky reefs, with the crevasses and crannies, provide ideal shelter for fish. Where there is kelp the cover extends to the surface, hinting at good fishing from top to bottom.

This morning the wind was still up. Out on the ocean marched line after line of frothy whitecaps. Yet the nearshore waters looked placid, calmed by the kelp forest and partially sheltered by the headland. The conditions were less than ideal, but if we kept to the sheltered waters we'd still be able to kayak fish. After a fisherman's breakfast of eggs and bacon on white bread we hit the water.

The launch ramp at Puerto Santo Tomas faces a semi-circular cove. The surf is normally mild, except when the swell pours directly into the small bay. Fortunately on those days the beach just south of the bottom arm of the cove should usually offer a sheltered alternative. We were greeted by placid surf and stroked out easily towards open water, at least that was so until we approached the mouth of the launch bay.

To prevent line twist, consider using a swivel with the latter.

Even in mild conditions you will likely have to pass through a patch of roiled and confused water. The water jumps and darts where refracted swell bounced off the curved shoreline meets the incoming waves. The best remedy for dealing with this water condition called clapotis is to keep paddling strongly forwards. The quick forward stroke adds significantly to your stability.  Once out of the confused chop it took only minutes to reach the kelp.

Out on the kelp the wind was stronger than it had appeared from shore. If anyone stopped paddling the wind would instantly seize his boat and skid it quickly downwind.

The kelp lay heavy on the surface of the water. As each stronger gust of wind approached we could watch its progress by the lift and slap of kelp leaves. The only way to fish was to find an opening in the kelp cover, then tie off or anchor to a few thick stringers on the upwind side of the 'pothole.'

Potholing the Kelp
Fortunately kayaks are ideal for fishing thick kelp. Where motorized boats would bog, kayaks skim easily over the mats of kelp. Potholing is effective anywhere dense kelp beds are found. Only the smallest of gaps in the surface kelp is necessary, although it is easier to fish larger openings. Probing the kelp for shallow water rockfish utilizes methods similar to those used for open water bottom fishing.

A few adjustments in strategy are necessary to deal with the ever-present threat of tangling in the kelp.

Plastic swimbaits are the favored bait. Several varieties can be effective, ranging from the paddle-tail style to the sickle shaped shrimp tail, yet my favorite is the Scampi-style split tail pattern. I feel it has the best action for the vertical presentation. Another option is the Blam style elongated curly-tailed bait, especially when paired with a Cotee jighead. The deliberately unbalanced jighead imparts a spiraling action to the fall of the bait. Popular colors for targeting rockfish are rootbeer and white, although at times chartreuse, red, or even black will produce. Where the fish are thick, use of a larger bait may help filter out smaller fish. Five or six inch plastics seem best for places such as Puerto Santo Tomas or Big Sur that experience little fishing pressure.

The single hook leadhead jigs used with the plastics are less likely to snag the kelp stringers than many other baits. The amount of weight to use depends on the speed of any current that might be present and the depth of the water. You want to use sufficient weight to keep your fishing line vertical, but not so much that the bait flutters down too quickly. A two or three ounce leadhead should provide good action for a six inch plastic.

Don’t overlook adding a strip of squid to the hook shank to add scent and taste appeal to the bait.

Some anglers prefer to dispense with the lures and fish with only a baited hook or two. Whole or strip squid, frozen anchovies or sardines, shrimp or even live bait can be used effectively. Rigging is fairly simple, a sliding sinker or Carolina rig will suffice. Some people prefer to fix the sinker in place so it is less likely to snag in the kelp by wedging it in place with a bit of toothpick.

The typical potholing fishing technique is simple. The bait is dropped straight down into the water through any available opening in the kelp canopy. It is important to control the line as it pays out. Fish often strike the lure on the fall.

If the lure reaches the bottom, crank the reel a time or two, then try lifting the rod tip a couple of feet and then allowing the bait to fall. This motion is termed yo-yoing. After a few minutes without a strike it is time to reel up the bait to try another drop or to move to a new spot.

Al SILEBI shows off a nice lingcod.

KAYAKS at the Puerto Santo Tomas resort. PHOTO BY KEITH MARTIN

KAYAKERS potholing in the kelp in front of camp. PHOTO BY KEITH MARTIN

MARTIN C HARDING with a stringer of “pothole” rockfish and lingcod.

PANGAS, the group camping area, and resort buildings. PHOTO BY KEITH MARTIN

A BAJA style fish fry at the PST casa.

When yo-yoing amongst thick kelp, it is wise to set your reel’s drag very tight. A striking fish must be turned immediately or else it is likely to wrap the line around the nearest kelp stringer or rock. Premium fishing line with its higher strength to diameter ratio can better withstand the risks of fishing with a mashed down drag. Also, the constant rubbing against the kelp can cause inferior lines to abrade and eventually break.  After each fish you should check your line for nicks and other signs of wear.

Boiler Rock Bounty
While the high winds prevented us from doing so ourselves, no description of Puerto Santo Tomas would be complete without mentioning kayak fishing the boiler rocks. Any place you find a rocky coast and thick kelp just offshore you are likely to find a wealth of rocky reefs and pinnacles close to shore. Surge and swell foam and bubble against the exposed rocks, giving them the name “boilers.” When conditions are kind the daring can tap these rocks for an exciting form of fishing somewhat similar in technique to potholing the kelp.

Fishing around boiler rocks is not for the faint of heart. It is wise to stand off from the rocks to evaluate the conditions for at least 10 to 15 minutes before paddling in tight. It is imperative to always keep one eye directed out to sea to watch for breaking waves. “sneaker” sets of higher swells can arrive without warning, necessitating a quick retreat. The inattentive boiler rock fisherman risks his life and gear.

Like potholing, when fishing boiler rocks you should fish with a tight drag. Fish must be turned immediately lest they escape into the rocks. Unlike potholing with its vertical presentation, here the approach is more conventionally horizontal. Plastics laced onto single hook jigs are still the favored baits, however paddle tail plastics such as FishTraps and curl tail grubs are preferred. The same Blam style plastics used in the kelp are also effective. 

Cast parallel to the rocks, focusing on the calmer water behind and to the side of the structure. Game fish wait in ambush in these quieter areas. Do not allow any slack in your line. When you feel a strike immediately set the hook while reeling. Doing so will give the fish little opportunity to turn back towards the shelter of the rocks.

Don’t overlook steep boilers immediately adjacent to deeper water. Here the vertical approach might be rewarded with a toothsome lingcod. When you tire of constantly looking over your shoulder for the wave that might take you out, in most cases you can retreat back to the gentler water of a deeper reef or the kelp forest.

A Wealth of Rockfish
That first morning of our trip the wind roaring above the kelp certainly didn’t bother the fish. The potholing was excellent, particularly for lingcod. Behind their sharp fangs some had garish green or even blue mouths (and flesh to match). At least one kayak angler pulled up a personal best handsome green and white checked kelp or calico bass, known in Baja as cabrilla. Another landed a distinctively colored black and red sheepshead. Squat-headed cabezon, greenish-brown olive rockfish, brown tinged gopher rockfish, and pink and red mottled chillipepper rockfish rounded out the catch. Since we were fishing in water no deeper than 60 feet the fish fought all the way to the surface, a factor that adds to the fun of shallow water rockfishing. You are not just reeling up dead weight as happens when fishing deep water, and can release those fish you don’t wish to keep.

As we pulled the kayaks up on the cobble beach of the landing cove a wind propelled tent sailed over the edge of the cliff to land upside down a few feet from the water. Up in the camping area other tents had been blown nearly flat. Strong wind is a fact of life in Puerto Santo Tomas. It can be too windy for kayak fishing at any time of the year, although the winter months are said to experience the least wind. This particular afternoon it was so windy conversation had to be shouted. Fortunately we had an alternative to the tents. Besides camping the resort offers modestly priced bunkhouses some of which feature living rooms and patios for relaxing.  The Casa Grande was a great venue for a potluck dinner starring fresh fish.

The next morning the wind had not slackened. While some of the group resigned themselves to kayak fishing in the shelter of the kelp, a few of us took the option of hiring a panga, a small open boat propelled by an outboard motor.

Our panguero Marco motored us several miles south where he located a submerged reef without the benefit of electronics. He cut the engine and started paddling into the wind to slow the drift of the boat. In no time at all we were hooking up and landing plentiful rockfish. These were similar to those we had caught in the kelp, although usually a bit larger. Our jigs also found a few vibrant vermilion rockfish or reds.

After a time we anchored, and Marco joined in using an ancient reel spooled with only a few wisps of line. The fish kept coming one after the other until our Mexican limits filled a gunny sack near to bursting. We headed back to the village. Besides a monetary tip, we left Marco with a new spool of line and some lures. In areas remote from well traveled areas fishing tackle is expensive and hard to obtain. The smile we got in return was ample reward.

After cleaning our tasty catch of rockfish we packed up and made the short drive north to the border. The weekend trip flew by all too quickly. It is nice to know that future fishing escapes to Puerto Santo Tomas are well within easy reach of Southern California.