Heaven on Earth

"Many tuna en aqui!" shouted our charter captain in his best broken English, as we motored toward a point locals call El Farito or "The Little Lighthouse." The winds were uncharacteristically light for late November in East Cape, making the Sea of Cortez like a sheet of glass and our morning run to the fishing grounds a pleasant one.

Heaven on Earth

A comprehensive look at Baja’s East Cape

"Many tuna en aqui!"

shouted our charter captain in his best broken English, as we motored toward a point locals call El Farito or "The Little Lighthouse." The winds were uncharacteristically light for late November in East Cape, making the Sea of Cortez like a sheet of glass and our morning run to the fishing grounds a pleasant one.

Just off El Farito, our skipper Jose explained, was an underwater seamount known for attracting huge concentrations of bait – and often, hungry pelagic predators. Moving in closer to the spot, we could see schools of "working" birds frantically picking off panicked baitfish on the surface. We knew the scene could mean only one thing; ravenous game fish were on the feed!

The skipper carefully maneuvered our cruiser toward the feeding frenzy, while I did my best to pin a lively sardina on a hook, my hands shaking with anticipation. After casting the offering off our stern, it took only seconds for braid to begin flying off my reel. I shifted into gear and cranked into the fish, letting my circle-hook do its thing. My rod buckled as line melted off my Saltist.

Glancing at my fishing partners, I could see they, too, had hooked up. It all seemed too easy; like pulling up to a floating fast-food "drive-through" and ordering a wide-open bite. While these fish weren’t huge - school-size yellowfin in the 30-pound class - the action was non-stop. We limited out within a couple of hours, opting to leave the still boiling tuna in search of other cooperative species.

This was the kind of "instant gratification" anglers have come to expect from Baja’s East Cape - a one-of-a-kind destination that consistently rewards visitors with scenic wonders and a seemingly endless supply of prize game-fish.