Saturday, September 4, 2010

Hello…it’s tuna, tuna, tuna time!


During check-in the first night, every angler will be a winner.

August 25, 2010


In rapid succession, East Cape's Mark Rayor IM'd me that it was WFO for tuna and the hotels were nearly empty with only a few boats going out each day; simultaneously, Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas’ report arrived declaring, "On Wednesday the season’s second super-cow yellowfin tuna was landed off of the Gordo Banks from a 22’ panga. Local La Playita skipper, Jose Gonzalez, and angler, Josh Evans, from Oakland, CA, were trolling a live Pacific moonfish rigged on 200-pound leader attached to 80-pound main line when the cow hit. It took three hours to bring the monster to gaff and the fish officially weighed in at a whopping 342 pounds.”

The following day, Pat McDonnell called to discuss my assignment for this year and to confirm Yvonne's flight for the 2010 WON/Yamaha 12th Annual Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot that begins November 3rd…just a day or two short of two months away.

Everyone assumed that last year's 383-pound yellowfin caught by Oscar Daccerett's team on the FIsher Man…the fifth largest yellowfin ever caught on rod and reel, the largest ever in Cabo and the largest ever in a tournament setting…would be impossible to beat. However, recent reports seem to suggest that there are already some huge tuna swimming around the tip of Baja that could top that remarkable catch.

This year Hotel Tesoro and National Car Rental are offering a special package allowing two people to share a room and car for only $100 per day. You can book this special by going directly to their official tuna jackpot website www.loscabostunajackpot.com. Another bonus this year for anyone choosing to bring their own boats down is that theMarina is offering two free nights’ slip fees for every five nights’ stay.

The expanded and redesigned Hotel Tesoro's new marina entrance will be the location for the weigh-in sponsored by Cabo Marina and Gray's Taxidermy. The new Western Outdoor News Tuna Jackpot weigh-scale is being built by Dale Cote of Dreammaker Charters and funded by Gray's Taxidermy. There will be no more long walks to and from the scale by teams, plus there will be more docking room for sportfishers.

With its bars and restaurants close by, Hotel Tesoro is the perfect central marina-side venue for viewing the weigh-ins, and is easily the most convenient hotel for the event and the marina itself.

During check-in the first night, every angler will be a winner. Each participant will receive a variety of Mustad hook packs, an embroidered tee-shirt, an embroidered carry bag, event visor or hat (your choice of colors), a free Mustad contest photo (e-mailed ), plus a wristband allowing the wearer to attend three parties, two sit-down dinners, a new Friday-night-free Fiesta and the Ruth's Chris’ catered awards dinner.

Check in will be at Hotel Tesoro’s second floor pool patio, a great party spot for swimming, having a drink or sitting by the pool and listening to live music by local band Dos Huevos; there you can also buy Tuna Jackpot clothing and compete in the Avet/Seeker Casting Contest for a $600 rod/reel outfit and $400 cash.

Throughout the event, there will be drawings for prizes totaling $150,000, i.e., trips to Alaska, Mexico, Seeker custom Tuna Jackpot rods, Avet reels, tackle bags, Eat Me Lures, Terrafin satellite map memberships, Reactor watches, Costa sunglasses, Mustad hooks, Seaguar fluorocarbon packs, Eat Me Lures, and more.

As with any tournament, the fine-tuning to improve the event continues, but one thing that will never change is the Tournament’s motto…Fish Hard, Party Harder! Party with your buddies at the check-In at the Tesoro pool area, the Yo-Zuri Captain's Meeting, the parties, weigh-ins, shotgun starts, the Mustad Photo Contest (held in cooperation with Gray's, Costa and Reactor), and top it all off by getting your award at the Yamaha/Ruth's Chris’ Awards Dinner at the mall area on Saturday night.

If this year is anything like last year’s event, registration will fill up fast with anglers looking for their 2010 tuna fix. Registration was closed at 104 teams...the maximum number the tournament could accommodate. Last year

Don’t miss out on the camaraderie of this fun event. Enter your team early so you aren’t one of the teams that are turned away!

To paraphrase a Vietnam-era song, "And It's One, Two, Three, What Are You Waiting For?"

sign up at http://www.loscabostunajackpot.com/2010_coverage/2010_web_entry.pdf