Happy New Year! I hope you plan to do some fishing in 2026. One way to get your share of fishing trips is to plan for it. Place it on the calendar. Make others aware of your plan, then make arrangements to avoid family and work conflicts. You may need to sharpen your negotiation skills. I have a few friends that fish more days than I do, (My wife Debi exclaimed, “Bull Shit!”) when she read my account. So, let’s just say not many friends fish more than I do. Let’s just say Vince is probably fishing!
As a younger guy, I would fish from daylight to dark. Currently, I will slip away for an hour or two to carp fish in a local canal in Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, or Phoenix, close to home. I live 17 minutes from the Salt River and fish it often. I visit Puerto Peñasco once or twice a month for a week at a time and fish 4 to 5 days, wind and weather permitting. Sometimes I’ll settle for reading a novel or 3 if the weather is not cooperating.
I usually manage a few guided exotic trips during the year, and these adventures can produce some big fish tales. I even enjoy showing new fly fishers how to fish. There are a number of things that must be just right for someone to land a fish with a fly rod. Casting, knots must be perfect, using the right line, and the right flies is almost an informational overload for a new fly fisher. The best way to get good at fly fishing is to go fishing often and use a guide and/or fishing buddies with fishing skills. This will speed up your learning curve.
Peñasco is a fun place to fish, even if the fishing is slow. Just being on the water during the winter in the Sea of Cortez on a 70-degree day can be quite pleasant. No telling what you will see. A water spout from a whale? January is a good month to see whales and maybe a newborn calf. Sea Turtles can be spotted, along with dolphins and sea lions. I hope to see you on the water soon. Contact information:
vincehasgonefishing@outlook.com 480 818 1796.
