What kind of tackle to I need to fish La Paz. Right behind $$ and what kind of beer we supply, this is the question most often asked us when people book trips. While you could spend $20K and not have everything that could be used down here, many of our best fishermen travel light, keep it simple, and still catch world record fish. In this article it is my intention to outline the basic tackle requirements for fishing down here. We have tackle available, but somewhere in your development as a fisherman you will want to have your own. Trusted equipment that you are familiar with the operation and maintenance of is part of being prepared to catch the next fish, quite possibly the largest of your life.
REELS
Fishing reels have gone through rapid development in the last few years, with new technology and materials being used to make them lighter, stronger, and more expensive. I see reels every week that cost more than my first three cars put together, and while I am often envious, I also know that some of our biggest fish are caught on good ol’ standby equipment, well maintained and handled by people that have taken the time learn to use them well. The strongest, most maintainable, and reliable reels around are in my opinion the Penn 113H and Penn 114H. The 113H, or 4/0 reel, is a real “go to” reel. Simply loaded with 40lb. line and clamped onto the right rod they are capable of catching 80% of the fish that we have here. For the other 20%, requiring a larger reel with more line capacity, the Penn 114H, or 6/0 reels, loaded with 60lb. line will do the job for a fair price. These reels have been standards for years, and there are many used ones on ebay, at your local reel repair shop, or at garage sales. Keeping these maintained, clean, salt free, and properly lubricated is the key to having no worries for many years. I will go at length into the fancier equipment available, and thoughts there on, in subsequent articles, but for now, that’s enough reel to handle the fish here.
RODS
Matching these two reels with rods is pretty easy. You need a 7 ft. long rod, live bait action, rated for line 30-60 pounds to couple with the 4/0, and a 5 ½-6 foot rod with roller guides at least in the first (stripper guide) and last (tiptop) positions for the 6/0. This heavier rod should be rated 50-100 or so. Different makers rating for line vary, but my experience down here has shown me that the line weight that you are using should be a in the bottom 1/3 or so of the rod rating. The fish down here require a lot of lifting, and going to light on the rod will just make it harder on you. I would opt for buying the rod new, and the big catalog outlets have the best prices, while your local tackle store will allow you the opportunity to “try out” the rod, at least by trying to lift a salesman or two.
TERMINAL TACKLE
Line — Probably the area of tackle that has moved the furthest the fastest over the last few years. Rule #Only: DO NOT BUY BARGAIN LINE. I talk to guys every year that spend $2000 on a trip and many times that on tackle and then brag about finding 1000 yard of FisheeFine line for $3.49. Your line is about the most important part of your connection to the fish. There are many fine quality lines, buy some, and then change it frequently, depending on use, at least once a year. We used to champion the Chameleon Green Maxima down here because it was the best at catc