New Hampshire Nature Notes
by Eric Orff
The January thaw is over.
Monday 01/31/2005
What January thaw? You are right; there wasn't one in NH. But in Mexico there was! And that's where I managed to escape winter last week. In Cozumel Mexico on my annual mid winter escape. There were eight of us in all including six from NH and our fishing friend Joe Brown and wife Kay from Mass.
What a week to get away it was. In fact we slipped out of Logan last on the Saturday that a winter storm was barreling down on us. As it turned out we were enjoying sunshine and salt rimmed glasses as tons of salt was being thrown at the storm back home.Days were all sunny and in the 80's with the only brief shower on Saturday as we were boarding our van for the ride back to the Cancun Airport. You just can't beat good luck.
For the first time Rick Hamlett, my life long fishing buddy, joined the others of us who have been going south for a decade. We topped off a perfect week with one of our life-long dreams of bonefish fishing on the flats at the North end of the Cozumel Island. WE had a full 8 hours on the water last Friday as we eased into the bonefish flats, called lagoons by our guide Alberto. Alberto's dad Nacho Euan (flyfishingcozumel@hotmail.com) has guided on these lagoons for 4 decades and Alberto has assisted him for nearly half that time. Friday he poled or 20 foot punt amongst the mangrove with great skill in a pretty hefty wind winding us through twisting channels well back into the islands bowels. It really was a dream come true. The steady wind made the day into the mid 80's very comfortable to be on the water for 8 hours.
Back into one of the lagoons Alberto suggested I pitch a lure at the base of the mangroves to tempt a barracuda or something. Frankly I needed a break from casting and retrieving in a twisting motion for bone fish. Within four or five casts a torpedo like exposition attacked my lure. I assumed it was a barracuda. Alberto screamed with excitement to announce it was a giant snook as he quickly poled the boat away from the mangrove roots lest the fish wind up there. I managed to land a giant snook that lapped over the ruler as he laid it across the cooler briefly. It was close to 30 inches long as Alberto announced it was the biggest they had ever landed in the lagoons. We snapped a couple of pictures then surprisingly Alberto gently placed it back into the water. It has been my experience that few edible fish are returned to the waters in Mexico. Of coarse all the bone fish were released as well.
I did manage to snag a huge bone fish of at least 20 inches long as well back in one of the lagoons. It just tore line off my reel in four or five long runs. Rick and I landed several other smaller bonefish which are the norm. Even they fought like no other fish that size has for me before. I did manage to land one on my ultra-light rod with four pound test line. Even though it wasn't a huge fish it nearly spooled me one its first run with my reel practically smoking.
Joe Brown, Jean Brochu, Rick Hamlett and I did manage another full day of fishing the deeper waters and landed mahi mahi, wahoo and barracuda. We all landed fish that day too. WE had glorious days of fishing and basking in the sun while New England froze and experienced "the storm of the century" for Boston. "You gotta know when you got it good" is another one of Rick's and my expressions as we have always realized how good we have had it growing up and fishing together. We high-fived a lot last week and will warm these winter nights with memories of our trip.
