Yachtie Yearns for Yummy Yellowtail

Like the picture? Want to know what Tom is up to? Well read on...

Anybody who knows the McGuires knows that hanging around them equals 100% activity from the time you wake until the time you fall into bed completely exhausted. Oh, and did we mention that Mike was a multi-year national spearfishing champion?

We picked up Mike and Tom's long-time diving pal Clint, and daughter Mackenzie, in Loreto last Saturday, April 13. They only had one day to "rest" before Mike's next adventure, a panga ride to Isla San Idelfonso several miles off the coast to go spearfishing for the prized yellowtail. (The day of "rest" consisted of rock-jumping and surfing behind the dinghy, but more on that in another post.)

Mike, son Kelston, Tom, Clint and daughter Mac got up early Monday morning and drove to San Nicolas bay to meet Robert, who has been living there for many years and is a fishing expert. There was a slight delay due to getting stuck in the sand, but soon they were able to beach-launch the panga and set off for Isla San Idelfonso, 7 miles from shore.

Expert fisherman Robert, Expert spearfisherman Mike

Anchored and getting ready to hunt.

The prime location was over some pinnacles on the north side of the island. Kelston and Tom were the first in the water.

Tom settles on top of the pinnacle to wait for his victims.

Kelston  immediately spotted a couple of hefty specimens, Tom lined up his shot and managed to nail his first 25# yellowtail.

Bringing the fish to the surface.

In the six hours that they were out there Tom was the only one who shot yellowtail that day. But in the interest of full disclosure, it was Kelston who spotted the fish, handed his gun to Tom and told him to take the shots. What a generous guy! He couldn't have been more excited if he had shot the fish himself.

Later that day Kelston shot a Cabrillo and Robert line-caught a trigger fish and the third yellowtail.

Kelston with Cabrillo



What a team!

Clink, Mac, Robert, Kelston, Mike and Tom with the day's haul.

The happy group arrived home with coolers full of fish parts and big smiles on their faces. Well, I think Mac's was a grimace due to her numerous jellyfish stings, but we soon got her fixed up with some Benadryl and Lidocaine gel. She's quite a girl.

The hunters wasted no time in cutting up the fish and bagging it up. There were beautiful fillets for grilling, sushi-grade for sashimi, smaller pieces for teriyaki and tempura, and the rest was diced up for ceviche and machaca.

Mac, Clint and Mike cutting up the fish.

So far we have had delicious ceviche every night, a beautiful sashimi with fresh ginger and sesame, and dinners of fish tacos, fish fillets, yellowtail teriyaki and avocado handrolls, and last night we had fish and sweet potato tempura which I guess was our version of a Baja fish taco/fish and chips mashup.

Have I taken any pictures of all this wonderful food? Sadly no because as soon as it's ready we all swoop down on it like a flock of starving vultures!! I'll try to do a better job in the future.

The dream team?

Because of our slow-ish internet connection I've been having a heck of a time downloading and sorting all our pictures, but we've managed to do an album of the spearfishing expedition and it can be found HERE.

Hopefully we'll be able to do some more updating very soon in between all our activities and eating.



My hero!! Tom with his two big yellowtail.