Gas Pumps in Baja: Not a Real Fill’er Up

As travelers in Baja California have long suspected, they are being overcharged at the gas pumps along Highway 1.

David Eidell, conducting a test for the Imperial Beach-based Mexico Travel Associates and using a California-certified calibration unit, visited eight stations along Highway 1 in northern and central Baja recently and was overcharged at each.

Results of the tests were published in Mexico Travel’s January newsletter. The highest overcharge was 14% at San Quintin, south of Ensenada, when Eidell filled the unit with 19 liters and the pump registered 21.6. The lowest overcharge was 2% at Catavina and Vizcaino. At a station in Ensenada, Eidell filled the unit with 19.0 liters (5 gallons) and was charged for 20.6, an 8% overcharge.

According to Mexico Travel, the governor of Baja California Norte has been notified of the results of the test, but has not yet responded.

“The worst part about it is that the Mexicans who can least afford it are paying the same price, so they’re in the worst position,” said Carolyn Files, Mexico Travel publisher.

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Given the amount of trophy-sized largemouth bass landed at Castaic Lake recently, it was no surprise that Allan Cole pulled in a 15-pound 8-ounce lunker last Thursday.

But even Cole, a painting contractor, who spends more than 100 days a year on the water, was surprised by his catch Saturday afternoon--two largemouth bass on one lure, both pushing 10 pounds.

“I hooked up and thought, ‘This one is really huge,’ ” Cole said. “I was getting really nervous; I didn’t want to lose it. It came up once, and all I could see was a flash. Then when I got it to the boat I looked down and couldn’t believe it.”

Coles catch was seen by an almost-firsthand witness on a nearby boat. Vincent McGuire was fishing less than 100 yards from Cole and was watching as Cole netted his fish.

“Within a minute, he was over to show me what he had caught,” Vincent said. “They were fresh-looking, one was bleeding from the lips. They looked like they were caught at the same time.”

Cole said he has landed nine bass in the past week at Castaic, the smallest a seven-pounder.

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Top catch: Jan Isley of the Ascension Bay Bonefish Club off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula south of Cancun recently caught what is believed to be the largest permit ever taken on rod and reel. The permit, which is a species often caught while seeking bonefish and took 1 hour 20 minutes to land, weighed 53 pounds and measured 52 inches from nose to the fork in its tail. Isley enticed the strong-swimming fish with a fly.

Pat Pendergast of the Santa Clara-based Fishing International, Ascension Bay’s West Coast representative, said Isley released the fish after weighing it, and was not sure whether it will be submitted for International Game Fish Assn. approval as a world record.

The all-tackle world record for permit is a 51-pound 8-ounce fish caught in 1978 off Florida. The largest permit ever taken on a fly rod is a 41-pound 8-ounce fish landed off Key West in 1986.

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Most unusual catch: The IGFA, in its latest newsletter, said John Malandra of New Jersey recently hooked into a 179-pound bluefin tuna while fishing in the surf .

A crowd gathered on the beach near Atlantic City and watched as Malandra tried to bring the giant bluefin in. Malandra’s line broke near the end of the fight and he ran out into the surf with a towel and wrestled with the fish for 15 minutes before wrapping the towel around it and dragging it in.

Briefly

SALTWATER--Rock cod and rockfish remain the main fare for most Southland anglers, though L.A. Harbor-based vessels have been returning from San Clemente Island with impressive numbers of calico bass, and Santa Barbara-based boats have been doing the same from the kelp-rich waters north of the landing.

Cabo San Lucas: The recent full moon is being blamed for a lull in the action, but fishing remains steady for striped marlin off the peninsula, and for tuna and dorado inside the gulf. Jig Stop Tours in Dana Point reported that Peter Maxwell of Los Angeles caught and released an estimated 170-pound striper while fishing off Red Hill.

La Paz: When the northerlies blow, fishing is slow. But pargo are teeming around Cerralvo Island, and fishermen are regularly catching 20- to 50-pounders and losing the larger snappers as they dive to the safety of the rocks. There’s not much fishing pressure offshore.

SHOOTING--Tom John of Acton became only the second person to post a perfect 100 during a U.S.-registered sporting clays competition. John, 37, broke 128 targets before missing during Sunday’s competition at the Moore and Moore range in San Fernando. Medardo Canales of Thousand Oaks became the first U.S. shooter to break 100 in a row last year. Canales was John’s shooting partner this time.

HONORABLE MENTION--The Los Angeles Rod & Reel Club will not present qualifying members with trophies at its annual awards banquet, but will instead donate $1,500--and food baskets generally used at the banquet--to the Salvation Army for earthquake relief.

MISCELLANY--The Southern California Boat Show, largest on the West Coast, will be held Feb. Saturday through Feb. 13 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Cost is $8 for adults. . . . The Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep is seeking volunteers to help construct a water guzzler for Nelson bighorns in the Sheep Hole Mountains east of Twentynine Palms Feb. 12-13. Details: (213) 256-0463. . . . The California Wildfowl Arts Festival, featuring top carvers of decoys and “anything that flies” will be held Feb. 19-20 at the Sheraton Industry Hills Resort. Cost is $5 for adults.

FLY FISHING--Professional fly-tyer A.K. Best will demonstrate how to make flies that look like insects next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Rio San Gabriel Park in Downey. Cost is $5. Details (310) 425-7936. . . . The San Gabriel Valley Fly Fishers’ eight-week tying course for freshwater and saltwater patterns begins Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. at Sorensen Park Community Center in Whittier. Details: (818) 961-0122.