Now this isn't second rate fishing, by any measure. These fish all can give a tussle, especially on light tackle. On one trip a few years back, our guide put us over a deep reef a few miles north of Isla Coronado (The small extinct volcano just northeast of town), where we were either dropping live mackerels or fast reeling 'Yo-Yo' type iron lures.

We were doing OK on yellowtails, but we were also having our offerings 'smashed' by hefty broomtail groupers averaging well over 20 pounds with one topping 30 pounds. Both Isla Coronado and IsIa Carmen- a rugged 17 mile long upthrust about 8 miles off Loreto- have shallow rocky points and rubble infested reefs. These are perfect to bottom fish, or, in some places, flip or short cast right into likely spots.

Early fall in most years, as we said, features this type of fishing. But very little of the seas in these latitudes were unaffected by the El Nine of 1997-98, and some strange fishing (for the season) has resulted. The Sea of Cortez was... at least on the surface... a bit cooler than normal. As a consequence, there were yellowtail hanging around offshore right on through the heat of summer and into fall. Some were taken during our stay.

Just as surprising, the offshore waters at Loreto were also seeing marlin and dorado. The day before we left to come home, a couple found that out in spades. Besides some excellent dorado catches, the lady hooked and landed a striped marlin going about 125 pounds!

All in all, fall is a great time to be in Loreto. The blistering temperatures of summer are for the most part gone, and the prevailing winds which blow down the Sea of Cortez from November to March haven't settled in as yet..

The Oasis Hotel, our first choice to stay at when in Loreto, is truly an Oasis. It sits in a grove of date and other palms along with scores of other colorful trees and shrubs which enjoy the warm, dry climate.

The owners are always working at improving the landscaping and buildings on site. They are currently adding a second story to one of the units, and building a new two story room unit right next door. The bar and restaurant are excellent, and everyone who works there does a great job of making sure all of your needs are met.

Cabs can take you any place in town in minutes and at good prices; should you wish to eat in a restaurant away from the hotel, shop in the many small stores in Loreto's mid-town, visit the Super Mercado (Supermarket), or simply sight-see around the area. For those who wish, most of the tourist shops and points of interest are only a few minutes away by walking.

This includes the local church, which was built as a mission in 1752! Loreto was founded in 1697 and holds the distinction as the oldest continually occupied town in 'the Californias'; meaning Baja California and all of what is the State of California in the U.S.(Alta California).

Father Junipero Serra, the founder of the chain of missions in Alta California, departed from Loreto in 1769 to establish missions as far north as Sonoma. Loreto was the Capitol City until being devastated by a hurricane in 1829; at which time the capitol was moved to La Paz; its current location.

Early tourists to the area and its fishing came by plane to private strips in the area. With the opening of Highway 1 in 1973, many came by land, in camper trucks, automobiles, or pulling vacation trailers all the way from San Diego-Tijuana; some 700 miles distant.

Government backed development of the area for the purpose of establishing it as a base for tourism also resulted in an airport able to handle jet passenger planes. Daily service from Los Angeles brings most hotel guests into the area.

For more information on Loreto in the fall.... or anytime of the year call Big Game Fishing in Oakland, CA at 800- 458-2879; or contact the Oasis Hotel at 01152(113)5-0112. Their mailing address is Adpo Postal 17, Loreto, BCS 23880, Mexico.