I love fishing everything from trout to billfish, but I'd have to say that my favorite style of fishing would probably be island fishing for calico bass and yellowtail on small skiffs.  Because of this obsession,  I've fished just about every island from the Channel Islands to San Martin over the past two decades.  The farther and more remote the island, the more it just feels that you have a legit shot at both giant bass and yellowtail, and Cedros and Benitos are no exception.  I've fished both Cedros and Benitos on long range boats and a private sport-fisher, so I've seen the potential, albeit from a distance.  Some of my first really good yoyo iron fishing had came at Islas San Benito.  Last year we slid into the north most boiler at Benitos and the trollers went off in 30' of water.  We had all thought it was bonito, when, to our surprise, it was straight yellowfin tuna.  I had Google Mapped both islands and could only image that on a small vessel, that same boiler that we caught tuna on, would be holding trophy bass.

The moment my friend Jeff Mariani of Cedros Kayak Fishing  invited us to his place on Isla Cedros, we jumped at the opportunity.  His house is brand new and he has the island wired!  Jeff and his staff offer all kinds of fishing packages, and their specialty is kayak fishing, but we really wanted to fish from the skiff and get into those zones where we knew we'd have a shot at some really big fish.  

After a short drive to Ensenada and an even shorter flight to the island, we were fishing by midday.  It didn't take long to really see the potential I had been dreaming about after my previous trips where fishing up in the sketchy zones just wasn't an option.  

The island and it's residents (people and fish) are beautiful.  Hopefully the below photos will convey that.  Enjoy these images by Randy Spizer . . .

Getting loaded up . . .

Pangas on pangas on pangas.

Pulling up to Benitos.

Typical frontside bone crusher.

Miles of points and epic setups.

Juevos Rancheros for breakfast.

Yellows on the yoyo.

One of a few hundred calico bass that we caught and release.

Darkspots always holding!

We gone!

How about a little red crab with your scrambled eggs?

Jeff and Chris; double trouble.

Up up and away!

Benitos biter!

If you don't weight it; don't say it!

Tough guy.  Tougher fish.

Just like the front side of SCI, but a bit further south.

Peace out!

Halibut and seabass beach.

Just a couple red crab.

Match the red crab hatch.

Boilers and boilers.

Send it!

Middle grounds grump.

Red egg on the red boat.

See ya later skater.

Randy on that swimbait bite at Isla Benitos.

Jacks on jigs.

Town.