DAN SIMMONS Sportsman's Quest MORE COLUMNS SPECIAL TO THE PVT The Baja Boys made some significant catches on their latest rendezvous with fish, such as this one. Advertisement

I received a call from Larry Hedstrom the other day telling me of the unique gathering of traveling fishermen he joins each year to fish yellow tail out of Loreto, Baja, Mexico.

They call themselves "The Baja Boys, " and are composed of 28 fine fishing gentlemen from all over the U.S.

Larry, who is the general superintendent of C.R. Homes, and his friends, Scott Brown and J.D. Hemphill, joined the group once again this past March for five days of their annual tuna tournament. It didn't work out exactly as planned. The brutal wind blowing off the Sea of Cortez kept their 21-foot pangas (skiffs), powered by 225-hp Merc. Motors, shore-bound for the first three days.

I am sure the boys kept themselves busy waiting out the storm; fishing gear always needs repair and maintenance and catching those big fish is always aided by rest and physical training).

They were ready on the fourth day, except for Scott, who missed the morning boat while running back to the lodge for some important morning business.

He spent the day collecting beach rocks and seashells.

For the other 27 fishermen, though, the fishing had begun.

On the first day's 3 p.m. weigh-in, the boys had six fish in the 25-pound range. They had drift fished fresh bonito on 60-pound test line using their trusty Penn Senator reels, matched to those unbreakable Shakespeare Ugly Sticks.

Incidentally, but not recognized for the tournament, they also caught a 90-pound cabrilla and a marlin which broke the scale at 180 pounds. Not a bad day's fishing, if there is such a thing.

On their second day of fishing, Larry tied into a 38-pound yellow tail which he battled for two hours.

He sometimes thought he was gaining, only to have the monster take off on another long run, or dive for the bottom, which tests the mettle of both the equipment and the man. In this case the man mastered the fish and won Larry the tournament with its $2,000 prize.

The boys once again reported a successful and enjoyable trip, had compliments for the guides' skills and their boats. J.D. had such a great time he almost didn't come back and thought of taking up residence in Baja, and Scott ended up paying an extra $80 in overweight baggage to bring home his collection of rocks and shells.

For more information and pictures of the "Baja Boys" tournament go to www.aajaboys.com and for a yellow tail fishing report go to www.hmlanding.com.

Update

Nevada hunting tag results have been posted and those who have been successful can start dreaming of the fall hunt.

I, for one, can only dream, since I wasn't fortunate enough to draw a coveted tag. So, it's dove, quail, chukar and waterfowl once again this year. Perhaps I can again justify traveling and hunting in distant places. More on that as we march along this year.

Now is the time, however, for fishing. It's north for salmon, south for sails or marlin, and east for rainbows and brown trout.

I dream of doing all of these and, who knows, sometimes dreams do come true if you have a plan as I do. In future columns I'll tell you about the trips and the people I meet along the way.

Recipe of week

This is one of my favorite 'south of the border' culinary delights.

I first became aware of this recipe while sitting with friends, planning the next day's fishing trip, following a fine meal at the Wales Lodge accompanied by a fine single malt 20 year old scotch. It doesn't get better than that, and I plan on returning each year for the fine fishing and companionship.

Pepper Sauce Grilled Tuna

Ingredients: 4 tuna steaks; 1 lime, finely grated with juice; 3 tbs. olive oil; 1 clove garlic, crushed: salt and pepper to taste.

Pepper sauce ingredients: 2 red bell peppers, halved; 3 tbs. olive oil; 1 small onion; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 fresh red chilies.

Place the tuna in a shallow dish and sprinkle with the lime rind and juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in refrigerator for 2 hours.

To make the pepper sauce, brush the halves with olive oil and place on a grill face down until blackened.Place the onion on the grill and cook until browned, then peel using a sharp knife.Place the cooked peppers, onion, garlic, chilies and olive oil in a food processor. Mix until smooth.

Grill the tuna steaks for 8-10 minutes, turning once until golden brown. Serve with the pepper sauce and lime wedges. This goes well with rice and your favorite side salad.

If you have a story to tell, or a comment, give me a call 727-9777, or e-mail me at dansimmons@usanet.