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Ensenada.com: OK I'm sitting here with Sergio Susarrey of Sergio's Sport Fishing Center in Ensenada. First of all, to say thank you for sending them and doing this interview?

Sergio:It's my pleasure
Ensenada.com: Sergio you are the biggest fishing charter company in Ensenada by far, how did you get started and long have you been doing business in Ensenada?

Sergio: This business is a family business. My father started this business back in 1960. The company has changed names several times. Back in the early sixties my father purchased the company which at that time was called Santa Monica Boat House and that in remained in place all the way until the early nineteen eighties and was then changed to the Ensenada Clipper Fleet until the middle nineties when my father made the decision to change the name to Sergio's sport fishing center. I wasn't that comfortable at first when my father wanted to name the company after me but, my father said many of the customers ask for Sergio because I was in charge of most of the operations.

Ensenada.com: So you've been established here in Ensenada for many years. Tell us approximately how many people go fishing with your company each year?

Sergio: We have between 7000 and 10,000 passengers each year.
Ensenada.com:Wow! that's quite an achievement. How many boats do you have a operating in your fleet at this time?

Sergio: We have six boats operating this season. Some of the boats have been operationing for many years and we do our best to keep them in the best condition possible. We're just added a new addition to our fleet with aluminum hull which is something new to the Ensenada harbor. It is a fifty five foot vessel that has been cruising speed of sixteen knots. I still need some detail work to be done and when it's finally completed we feel it will be the best of our fleet.

Ensenada.com: I'm guessing it takes quite a few people to make an operation this size work as well as yours does. How many employees do you have working for you during the season?

Sergio: With six boats we have to have a minimum of six licensed skippers plus our larger boats have a co-pilot skipper because the work load is too heavy for one man alone to do sufficient job. Then, you have to add two or three deck hands per boat so we can be working twenty to twenty five people easily. During the high season on some Saturday's we have to bring in extras just to accommodate our additional need for man power.

Ensenada.com: This year it seems as if the fishing season are starting of a little on the slow side when comparing two last season You are the only company that goes to the outer banks each day so you are out there are more than anyone else. How to see this season shaping for long range sport fishing?

Sergio:  It's funny how nature handles herself year to year and conditions can change at any time. Last year we started with warm water conditions in wich we had one of the best Dorado bites I have ever seen. With warm waters conditions you have Yellow fin tuna, Dorado and Yellow tail. Obviously you will not find Albacore because they prefer cooler water temperatures. This year we started with a strong Albacore bite which may be telling us that the water temperatures of cooler. In a good season we will have Albacore, Blue fin Tuna and yellow tail the better part of June and July, then as the water temperatures increase the those fish will move north and then we will begin to see Yellow fin Tuna, Dorado and larger yellowtail all the way into October.

Ensenada.com: What types of fishing do you have in the winter months and can you tell us a little about your whale watching tours?
Sergio:  Whale watching season starts on December twenty sixth and continues until the middle of April. We started doing whale watching only on the weekends sixteen years ago and now days it's an everyday event. We now have people coming to Ensenada for whale watching from all over the U.S. and Europe on a daily basis.

Ensenada.com: What type of fishing you do in the winter months?
Sergio:  Our basic trip that is a 7:00am departure till 3pm does very well with rock cod and bottom fishing, however it's not unusual to have strong Barracuda and Bonita bites on top as well. These trips go out every single day of the year. This past winter there were so many Bonita in the bay it was almost as if we didn't have an off-season. That kept our customers very happy and really kept us going.

Ensenada.com: So pretty much you can say people can come to Ensenada and enjoy a good day of fishing just about any time of year?

Sergio: The fishing fleets in Ensenada are not as big as what you'll find in California and southern Baja. This opens up a good opportunity to find many many areas that are still virgin for fishing.

Ensenada.com: You mentioned you that this year you have added a new boat to you fleet, is our intentions to continue growing your fleet or just to maintain and control what you're working with now?

Sergio: At this point on goals are to upgrade the boats we already have operating, we're always open to new opportunities though.

Ensenada.com:And lastly you've been here in Ensenada for many many years. What have you seen as far as growth Ensenada overall? Do you see things improving or staying the same in the near future? How do you see business here in Ensenada at this time?

Sergio: I see the tourism sector growing and at this point the harbor is very busy with a cargo traffic and the fishing business. Ensenada is building a new area just to accommodate the offloading of cargo ships that will eventually open up more space and lessen the traffic for tourism as relates to harbor tours, fishing and whale watching. I think this will be a good addition to help increase tourism.