Lorenz says his bait of choice is a split-tail goggle-eye. He runs an 8/0 hook through the gill and out the belly just like a ballyhoo. He then splits the tail and sews up the belly around the hook. Depending on conditions, a chin weight is used to help the bait swim.

Once the crew comes upon the blue water, they deploy the baits and begin trolling between 3 and 5 knots. Using 30-pound tackle and a bowling pin or daisy chain of birds for a teaser, they work the area, always keeping an eye out for floating debris and rips. It normally doesn't take long to get a few fish into the spread.

When targeting marlin, Lorenz uses a live bonito fished about 30 feet down off a planer. "We get more blacks here than blues," Lorenz says. "But nine times out of 10, when we get a bite, it's a sailfish."

Rustic and Charming
This area is free from the growth evident at Mexico's nearby tourist destinations. Here, the sounds of traffic, drunken tourists and cruise ships are replaced by the gentle lapping of the surf. Only 100 or so families call Puerto Vicente home, and they all make their living from the sea in one way or another. The sleepy village is devoid of high-rises and offers plenty of peace and quiet.

Fishermen in Puerto Vicente fish as the first visitors did in Acapulco or Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo before they grew into the popular destinations they are today. The fleet consists mostly of outboard-powered pangas. Unlike some of the other towns on this coastline, there is a safe harbor in Puerto Vicente, and fishermen need not launch into the open surf. And even though the fleet fishes from small, open boats, that doesn't mean they only catch small fish. Large tuna, marlin, dorado and sailfish make up the majority of the catch here.

If you want to trade in the strip malls, chain restaurants and traffic of Mexico's big hot spots for a quiet, charming fishing village, Puerto Vicente is the place to go.