P.Q. Almada - September's Fishermon of the Month

Fernando Almada (known as P.Q.) with Catch 22 Charters in San Carlos, Mexico is the essence of what it is to be called a "Fishermon." Starting when only 5 years old, P.Q. has been an avid fisherman ever since he hooked his first puffer fish with his older brother!

For several years after that, he would fish the local beaches and rocks off Guaymas and San Carlos, Mexico, until eventually the shore was not enough. He bought himself a 12-foot aluminum boat and would hand-line for bottom fish like grouper and yellowtail, etc.

Fernando was a weekend warrior while working at a local bank right out of college. He would work six days a week, leaving him with one to do what he liked. He had many choices like hanging with his girlfriend, and playing soccer or guitar. But yes, you guessed it, he chose fishing. 

During his last couple of years at the bank, he purchased a larger boat and an old Bayliner. He was clearly getting a bit more serious about fishing. He was still hand-lining for bottom fish but started to purchase some spinning combos to go after the different species the area had to offer. 

He started to try his hand at trolling and looking for pelagic species, with little success. He was seeing dorado, sailfish, and marlin each and every time he would go out, but he really had no success at all. 

After a frustrating day on the water, he posted, “Rookie Looking For Tips”, on a local forum. Steve Calvert, a local transplant from Tucson, Arizona responded. “Meet me at my boat this Saturday at 6:00 am, and we will go out.” It was late April, and they caught a bunch of yellowfin tuna. 

Fernando still says, “I didn’t even know we had yellowfin tuna here”.  All day long, Steve kept talking about bill fishing and catching marlin. It was still a little early in the season for marlin though. Steve invited him back the next day, and they caught some more tuna. 

Fernando was loving the excitement of getting schools of football tuna. While fishing, Steve taught him as much as he could about fishing for pelagic species. Steve invited him back again the next weekend, telling him, “I’m going to catch you your first marlin.” 

So, again they went out over 40 miles, but no marlin - just dorados. Steve invited him the next weekend. No marlin. Now, Fernando was hoping he wouldn’t catch one because Steve wouldn’t take him anymore. 

They were into the month of June and Steve invited him to fish in that year’s first local tournament. Fernando finally caught his first sailfish and marlin during the tournament.  His fever for fishing hit an entirely new level. Steve asked if Fernando wanted to go into charter business together, and a friendship and business partner was formed. They ventured into the business for the next 6 years. In fact, they were the most formidable charter company in the area and very successful in putting together teams during tournaments that finished in the money on a regular basis.

Steve Calvert decided to return to the states a few years later to spend more time with his kids while Fernando continued to be the leading charter company in San Carlos. He will be forever grateful to Steve, for showing him the ropes and how to enjoy those incredible waters in the Sea of Cortez.

Like most Fishermon we have come to know, Fernando gets more enjoyment out of putting people on fish than catching them himself. That’s saying a lot because he still gets really wound up when a good, top bite is on or a few billfish come in the spread. Just check out his YouTube channel - Pescando con Catch 22. 

He enjoys taking fathers and grandfathers on trips with their kids and seeing generational bonds being formed over this incredible sport. Imagine the excitement on a kid’s face when they catch their first fish!

As a captain, Fernando gets great joy and satisfaction in taking out seasoned fishermen and introducing them to the species in the region. They might be great fresh water fishermen, but they have never had a blue marlin rip off short corner or drop back bait to a hot pack of sails coming in. He finds it all very rewarding.

The irony of fishing always makes him laugh. “When we are going for sailfish, we catch dorados; and when we want fillets for the table, we catch sailfish.” It’s a crazy sport, and catching fish is just a bonus, the "Cherry on top. 

It’s all about the waters here in San Carlos and the Sea of Cortez. Being on the water with all the possibilities keeps him humble; it reminds him how fortunate he is to fish such incredible waters.

So, after ten years in the banking business and no real balance in his life, Fernando took the leap and decided to try and make a living at fishing. If it didn’t work out, he could always go back to the bank. It didn’t happen... To this day, he lives to fish!

P.Q is also a very accomplished photographer. He catches incredible moments and chronicles almost every trip he takes on video and in stills. No greater moment exists other than his infamous orca in the above picture. When he sent a picture to a marlin magazine it was such an awesome shot that he had to send them the entire sequence from that day to validate that it wasn’t photoshopped!

Fishing stories? He’s got plenty; most recently, catching a possible world record yellow fin tuna on a light jigging set up in Puerto Vallarta.

For more great pics, stories, and links, follow P.Q. Almada on Facebook and Instagram. You can get more insight into this fun Fishermon that we have had the pleasure of many days on the water.

When he’s not sharing his experiences, passion, and knowledge with customers, he takes his family on vacation. It’s usually a family fishing trip; and the best part is that his wife encourages it!

If you want an experience of a lifetime, reach out to Catch 22 Charters in San Carlos, Mexico. Jacques Cousteau once called the Sea of Cortez the world’s aquarium because of its immense diversity.

Feel free to nominate a Fishermon you know of who needs to be shared with our community!