Old timers say that once the dust of Baja settles on your soul, you can never shake it out.The Baja experience is something that can't be put into words, or even captured on film, it simply must be lived. Filmaker Michael Fowlkes does his best to pass on its magic:

For anyone who has ever been there the memories of Baja are as personal and unique as they are rich and transforming. Baja is one of the last remaining places on earth where a person can go and come away changed forever.

My first experiences of Baja were in the late 1960s; long before the paved road was built that now connects the tip of Baja with the rest of the world; long before 737s were making hourly landings and departures at Los Cabos International; and long before the sleepy little fishing village of Cabo San Lucas was transformed into Marina del Rey South, with all night discos and multi-million dollar resorts offering 24 hour room service and dock-side cable TV for visiting yachts.

In the late 1960s, Cabo was my favourite place on earth. I loved to fish and loved getting away from people. Cabo offered the very best of both worlds - lots of fish and very few people. And of the people that were there, both native and foreign, everyone seemed to share an unspoken and secret knowledge that we were blessed by simply getting to spend time in a place at special as Cabo.

But as time passed, and more and more people discovered Cabo, a place that had stood still in time, virtually "We were blessed by simply getting to spend time in a place as special as Cabo". unchanged for hundreds of years, it suddenly got a billion dollar jump-start transfusion into the 20th century Los Cabos, as it's now being marketed, stands as testament to modern man's primal need to feel close to nature...yet not too close.

By building Cabo up into the mega resort destination it's become, developers have managed to destroy the very essence of what made Cabo so appealing in the first place. By covering the land with high-rise resorts and multi-lane highways they have taken away the natural beauty and untamed majesty of the land and the innocence of her people. As Joni Mitchell so elegantly put it "They've paved paradise and put up a parking lot. You don't know what you got, "til it's gone."

But fortunately, for those of us who treasured the raw, untamed beauty of Baja, one family knows exactly what they've got and have worked for almost 40 years to preserve the essence of what Baja is all about, Through the guidance and insights of Bobby and Cha Cha, the Van Warmer family has been able to not only maintain all the traditional beauty and appeal of old Mexico, but have actually been able to enhance it. By keeping all three of the family's resorts family-owned and operated, the Van Warmer's are still able to offer their guests the best of both worlds. Each of the three Van Warmer resorts, Hotel Punta Colarada, Hotel Playa del Sol and Hotel Palmas de Cortez, reflect and old world hospitality from ages past.

From the minute you walk in, you are made to feel not only welcome, but wanted. This feeling comes not from some highly-trained receptionist but from whomever you happen to run into. These are hands-on, family -run resorts from the grounds crew and kitchen staff, to the boat captains and crews. Generation after generation, father teaching son, all done with care, craftsmanship and a sense of pride that can't be bought or sold. It's the Baja of old.

Located about half-way between Cabo San Lucas and La Paz, the quaint little town of Los Barriles has remained virtually unchanged over the years. Once you turn off the paved highway, and enter the town, you have to share the road with smiling kids, dogs and chickens. Planes still have to buzz the dirt strip before landing to make sure there are no cows or horses in the way.

Obviously, we go to Baja to fish. But the unique blend of untamed land, beautiful water and friendly people is what makes Los Barriles or the East Cape so special. It's a combination of the area's rugged, unforgiving and magnificent mountains, deserts and valleys, and the sea's overwhelming abundance of life, that makes visiting the East Cape one of the most treasured experiences life has to offer. As far as I'm concerned, there is no better place on earth to catch the variety and quality of fish that are available, year round, than that of the wataers off the East Cape.

Within miles of the beach, the bottom virtually drops away into oblivion. There are four natural underwater canyons that run along the coast, adding a constant up-swelling of nutrient-rich cold water to the mix. The fish are there year around, but check before you book reservations, to make sure you pick the best times to target the species of your choice.

Striped marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna and dorado are abundant year round, with wahoo, blue and black marlin and moving in during the warmer summer months. Yellowtail, world record class roosterfish, pargo and grouper are best during the spring and fall, and these inshore species should not be overlooked.

Fishing roosters can be one of the most visually exciting experiences you'll ever have. There's nothing like the adrenaline rush you'll get when you see an angry rooster flare his dorsal before he attacks a bait that's invaded this territory. "We have the finest fleet of boats in all of Mexico," said Bob Van Warmer, owner of the three resorts. "We have a fleet of more than 50 custom cruisers and super pangas that we keep in top condition for our customers." Van Warmer noted that the 28-32 foot fibreglass cruisers come equipped with an experienced skipper and deckhand, livebait tank, fighting chairs, sunshade, enclosed heads, and an ice chest filled with cold beer and soda. Lunches are also provided.

The cruisers range in price from $250 to $300 per day. Super Pangas centre consoles are also available and feature 90 to 100 horsepower motors, skippers, livebait tanks, fighting chairs and heads. These sleek 23-26 foot fishing machines range in price from $175 to $200 per day. "Not only do we maintain the top fleet of boats in Mexico, but our resorts are perfectly situated to take advantage of the fish - rich waters of the Sea of Cortez," Van Warmer said. "When you take a boat out of our hotels, it won't be long before you're into fish. I don't know of any other place on earth where you have the variety and numbers of big game fish that we have here." If you are one of those individuals who still seek the Baja experience of old, then turn left after arriving at Los Cabos International airport and head north, toward La Paz.

After about an hour, you'll see the turquoise blue waters of the East Cape and you'll know you've arrived in a place that time has passed by. One request. Get your mind set before you leave home - the reason you are there is for the thrill, and not the kill.

We're dealing with a limited resource, in a time when the future of our oceans is in our hands. Make a difference, set an example, practice catch and release. If we do, then just maybe, 20 years from now our children might be able to walk along that same endless stretch of white sand in front of the lighthouse just south of Punta, stop, and look-up in wonder and awe at all the beauty and abundance that's surrounding them in this slice of paradise known as the East Cape.