Merry Christmas!

A Different & Beautiful Christmas Story

The real Christmas story is impossible to beat, but spending time with family and friends is the best part about Christmas these days. So this is what the Hall family from Camarillo, California are doing. After much planning they decided on Cabo San Lucas and seeing as they wanted a really special fishing trip, they decided to book "Shambala" our 60 ft Hatteras with Captain T.J Dobson. This trip was to be one of firsts, not least when 87 year old Lynn Hall caught and released his very first striped marlin.

A Spry Looking 87 Year Old Lynn Hall, Poses with his Striped Marlin Before Releasing It.

 Not to be outdone the younger generation got in on the action as Lynn's grandson, Eric Olson from Corona del Mar, California, also released a striped marlin.

Eric Olson from Corona Del Mar, Ca. also released a striped marlin.

They then decided to look for some sharks to try something different and they soon spotted something on the surface. They motored over to find a poor turtle caught in a commercial fishing rig consisting of buoys and lines.

The Distressed Turtle was Brought on Board with his  Unwanted Appendages

He had become entangled around his left front flipper and the thick nylon rope had already cut deep into his flesh.

The Nylon Line was Deeply Embedded Around the Flipper

 They pulled him aboard and quickly set about cutting the nylon line away, before safely setting him back into the ocean.

Without their intervention he would have been facing death in a short time, so it was like he got a new lease on life and was born again.

Lines were set back in the water and almost immediately they got hit; the prize turned out to be a 60 lb wahoo reeled in by Tony Westover from Arizona.

 It was like a reward from heaven for their good deed. Call me sentimental if you like; I am. What a memorable day for this family and a Christmas they will  never forget.

The Hall Family & Friends, 87 Year Old Patriarch Lynn Hall  Shown Center in Place of  Honor.

Just another day at the office...

David Evans, From: Vancouver, B.C.  grabbed a Striped Marlin approximately 160 lbs. fought with him for 45 min. 3 miles from the old lighthouse, also grabbed 3 tunas as 20 to 25 lbs. photos taken by his partner Dannielle Carter-Brugman.

Boat: Adriana Capt. Enrique Martinez & Fernando Noyola.   

This Weeks Fish Report

December 10th to 16th, 2011

Overall Catch Success Rate 84%

Valerie was our top boat this week; shown here newly refurbished

BILLFISH: Once again this week not many boats out fishing due to the lack of visitors in Cabo, nevertheless there were quite a few good catches, such as an out of season blue marlin of 450 lbs caught aboard the Yahoo, just three miles off of Pozo de Cota where they were targeting dorado (perhaps the reason the blue was there). Craig Alterman from Newport Beach, Ca managed to reel this large fish in an hour and half after it took a green and yellow lure intended for dorado, which they had also caught earlier as well as a striped marlin. One of the best catches of the week was on December 10th, by “Valerie”, our recently refurbished 35 ft Bertram, who had Larry Harrel & Bob Engstrom from Gilette, Wyoming on board. The fished from Gaspareño to Golden Gate, on the Pacific side and did extremely well to release four striped marlin on live bait and to catch nine dorado. A couple of days later these same anglers aboard the same boat released another two striped marlin and caught eight doardo and a wahoo too. There were a couple of other boats who had two marlin days, such as Shambala and La Brisa, but with a big moon all week, fish were a little reluctant to bite. Besides this location did vary; they could be found at Gaspareño, Golden Gate and on a couple of days the complete opposite direction at Palmilla. Fifty two percent of our boats caught marlin, giving us a total of 19 billfish this week.

Larry Harrel from Gilette Wyoming, had a great time on Valerie this week fishing with his favorite captain Roberto Sandez - six marlin, (released)  seventeen doardo and a wahoo.

OTHER SPECIES: Surprisingly there are still a lot of dorado around and this species was our top catch this week with sixty percent of charters catching between one and fourteen fish in the 15 to 25 lb class. Matt Basco from Los Angeles, California was our top angler for this species, with fourteen fish caught, some released, caught between Gaspareño and Los Arcos on a combination of mackerel, caballito and green and orange lures – our dorado tally was 53 fish. Yellow fin tuna dropped right off this week and were found seven to twenty eight miles off shore, but when found catches were rarely more than three fish around 20 lbs. There were a couple of very small wahoo plus the odd sierra. Steve Sprint from Lakeville, Minnesota released a 60 lb hammerhead shark off of Las Margaritas after it took live jurel bait.
WEATHER CONDITIONS: Partly cloudy all week, unusual grey skies but no rain, seas mostly calm.

LOCATION: Gaspareño three miles out, Los Arcos, Migriño, Golden Gate, Pamilla.
AVERAGE WATER TEMP: 72-74 F
BEST LURES: Live mackerel, caballito, green/yellow and orange colors.
Based on the catches of Pisces by Tracy Ehrenberg

Out of Season Blue Marlin for Yahoo

On December 11th, "Yahoo" the 42 ft Bertram was in for a surprise; they were cruising near the coast, three miles off of Pozo de Cota on the Pacific, on the look out for dorado. Angler Craig Alterman, from Newport Beach, Ca. was on board with friend Alvin Franklin from Rockwall, Texas. They were already into the dorado, when a large marlin hit a medium size green/yellow lure on Craig's rod. It took him an hour and a half to bring the 450 lb fish to the boat, whilst Alvin managed to release a striped marlin.

Cool Photo by Mario

Mario Bañaga our dockmaster has a lot of talents; one of them is photography, an art he learned from his father from a young age. Here is a sample of Mario's work. He caught these dolphin in action a few days ago, from the Valerie. Dolphin are usually a sign of tuna in the area.

Updated Fish Report

DECEMBER 3rd to 9th, 2011



Overall Catch Success Rate 73%

Deckhand Fernando  aboard Adriana prepares to leader this active striped marlin.

BILLFISH: This week fisherman were scarcer than fish as we entered what is traditionally known as the slowest time of year for visitors, in the period after Thanksgiving and before Christmas. With the moon waxing, fish were less hungry than normal and at times even when marlin were found they could not be coaxed to take the live bait offered them. Some boats though, did quite well, such as “Ruthless” our 31 ft Bertram on December 4th, who fished at Los Arcos with anglers Joseph Lanigan & David Brown from New York aboard, they were able to release three striped marlin in the 110 to 130 lb class on live “jurelito” which is a type of jack as well as boat a 20 lb dorado that took a red lure. “Valerie” now back in the water after a total refit, was out on December 6th, just below the Golden Gate with Pat Currie and friends from Summerland, Canada where they were able to release three striped marlin, boat a dorado and wahoo too. Our last triple marlin day was had by “La Brisa” on December 8th this time closer at Gaspareño with Dinah and David Oppenheim from Midpines, California aboard; they also landed a dorado. We had a solitary sailfish aboard “Attitude Adjustment” for Roberto Joseph from Gary, Indiana, who also released a striped marlin both at Golden Gate. We heard again that there are marlin just below Mag Bay, so they should be working their way towards Cabo in the coming weeks. Fifty five percent of our charters caught billfish this week consisting of 17 marlin and 1 sailfish – all released.


OTHER SPECIES: Marlin was the top catch this week, but dorado catches were steady with twenty seven percent of boats catching form one to four fish in the 15 to 25 lb class. All were on the Pacific at various locations. Tuna catches were less common with just eighteen percent of boats finding patches of them around the Herradura. When found boats managed to boat up to ten in a day of fish up to 35 lbs. Inshore just a few roosters and needlefish for us.

LOCATION: Pacific Los Arcos to Golden Gate, also Herradura for tuna.

WEATHER CONDITIONS: Partly cloudy, some windy days which caused rough seas, some chilly nights.

AVERAGE WATER TEMP: Although it doesn’t feel like it surface sea temperature charts show the water around Cabo to be 77 F.
BEST LURES: Live bait – mackerel was scarce so ballyhoo, caballito and jurelito were used; cedar plugs, guacamaya, red.


Based on the catches of Pisces by Tracy Ehrenberg

Meet Flor

 The newest member of Pisces Group Cabo is Flor Saldana who started with us on December 1st. Of course as part of the induction she had to meet the crews, drive a boat and catch a fish. What a tough job - sigh.... We are thrilled to have Flor joins us as she brings a lot of skills that will compliment our team, plus a beautiful smile.

Fish Report Nov. 24th to Dec 2nd, 2011

Overall Catch Success Rate 99%


BILLFISH: This week we saw some truly outstanding catches on striped marlin with six plus in a day not uncommon. So we are in suspense as to which way the fishing will go, it could suddenly explode with the never seen before numbers we experienced in 2008 or it could come in waves of super hot fishing days, followed by more standard catches, which by everywhere else’s standards are superior anyway. We just received photos from the Swedish group that are making a documentary and we have to say that the images they sent us are truly some of the most spectacular we have ever seen. Seeing as they are from their upcoming film, we have to obtain permission from them to post these but keep tuned to our blog for these amazing photos of kayak fishing. Billfish action predominantly on striped marlin was kept most anglers busy this week with sixty three percent of boats catching from one to nine fish in a day in the 90 to 160 lb class. All catches were on the Pacific with live bait being the most effective method of getting hook ups. “Shambala” makes the fish report again this week, for eight striped marlin released between 110 to 160 lbs just outside the Golden Gate, as well as three dorado for long time client Barry Suave and family from Houston, Texas fishing with guest Maria Lima from Brazil. On November 26th, 31 ft Bertram “Rebecca” topped even this catch with nine striped marlin released , plus two dorado, just two miles offshore at Gaspareño for the Delaporte family from Bernardsville, New Jersey. Fishing in the same area, aboard “La Brisa” we had Chic McSherry from Scotland, who wearing his kilt fishing for the first time, met with fortune to hook up five striped marlin, with friend Paul Young and also land two dorado. Chic we admire your courage to wear a skirt in the macho Mexican environment of the marina.

Everybody thought Chic McSherry from Scotland was brave when he showed up at the macho Mexican environment of the Cabo Marina, sporting a plaid "skirt".

 “La Brisa” scored again, this time with six striped marlin released plus a sailfish for Justin Ardoin, from Lafayette, Louisiana on November 30th. Top anglers though has to go to Lori & Ron Chabot, along with Gerry Richmond from Florida. They had a total of fourteen striped marlin over two days aboard “Rebecca” fishing at Gaspareño and the outer edge of Golden Gate. Pisces anglers caught a total of 95 billfish, consisting of 93 striped marlin and 2 sailfish; all released.

Noboy was laughing in the afternoon though, when Chic reported one of the best catches for the fleet of five striped marlin released and two dorado for him and friend Paul Young. Must have been his lucky kilt.

OTHER SPECIES: We had good action on dorado this week, though none of were notable size, with the average being 15 to 25 lbs. Sixty one percent of boats caught this species, though when found the numbers of fish caught was good ranging from one to twenty two with some good catches, close to Cabo in range of the pangas. Pisces anglers caught a total of 161 dorado this week. Tuna catches have slowed down somewhat with just seventeen percent of boats finding this prized catch, nevertheless the total tally on tuna was 67 fish. Top angler for sheer numbers was W. Etten from the Netherlands, aboard “Andrea” for twenty two fish caught up to 44 lbs, just below San Jaime, taken on cedar plugs and caballito (goggle eye). The most impressive fish though was caught by Mark Chiavetta from San Jose, California, aboard “Bill Collector”, he was fishing just above the old lighthouse and caught some smaller fish first around 20 to 25 lbs, but then thought he had hooked the bottom of the sea as he struggled to muscle in what turned out to be a 220 lb yellowfin tuna. The smaller wahoo are still around and “Fearless” was one of the boats that did well on these for angler Robert Alvarado, catching five wahoo up to 20 lbs and seven dorado. Closer to home boats caught roosterfish, needle fish and a few snappers.

LOCATION: Pacific Land’s End to Golden Gate.

WEATHER CONDITIONS: We are starting to feel a winter chill early morning and evenings; we had rain for a couple of hours on the 26th, seas some days calm others choppy.

AVERAGE WATER TEMP: 76-79 F

BEST LURES: live bait, red/black, guacamayos, cedar plugs.

Based on the catches of Pisces by Tracy Ehrenberg

"Right Place, Right Time, Right Boat"

"Right time, right place, right boat", was what Justin Ardoin from Lafayette, Louisiana had to say after a day out aboard 31 ft Bertram "La Brisa" - and why wouldn't he say that, after all he did catch six striped marlin, averageing 120 lbs each and an 80 lb sailfish and to top it all he was fishing just three miles off shore near Gaspareño on the Pacific. Justin's release certificate is a testimony of his catch which he proudly displayed for the camera at Pisces Sportfishing headquarters....Justin a bigger smile is in order.