Overall Catch Success Rate 83.34%
BILLFISH: There was a slight increase on the billfish catches this week with twenty three percent of our boats releasing striped marlin. Outstanding catch of the week was aboard “Andale” for our first swordfish of the season, on February 5th. The boat was actually on its way back from fishing with contented anglers on board boasting twelve yellow fin tuna, when fifteen miles from the Old Lighthouse they came across one of the most prized sportfishing of all, a broadbill swordfish. The skills of the crew were put to the test but they managed to coax it to take live bait and not long after they were able to boat what turned out to be a 350 lb fish. One of the better days was February 9th, when “Shambala” did well to release two striped marlin, one of them estimated 180 lbs for a group from Juniper, Florida. Both fish were caught at Cabeza de Ballena on the Cortez side on live bait. On the 5th, William Black from Scotland released a striped marlin of fair size, estimated at 140 lbs aboard “Rebecca”; he also caught five yellow fin tuna between 20 and 30 lbs which took cedar plugs. Out this same day, “Cabolero” did well for David Hagerman and friends from California they enjoyed themselves by releasing a striped marlin and landing four 20 lb tuna and a 25 lb dorado twenty seven miles out from Solmar. Aptly named John Fisher from Escondido, Ca, loves to fish with David on “Andale” and was not disappointed to release a striped marlin, but was miffed to lose a nice tuna to a hungry shark. Pisces anglers released twelve striped marlin this week.
OTHER SPECIES: Dorado was up and down this week, with just a few boats getting a single fish. Nevertheless, boat of the week “Andale” (a 60 ft Mikelson) did land a respectable fish for a group for Chicago, that ended up weighing 50 lbs after it took a brown & pink lure twenty miles out from Cerro Blanco – they also released a striped marlin in the same area. Yellow fin tuna catches were steady with twenty five percent of our boats catching between one to eleven fish. Top tuna boat was “La Brisa”, with their best day on the 8th for Ian Eccles and John Smykala from Scotland, when they caught eleven yellow fins in the football class thirty miles from the 240 spot and San Jaime. On the 10th, Dave Nolt and Megan Weakey from Colorado shared “La Brisa” with a couple from Ohio and had plenty of fillets to share, with a tally of eleven tuna between 20 & 30 lbs; the fish took a combination of cedar plugs and red/black lures. Another boat that did well was “Tracy Ann” for a lovely couple from Columbus Ohio, John & Cindy Jacober. They had a great time with Captain Julio Castro, not only releasing a striped marlin but also boating eight tuna from 15 to 20 lbs. On the 10th, Mike Brown and friends from Montana were happy on the return to the dock, to report a striped marlin release estimated at 150 lbs and to six yellow fin tuna between 20 to 30 lbs as well as a much desired wahoo, all caught aboard “Valerie” ten miles from San Jaime.”.
As to other species, sierra catches are still good, with twenty nine percent of our boats catching between one to forty four fish. On the 8th, “Valerie” got a lot of sierra action with forty four of these little ones caught with rapalas for Ray and Michelle Peterson from San Francisco, CA; all but a couple were put back. The next day a group of friends from Finland, Patrik Lehtonen, Mats Erik Fagertrom and Peter Selander, tried inshore fishing aboard a super panga and did well with twenty five sierra, six jack crevalle, one rooster fish and one jack crevalle) – all released except a couple of sierras for dinner.
On the 11th, “Cabolero” tried bottom fishing with the owner and they caught thirty rock cods fifteen miles from the old light house; the fish took octopus and squid for bait and Captain Lupe and deckhand Rigo were pretty good at this.
Inshore we also had roosterfish, skipjacks, jack crevalles, mako sharks, bull shark, red snapper, yellow tail and rock cod.
WEATHER CONDITIONS: Clear, sunny skies. Mostly calm seas with a few choppy days. Cool weather.
LOCATION: Pacific Side _ Migriño, 180 spot, Cerro Blanco, Elias Calles, Pozo Cota, Los Arcos, Old Lighthouse, Margaritas, 240 Spot, San Jaime.
Sea of Cortez - Cabeza Ballena, Chileno
AVERAGE WATER TEMP. 70 F
BEST LURES; Cedar plugs, rapalas, hoochis, petrolero, green/yellow, red/black, purple, green, petrolero, teaser, yoyo, brown/pink
Live caballito, ballyhoos. sierra
Based on the catches of Pisces by Ale Almada & Tracy
Mike Morrison, Rob Olney, Chad Wiese from Urbandale, Iowa boated five yellow fin tuna thirty miles by the 180 spot aboard "Adriana".
Mike Brown and friends from Montana were happy on the return to the dock, to report a striped marlin release estimated at 150 lbs and to six yellow fin tuna between 20 to 30 lbs as well as a much desired wahoo, all caught aboard “Valerie” ten miles from San Jaime.
