Fish Report

MARCH 23RD TO 29TH, 2013
Overall Catch Success Rate All Species Combined 95%
Numbers at a glance: Billfish 58%, Tuna 9%, Dorado 27%, Small Game 35%

BILLFISH: Boy were we surprised this week, first it’s March – read generally slow for marlin, second we have a full moon – read the fish are eating at night and shouldn’t not be hungry during the day, which is why we were shocked when later in the week, the boats came back to port with outriggers proudly displaying an array of blue flags. In fact striped marlin was our number one catch this week. Boats headed up past San Jose to Destiladeres on the Cortez side and no wonder as there was a pocket of warm water, with temperatures around 73 F. The week started off on the slow side with sierra and skipjacks more the order of the day but by Monday we saw Pisces Adriana having released three stripers for Steve Schornack & friends – not only did they release the marlin they boated seven tuna; what a great day. Next day out all but one of the boats we sent got between one and three marlin at the 11.50 spot. March 29th saw the marlin bite getting even better, when Pisces Rebecca released five stripers for Mark Van Norman, Sr and Jr from Darnestown, Maryland. Not to be left out Pisces Tracy Ann had four this same day for Roxanne & Ragner Stein from Florida, as well as a dorado. Pisces Ruthless equaled the catch of Tracy Ann with four marlin released, along with three skipjacks caught for Aaron McKean from California, followed by Great Escape Jr. also with four this same day. March 28th saw Pisces Rebecca on a roll this time releasing six marlin up to 160 lbs. for Larry Knutson from Canada, who also landed two dorado with his group.  Other boats caught two to three marlin each plus some dorado. Fifty eight percent of our charters caught marlin this week resulting in a total of 72 fish released; a huge improvement over last week when just 16 were caught. So what were the factors leading to this? We think no wind and calm seas a couple of days; when the weather was good, so was the fishing, plus the availability of good live bait, such as mackerel and live ballyhoo.

OTHER SPECIES; Guess you can’t have everything so with the marlin fishing so good this week, the tuna catches took a nose dive. Not to say they are not here, but the boys discovered the marlin and went after them. Top catch for tuna was aboard Pisces Bill Collector with twelve in a day outside the 11.50 spot. Other catches were between one and seven fish maximum with weights no more than 22 lbs. Just nine percent of the boats found tuna and our total fish count was 45 caught down considerably from over 500 last week. Dorado catches edged up slightly with thirty seven percent of boats catching between one and six. Pisces Valerie did well on dorado catching six ranging from 20 to 40 lbs for Stephanie Quinn from Boise, Idaho.  Our total dorado count was 46 fish overall. “C Rod” had a great day for John Carey III and Miles Sanders from St. Louis, Missouri, they got a beautiful 60 lb. wahoo & three dorados as well as releasing two striped marlin. Inshore boats caught quite a few skipjacks and bonitas, as well as up to ten sierra in a morning, plus an odd sea bass. Strangest catch of the week was the louvar picked up by Tracy Ann and featured on our blog and facebook.
SURF FISHING: Not many beach trips this week but they were successful – we send Debbie Sandifer out with Wesley and she was thrilled to catch four jack crevalle up to 20 lbs., 6 sierras and a 40 lb. yellow tail now that’s what we call a busy morning.

Expert Guide Wesley Shows Off a Beautiful Yellow Tail Caught on a trip with a client

WEATHER: Mostly sunny skies, seas mostly calm, hot, windy a couple of days.
AVERAGE WATER TEMP: 69 – 74 F, colder water at Cabo, warmer off of San Jose.
BEST LURES: Live mackerel, live ballyhoo, red/black lures, cedar plugs.
Based on the catches of Pisces by Tracy Ehrenberg