CABO SAN LUCAS MARLIN BITE INTO THIRD WEEK OF GOOD ACTION

June 17-23, 2004, Solmar Sportfishing report, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

June 23, 2004, Benjamin Ortega, Solmar Fleet, Cabo San Lucas: Got boat. Got marlin. Come catch one. Seldom has fishing for these famed billfish been so good in waters off Baja's Cabo San Lucas as it has been, now into its third consecutive week.

And it keeps getting better. How does 95 striped marlin -- 77 of them released -- in only 67 outings sound? That's about as good as it can get. And that's how good the bite was last week -- nearly triple the catch of the previous period which saw anglers take as many as four per outing.

Live mackerel continues to be the magic bait in all instances at Cabo San Lucas.

Topping this week's Cabo San Lucas report was the four stripers Scottsdale, Ariz. angler John Lawrence caught, along with a pair of yellowfin tuna, all in one day fishing the Las Destilladeras area aboard the Solmar IV.

Dix Hills, N.Y. angler Bob Prusak made his four-bagger on stripers from the Solmar I, which he's fished for 14 consecutive years -- this time off Whale's Head.

Chris Simpson, who hails from Sacramento, Calif., nabbed a pair of marlin while fishing off San Jose del Cabo on the Solmar III.

Single striper catches were made by Cabo San Lucas anglers Jason Gritten of Pendleton, Ore., Dan Berumen Jr. of Los Angeles, Calif., and Wesley Guillen of Klamath Falls, Ore.

Gritten took his striper, along with three yellowfin tuna, on the Solmar I off Las Destilladeras. Berumen worked the Gordo Banks aboard the Solmar VII, adding a lone dorado to his catch. Guillen released his marlin, which he also hooked off the Gordo while fishing the Solmar I.

Captain of the week honors went to Javier Abaroa of the Solmar II for his catches that included 12 striped marlin, nine dorado, four yellowfin tuna and four jacks in five outings.

Total catch for the period included 95 striped marlin, 77 released, 27 yellowfin tuna, 23 dorado, 22 sierra, 15 skipjack, seven jacks and four roosterfish in 67 outings.