ANGLERS BRAVING ROUGH TROPICAL SEAS TO CATCH MARLIN AND TUNA

Aug. 26-Sept. 1, 2004, Benjamin Ortega, Solmar Fleet, Cabo San Lucas fishing report, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

Cabo San Lucas anglers willing to brave rough seas, thunder storms and 10- to 12-knot winds responded by taking both blue and striped marlin, plus excellent catches of yellowfin tuna.

Ian Brawner of Orange, Calif., and John and Kristen Grant of Portland, Ore., were among Cabo San Lucas blue busters during the week.

The Grants actually shared fighting their 140-pound blue, taken on a purple lure off the Lighthouse. They fished the Solmar.

Brawner bagged his Cabo San Lucas blue marlin on live mackerel at the Faro Viejo Bank while fishing aboard the San Lucas VI.

Oklahoma angler Erick Herring fished the same bank, taking a single striper and two yellowfin tuna -- each on live mackerel -- fishing the Solmar II.

Solmar fleet skippers reported seeing many more Cabo San Lucas marlin despite the rough seas, which made trolling difficult at times.

Live mackerel produced a single sailfish and two dorado by Manuel Diaz of Orange, Calif., who fished the San Lucas V at the 95 Bank.

Don Varga of Los Angeles reported a wild bite on yellowfin at the Faro Viejo, where he caught 20 in the 25- to 35-pound class. He fished the Solmar II.

Karla Gonzales worked both lure and bait to take a single yellowfin and 11 bonito at the Gordo Banks aboard the San Lucas V.

Cabo San Lucas fishing captain of the week honors went to Javier Abaraoa of the Solmar II in rewarding his anglers with six striped marlin, 13 dorado, nine yellowfin tuna and 21 jacks in four outings.

Total Cabo San Lucas fishing catch in 64 outings by the Solmar fleet included nine striped marlin, three released, seven blue marlin, one released, 103 yellowfin tuna, 34 skipjack, 35 dorado and four sailfish, one released.