WEEKLY FISHING REPORT BY SOLMAR FLEET

Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2004, Benjamin Ortega, Solmar Fleet, Cabo San Lucas fishing, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

With the water temperature topping the 83-degree mark, blue marlin continue to move into Cabo San Lucas waters.

Total catch for the week by the Solmar fleet in 81 outings, including released fish, was 11 striped marlin, seven blue marlin, two sailfish, 65 dorado, 16 wahoo, 11 yellowfin tuna and 34 skipjack.

Ken and Maureene Russell of Madison, Ohio, spotted five blues off Punta Palmilla, before finally coaxing one to take a hook baited with a live mackerel. They fished aboard the Cabo San Lucas cruiser Solmar II.

Billfish activity picked up a notch or two, but it was a continued run on big dorado that drew most of the attention.

The Brassel family of Hansville, Wash. fished the Solmar II, taking one marlin, three bonito and two dorado off Los Arcos.

Waters off the Old Lighthouse also was productive for Boca Raton, Fla. angler Karl (no last name provided), who boated one striped marlin, four bonito and one dorado aboard the San Lucas VI.

The 95 Spot proved to be a real dorado cherry patch for Gilbert, Ariz. anglers Exline and Brokerhof, who divided 16, along with four bonito taken from the Solmar IV. Marcial Orozco of Norwalk, Calif. fished the San Lucas V and released his only fish of the day, a sailfish that went after an unidentified lure off the Old Lighthouse.

Joe Leos and Bela Mark of San Diego, Calif., trolled a yellow lure off Migrino, taking two yellowfin tuna, two dorado and one wahoo on the Solmar III.

Bob Gasper, Brian and Mitca White of Carlsbad, Calif., boated one dorado and 20 skipjack on the Solmar II, and Roberto Wagner of Jaraville, Calif., decked a wahoo and one dorado on the Solmar off the Migrino.

Fernando Chan of the Solmar II won captain of the week honors for the six striped marlin, two blue marlin, 16 dorado and two yellowfin tuna he produced for his passengers in five outings.