FIESTA SPORTFISHING TAKES 20 ARIZONA ANGLERS
ON GROUP FISHING TRIP TO CABO SAN LUCAS

Nov. 19, 2004, Dave Palmer, Fiesta Sportfishing, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Fishing Trip Report:

We just returned from our annual Cabo San Lucas Fiesta Sportfishing trip with a group of 20 anglers from Phoenix, Arizona, fishing on five Dorados Fleet boats for two days, Nov. 15-16.

We returned with 15 Dorado with the largest weighed on a scale at 36 pounds, 32 Yellowfin with the largest weighed on a scale at 40 pounds, 3 Released striped marlin of 130-140 pounds, 1 Blue Marlin of 320 pounds that died after it got tail wrapped and had to be hand lined in. Also 14 Bonita and 8 sierra.

We were fishing primarily on the Pacific, with the Dorado close to shore just 1/2 to 2 miles off of the Cabo San Lucas lighthouse, and the Tuna were all caught 30 to 35 miles out by Golden Gate in a large school of dolphin.

Inshore Sierra are showing early at Cabo San Lucas, with all caught in front of Solmar and Pedregal.

Cabo San Lucas weather was beautiful with winds causing choppy seas by the afternoon.

We have a jackpot for the largest Tuna & Dorado, so we started weighing the larger fish. The 40 pound Tuna was caught by Erica Nielson of Gilbert, Ariz., and the 36 pound Dorado was caught by Jeff Raybould of Phoenix, Ariz.

Just a note of humor is that on our groups with jackpots we started bringing scales for each team to weigh their fish, and now all of the fish that used to be estimated at 40 to 60 pounds are actually 15 to 40 pounds!

And a note of importance for anglers flying on America West is that they have started enforcing their 50 pound baggage limit in both the US and Cabo San Lucas, and they are weighing all the coolers. Any over 50 pounds cost $50 more and over 100 lbs, $100, etc. Although some see that as a bad thing, I think it should be pointed out to the anglers considering keeping a Billfish that if they keep the meat it is going to cost them! Possibly this may work in a positive way and we may see more releases, so they can just keep the tuna and dorado, and only keep their limit, in order to keep the cooler weight under the fees.