OFFSHORE FISHING STEADY AS THE NEW YEAR BEGINS

Jan. 1-6, 2005, Tracy Ehrenberg, Pisces Fleet, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico Fishing:

Cabo San Lucas had steady to moderate fishing the first week of the year, resulting in a catch success rate for striped marlin of 54 percent, for fish in the 100 to 160-pound class, the average being around 130 pounds.

The overall catch success rate, fishing for all species combined was a respectable 89 percent. Lots of fish were seen, but not all were hungry, as Cabo San Lucas weather has been changeable one day, cold (i.e., in our terms, low-70s), and the next day blazing sunshine.

Cabo San Lucas sportfishing boats worked both the Pacific and Cortez sides, with the latter being the more productive. Fish took both lures and bait and on many fishing days needed a lot to tempting to bite anything. Still, skilled captains stuck at it and most ended up with at least one striper, or a token dorado or two. Once Cabo San Lucas fishing weather stabilizes we should see an increase on striped marlin both in numbers and consistency. Pisces anglers caught a total of 50 striped marlin this week of which 47 were released.

We had a couple of Cabo San Lucas charter fishing boats with triple billfish days, such as "Rebecca" on December 31st for the Shroeder brothers, Scott, Keith and Rob, from New Jersey, who found the Old Lighthouse to be the lucky spot for them. Another group that did well was Brian Andress from Tampa, Florida, who with friends Steven and Lee was also able to release three Cabo San Lucas striped marlin, this time aboard "Valerie" on January 4th, on the Cortez side at the 95 spot.

More dorado (mahi-mahi) were actually caught this week than marlin, but only 45 percent of charters hooked this species. When caught, our Cabo San Lucas charter boats averaged one to five fish, with the average right at three fish, in the 18 to 25-pound class. Some of the dorado were found close in, just around the corner from the Cabo San Lucas arch, whilst others were picked up on marlin lures, with one of the better areas being that in front of the Old Lighthouse.

Cabo San Lucas yellowfin tuna fishing catches were nothing to write home about, though I must add, that Tony Nungaray, captain of "Felina" reported having a tuna on he swears was 400 pounds--Tony has proven himself many times, so we believe him. Unfortunately the monster was lost at the gaff...there goes another world record.

A few other of our Cabo San Lucas charter boats caught fish in the 15 to 30-pound category, with catches of one to five fish; some lucked out and got up to 10 at the Jaime Bank. We had a couple of wahoo this week, one was enviable 80-pound fish caught by Charles James on the last day of 2004.

In Cabo San Lucas inshore fishing, skipjacks and small pargos were caught, along with the odd sierra.

Fishing locations were from the Golden Gate to San Jose-- pretty much the whole range of locations that day charter boats can fish, with the 95 spot, Cabeza de Ballena, the Lighthouse and Los Arcos popular.

Cabo San Lucas weather was partly cloudy, with seas calm.

Cabo San Lucas sea surface water temperatures were 70-72 degrees.

BEST LURES: Live bait, green/white, brown.