CABO ANGLERS HAVING CHOICE OF MIXED OFFSHORE GAMEFISH SPECIES

May 19-25, 2005, Benjamin Ortega, Solmar Fleet, Cabo San Lucas sportfishing, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

Seldom do anglers have the choice of targeting marlin, sailfish or the smaller exotics such as dorado and roosterfish.

But such a gamefish bite seems underway now in Cabo San Lucas sportfishing waters.

Horen Hewandwsi of Grand Island, Neb., fishing from the Cabo San Lucas charter fishing boat El Torito, wanted billfish, and that's what he got in taking one 140-pound striped marlin and two sailfish, all on live mackerel, in waters off Punta Palmilla.

Mr. McNamara of Portland, Ore., worked the Solmar VII in boating a 136-pound sailfish off Punta Palmilla, then moved to Punta Arena where he whipped a striped marlin which he released. Both fish were taken on live mackerel.

The Sea of Cortez side of Cabo San Lucas produced a 143-pound striped marlin and a single dorado to Miami, FL angler Davis Clark who fished aboard the San Lucas VI. The marlin was taken on live bait and the dorado on a black and green lure.

Bill Foster of Los Angeles, CA, did a pretty good job on small game fish, taking a lone roosterfish and nine yellowfin tuna on live mackerel, fishing outside the Old Lighthouse from the Solmar III.

A green and black cedar plug, trolled in the Punta Palmilla area by Glendora, CA angler Bill Anderson, fishing from the Solmar I, bagged eight yellowfin tuna.

A orange and yellow lure, trolled by Mr. Hardy of New Jersey off the Pacific side of Cabo, took a 34-pound roosterfish and two sierra mackerel. He fished the Cabo San Lucas charter boat Solmar IV.

Mr. McDolian of Houston, Tex., worked these same waters to take two dorado and eight sierra, all on live mackerel, while fishing from the San Lucas V.

Solmar Fleet's captain of the week honor went to Antonio Romero of the El Torito for taking 16 striped marlin, 10 dorado, nine yellowfin tuna, 14 sierra and two roosterfish.

Total catch, including releases, by Solmar fleet vessels during the above period included 68 striped marlin, 29 yellowfin tuna, 35 dorado, 31 sierra, three roosterfish and five sailfish.