MARLIN FISHING AT CABO REQUIRED SOME LUCK THIS WEEK

June 23-29, 2005, Benjamin Ortega, Solmar Fleet, Cabo San Lucas fishing, Baja California Sur report, Mexico:

If you were looking to catch marlin at Cabo San Lucas this past week, it was one of those periods where you had to be on the right boat, at the right spot, with the right bait and a lot of luck, you caught one.

For most anglers in the Cabo San Lucas fishing vacation area, however, it was a week of yellowfin tuna with an occasional dorado and a few wahoo.

Typical of the catch made by most Cabo anglers was that of two Floridians, Charles West and Ed Killebrew of Palatka. They fished the Solmar at the Jaime Bank where they caught three small yellowfin, two dorado weighing 22 and 36 pounds, all on live mackerel.

Ray Carino of Dublin, CA, did a bit better fishing the same spot aboard the same boat. He decked one 27-pound wahoo, 10 tuna and seven skipjack, all on orange-and-yellow and green-and-black lures.

Robert Lowe of Rin Ridee, LA, had similar luck fishing aboard the Cabo San Lucas charter fishing boat Solmar I at the Gordo Banks, where he caught a dozen yellowfin, one dorado and a single skipjack on live mackerel.

West Hills, CA angler Robert Smith was especially pleased with the crew of the San Lucas IV, who he praised as "the best captain and first mate" he has ever chartered. They helped him score one wahoo, two dorado and four tuna on a green-and-black lure fishing off Punta Palmilla.

Ten yellowfin tuna averaging between 17 and 28 pounds provided an "awesome" outing for Aaron Ruff and Phil Hochberg of Spokane, WA. They fished the Solmar IV at the Gordo Banks.

Harlingen, TX angler Erwin Sanchez used both live mackerel and an orange-and-yellow lure to take six yellowfin weighing between 23 and 32 pounds off Punta Palmilla aboard the Solmar VII.

David Mayfield of Edmond, OK, stuck with live mackerel in subduing four yellowfin while fishing off Pozo Cota on the San Lucas VI.

Captain of the week honors went to Federico Marron of the Solmar I for delivering eight striped marlin, 38 yellowfin tuna, one wahoo and four dorado for his passengers.

Total catch by the Solmar Cabo San Lucas sportfishing fleet in 52 outings was 31 striped marlin including releases, 68 yellowfin tuna, 35 dorado, 29 skipjack and six wahoo.