MARLIN DOMINATE THE FISH COUNTS FOR CABO'S SOLMAR FLEET

July 21-27, 2005, Benjamin Ortega, Solmar Fleet fishing report, Cabo San Lucas, Baja Calfornia Sur, Mexico:

Seldom do marlin catches exceed those of small game fish in Cabo San Lucas sportfishing waters, but that was the case last week when the marlin take was nearly twice that of such popular species such as dorado and yellowfin tuna.

A foursome from Covina, Calif., Ronald Medina, Daniel Allen, Heather Hudson and Anbers Pring, shared equally in taking four stripers on both lures and bait while fishing on the Pacific Ocean side of Cabo San Lucas.

What made their catches particularly appealing is that they released every one of those marlin, caught from the Solmar III.

Among the growing number of anglers who prefer to release their marlin, rather than killing them in order to be photographed with their catch is Brad Leblanz of Naples, Fla. He released the two stripers he caught, one on live mackerel and the other on a lure, off Poso de Cota while fishing from the Cabo San Lucas charter fishing boat San Lucas IV.

Tyler and Joe Sweat of Oakhurst, CA shared in taking two stripers, one on a lure and the other on mackerel, and a 15-pound dorado, fishing the Solmar IV off the old lighthouse.

Danville, CA angler Justin S. used live bait in taking a 23-pound dorado and a lure to bag a striped marlin which was released. He fished the Solmar III off Punta Palmilla.

Blue marlin continue their summer show in the Cabo San Lucas vacation fishing area, as evidenced by one caught and released by Florida angler Mark Pollack, fishing the Solmar VII off the Gordo Banks. It was taken on a live mackerel.

Fourteen-year-old Garrick Miller of Tucson, AZ, used a live mackerel to entice the 140-pound striper he whipped while fishing the Pacific side of the Cape aboard the Solmar I.

For Ray Duvall of Rising Sun, MD, his two-day fishing trip on the San Lucas VI was especially rewarding. He used an orange colored lure in catching and releasing two striped marlin he caught on consecutive days off Punta Palmilla.

"I've been fishing for 20 years without ever catching a marlin," Duvall remarked. "Then I caught two in two days."

Top skipper honors for the week went to Javier Abaroa of the Solmar, whose passengers caught 17 striped marlin, 12 yellowfin tuna and nine dorado in five outings.

Total catch by the Solmar fleet, including releases, in 53 outings was 59 striped marlin, one blue marlin, 20 yellowfin tuna, 23 dorado and one blue marlin.