WATER TEMPERATURES STILL NOT UP TO PAR
FOR THE MIDSUMMER FISHING SEASON

Aug. 5-11, 2005, Tracy Ehrenberg, Pisces Fleet, Cabo San Lucas fishing, Baja Sur, Mexico:

Cabo San Lucas had good fishing this past week, but there is still room for improvement. By now we should be in the throes of midsummer fishing at Cabo San Lucas, but it is still much cooler than it should be, probably due to the absence of tropical storms offshore.

Cabo San Lucas is beginning to steadily see more blue marlin, and in fact this week several large fish were caught. First up was a fish close to 500 pounds, aboard Edith, followed a couple of days later by a 600 pounder on Pocho.

"Ruthless" was the hot boat for us this week, with two blue marlin on August 9th, both caught by lady anglers. Lynne Herrera from Las Vegas, released her 400 lb fish two hours after it took a green & yellow lure at the 11.50 spot. Daughter Catherine, also reeled in a fish close to 200 lbs.

Fishing off Cabo San Lucas a couple of days before, Trent Zenkewicz, from Chicago, fishing with brother Ron and Todd Yates, did well to release three stripers and boat four yellowfin tuna at the Jaime Bank on the Pacific.

John Fonde and family from Mobile, Alabama also out fishing this day, matched this, with three stripers, plus four dorado, aboard 'Rantin n Ravin".

Dee and Sara Alessandro, from Pleasant, S.C, fished last year on their honeymoon and returned to Cabo San Lucas this year for their first anniversary, to again meet with success, releasing three striped marlin aboard "Valerie" on August 8th.

Not to be left out the Barton's from Houston, Texas, also got a work out releasing three striped marlin on August 7th, aboard "Rebecca" at the Jaime Bank.

It was striped marlin that dominated this week, with Pisces anglers catching a total of 75, with weights ranging from 110 to 200 lbs. Four blues were also caught along with one sailfish. All but two fish were released.

Our overall Cabo San Lucas catch success rate for all species combined was, O.K at 85 percent (we expect more in Cabo San Lucas); 61 percent of charters caught billfish.

It seemed that boats fishing the Pacific did better, but the lure of big blue marlin, though to be in the Cortez at Gordo Banks and beyond, where the warmer water is, lured many a boat in that direction, only to have them draw a blank.

It was nice to see some wahoo catches at Cabo San Lucas this week, with several fish in the 30 to 65 lb class, all taken on lures whilst trolling for marlin.

Cabo San Lucas tuna catches were slightly higher than dorado, but were not great with 23 percent of charters hooking up to football size fish. Catches were one to three fish and more rarely, a half dozen. Dorado catches were at 17 percent, with catches of up to four fish in the 15 to 40 lb class. The largest fish was 54 lbs caught by Michael Fischer from Chicago, aboard "Ruthless".

There was not a lot happening inshore, though Dee Alessandro was fortunate to release four roosters. Otherwise there were a few dorado and skipjacks on the pangas. Alan Barton had a run in with a sizable marlin aboard a panga, which unfortunately snapped his rod.

Fishing locations were at San Jaime, Punta Gorda, 11.50 spot, Cerros de Area 8 miles out. Cabo San Lucas had clear, sunny skies, seas calm, with some chop in the afternoon. Daytime temps in the 90's. Fishing water temperatures averaged 75-79 on the Pacific, 81 in the Cortez.