WARMER SUMMER WEATHER BRINGS IN SOME BLUE MARLIN FOR PISCES FLEET

July 29-Aug. 4, 2005, Tracy Ehrenberg, Pisces Fleet, Cabo San Lucas fishing, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

In our Cabo San Lucas fishing report last week, we predicted that once the weather warmed up, that we would start to see blue marlin and this is exactly what happened.

On August 1st, "Rebecca" fishing the Destiladeras area, hooked up to a sizable blue that took them almost an hour to boat on 50 lb test line, the fish weighed in at a respectable 390 lbs and was caught by Stephen Vatner from Newark New Jersey, on a "guacamaya" lure.

The very next day "Rebecca" produced another Cabo San Lucas blue marlin, in the same area, this one estimated at 280 lbs before being released, by Riley Shearin from Arkansas.

"La Brisa", out this day too, hooked a blue marlin, in the complete opposite direction, off of Land's End. This blue marlin was around 300 lbs and was released, along with a striped marlin by Lee and Thomas Smith from, Louisiana, who also boated a token dorado for the table. "Adriana" was the top striped marlin boat, releasing three in one day, August 3rd for Chet Lampert and Paul Koch from Plantation, Florida, on the Pacific side, 15 miles out from the Old Lighthouse.

Fifty-three percent of charters caught billfish this week, making them our most numerous game fish. The average catch was one striped marlin and more rarely two; however, most boats had combination catches of one marlin, plus tuna or dorado.

Our overall catch success rate for all species combined was an excellent 94 percent. Pisces angles caught a total of forty-seven billfish, consisting of 42 striped marlin, 2 sailfish and 3 blue marlin, all but two fish were released. Although it has warmed up, the mercury still needs to climb a few notches, before we start to experience our full-blown, blue marlin season.

The really big news that took place, Thursday of last week, when a 28 ft boat, landed a huge wahoo, so big in fact that it beats the current all-tackle world record of 158 lbs, also caught in Baja, in 1996. The fish was caught by a 15-year-old young lady from Nacogdochis, Texas, Sara Hayward, at the 95 spot and officially weighed 184 lbs.

After striped marlin, yellowfin tuna were the most widely caught fish, with 38 percent of charters hooking football size fish. Catches ranged anywhere from two to sixteen fish, of football size, 15 to 25 lbs and more rarely up to 50 lbs. The majority taken on the Pacific side between the old lighthouse and San Jaime, taking a variety of lures, cedar plugs and sometimes bait.

Dorado catches at Cabo San Lucas were just a little slower than tuna, with 35 percent of boats hooking fish ranging in size from 15 to 60 lbs or more. Catches were of one or two fish over a widespread area taking a variety of lures and sometimes bait. Just a few wahoo of average size, an occasional hammerhead shark and inshore a few roosters and skipjacks.

Cabo San Lucas charter sportfishing boats opted to fish up in the Sea of Cortez in the Destiladeras area, or the opposite direction on the Pacific at San Jaime. Overall the Old Lighthouse to San Jaime, proved to be most productive for catches of all species. Those concentrating strictly on blue marlin, tended to go up the warmer Cortez.

Cabo San Lucas had mostly clear skies, sunny, rain up in the mountains, but not a drop in Cabo, daytime temps in mid to upper 90's, seas mostly calm, a little rougher in the afternoons. Average fishing water temperature was 78-80 degrees.