FINGER BANK MARLIN ACTION INCLUDED 173
RELEASES IN 4 OUTINGS BY THE CABO BOAT SUMMERTIME

Jan. 7, 2006, Mike Connolly, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

The Finger bank bite has dropped off. Early in the week, Cabo San Lucas boats had 15 or 20 marlin releases per day, but after that it was much slower.

The Trauma, a Finger Bank regular, was top boat for Jan 5th, and had 4 marlin releases.

The Finger Bank bite had been great for over two months.

For example, the Summertime, owned by Paul Bender and skipped by local captain Martin Vigil, had 173 marlin releases in 4 days in mid-November.

Almost every boat that fished it had a shot at 15 or 20 fish or more if they worked really hard. It was the best marlin fishing most everyone has ever seen, all feeders in large groups on top. It may be over.

There are yellowfin in good numbers offshore but there are seiners disturbing some areas. There was a nice tuna bite at 17 miles for several boats with fish running to 80 pounds, mostly on mackerel bait.

Marlin are scattered with a slow bite, with some sleepers and a few jig strikes and at Cabo Falso by soaking bait.

The water temperature is mostly 73-74 degrees around here. I am not sure at the Finger Bank, but it is colder there.

Jan. 3, 2006, Michael Connolly, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Sportfishing Report:

A Blue Marlin weighing 700 pounds was caught Jan. 2, 2006, while fishing in Cabo San Lucas, by me and Greg Miller of San Diego, on my boat the Falcon with the Captain was Manuel Romero. We used a Penn 50 with 60 pound. The big fish used itself up and came to gaff in 40 minutes.

Cabo San Lucas sea conditions were flat, the fishing water a bit off color and 75 degrees. The fish took a Moldcraft lure, purple/pink, short corner, took 3 shots at it, outside the 95 spot.