CABO SAN LUCAS FISHING BOAT BLUE THUNDER SCORES
AN OUTSTANDING 21 STRIPED MARLIN RELEASES IN 1 DAY

Dec. 29, 2005-Jan. 5, 2006, Tracy Ehrenberg, Pisces Fleet, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico:

For sheer amount of fish pounds battled in one day the prize has to go to "Blue Thunder" for 21 striped marlin released in a single day, January 3rd, at the Finger Bank. Estimating an average weight of 110 pounds per fish, that is basically 2,310 pounds, for a father and twelve year old son team from Laguna Hills. Charles Wells and his son were thrilled.

This big fish story at Cabo San Lucas this week was a huge blue marlin caught on January 2nd. Cabo San Lucas tradition has it that one large blue is always caught the first week of the year, so we were not disappointed. The lucky anglers this year were Michael Connolly, a Cabo San Lucas resident, fishing aboard his 38 foot Bertram "Falcon" and Greg Miller, Mike's guest, who tired after 20 minutes and handed the rod over. The fish took another 20 minutes to land and tipped the scales at 700 pounds. This beauty took a pink and purple lure outside the 95 spot in 75 degree water and was caught on 50 pound tackle.

As we close this fishing report, we are hearing that the Finger bank is now shut down. We will have a more accurate picture in a few days.

Our overall catch success rate for all species combined was a respectable 86 percent, with 45 percent of boats catching billfish. Pisces anglers caught a total of 61 striped marlin, all but one released and one sailfish that was released.

Other Pisces Fleet boats that did well were "Rebecca" on December 30th for the Chuplis family with four striped marlin released, and "Valerie" on January 30th for four stripers for Dan and Daniel Wright of Chileno.

There was a marked difference in catches this week, with the area by the Lighthouse slowing completely down and slim pickings for most Cabo San Lucas charter fishing boats as the fish spread out and were not easily located.

Close on the heels of striped marlin this week, were yellowfin tuna, which is not the norm for January at Cabo San Lucas. In fact 40 percent of charters hooked up to tuna ranging in size from 15 to 100 pounds, with large schools reported for miles, which promptly caught the attention of commercial boats.

Dorado catches were at 24 percent with boats seldom catching more than one. Inshore there was good action on sierra, skipjacks, white skipjack and some yellowtail to 18 pounds.

Cabo weather was much warmer than usual for January, with seas calm, and skies partly cloudy. The best fishing was at the Old Lighthouse then moving to 20 plus miles off Land's End for tuna, Cerro Colorado, Cabeza de Ballena. That is unusual again; we should still be fishing the Pacific. It's like the season is ahead of itself by 6 to 8 weeks.