STRIPED MARLIN FISHING SLOWER AT TIP OF BAJA

Feb. 25, 2007, charter boat Falcon, Mike Connolly, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

Cabo marlin were difficult to find this week.

Top boats may get two or three marlin, but far more frequently it was one or none.

The bite on the Sea of Cortez side around the 1150 spot dried up as the fish moved off to parts unknown.

On our boat Falcon we had a slow week. We were working the 1150 area a bit too long apparently, along with most of the Cabo San Lucas sportfishing fleet, as cloud cover interfered with the water temperature charts for more than 10 days.

Everyone had to find the breaks the old fashioned way. By week's end the Baja Pacific side turned on some for marlin, in particular the fishing area off San Cristobal and Margarita about 15 to 20 miles from the cape and 5 to 6 miles offshore in 69 to 70 degree water.

There were widely scattered feeders, on small squid, and some tailing fish.

We were surprised by a large group of marlin feeding less then a mile of Pozo de Cota in 300 feet of water. There looked to be 15 of them. Keying on the squid they did not attack our cast mackerel baits with any vigor. We got bit softly 3 times but did not get any marlin to stick for more than 1 jump. We turned a triple into a zero in no time. Then they were gone.

The Falcon was 3 for 7 our last two fishing days.

I did not hear any good fishing reports at all, from either the Golden Gate or Jaime Banks.

Dorado were rare this week except for those fortunate enough to find something floating.

The boat Kathey Too scored on some nice bulls under a floating pallet on Saturday.

With the seas off Cabo San Lucas running up to 9 feet, spotting a paddy or pallet was extremely difficult.

A 40 mile run straight south produced some nice sized yellowfin tuna for the boat Dream Maker, returning to Cabo San Lucas in very rough conditions.

Yellowtail have been at the rocks around Cabo San Lucas. Some days over 30 boats are working them. There are plenty of sierra along the beach with small Rapalas doing the trick.