MAY FISHING AT EAST CAPE PRODUCES A 500-POUND CLASS BLUE MARLIN

May 7, 2005, Gary Graham, Baja On The Fly, East Cape, Baja California, Mexico Fly Fishing:

East Cape, Cinco de Mayo, and better weather always seem to go hand in hand. While the weather has improved, East Cape fishing has been slow to catch up.

Offshore the big news was a blue marlin being caught that was just shy of 500 pounds. Added to that blue marlin factoid, there have been more than a few sails show up in the patterns already this year and striped marlin remained consistent again this week as well. This has some of the locals thinking early-early-early season for the pointy nosed guys. Not enough action for the fly rodders looking for a billfish on the fly but looks promising for the future.

Still iffy as far as the dorado go, though the ones that are found are good sized.

Mostly football sized tuna and they are pretty much spread out from La Ribera out to 40 miles.

Beach fishing produced a few small roosters with Cory Hawryluk, Houston, Tex., coming up from Cabo to land his first rooster on the fly. He found the beach experience to be a hoot and is planning a return trip soon.

Al Tigert, Anchorage, Alaska, emailed us this report about his East Cape fly fishing trip in late April. "The quality of the experience was excellent, and everything we could wish for. It would be difficult to match the quantity of fish that we enjoy at home in Alaska, but the chance to pursue exotic species in a beautiful (warm) locale w/people who are knowledgeable, friendly and have a good sense of humor was perfect. Every fish was a brand new species for us to marvel at."

On the chum side, there were some mackerel to be found at East Cape but still few, if any sardina available.

The East Cape water temperature was 71-78, air temperature 60-89, with scattered clouds.