MARLIN ACTION PICKS UP FOR BOATS FISHING NORTH OF BAHIA DE PALMAS

Feb. 24, 2007, Baja On The Fly, Gary Graham, East Cape, Baja California Sur, Mexico:

With a little nice weather in the East Cape fishing area of Baja, there suddenly are more flags flying from the riggers.

The gold fish flags account for the sprinkling of dorado that were caught scattered around Bahia de Palmas.

There were also the blue and white marlin flags also beginning to fly.

Good billfish action was found by East Cape sportfishing boats 15 to 18 miles to the north. There was one report of an East Cape boat hooking seven marlin earlier in the week.

This combination has the Mexican locals predicting action-packed April fishing for billfish as they begin to spawn in Baja waters.

Inshore at East Cape this week, grande class jack crevalle put on a show out in front of Punta Colorada to the south, driving the sardina bait balls all the way up onto the sand.

It seemed to be "love in the air," as the jack crevalle went into their milling and mating mode, although they ignored all offerings made by frustrated anglers taking advantage of the mild winds at East Cape and flinging this and that at them.

East Cape fishing area water temperatures were 65 to 72 degrees, air temperatures 55 to 80 degrees, and conditions clear, with winds at 17 to 24 knots.