FISHING WITH CAPT. CALLI ON THE SUPER PANGA ZAPALITO GORDO

Dec. 23, 2004, Tom Phillipson, Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Mexico Fishing Trip Report:

Tom Phillipson from Dana Point and Richard Bonelli from Aliso Viejo went down to Ixtapa Zihuatanejo last week, fishing the super panga Zapalito Gordo with Calli as our captain.

We used Ed Kunze to help set us up. The sea water temperature was about 83 degrees. Sea conditions were generally calm, with some wind on Friday, about 7 knots. We arranged to have Calli fish us inshore 45 miles south down to Vicente Guerrero, throwing poppers and trolling live bait on the way down.

It was okay, but not that world class virgin water bite we were hoping for. Big needlefish, two 35-pound jacks, and one roosterr of 40 pounds.

The next day out of Vicente Guerrero we went for sailfish, marlin, and lots and lots of 6-pound bonita. We bridled one of the smaller ones up, and put it down on the z-wing and lost it to a blind strike. Other than that two 7-pound yellowfin tuna on small Krocodiles, trying to catch a smaller bonehead. We sighted only one sailfish and threw fresh dead bigeye at him but no bite.

On day three, we fished inshore, throwing poppers for three roosterfish, 30-40 pounds, three jacks (they call them Jurels).

On Friday, we fished the same boat out of Zihuatanejo and landed 4 sailfish within two hours, then went snorkeling. It was not a super fishy trip but Zihuatanejo was a great experience, with pangas go for 180 to 240 depending on how far you want to go. The inshore action is far north or south right now, but the sailfish are right there. Marlin and tuna are offshore 40 miles. Going down to Vicente Guerrero was a great remote experience.

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