CHILLY FISHING WATER TURNS OFF THE SAILFISH BITE

March 20, 2005, Ed Kunze, Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Mexico Fishing Report:

The cold water current still has the sailfish bite turned off in the Ixtapa Zihuatanejo sportfishing area. The blue fishing water is beyond the 30 mile mark. The few Ixtapa Zihuatanejo fishing boats venturing out that far are only raising one or two fish a day, and not seeing any signs of the tuna or marlin either.

Inshore, the birds are crashing on bait on the beach at Buena Vista and Barra Pototsi. And there is still a very good jack crevalle bite going on.

Friday, Martin on the charter fishing panga Isamar, with client Andrew Vigil of Albuquerque, caught 12 of the big jacks averaging between 14 and 22 pounds. The jacks were taken while fishing with light line outfits using live bait and trolled Rapalas.

Fishing out of Ixtapa Zihuatanejo with fly fishing client Andrew Cornell of Pennsylvania, Martin and I chased the big jacks in a run and gun type of an affair. Even though the area of birds, bait, and jacks at times was over 5 acres in size, keeping up with them for Andrew to present the fly was a challenge. I was using a 7 inch long Peli popper and could have caught 20 of them if there were hooks on the popper, but at least they teased close enough to get some shots with the fly rod.

Felipe on the Ixtapa Zihuatanejo charter panga Yellowfin, caught 6 pompano from 12 to 15 pounds for his client. They also got 2 amberjack of 8 and 10 pounds, and 6 chulas. All of their fish came from drifting a live bait at the white rocks.

(See "Mexico Fishing News" online for current fishing reports, photos, weather, and water temperatures from Ixtapa Zihuatanejo and other major Mexican sportfishing areas. Vacation travel articles, fishing maps and seasonal calendars, and fishing related information for Ixtapa Zihuatanejo may be found at Mexfish.com's main Ixtapa Zihuatanejo page.