BOATS FIND BRIEF RUN OF LARGE TUNA

May 7, 2005, Ed Kunze, Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Mexico Fishing Report:

The clean water is just off the beach, with the blue water only 6 to 8 miles out of Ixtapa Zihuatanejo. The Terrafin Satellite Surface Temperatures show 80 to 85 degree water everywhere. In other words, the conditions are perfect, but there are very few fish.

Earlier this week, fishing at Ixtapa Zihuatanejo had a great showing of large yellowfin tuna, but they have also disappeared. However, a few nice fish were taken while they were here. Capt. Luis Maciel, on the panga Gringo Loco fished with Gary Tagahuci from Laguna Beach, Calif., and got a nice 270 pound fish. Capt. Santiago Valdovinos, on the panga Gitana, also got a 190 pound tuna. Another member of Gary's group also got a nice black marlin while fishing with Luis.

The 22nd annual Sailfish Tournament is currently underway, making a statement about the lack of fish in the Ixtapa Zihuatanejo vacation area this week. Yesterday, Friday, the first day of the fishing tournament, only 28 sailfish, 2 blue marlin, and 1 dorado were caught from a field of 110 Ixtapa Zihuatanejo charter fishing boats. That is less than 1 sailfish for every 4 boats on average.

Cheva on the Dos Hermanos II found a few small roosterfish earlier in the week, but we are still a little early in the season to expect much action from the roosters. This will pick up over the next three weeks.

(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.