TOURNAMENT ANGLERS FIND SAILFISH UNEAGER TO BITE

Nov. 2-9, 2005, Stan Lushinsky, Ixtapa Sportfishing Charters, Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Mexico Fishing Report:

This fall fishing season at Ixtapa Zihuatanejo continues to be anything but normal.

Although our captains and anglers who fished the annual Ixtapa Zihuatanejo Total Tag & Release tournament last week reported seeing many sailfish, most were reluctant to bite. The reason was an unusually cold current which arrived in the area early in the week.

The colder current did bring in a few marlin which were also caught and released during the tournament.

Captain Adolofo Espinosa and Anglers Larry Kent and Brian Bushell took first place honors as they led from wire to wire. The team of Kent and Bushell landed and released 4 sailfish on the first day of the tournament and never looked back, finishing with a total of 7 sailfish landed and released in the three day tournament.

Starting slow but fishing very strong was Captain Jose Vargas on the La Bamba with Pennsylvania angler Tom Branoff. Tom Landed 1 sailfish on the first day, 2 sailfish on the second day, and 1 sailfish and a marlin on the third day.

Mexico City Anglers, Jorge and Fernando Chavez, fishing their private boat PELAGIC took third place honors with a lone marlin which was tagged and released.

Captain Luis Marcila on the Gringo Loco and anglers Greg and Shilby took fourth place with a single sailfish.

The dates for next year's tournament are set for November 18-22, 2006.

(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.