SAILFISH CATCHES HOLDING UP FOR LOCAL SPORTFISHING BOATS

Jan. 13, 2007, Ed Kunze, Baja On The Fly, Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico:

In the Ixtapa fishing area, 80-degree blue water is still only 5 to 6 miles off the beach.

With the full moon period passing during this last week, the fishing in this part of the Mexican central Pacific coast was better than normally would be expected.

Each charter boat is averaging 2 to 3 sailfish caught a day. Those numbers will increase this next week, continuing for the rest of the month.

A lot of small dorado are in sportfishing counts also, with an occasional 30 to 35 pounder accounted for.

There still has been no sign of the yellowfin tuna. Most Ixtapa Zihuatanejo fishing boats are averaging a dorado a day.

Inshore in the Ixtapa area, the black skipjack tuna abound and have been a great fall back option fishing for light line enthusiasts and fly rodders.

Even though no roosterfish were caught locally, apparently a migration is underway, as they head south to warmer waters. I say migration, because when roosterfish concentrations are located, there are lots of them confined in certain areas, and they are not spread out along the Mexican coast.

Capt. Adolpho, on the Ixtapa fishing boat Dos Hermanos took several roosterfish and several jacks about 30 miles up north near Saladita.

Capt. Santiago on the charter boat Gitana fished one day with a client from Sweden, catching 7 roosterfish 30 miles down south of town.

Ixtapa fishing area water temperatures are at 82 to 84 degrees; air temperatures at 69 to 87 degrees; conditions, clear.