SAILFISH COUNTS CONFIRMED FOR IXTAPA SPORTFISHING BOAT FLEET

Jan. 20, 2007, Paul Phillips, Fintastic Total Tag & Release Tournament, Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico:

In response to the unconfirmed comments from an angler who said almost 70 boats fished at Ixtapa Zihuatanejo area of the Mexican coast on January 15th and only caught 11 fish, only 3 of which were sailfish, and who said he fished 3 days on 3 different days from January 9th to January 14th and "never had a bite":

I think I know where this informant came up with only 3 fish for January 15th. That was the number of fish he saw on the pier. He can't count flags! Plus I don't think there are 70 boats capable of charters in the whole Ixtapa Zihuatanejo sportfishing fleet.

The Tournament Anglers Association out of California started their tournament on January 15th, with 54 entrants and 27 pangas. There is another group of Danes here using 6 pangas a day. I believe but cannot verify that the Vargas fleet also has a group of Danish anglers in town.

So maybe that guy thought the whole fleet went fishing but probably it was closer to 45 boats.

I do have daily fish totals by boat for the group fishing when he says he got skunked.

Here are the results of six boats fishing January 7th Jan to January 12th. Additionally I fished 2 days and included those figures.

Not every boat got fish everyday; some only raised 1 fish a day.

Offshore: 22 charter days, 56 sailfish released, no known fatalities. Martin on the charter boat Isamar raised 10 sailfish on January 7th releasing only 1 because his anglers wanted to set the hooks.

Inshore: 16 charter days, 2 days specifically for Rooster fishing about 20 miles south. Capt. Santiago on the Gitana got 7 roosterfish one day including one weighed on the boat at 60 pounds and one at 48 pounds. I lost count of the jacks and bonito, 1 nice Grouper, at least 1 nice Dorado of 20-35 pounds every day.

I fly fished several days getting at least one good chance at a sailfish hookup everyday, 3-4 chances some days. My anglers landed 0, losing 2 due to busted tippets, and others throwing the hook after a couple jumps after poor hook sets.

I cannot over emphasize what I told people back in November. Beware! The coyotes are having a field day. The best panga captains are and have been booked through February and the coyotes will sell you anything. I don't doubt a lot of folks are having "0" days.