MARLIN GOOD BUT DORADO VERY SCARCE AND SMALL DURING 3 WEEK FISHING TRIP

Aug. 6, 2004, Rob Smyth, Loreto, Mexico Fishing:

Just got back from a 3 week trip to Loreto. No dorado to speak of. All very small dinks, with an occasional larger one mixed in. Contrary to all reports, Loreto dorado are very scarce. No saggasso. The local pangaros are planting palm tree branches, ropes and anything else that might hold dorado. Given enough time, they will hold a few, but all small.

We did fish a couple of humps I know, that produced some very large grouper.

The sailfish bite was pretty good. Our best day was 10 released out of about 60 to 70 sighted. Watch for tails, throw a few sardines, then throw one with a 4/0 in it and hang on. All this happened around Punta Lobos.

Last week Loreto marlin fishing went on a tear between South end of Carmen Island and Monsarrat. Tails all over. See one to six together, toss a mackeral or cabalitto and again, hang on.

Loreto water was basically good and blue. The best temp we found was 87.2. Punta Almeja was 77.2 and kicking out some yellowtail to about 22 lbs. Maybe next year will be mas bueno.

Yellows were on the bottom at Punta Almeja. I fished with myself, Chuck Byard and Nick Boardwalk from Redding. We bought sardinas and caught our own mackeral and cabalitto. My own boat, 23' Bayrunner, 90 hp Honda, 46 gal live bait well, 52 gal gas. Sweet Baja machine. We rent a house on the beach, which we are now in the process of buying.

Some other pals use Alfonso Murrillo out of the Oasis or his brother Rudy, a private pangero moored in the marina. His panga is named La India, Alfonsos is St. Maria. Both have been fishing all their lives, are great guys, work hard, and know all the spots.

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