SAILFISH RED-HOT AT 5 FISH PER CHARTER FISHING BOAT

July 30, 2004, Larry Edwards, Cortez Yacht Charters, Aries Fleet, Mazatlan, Mexico Fishing:

According to Geronimo Cevallos, the Mazatlan Fleet Manager, the sailfish are all but jumping in the boat as the daily averages are in the 5-plus billfish per boat fishing day, along with a fair scattering of yellowfin tuna and lots of dorado. The dorado being taken offshore are bigger fish and they checked one in today at 65 lbs.

The tuna are in the 20-25 lb. range. Largest Mazatlan fish for the week was a 370 lb. blue marlin and several bigger fish have been lost this week. The inshore Mazatlan charter fishing continues to be an all you want dorado situation and the roosterfishing has been pretty good along the northern beaches. The seas have been very calm and there is an occasional late PM shower squall, but other than that, the fishing remains superb.

Mazatlan Climate: Quite comfortable, 75-92, partly cloudy skies in the afternoons

Mazatlan Sea Conditions: Calm, temps ranging from 84-85.5 degrees

Best Mazatlan fishing area: Almost due west of the marina, 15-20 miles for the sails and about 25 miles for the yellowfin tuna

Best Lure/Bait: Ballyhoo have been the "hot ticket" item this week for the billfish and they are everywhere. Live bait for the roosterfish and the dorado, just anything that goes in the water seems to get bit pretty well. The super pangas are releasing numerous dorado, sometimes 30-50 per day.

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