OFFSHORE FISHING SLOWS DURING FULL MOON PERIOD

July 14, 2006, Larry Edwards, Cortez Yacht Charters, Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico:

The full moon this week even affected the dorado bite at the Mazatlan offshore buoys, but sufficient fish were taken to keep the angler's interest peaked.

The largest fish for the week landed by Aries Fleet out of Marina el Cid was a blue marlin, taken aboard the "Aries VIII", weighing in at 320 pounds. Overall catches for 37 Aries Fleet fishing days in the inshore and offshore areas, reflected 1 blue marlin, 2 stripers, 1 released, 12 sailfish released, 24 yellowfin tuna, and 95 dorado.

Mazatlan fishing weather was about 50-50, sunny to cloudy, hot and humid, with air temperatures from 78 degree nights to 94 degree daytime highs. Mazatlan had good sea conditions with a southerly swell, as water temperatures ranged from 85 to 86 degrees throughout the fishing area. Most of the billfish were taken in an area southwest of Marina El Cid, 24 to 29 miles out, and most of the dorado were taken at the buoys. Rigged baits were best for the billfish, feathers for the tuna, and live bait best for the dorado this week.

(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.