BACK TO BACK TROPHIES ON THE BOAT PACIFICO

Aug. 18, 2006, Kil Song, Cow tuna report for the charter boat Pacifico:

I fished with Capt. Manny Ocaranza of the charter fishing boat Pacifico on Aug. 11-12, 2006.

Fishing on Aug. 11, 2006:

Last year I told Kojika San, who is a fishing TV host based in Osaka, Japan, that he should fish in Puerto Vallarta for 200 to 300 pound yellowfin this year.

After I arranged with Capt. Manny of the Pacifico for Kojika San to fish, I was getting nervous as cow fishing was unusually slow this summer.

When I met Kojika San in Puerto Vallarta I assured him we might get skunked because we were targeting big fish. He said with smile that he didn't have any interest to catch small ones. I understand what he meant as he owns a 58-foot Viking in Japan and he usually goes after big fish.

I fished with Manny on the Yolaray last year and it was like meeting an old friend when I saw him at the dock.

When we got to the Rock, there was only one boat working the area. Catching skipjack was not problem. We trolled the area with 3 live skipjack and one goggle eye for several hours for nothing.

Then Manny suddenly picked up a rod on the downrigger and set the hook after waiting for a while. Fish was on for a while and spit the hook. He calmly released lines and fish picked up the bait again and spit it again. I don't know how many times it repeated and finally he had a solid hook up!

What a talented captain he is!

Kojika San took over the rod and started to fight. We knew it was a big fish, but were not sure whether it was a tuna or marlin. After over an hour we could it was a big blue marlin. Before the trip we discussed with Manny that all marlin should be released. However, the marlin was bleeding heavily and Manny suggested we keep the fish as she would eventually die.

Marlin must have heard that, as Kojika San couldn't gain any line for the next hour. When we got the fish on the boat, we had drifted 7 miles and the fight took 3-1/2 hours. Manny estimated the fish around 800-900 pounds. After the fight we decided to go back to the Puerto Vallarta dock. We had only one bite, but it was a huge one.

I really wanted to show Kojika San what a big cow looks like, but taping a fight with a monster blue marlin was even better.

A taxidermist measured the fish and it turned out to be 894 pounds by the length/weight table. Kojika San wanted to mount the fish and it cost him $3,500 including shipping to Japan.

Fishing on Aug. 12, 2006:

When I heard they had 2 yellowfin tuna in 200 pound range were caught at El Banco yesterday, I sensed a new body of fish had moved into the area or they were in biting mood finally.

It took only 10 minutes today to get skipjack baits needed and we got the first tuna 10 minutes after we put lines out.

It was a very small yellowfin tuna.

When we trolled away from the fleet, we had another hit, but missed.

Soon after, the other line was screaming. I knew immediately it was not a small tuna this time.

Kojika San asked me to fight the fish, but I let him fight it as he came a long way from Japan to film a big yellowfin fight. I wanted to finish the fight as soon as possible and get another shot, as bites could turn off quickly as tide turns or the wind changes direction. (The bites were over when we got back after three hour fight.)

But I knew it was going to be a long time, judging from how Kojika fought fish. It took close to three hours to land the 240 pound cow.

Josh Temple got double headers on the Prime Time soon after we hooked up the fish and still landed both within an hour. Danny Osuna got a cow and landed it quickly. It seemed the long drought is over and wide open tuna bite's finally started in Puerto Vallarta.

I feel Kojika San brings luck wherever he goes. In June he got a 75 pound black drum out of south New Jersey on his first trying, while my best black drum is still a 70 pounder although I have tried them in Virginia and Delaware for many years.

He got a 894 pound blue marlin on a first day at Puerto Vallarta and got a 240 pound cow the next day. I am coming back to Puerto Vallarta in 2 weeks and I hope I can land a cow myself.

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