Santa Rosalia, Mexico:
Early Season Marlin isCaught During Fishing At Isla Tortuga

April 30, 2005, Mike Kanzler, Isla San Marcos, Santa Rosalia, Baja fishing, Mexico:

The weather in the Santa Rosalia fishing area has stayed the same as last week, a bit on the cooler side for this time of year. Windy conditions have not helped to make fishing comfortable. Air temperatures are in the mid to high 70s. Winds are out of the north northwest to 20 knots by 10 a.m. Fishing water temperatures slipped a bit to down to 67-68 degrees, and visibility is better at about 35 feet.

Bruce Mullen from Macall, Idaho, and his two friends were down for a three day fishing run at Santa Rosalia. We fished two days at Isla San Marcos and one at Isla Tortuga.

The local Santa Rosalia fishing water produced steady action on yellowtail in the 20-25 pound class on live mackerel, fished on the flyline and egg sinker. With the only somewhat calm day in the three we fished, we decided to make a run to Tortuga Island and while en route over the glassy clam seas, I saw this fin sticking out of the water and had to do a double take on what it really was...a marlin tailing! What! In April!

Not being rigged for this kind of fishing, I told one of the guys don't take your eyes off the fin, and I grabbed a 50 pound outfit, tied a quick double line, using a spider hitch, and put a hook on, all in less than minute. Pretty good!

With the fin still in sight, I handed the rod to Bruce and put the boat upstream of where the fish was moving to, and told him to cast the live mackerel. Once the bait splashed, we all saw the tail fin kick hard and head for the bait. Hooked up, and the show begins. We got some nice runs and jumps, and at a little over 45 minutes I got the double line in hand, billed the fish, took some pics, and unhooked him, setting it free to fight another day! This is only the second time I've caught marlin in these Santa Rosalia fishing waters during April. The last time was the big El Nino of 1997.

With that past us, we continued on to Tortuga Island for some Yellowtail action, which was pretty good, and us taking 8 fish, losing about 4, for the rest of the morning. Most fish where that cookie cutter 20-22 pound class and where taken by fishing the slider sinker method.

I did fish one other day this week with Alan Lewis and Danny. We fished in windy, rough conditions and took only four yellowtail off the waters of San Marcos Island. However, Alan did get a nice 30-plus pound yellowtail for the day. The rest of this week saw a few fish hit the deck of what few boats made it out.

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