Z Fish Report (5/6/11)

The blue water is only 4 miles off the beach but the offshore fishing has yet to recover from the three day, 179 boat, tournament this last weekend. Water temperatures have warmed up all up and down the coast, and it appears the roosters have made it back. Adolfo, on the panga Dos Hermanos fished with clients yesterday (Thursday) hooking 15 roosters from 15 to 25 kilos (33 to 55 pounds). He told me they missed a lot more. Most of the roosters were taken on surface poppers.

The late Luis Maciel with Keith Paul.
Note the twin engines on the panga Gringo Loco 

The biggest (and sad) news is Luis Maciel passed away this last Wednesday in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Luis was only 61 years old and died of heart complications.

He was one of our best captains here, owner of the renown panga “Gringo Loco”, and considered to be The Tuna King. Luis did more than catch tuna for his clients from a panga, more 200 pound plus tuna than any single long range sport fishing captain in the long range fleet out of San Diego, but also helped lead the conservation movement here in Zihuatanejo for the conservation of billfish.

Luis was a noted world class fisherman, who traveled the world putting American yacht owners in the money in billfish tournaments. This last 14 years he has devoted himself to Mexico, family and conservation. He became one of our leading guides here for fly fishing for billfish.

Photo by Judi Cybulski

Luis was an icon, and one of the last of the old school Mexican fishing captains. Old school, but he always had an eye to the future. He was a man of this coast of which the mold can never be remade.
Ed Kunze

Report by Carol Marchant (a family friend of 38 years): Another little tidbit about the life of Luis. He was also a golf-pro in his younger years at the golf course in Ixtapa. He was a really top notch golfer. Not only fished all over the world but played golf in Hawaii, Arkansas, and Missouri that I know of.


Report by Keith Paul (a friend): I first met him in 2001. I have to say that it is hard for me to imagine meeting a more personable man. Over the next ten years we would become fast friends and fishing buddies. I learned from the beginning of our fishing relationship that you didn't ask Luis "what we are going to fish for" you patiently waited for Luis to say "What you want to fish for?" and the proper answer was always "Fish".