Z Fish Report (5/20/10)

          The 80° blue water is back on the beach, with the clear and clean water having moved in to about the 6 mile mark. Historically, this is typical of the 1st or 2nd week of May. Our bread and butter sailfish will be around, but this is also the time when the marlin and tuna move in. Plus, the warm water on the beach brings back our Roosters…the most exciting game fish on a fly rod of them all.

Commander Ellis Skidmore, 88 years young, from Madras OR with his about to be released sailfish and Annibel on the panga Avaspa The sail was caught at the 19 mile mark. Photo by Eric Skidmore.

          Fishing has been steadily improving this last week, with several notable catches. The boats are each averaging about 1 sailfish and a striped or blue marlin a day. But, there are only 8 to 12 boats a day fishing. Tourism is really slow right now, with many of the better captains sitting at home.

Sara Alexander of Littlerock, AR about to release her striped marlin fishing with Francisco on the Huntress

Photo by Mike Bulkley

          Santiago, on the panga Gitana, emailed me Bob Majewski from Texas caught and released a 200 pound blue marlin, and Jim McKenna from New York released 4 striped marlin and 2 sailfish for two days of fishing.
          Mike Bulkley, owner of the super panga Huntress, with Captain Francisco, told me this last Thursday through today they had a great 3 days on the water with 1 blue marlin, 2 striped marlin and 2 sailfish. The marlin were all taken on separate days, but within a few tenths of a mile at the 29 mile mark on a 180° heading.

Mike Herrity from Chantilly, Virginia. While fishing with Francisco on the Huntress, the 250 pound blue marlin swiped and missed the first two baits, then inhaled the third; right into the gill rakes.  

        Adolfo, on the panga Dos Hermanos was real happy when he called me. “The roosters are coming back. We got two today up near Pantla”. He predicts with the warm water on the beaches again, we will be in full swing with the roosters in two more weeks.

Ed Kunze