Pisces Report – 18th Week of 2024 Overall Catch Success Rate, All Species Combined 88.24%
Billfish Catch Success Rate, Billfish, 62.75% Dorado 19.61% Tuna 5.88% Other Species 19.61%
Our week began with a breezy start, with 5 to 6-foot waves by mid-morning. Our fleet headed out in different directions to various banks, but Captain Jamie and his Mate Luis, aboard the “CALIENTE,” a 42-foot Cabo Flybridge, scanned the horizon as they sped toward the infamous Punta Gorda, where the stripers had been hanging out recently. The day’s group, Jason Clark, Joey May, John Cordosa, Mason Cooksfu, Mike Cordosa, and Ralph Belfatti, from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, were astonished at the large number of birds hovering over the bait schools seen in the distance as they arrived.
Throughout the day, there were a few hits and misses, yet they still managed to catch and release three striped marlin estimated to weigh between 80 and 1oo pounds. The noise of the six red and white “catch and release” flags flapping in the wind on the outrigger was their anthem as they relived the day’s events on the way back to the Pisces marina.
Another boat in the Pisces fleet, “VALERIE,” a 35-foot Bertram run by Captain Rosendo and Mate Salvador Flores, chose the 11:50 Spot where they found similar conditions rewarding their guests for the day Elmahdy Erraji and Rachid Ameur from North Tustin, California, a small striped marlin estimated to weigh approximately 70-pounds that couldn’t resist a slow trolled Ballyhoo.
The second billfish bite added excitement and surprise as it turned out to be a Pacific sailfish. Typically, it is rare for them to be caught until the sea temps are higher. Hooked on a live caballito, the crew estimated it to weigh about 60 pounds before it was released.
The “HOT ROD,” a 42-foot Cabo Flybridge with Captain Erick Orozco at the helm and Mate Hot Rod Jose Ramiro Ramirez, also fished the Punta Gorda area with Chris Marem, Damien Burwick, Doug May, Josh Gibbons, Kevin Pelvez, and Mike Flynn all from Jacksonville Beach, Florida. They, too, doubled up on striped marlin in the 100 to 120-pound class that couldn’t resist a fresh caballito. Both were released.
It turned out that Punta Gorda was a pretty popular spot. Another Pisces boat, the “REBECCA,” a 31-foot Bertram with Captain Jose Ramon Alucano and mate Jose, ended up on the Punta Gorda with their party consisting of Andras Cuellar, Jacqueline Gonzalez, Morales Mora, and Ryan Jimenez.
Their group caught and released two striped marlin on Ballyhoo, weighing around 90 to 100 pounds at Punta Gorda/Destiladeras.
Captain Julio Castro and Mate Raul Leal running the “TRACY ANN,” a 31-foot Bertram, also couldn’t resist the call of Punta Gorda. Their group included Jay and Jill Gregston, Cameron Howard, Scot, and Kimberly McGregor, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who enjoyed their day catching and releasing not one but two striped marlin weighing approximately 110 to 120 pounds on Ballyhoo. They also caught a silky shark weighing about 100 pounds, which they caught on live bait and released. All three were at Punta Gorda.
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Along with the rest of the fleet, there was also a mixed bag of other species, including bonito, dorado, jack crevalle, ladyfish, red snapper, sailfish, and striped marlin, for a total of 33 fish for the fleet of 12 boats.
p While “ANDREA,” a 28-foot Uniflite run by Captain Fernando Noyola and Mate Marcelo, found three striped marlin in the 80 to 120-pound range on caballito at the 1150 Spot for Jim DiMaggio and Louis Ullrich from Anchorage, Alaska.
On our last day of the week, Thursday, May 2, 2024:
The Skies were clear.
Wave Ht.: 2-5 Ft.
Water Temp: 69-73 F.
Air Temp: 64-72 F.
However, wind at 10 to 30 knots indicated less-than-ideal conditions. Captain Osiel, Mates Gil, and Lalo pounded their way back up to Punta Gordo on the “BB2,” a 37-foot Viking Billfish 2018. They were rewarded for their determination with seven striped marlin weighing approximately 80 to 130 pounds on Ballyhoo at Punta Gorda. Their guests, Garret Stearns, Joseph Jaconi, and Michael Jaconi, thought it seemed worth the effort!
“LISTO,” a 48-foot Viking, with Captain Raymon and Mate Hector at the helm, headed back to the 11:50 Spot, where they found four striped marlin at approximately 100 to 120 pounds that they caught and released with both Ballyhoo and cocinero, for Barney Murphy, Chris Hudson, Jeff Haas, Jerry Shick, Jonathan Oland, and Pat McGrenera, from Spring, Texas.
Captain Pepe, Mates Ulises, Hamo, and Dulce took “CHASIN TAIL,” a 62-foot Viking, to an entirely different spot two miles from Chileno that produced two striped marlin in the 100 to 120-pound range that the Bryan McDearman, Isabel Hansen, Mira Hansen, Ray McDearman, Ted Hansen, Trine Hansen, and Wendy McDearman group released.
“KNOT WORKIN,” a 35-foot Cabo Flybridge, with Captain Israel and Mate Abraham at the helm, headed to the Colorado Bank that produced a dorado and then to Cerro Chileno for one striped marlin and a roosterfish for Chuck Buhagiar, Derrek Gresham, Nicholas Bozanich, Sean Penrose, Thomas Bozanich, and Zander Gresham.
As it turned out, the week’s fish count was impressive! The Pisces Fleet went the extra mile to find the action for the respective groups and was quite successful!
On the last day, the catches and releases included 2 Dorado, 2 Silky Shark, and a remarkable 22 Striped Marlin, a total of 26 fish caught and released for 8 Boats!
LOCATION: Punta Gorda, Destiladeras, Santa María, 95 Spot,
WEATHER CONDITIONS: Some larger waves, strong winds midday – between 10- 30KT.
AVERAGE WATER TEMP: 66-71
BEST LURES: Mackerel, Ballyhoo and Cocinero, Cedar Plugs. and marlin lures.
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That Baja Guy