Overall catch success rate, all species combined: 89%
Numbers at a glance: Billfish 55%, Tuna 2%, Dorado 13%, other 40%.
With weather conditions this week being a bit more difficult, not many boats went out searching for tuna and anglers preferred to place their bets on marlin or stay closer to shore and fish for small game, which has been a lot o fun lately. This strategy paid off well, with the fishing being split pretty evenly between marlin and small game, plus a few dorados scattered through.
Successful 60th Birthday celebration for Thomas Wetlauffer and friends with 5 striped marlin released
The 61ft Viking, Pisces Tag Team, was our number one boat this week for most marlin caught in one day, with a great team of 5 anglers celebrating Thomas Wetlauffer’s birthday numero 60 by catching one marlin each! 5 striped marlin total caught out at Golden Gate on mackerel bait, weighing approximately 90 to 120 lbs each. All fish were released.
Pisces 31ft Bertram, Rebecca, also had a great marlin day on the 24th, with anglers Hatch McCray and Steve Haynes catching and releasing 4 striped marlin, also out at Golden Gate on mackerel. The largest marlin was about 160 lbs, with the others being quite small, between 60 and 80 lbs. And 3 striped marlin also caught out at Golden Gate aboard Pisces 31ft Tiburon with Captain Rosendo and anglers from Kansas.
Anglers aboard Tracy Ann with 3 striped marlin released and 1 dorado
Our 42 foot boats did well this week too, as Pisces Hot Rod caught and released 2 striped marlin between 100 and 120 lbs, again at Golden on mackerel, and Pisces 42ft Yahoo also caught and released 2 striped marlin, around the same size. Anglers also landed a nice thresher shark, which they released, of about 170 lbs.
Striped marlin released aboard 27ft Pisces BajaMark
Pisces 35ft Valerie also landed a shark, but this one was a smaller, a mako under 100 lbs, caught out at Golden on mackerel, along with a 100 lbs striped marlin, both of which they released. Later in the week, the Valerie had some fun landing smaller game fish along with 1 striped marlin caught and released at Golden Gate. Anglers Bill Peterson and the Jennings family from Washington also caught 1 red snapper, 10 triggerfish and a small yellowtail by chumming closer to shore at Golden Gate.
The 28ft Pisces Andrea also went for smaller game and was successful, finding 3 sierra, 1 grouper, 3 red snapper, and 15 triggerfish. Sole angler Jeff Robl also landed 1 dorado of about 12 lbs on a feather lure outside of Golden Gate. Small game was found at La Palmita area, by chumming. Just the next day, Pisces Andrea again found dorado, this time slightly larger, about 18 lbs a little closer to shore at Golden Gate. Anglers Bert and Lori Holt and Linda and Peter Lassing also chummed for smaller game and were lucky to land 2 grouper, 4 red snapper, and 4 triggerfish by chumming.
Jeremy and Jessica showing off their sierra catch aboard Panga Pichurro
Panga fishing was also fun this week, with our 24ft Panga Pichurro catching 20 sierra, all about 3 to 4 lbs each, which hit on hoochi lures close to Migri?o, as well as 2 roosterfish. The rooster fish were about 15 and 22 lbs, landed on mackerel bait and were released out at Cerros de Arena area. Anglers were Jessica and Jeremy Remily from Bismarck Nevada.
LOCATION: Golden Gate Bank and Golden Gate at shore, Migri?o.
WEATHER CONDITIONS: Moderate seas – Wind did pick up on a few days this week. Weekend calmed much more, with sunny skies.
AVERAGE WATER TEMP: 72 F
BEST LURES: Mackerel bait, chum.
Based on the catches of Pisces Sportfishing Fleet by Rebecca Ehrenberg