27th Week of 2024 Overall Catch Success Rate, All Species Combined 96.19%
Catch Success Rate, Billfish,84.76%, Dorado 27.62% Tuna 6.67% Other Species 28%
The Pisces Fleet’s week began with the 27th Annual Stars and Stripes Charity event, attracting 700 attendees at the famous Hilton Hotel. On Friday, the 29th, the Stars and Stripes Charity sportfishing tournament for various species, including Billfish (Sailfish, Striped, Blue, and Black Marlin), Yellowfin Tuna, Dorado, and Wahoo. Thirty-two boats, with their respective teams, gathered in Chileno Bay for the 8 a.m. start.
As the week ended on Friday, the first day of the new week, it produced an impressive number of different species, including Blue Marlin, Dorado, Grouper, Jack Crevalle, Needlefish, Red Snapper, Silky Shark, Skipjack, Striped Marlin, Wahoo, and Yellowfin Tuna.
New to the Pisces fleet, “LA CHINGONA 2,” a 64-foot Viking with Captain Antonio Bojorquez and Mates Luis and Nestor, led their team in honor of being the Top Billfish Release Team in the Stars and Stripes Charity Tournament’s one-day event with a remarkable total of 20 Striped Marlin Released up t0 an estimated 120-pounds all caught on fresh Ballyhoo, cocinero, and mullet at the 1150 Spot.
Joining them, “HOT ROD,” a42-foot Cabo Flybridge with Captain Erick Orozco and Mates Hot Rod Jose and Ramiro Ramirez, whose team scored in the release division with SEVEN Striped Marlin Released estimated to weigh up to 120 pounds also on Ballyhoo and Lisa, also at the 1150 Spot, for the Stars and Stripes Team.
“FRIDAY BANK,” a66-foot VikingwithCaptain Alex and Mates Saul and Beto, also scored in the double-digits during the event with TEN Striped Marlin Released in the 120-pound range on Ballyhoo in the same area as the other teams.
Also in the same neighborhood, “HAPPY ENDING,” a 60-foot Viking with Captain Francisco and his team were at the same 1150 Spot. They managed to release FOUR Striped Marlin, which they caught on fresh Ballyhoo and curry. However, Francisco understood the radio chatter from the boats in the area that drew a crowd, and he headed for Punta Gordo, where his team caught a Dorado and a Jack Crevalle to add to their day’s catch list.
The following day, Captain Victor Sandez and Mate Miguel took anglers Dave Lanoha, Larry Kammerlohr, Mike Barker, Mike McCarthy, Nick Lennon, and Nick Leon, all from Parker, Colorado, on the Pisces,’ “SPEEDWELL,” a38-foot Mediterranean to the “not-so-secret” 1150 Spot, where they released a total of FOUR Striped Marlin estimated to weigh from 100 to 120 pounds they hooked on both Ballyhoo and curry.
In hopes of catching something, Captain Jaimie and Mate Luis A took Jaime Gonzalez from Cabo San Lucas to the 1150 Spot on the 42-foot Cabo Flybridge, “CALIENTE.” They were not disappointed. The excitement began for them with the Release of THREE Striped Marlin weighing approximately 100 to 120 pounds, which they caught on Ballyhoo, followed by THREE Yellowfin Tuna in the 35 to 40-pound class taken on fresh curry or a Rapala at the 1150 Spot.
Over the weekend, the famous “BILL COLLECTOR II,” a35-foot Cabo Flybridgewith CaptainJuan C. Lopez and Mates Juan C. Martinez, took the group Hunter Herzog, Michelle Neumeister, and Robert Fonda, all from Scottsdale, Arizona, to the 1150 Spot where they scored a hard-to-come-by “Grand Slam” consisting of Two Striped Marlin, One Sailfish, and One Blue Marlin!!!
Congratulations to the Crew and Angler on their remarkable Grand Slam!
For the “RIPPER,” a 35-foot Cabo Flybridge, and Captain Abel and Mate Jose Luis, and the anglers Daniel Elliott, Jack Farage, Jake Benedict, James Yumen, JD Farage,
and Joaquin Elliott, at the 95 Spot, who Released One Striped Marlin weighing about 120 pounds that couldn’t resist a fresh Ballyhoo and baited a scary-looking Hammerhead Shark that the crew estimated weighed approximately 200 pounds with cocinero bait. It inhaled the bait in a heartbeat when it hit the surface with a smack – a perfect example of being careful what you wish for.
The 1150 Spot just kept on giving throughout the week! Regardless of the boat traffic and all the wild chatter on the docks, Captain Benito on the “LISTO,” the 48-foot Viking, with Mates Ray and Hector, couldn’t resist the dockside stories. Taking off for the 1150, their group, which included Benjamin Steen, David Begin, Douglas Kenyon, and Thomas Steen, had enough action to keep them in “Stories to tell” – THREE Stripers in the hundred-pound class hooked and Released on fresh Ballyhoo, and greyhounding toward the horizon! Plus, a couple of 20 to 40-pound Dorado leaping at the end of the line are enough to get anyone excited.
The “YAHOO,” a 42-foot Bertram with Captain Ricardo Escamilla, along with his Mate Yahoo Jose Escamilla with their group from Arizona, Andrew Strand, Anita Strand, Cooner Strand, Maddie Rueben, and Trevor Strand, couldn’t resist the 1150 Spot reports either. They, too, were rewarded with a memorable FIVE Striped Marlin released day that will remain part of their “I have a fishing story to share with strangers and friends alike!” for years to come.
Remember, the Pisces Fleet has a few very serious Pangueros eager to share decades of experience and the thrill of a “Mexican Panga” day on the water like the days gone by.
Matt Johnston and Steve Ransford from Texas did just that aboard the 23-foot Panga Anamar with BLADI, which yielded SEVEN Roosterfish, up to 20-pounds,
caught on light tackle with caballito at Rancho San Lucas.
Bill Hornack, David Genrich, and Jack Castle from Texas, aboard 24-foot Panga Karma, with Panguero Armando Zarate, Released TEN Roosterfish from 15 to 20-pounds, plus TWO Jack Crevalle, around 25 pounds at Liza Rancho San Lucas.
And finally, one more option!!! Perhaps you don’t want to go out for a full day. No questions asked.
“ANDREA,” a28-foot Uniflite with Captain Fernando Noyola and Mate Marcelo D, took Daisy Wei, Jason Chan, and Leon Wei from Florida out for a HALF-DAY, and they caught
SIX Striped Marlin from 100 to 120 pounds on fresh bait at Pueblo Bonito.
WEATHER CONDITIONS: Calm seas with some wind, 6-15kts. In the afternoon.
AVERAGE WATER TEMP: 73-781 F
BEST LURES: Mackerel, Ballyhoo, Lisa and Cocinero, Cedar Plugs, Plumas, and marlin lures.
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