Fishing was decent for striped marlin, but it dropped as the fish moved farther offshore following that 72 degree water. Some fish were found at a distance of 35 miles to the east; a lucky boat might have had two hook-ups out of four or five fish seen, most boats were happy to have seen a couple of marlin to throw bait to. A couple of marlin were caught on the Pacific side. A swordfish in the range of 300-400 pounds was caught not far out from the lighthouse...a very nice, rare fish for our area.

Yellowfin tuna were found in the Gorda Banks, Inman Banks, Punta Gorda area...still small fish at 10 to 20 pounds but there were several fish to 50 pounds caught. Kite fishing worked on the larger fish and a few boats also caught some of the nice ones using down-riggers with large sardina. Surface drifting fly-lined sardina was the best method for catching football-sized fish.

Farther offshore there were scattered school, but you had to be the first or second boat, either that or stay until everyone else had given up! With the water moving the fish, schools were found scattered along the temperature break at the 1,000 fathom line on both sides of the Cape, outside the 1150 and south of the San Jaime.

Few flags were flying for smaller fish caught by boats fishing right along the beach for sierra.

Things were good with plenty of sierra and good numbers of yellowtail showing up in the fish boxes. Then, it started to shut down. Recently, we had clients who were lucky to come back with trigger fish and a few sierra. It may be that the change in water temperature, while not large, was too abrupt and they moved overnight. Whatever, the inshore bite really dropped off.

There were a few roosterfish still biting, a few of them were nice fish to 25 pounds, but most were in the 10 to 12-pound class, and there were bonito as well. Many of the pangas ran all the way to San Jose for the yellowfin action, but it was a long run up and back for a few fish.

Hopefully the water will settle down and the bite will come back on!

There are still plenty of whales to be seen, but not for long so if you want to smell one up close and personal, get out there now!...George and Mary Landrum