The billfish action picked up from the previous week and also included a few sailfish in the catches along with a welcome entry of the yellowfin tuna. The dorado catches of limit style fishing are still available but the sizes are smaller fish and the offshore skippers are only targeting the dorado as a last resort until the sizes improve. The dorado bite remains very good and could easily be a fly fisherman's dream come true with excellent catch & release action. The overall fish counts for the offshore cruisers was 2 striped marlin, 3 sailfish, (1 released) 16 dorado, (lots of releases) and 11 yellowfin tuna, (15-25 lb. range). There were only two inshore super panga fishing days that provided limit fishing on the dorado and many releases of the smaller fish. I would predict that the black and blue marlin will start to appear on location very shortly given the numbers of dorado and now, the showing of the yellowfin tuna, both prime baits for the larger billfish.


Mazatlan Climate: A mostly cloudy week with pleasant evenings and warm days that ranged from 73 nights to 92 daytime highs.


Sea Conditions: Sea temps are warming up. 87 inshore and rising to 88 offshore. Surface breezes flowing mostly from the westerly directions from calm to 13 mph.


Best Fishing Area: Mostly out to the west and west southwest of the Marina El Cid, starting at about 16-17 miles and trolling outbound from there. Dorado catches being made at the buoys.


Best Lure/Bait: The billfish liking the rigged baits best, the tuna liking the smaller tuna feathers and the dorado are eager for anything they can bite at, smaller artificials and feathers, strip baits, streamers and most anything that moves rapidly through the water.


Bait Supply: There continues to be an excellent supply of bait, both live bait and fresh baits for rigging. Live bait remains at $1.00 per bait paid to the bait vendor.


THE MAZATLAN FISHING REPORT FOR THE ARIES SPORTFISHING FLEET