The Excel’s office reported on the last day of the Fred Hall show, March 9:“Captain Justin Fleck called in yesterday from the Excel. They departed from San Diego with 13 passengers. We will be picking up the remaining passenger and then head to Clipperton. We are looking forward to this trip and will stay in touch with updates as we go!”
Three Before Breakfast
Intrepid skipper Kevin Osborne wrote:
"Our day started off around 3:30 this morning when the guys started sending the Big baits out. At four A.M. Bud hooked into the first Tuna, which came in at 204 pounds, he then caught another Skipjack and immediately hooked into another good fish that came in at 207 pounds. About an hour later, Bud hooked up again and this Tuna came in at 240 pounds. Yes, that's right folks, Bud landed three Cows this morning before seven! Panama Joe landed a Cow at 210 pounds and CM John Grindley added another at 202 pounds just after daybreak, and our day was just getting started. Herb Prince has a Cow, Ray Griffin also has one right on the fence. "The rest of the day saw fish from 60 to 180 pounds landed along with some more Wahoo like the one Bruce 'The Professor' landed that is a new personal best for him. It was just a fun day here on the Intrepid. Top it off with great food, Great weather, and lots of Hi Fives going around and you can bet it was a loud galley tonight! We are getting all stocked up on baits once again and hope for a repeat tomorrow."
Last Day
Royal Star skipper Tim Ekstrom reported March 10: “It was a patience test, fishing almost always is, and as usual the spoils go to those who rise beyond the petty challenges, remain focused, and keep lines in the water. Similar to yesterday the day somewhat dragged on as we waited, and waited, for the late afternoon/evening event to come. Fortunately, though in smaller proportions than yesterday, it did indeed happen.“A couple of handfuls of better size yellowfin survived the gauntlet finding their way into the final RSW tank for the long ride home. The best of them was around one hundred seventy pounds with no real jumbos seen today or hooked. Overall I would certainly like to see a different set of fishing conditions, contrary current in particular has this place all screwed up, but the other go to cliché in fishing - “it is what it is” dictates our present strategy. There is something here to work with; and something is far better than nothing.
“The looming final day presents opportunity. That is my perspective in full. We have all the tools and wherewithal to end this run on a colossal note. All we need now is for the fish to arrive at the party.“Photos today feature yet another long range master reefing on one of his two cows taken on this run, and with his 226 coming through the gate. Doug Taylor has so many long range achievements to his credit that I again would need pages, perhaps even volumes, to adequately chronicle. Suffice it to say that Doug is an exemplary long range angler who consistently earns above average results. He is far from lucky, I can tell you that; he bests the odds by fishing hard, preparing and maintaining his equipment to the highest standards, and driving through inevitable set backs with determined resolve. In any fishery these universal attributes of success are rules to live by.”
After The Show
Jonathan Roldan reported for the week near La Paz: “The strange week early season continued this past week with more un-characteristic biters all week, but especially early in the week. In what seems like we may have by-passed our cold-water season and got right into spring-like conditions, we continue to hook up with a crazy variety of fish indicative of waters that are unseasonably warm!“We did get a few more big yellowtail this week, but the numbers are way off from what they should be. Normally, this time of the year, we are hammering big 25 to 40-pound ‘tails and getting two to five per panga not counting the ones we lose!
“Instead, we are only getting about three to 10 per week! That’s it. They are a nice grade of fish, but the counts are not what they should be.
“However, don’t panic! The slack is being taken up by other fish including dorado, wahoo, even marlin and we got a tuna (reportedly a 24-pound class yellowfin was taken!) this week as well. All of these are normally warm water species that we don’t see for another two months or so! Mixing that in with some cabrilla and pargo and it’s making for an interesting “chop suey” of fish in the fish box these days. Will it continue?
“I have no idea. We seem to get new surprises every week! Two things can happen. The waters will continue to warm in which case, forget the cold water species like the yellowtail an sierra and such. They’ll go deep or leave the area far too early! Secondarily, the water will suddenly get cool and cold and we’ll lose the warm water species and by then it might also be too drastic of a change for the inshore species.
“I tend to think the waters will continue to warm so look out; it’s going to be a season of early big fish!”
“Check out this crazy story from John Duteil who was visiting us from Canada: We went to the beach at Tecolote and wow the fish were literally jumping out of the water. Two dorado came speeding right up to the shore, then started flipping around one made it back out to sea but the other was stuck. Our friend Dennis still eating his lunch walked over and picked him up.”
http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com
