Z Fish Report (1/26/12)

Long line pangas confiscated!

The 80° blue water is still hanging close to the 100 fathom line between 5 and 6 miles off the beach. Early in the week, for sailfish, dorado and blue marlin, the fishing was fantastic. But, these last few days has seen a complete turnaround with few boats catching fish, and no reasonable explanation. The fishing shut off like there had been an earthquake or a major drop in the barometer…but neither of them happened, so we should be getting back to good fishing again soon.

A nice saifish about to be relesed by Francisco
on the super panga Huntress

Early in the week, Francisco on the super panga Huntress, went out about 9 miles, released 4 sailfish and a blue marlin, and was back at the dock by 10:30. A few days later, they released a couple of sails, and lost a huge dorado. Then went out yesterday and got zip. It was the same story for Cheva on the panga Dos Hermanos. He did excellent early in the week, and then zip yesterday.

The biggest news is not about our current fishing, but about the future of sport fishing on this coast. After several current meetings with authorities and demanding action, the sport fishing captains finally got some results. This week the Mexican Navy went out and caught red handed 11 pangas illegally fishing with simbras (long lines). The boats and all gear were confiscated.

There is a lot of anger in the port right now. These long liners have been illegally fishing for years with impunity: They actually feel they are the victims of a corrupt society. More than one sport fishing captain is sleeping on his boat right now. The probability of retaliation is a reality.

Also remember, the fishing community here is basically only a few families. So we are taking about cousins Vs cousins, and brother-in-laws against compadres, etc. For more explanation on this, please review the following link, which is a chapter from my book about fishing here on the West Coast of Mexico…. http://conservationandthefuture.blogspot.com/2012/01/long-lines-and-gill-nets.html

Note the hook in the coner of the mouth on
Francisco's release

The inshore fishing for huge jack crevalle and large sierras is still holding and very good.

Ed Kunze  - IGFA Representative

To order a copy of my fishing book about fishing here on the West Coast of Mexico: http://www.mexperience.com/store/vuitem.php?itemid=13&sc=KUNZE-13
For a decent explaination to the seasons and best fishing for each species here in the Ixtapa /Zihuatanejo area check out this web site. http://calendarforfishing.blogspot.com/

  

Z Fish Report (1/20/12)

Frank Craig with his 2nd sailfish on the panga Ginta with Adan

The 81° blue water is still following the 100 fathom line, and about 6 miles off the beach. The fishing has improved again this week with each boat catching 2 to 3 sailfish a day and a very decent sized dorado or 2 (averaging about 22 pounds). Mecate, on the cruiser Aqua Azul released 4 sailfish in one day. Cheva, on the panga Dos Hermanos II, released 5 and then the next day released 4, of which 2 were on the fly rod.

Petra Craig, from British Columbia, about to release her
 1st sailfish on the super panga Gitana

And, several large blue marlin have been taken this week, with many more breaking off due to the angler being under gunned with light sailfish tackle.

Frank about to relase his 2nd sailfish

The very large jack crevalle, averaging 18 to 25 pounds, and sierras to 9 pounds are giving the light line anglers all they can handle out in front of the White Rocks. This bite has been steady for two weeks now.

There are two large groups of anglers here for the week from Denmark, but other than that, there are very few people fishing. The captains all have been complaining there are just not many people this year.

Ed Kunze - IGFA Representative


To order a copy of my fishing book about fishing here on the West Coast of Mexico: http://www.mexperience.com/store/vuitem.php?itemid=13&sc=KUNZE-13

For a decent explaination to the seasons and best fishing for each species here in the Ixtapa /Zihuatanejo area check out this web site. http://calendarforfishing.blogspot.com

Z Fish Report (1/12/12)

From the 100 fathom line (about six miles off the beach), the average surface water temperature is about 84°. Inshore temperatures are averaging about 80°. The blue water is meandering in and out of the 100 fathom line.
         Considering we have been in a full moon period, the fishing has really been very good. Plus, the prospects, as we come out of the full moon period this week, are excellent.

Chris Arnold from Australia at sunrise with the first of
5 Sailfish releases last week on the Huntress

Offshore, the super panga Huntress had a very good week. Captain Francisco, fishing 4 days released 3 sailfish at 18 miles straight out of the Bay, and 3 nice yellowfin in the same are the next day. Then, on the third day, at 26 miles and a 240° heading, they released 4 sailfish. Yesterday they got 3 sailfish releases due South at 20 miles.

One of three releases Thursday

Long time visitor John Wlkinson tried to take advantage of the full moon for a possible blue marlin. Fishing with Santiago and Adan on the 2 Gitana pangas he ended up with 3 sailfish and a nice 35 pound dorado.

With respect to the 100 pound rooster featured in last week’s fish report by French angler MISSERI Jean Pierre, he emailed me this additional information about fishing with Adplfo on the panga Dos Hermanos: “I have been fishing Zihuatanejo for 14 years, and 12 of them with Adolfo. On every trip I keep precise records of species caught, inshore and offshore. My wife also fishes with me on every trip.


On the panga Dos Hermanos I have recorded 312 roosters, with 35 equal to, or more than 30 kilos (66 pounds). I only keep my records for memories and a photo. Salt water fishing is my passion, it is not my job. I am the manager of a sporting goods store in France, for selling fresh water fishing equipment.”

Please tell me how you can do that with another captain in any other location? And, over 10% of his fish are 66 pounds or greater.

Because it is not just Adolfo fishing for roosters: There are a whole lot of very good captains here fishing for them also. This just goes to prove, with very little publicity in the past, Zihuatanejo is the top Roosterfish Destination on all the coasts. (Until somebody can prove me wrong)

Ed Kunze  -  IGFA Representative

To order a copy of my fishing book about fishing here on the West Coast of Mexico: http://www.mexperience.com/store/vuitem.php?itemid=13&sc=KUNZE-13

For a decent explaination to the seasons and best fishing for each species here in the Ixtapa /Zihuatanejo area check out this web site. http://calendarforfishing.blogspot.com

Z Fish Report (1/5/12)

100 pound roosterfish caught!

This has been an incredible week of ups and downs. Some captains, like Cheva on the panga Dos Hermanos II released 7 sailfish. Others are getting two to four. With the 80° blue water only a couple of miles off the beach, the fishing is really taking off. Cheva got all of his fish at the 11 mile mark.

Sailfish coming in close to the boat- the Huntress with
Captain Francisco and angler Utta. Leboriao

 Cheva switched tactics and fished close to the inshore White Rocks, which are 7.5 miles south of the point at Zihuatanejo Bay. His clients, fishing with live bait, got a sailfish (only a couple of miles off the beach), 3 large dorado between 28 and 33 pounds, a twenty pound California yellowtail (which we rarely see here), and five 15 to 20 pound jack crevalle. It was a great day on the water by anybody’s standards.

Mike Bulkly of the super panga Huntress emailed me this write-up and the following photos.:Utta. Leboriao from Mexico City and Zihuatanejo with her first fish ever. She later released a sailfish also on Monday. We had two large Dorado and two sailfish releases on Monday, and today we released 5 sailfish at the 15 mile mark with Chris Arnold from Australia and his girlfriend Angie from Canada.

Captain Francisco and Utta on the supper panga Huntress

Frank & Petra Craig of Westbank, BC, Canada fished on Jan. 3 with Santiago on the super panga Gitana. By 10 AM, Frank had his 1st & 2nd sailfish ever and Petra had her 1st one. With 3 tagged and released sailfish, they then turned to the inshore. Their friend Gwen hooked up a 20# Dorado and they headed to Ixtapa Island. With fresh dorado for lunch, they snorkeled a bit and wrapped up a great day with Santiago taking them back to ZIH.

Adan, on the panga Gitana II had a 400+ pound blue marlin bust off on 100# braid line. It was a clean cut, so probably a wahoo came slashing through when the lure was ridding up high near the swivel.

Jose Pino, down at Puerto Vicente Guerrero, managed to get his client’s estimated 350 pound blue marlin to the boat for a release.

Jose Pino and Ludo with a 40 pound rooster

On Monday, I was fly fishing with Adolfo on the panga Dos Hermanos with Mexican National fly fisher Teodoro Alonso from the State of Puebla. Even though there was not a cloud in the sky, a couple of hundred miles off shore was turbulence, and the low pressure system moved in on us. The first sign of the low pressure was when the wind shifted from the normal Westerly destination, to coming at us from the South. We got a few fish, but not nearly as much as we had hoped for. Low pressure will put fish down deeper into the water column to balance out the pressure differential, which really hurts the shoreline fishing. Teo was great to fish with, an excellent caster, and a just fantastic all around great guy. We went way up north to the Ranch…and where Adolfo had been fishing this last couple of weeks with his French clients.

During a dry spell, Adolfo casually pointed and mentioned to me: “This is the spot my French client got a 50 or maybe 51 kilo rooster on Christmas”, the 24th of this last week. I slowly turned my head and just looked into his ice blue eyes, searching them for the punch line. He softly said “I have a photo on my phone”. I reached up and pulled his phone from its protected place and said “show me”.

And, there it was! A fish too big to lift and a head almost as wide as the French client’s body… Incredible! Adolfo has now logged 3 roosterfish over 100 pounds for his clients here in Zihuatanejo, including the existing 80 pound IGFA line class world record of almost 106 pounds, and caught by Jeffry Reinhardt in 2008. The angler, MISSERI Jean Pierre, emailed me the following photo.

Its lenghth almost goes from one side of the boat to the other
Plus, this photo does not do justice as to how thick the rooster
is across the back.

This fish was taken on spin gear, as were all the other large roosters. This time it was taken with 30 pound braid backing. But, the client had a plane to catch that afternoon, to get back home, and decided to not contact me for IGFA certification. He was very happy with the way his 14 days straight of fishing with Adolfo finished up. The fish would have been marginally close to breaking the conventional gear 30 pound line class world record, but we will never know. Having released over 450 roosterfish this season (May through January), Adolfo has to be the best roosterfish captain there is.

One of  Ludo's jack crevalle with Jose Pino holding

On Tuesday, fishing with client Ludo Coenen of Belgium, Adolfo Jr. and I went south to Puerto Vicente Guerrero to my “sweet” spot, which is a fairly long run south from the port. And, it paid off again. My spot is about 1 mile off the beach and a rocky sea mount rises to about 25 feet from the surface. It is a fish magnet.

Ludo with his 9 pound sierra

As usual, there were acres of fish breaking on bait, pompano, green jacks, rainbow runners, large jack crevalle, sierras, and even a few roosters. Plus, there were about a dozen sea turtles popping up for a gulp of air, and then with a huge splash, diving down for an appetizer to go with dinner. In the several hours we fished there, we never saw a single boat, not even a commercial panga. Ludo got jack crevalle in the mid-teens, a 40 pound roosterfish, and a huge 9 pound sierra. The seas were dead calm and we spent most of the time with the motor shut off, just letting the light breeze move us along.

With Jose Pino looking on, John and Jonathan with his sierra

With John Neudorf, and Jonathan his 7 year old son, of Canada we went back down to Puerto Vicente Guerrero today. Again, the spot paid off. Fishing conventional spin gear, to make sure Jonathan got some action, we did well. But, the water was a bit off color. We got large sierras, jacks, and lost an estimated 50 pound rooster.

A nice jack crevalle by John

Bert Sandell with a small jack

Whereas Adolfo went north to the Ranch with fly fishing client Bert Sandell, but the water was too clear…go figure. Here is what Bert emailed me this afternoon: Obviously, this is an incredible fishing location with more than enough action for everyone. Many thanks for the recommendation with Adolfo. It was a pleasure fishing with such a seasoned pro.

Ed Kunze

Z Fish Report (12/29/11)

Earlier in the week the 83° blue water was around the 100 fathom line (6 miles), with a large area of discolored water to the north of Troncones. The discolored water was due to large releases of nutrient rich fresh water from the Rio Balsas up at Lazaro Cárdenas. This has almost cleared up by now, with all areas having decent blue water.

The sailfish average per boat has has picked up a bit this week, with a 2 to 3 fish per day average. The main body of fish has moved in a bit, and is back at the traditional 11 to 15 mile marks.

Jack Jones and his granddaughter fished with Francisco on the super panga Huntress, and released 2 sails at 11 miles and on a southerly heading.

Adan, on the panga Gitana II tagged and released 4 sails three days ago, 2 sails and 2 dorado yesterday

Luke, with an average size black skipjack

Another client from Canada (Paul) wanted an opportunity for himself and his 13 year old son (Luke) to catch their first saltwater fish on the fly rods, so I set them up with Leonardo on the panga “Fish On”, with Adolfo Jr. as the teaser man and mate. This is what Paul emailed back to me:

We set out in the morning at 6:40 and headed directly to a pristine beach on the other side of Ixtapa Island to try for roosters. On the way we hooked into 4 skip jack while trolling. There was no sign of roosters along the beach while we presented them with expertly tied local flies. So we headed back into open water to try for more skip jack and dorado. The only dorado of the day hit quickly then it was skip jack for the rest of the day. They went hard for our flies and were a pleasure to catch. By day’s end at 1:45 we had caught 25 fish. It was a great day with skipper Leonardo and mate Adolfo.

And, Scott Donaldson of the Tacoma, WA area called me wanting to try his hand at saltwater fly fishing. I met Adolfo Jr. and Don at the pier early, and we drove down to Puerto Vicente Guerrero. When we got to my favorite spot, the action was not as hot as a few days before, but by mid-morning we had jack crevalle and even several huge roosters following Adolfo’s surface popper teaser back to the boat. We raised at least 7 roosters, which was a pleasant surprise for us, but they were mixed in with the jacks. You could actually see the huge roosters going for the fly, and then a smaller jack crevalle would come zipping in from the side, getting to the fly first. Most of the jacks were averaging 12 to 15 pounds. The roosters were all over 40 pounds and up to 60.

Paul, with his first saltwater fly caught fish

It is hard to describe the hole in the water, and the excitement generated, when a 50 pound plus rooster blows up on a surface popper teaser. I told Scott about the time Enrique Amatori, from Argentina, with fly rod in one hand, just stood there pointing with the other hand at a 60 pound rooster as it surfed down the back side of the wave and slashed at the popper all the way back to us. The rooster swam by at about 10 feet from the corner of the boat. Enrique just kept pointing and saying “LOOK”, “LOOK”! I then told him… “Yes, but please make a cast the next time”. His face just fell. He was enchanted and had frozen up. Enrique had completely forgotten the hundreds of dollars he had spent to get here from Argentina, to be on that boat for a chance for that specific size of fish.

Scott with one of his jack crevalle,
 with Jose Pino looking on

The following is what Scott sent to me about our day on the water at Puerto Vicente Guerrero:

We just got home and I wanted to thank you for the wonderful day! Not just on the water but the trip down and back on the coast from Zihuatanejo to Puerto Vicente Guerrero. I will forever look back and say it was one of the most remarkable fishing trips I've ever had. The lessons learned and the experiences shared; these I will always cherish. I will work the two hand strip into my fishing here on Puget Sound! And, thank you for the copy of your book. I'm half way thru it already. I wish you tight lines and fair seas till the next time our paths cross.
Scott

Adolfo, on the panga Dos Hermanos has been fishing this last 2 weeks every day straight with French clients (After 4 years of steady French clients, his French is getting almost fluent by now). Using spin gear, they had a day where the clients got 32 jack crevalle, and 5 medium sized roosterfish. They are fishing up north above Saladita.

Ed Kunze                                                                                                                                            IGFA Representative

To order a copy of my fishing book about fishing here on the West Coast of Mexico: http://www.mexperience.com/store/vuitem.php?itemid=13&sc=KUNZE-13

For a decent explaination to the seasons and best fishing for each species here in the Ixtapa /Zihuatanejo area check out this web site. http://calendarforfishing.blogspot.com/

Z Fish Report (12/22/11)

The 80 degree blue water is still on the beach, but the offshore action is taking place about 18 to 20 miles out. We are averaging about 1 or 2 sailfish a day per boat in the blue water, plus an occasional nice dorado or two.

Michael Stelma with a nice Dorado caught while fishing

with Capt. Francisco on the Super Panga Huntress about

25 miles south of Zihautanejo.

In closer, the best dorado action is about 3 to 4 miles off the beach, with boats getting 2 to 3 of the twenty pound class fish a day.

Adolfo Jr. leadering a nice jack crevalle for Fred Pfaffle

The inshore action for light line and fly fishing anglers is still excellent. The sierras, jack crevalle, a few roosters, and black skipjack tuna are keeping the anglers rods bent for way more time than they are waiting for a bite.

Adolfo and Cheva on the two Dos Hermanos boats have both been going north to the areas from Pantla to Salidita and even up to the Ranch. They have been doing excellent on dorado, the hard fighting jacks, and a few roosters.

Wednesday, with fly fishing clients David Knowles and Fred Pfaffle of Portland Oregon, I decided to go south to Puerto Vicente Guerrero. After clearing the point, we went even further south to a couple of rocky high spots I know which come to within 25 feet of the surface, and are about a mile off the beach. It was incredible! There were acres of breaking fish. There were rainbow runners, large sierras, jack crevalle, green jacks, black skipjack tuna, etc.

Within the first 10 minutes, and before the instruction time was over for first time saltwater fisherman Dave, he was hooked on to a huge fish. With Adolfo Jr. teasing, and Jose Pino running the boat, all we saw was about an 8” wide back of golden brown as the fish turned and ate the fly. From the way it went to the bottom, and pulled the panga wherever he went, it had to be about a 50 pound pargo; which would have been a world record for the fly rod, on any pound class tippet.

A double hookup on the bow with the fly rods

While Dave was up on the bow fighting his stubborn fish, Adolfo was still casting the hookless popper, and bringing 4 to 5 fish at a time back to within casting range of Fred. After being cut off about three times by the large sierras on the 30 pound fluorocarbon, I went to a 50 pound bite tippet. That did the trick, and get fish he did.

Jose at the tiller and Adolfo Jr. holding one of Fred's nice jack crevalle

In the meantime, Dave is still up on the bow with Jose maneuvering the boat so the lines don’t cross, and finally after 2 hours and 20 minutes, the hook straightened on the big pargo.

David Knowles - 2 hours and 20 minutes of concentration
on a fish we never saw.

Everybody took a few minutes break, and then back at it again. After about a half hour of not much action, Dave hooked up on an at least 20 pound plus jack crevalle. He stayed with it for another 45 minutes and had the fish close to the boat. And then the hook pulled. I examined the fly, and tested the hook for sharpness. The 4/0 hook was perfect. I told Dave he was “snake bit”, and we headed back for the hour and a half ride to the port. Dave will sleep well tonight, and be very sore tomorrow.

Ed Kunze
IGFA Representative

To order a copy of my fishing book about fishing here on the West Coast of Mexico: http://www.mexperience.com/store/vuitem.php?itemid=13&sc=KUNZE-13


For a decent explaination to the seasons and best fishing for each species here in the Ixtapa /Zihuatanejo area check out this web site. http://calendarforfishing.blogspot.com/

Z Fish Report (12/15/11)

Nothing but blue...and a few clouds

All up and down the coast, the 82 degree blue water is basically on the beach. However, even though the fishing is improving, the best areas have moved to about 20 miles off the coast.

Adolfo, on the panga Dos Hermanos, is doing well for his clients on the inshore waters, with several roosterfish, a few large jack crevalle, and lots of sierras. He feels the best action is to the north and up around Saladita.

This is a great time for light line conventional gear fishermen and fly fishers. The numbers of sierra and black skipjacks is huge, with a lot of surface action.

Cheva, on the Dos Hermanos II has been averaging 3 sailfish a day at the 20 mile mark, along with an occasional dorado. However, the best dorado action remains fairly close to the beach.

Keri Ellen from Oregon, about to release her 1st sailfish, with
Captain Francisco on the super panga Huntress

Yesterday, I was treated to some excellent “front door service”. Cheva and Adolfo showed up at my house, consuming a beer or 5, to discuss the fish report action with me. When they left, I had 10 pounds of dorado fillets, and a couple of nice sierra. My wife and I had a great dinner last night.

We are near the end of the year, and Don Wollcott
sent me a photo from about 12 years ago.

In the photo above, this is what Don Wolcott had to say about our day on the water 12 years ago:

      “We caught just about everything that swims that day! Sailfish, yellowfin tuna, and a huge dorado.
       The tuna were all yellowfin, and there are actually at least one or two more behind Larnold Jones my buddy. He felt stupid for standing in front of the fish at the time I remember, when we got home and developed the pic's...........That was a time before all the digital cameras we have nowdays, where you could instantly check the pic's and take them over again........But how bout the size of that dorado? I remember that one especially because we had just got done catching a tuna or two and a 3 foot log or fairly large size piece of driftwood floated about 5 feet out from the boat and you literally told me to throw my line out about 5 ft from the boat because you had a feeling the cover of the log may be holding dorado, and sure enough that big boy erupted and it was fish on!”

Ed Kunze
To order a copy of my fishing book about fishing here on the West Coast of Mexico: http://www.mexperience.com/store/vuitem.php?itemid=13&sc=KUNZE-13
For a decent explaination to the seasons and best fishing for each species here in the Ixtapa /Zihuatanejo area check out this web site. http://calendarforfishing.blogspot.com/