Z Fish Report (4/15/10)

Photo by Mike Bulkley: Dan from Baltimore, Md is about to release his first Pacific Sailfish while fishing with Capt. Francisco on the Super Panga "Huntress".

     The 82° blue water has actually moved in closer to about the 12 mile mark. But,the offshore fishing was not very good this last week. With the 5.0 earthquake this last Tuesday, centered only 40 miles away, this does not surprise me. With my hand in a cast for 5 more weeks, It will probably be at least end of May before the doc lets me pick up a fly rod and get back on the water.

       Mike Bulkley, the owner of the super panga Huntress, emailed me this:
       Offshore fishing has been very slow with one or no strikes per trip. Inshore remains reliable with good catches of Bonita, Jacks and some Chula's.
         Cheva, on the panga Dos Hermanos II, told me he is getting some chulas, which is an excellent eating small tuna with white meat (about 5 pounds), with a mean set of teeth. Cheva has also been working the area down by the white rocks and getting some large jack crevalle, to over 20 pounds, on trolled Rapalas and live bait.
        Mike Bulkley also emailed this sad event:
        A note, on an offshore trip to the curve on Wednesday, the Huntress saw 4 or 5 dead Olive Ridley turtles floating from 15 to 30 miles offshore. These turtles did not appear to be damaged by ships and there were several breeding pairs also spotted in the same area.
        This is really disturbing for me to have to report this, but I know of no destination in Mexico not affected by long lines. As turtle egg laying season will soon start on the beaches, the most likely cause of their deaths are from a long line. Shrimp boat nets in Mexico, not fitted with Turtle Extraction Devises can also kill them, but the shrimp boats work the shallower inshore waters. At 15 miles, the depth is 3,000 feet, and the 1,000 fathom line (6,000 feet) at the curve is at 30 miles. This is where the pangas using long lines work.

Ed Kunze