Our first reports for 2016 are in for you enjoyment. Please read and judge for yourself why Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands may be the best places on Earth to chase marlin.
San Cristobal, Galapagos
2016 has started with great expectations. The El Niño effects have brought rains, water in the 80s F and fish! Dive boats around San Cristobal have reported seeing tailing striped marlin West and North of the island. Jan 7 a skiff fishing for wahoo off Five Fingers Rock 3 miles from port caught two striped marlin. On Jan 8, mate Tonino aboard his skiff fishing off Punta Pitt released a black marlin estimated at 400 lbs off a Rapala lure while fishing for wahoo in less than 100 feet of water. As our first charters of the year begin to fish we will have more reports.
Manta
The blue marlin fishery continues to be the best natural blue marlin fishery in South America. The first week of January 2016 had a current pushing North with slower fishing. Nevertheless skiffs were catching 1 or two blues and stripes from Jan 4 to 10. One boat named Atomic reported 3 bites from blues on Jan 6 and only caught a couple of dorado. On Jan 8 Atomic missed a blue marlin and a striped marlin and caught dorado. The boat Golfito caught on Jan 10 a blue marlin and a striped marlin and lost two more blues. Water has held beautifully blue and 80.2 F average.
Jan 13 the current pushed South and all hell broke loose! One skiff reported 20 bites mixed with blue and striped marlin. Another local skiff caught 4 striped marlin and 3 blues while having 14 bites total. Most are using teasing and pitching bait techniques. Between 7 skiffs 52 marlin were raised with 32 striped marlin and 20 blue marlin. Most blues averaged 150 to 300 lbs with a few 500 pounders caught.
Jan 14 the fishing in Manta continued with action aboard a Hatteras named LA Guara. Angler Jorge P. Jurado had action from 2 blue marlin and 2 striped marlin but was not able to catch any.
Another boat caught a blue marlin and lost another. Several striped marlin were seen tailing.
Folks Manta continues to be one hot marlin haunt!
