Pete Santini was kind enough to share this report on March 5:
March 5, 2012– Pete Santini headed onboard the On The Hook with Captain Gus Hernandez to 88 Bank. The day was perfect, sunny and flat calm. Water was dark blue on the bank and lots of bait. Pete recorded 34 striped marlin raises and a blue around 350. 26 bites and 4 striped marlin releases. The blue was eh first customer and after a short fight broke the leader.
March 6, 2012– we fished onboard the Vertigo with Bert Bookout and Jack Bookout on 88 Bank. The marlin were feeding on the surface and jumping throughout the day. Fish were seen slashing after bait on top. The day was overcast and dark for half of the time. it was hard to see the fish in the spread and they were not teasing well as they were focused on sardines. Although there were a lot of fish they would not teas in to eat a fly well on this day. We managed to raise 6 and only 2 came withing casting distance. There were a lot more fish than one would think but some days this is normal that they are too focused on sardines and just will not bite.
March 7, 2012– On-board the Big Fish we headed with Bert and Jack Bookout to 88 Bank. Once we arrived it did not take long to find marlin chasing sardines. We put out a few lures and baits as Bert wanted to try for a blue marlin without spending too much time in order to move on to fly fishing. As luck would have it we followed a top-water feeding school of marlin, 2 sea lions and a ball of sardines. While passing over all this action we could see the striped marlin swimming and chasing sardines from the surface to 15 feet below. In the mix we passed with 10 feet of a blue marlin about 350-400# chasing bait as well.
The blue water was crystal clear and a perfect sunny day to fish made the site one to remember. Just as we passed over the commotion we had fish chasing teasers, baits and lures. Bert managed to release a nice striped marlin about 150# as a few more fished picked at the non tendered baits. Jack preferred to let his dad have at it and passed on the chance of a double hookup. Shortly after we turned to fly fishing and we raised 8 striped marlin while fly fishing. We managed to tease 4 out of 8 and cast the fly to 4 without any bites.
The fish looked and swam around the fly but no bites. Several fish were brought back to the boat with the quick cast of a ballyhoo on a spinning rod but no bites would come to the fly. A total of 13 stripeys were raised between conventional and fly fishing with 2 bites on standup and 1 release.
Folks this is some hot action. Be sure not to miss it as it is going on right now only in the Galapagos Islands.
