September Action For Striped & Blue Marlin Is Hot!

Galapagos Islands Marlin Fishing Report

The Galapagos Island continue to offer the best and most consistent year round marlin fishing in the Pacific.  2023 has been a stellar year and September has been no exception.  Solid striped marlin fishing reported by crew and local artesanal boats fishing 0-30 Bank out of Santa Cruz and San Cristobal Islands.

Blue marlin bite continues to be around Isabela Island.  This is one of the best “offseason bites” for all species.  The El Niño event continues to keep waters warm with an almost perfect 76 to 78 F all over the Galapagos.

Santa Cruz Island:

Loca artesanal boat fishing for yellowfin tuna which have been thick lately have reported lots of tailing striped marlin 10 to 14 miles North of Santa Fe Island.  This legendary area was first put on the map by Ecuagringin 1998 and was would sometime produce an excess of 150 bites from 1998 to 2005.

The last two years it has come alive again.  0-30 Bank has seen very good striped marlin action all year and the first week of September was excellent as local boats reporte 10 to 20 raises of striped marlin including a few blue marlin in the mix.  Anglers from Ecuador and Colombia have been taking advantage of the offseason discounts and great fishing. 

San Cristobal Island:

We sent out Captain Julio to check the action on Rosa Blanca Bank on September 9, 2023 and he reported fishing out of a panga with two rods raising 15 striped marlin having 8 bites and releasing 3.  A couple of yellowfin tuna and mahi also were caught.

He fished the legendary spot called the Honey Hole.  Sea conditions were a bit rough and the bite was pretty strong in the morning and slowed in the afternoon.  Birds and sea lions were seen feeding on top of the bank.

Isabela Island:

Mate Oscar has been busy fishing for swordfish and tuna out of his panga and reported lots of tuna and bonito 10 to 16 miles out on the second and third drop offs out to 9,000 feet of water.  Conditions have been excellent for blue marlin.  So we asked Oscar to spend a day with two 80# rods we provided and he fished September 10, 2023 and reported going 1/2 on striped marlin and 1/2 on blue marlin.

First blue was a fish estimated over 700# that he lost close to the boat and the second he landed was about 450#.  This is a fantastic day when you consider he was fishing with a buddy and two rods out of a panga.