Galapagos Marlin Fishing Report
The fishing in the Galapagos Islands continues to be nothing short of fantastic. Striped marlin out of Santa Cruz Island and San Cristobal are being reported in high numbers by artesanal fisherment targeting tuna and encountering numerous surface tailing marlin. Ecuagringo will invest in sending out local crews in pangas to obtain fishing reports to keep our anglers informed. Our crews also are in contact daily with the local artesanal fishermen who supply restaurants and the islands with seafood to know what is bitting. Thus we rely on as many sources locally to bring you the reports.
Santa Cruz Island
Our good friend and angler “Fat Daniel” Mascaro is visiting Santa Cruz with family from Uruguay and Ecuagringo arranged tours and fishing for them onboard Patricia.
August 15, 2023– Captain Yuri Gutierrez took Fat Daniel’s group to 0-30 Bank to fish for striped marlin onboard Partricia. Water varied from 76 to 78 F on the way there and remained 77 F on top of the bank. As soon as they arrived they were greeted by birds diving and tuna busting on the surface. They hooked into several nice yellowfin tuna about 30 to 40 pounds. It did not take long to find the striped marlin made its appearance. The went 1/1 on striped marlin and then nothing for about 2 hours things seemed very quite when all hell broke loose and they had 5 big stripeys in the spread creating chaos.
They went 2/4 on that set and then the day continued with nonstop striped marlin action with 29 striped marlin raised until 2:30 pm and 20 bites with 10 releases. As they were getting ready to head in a bit early as anglers were tired out and Yuri turned West and headed a few hundred yards off the bank the long right was knocked out the rigger with a black marlin jumping. The black was estimated over 700# and was hooked up to the 30# outfit with an Alutecnos Veloce 20 reel and a 30# custom standup rod. Fight endured for approximately 35 minutes before hook pulled in one of the black’s arial displays.
Isabela Island
For those who like the trhill of all tackle big game fishing you are really missing out with near perfect conditions thanks to El Niño happening now. We are convinced there may be no better place in the Pacific to consistently encounter blue marlin over 500# pounds.
August 17, 2023– Patricia departed 6:45 amto head to Isabela Island with Fat Daniel and family onboard as a special request. They wanted to fish the waters off Isabela Island and be dropped off in Puerto Villamil for a few days of touring. They slowed down to fish approximately 18 miles from port in 9,000 feet of water. Surface sea temperature was 78 F and conditions looked good with some birds working. Captain Yuri head West for the next two hours pulling big lures on the 130#’s A;utecnos reels and custom rods. At 11:32 am they had a knockdown on the left long followed by a strike on right long to hook into a very big striped marlin estimated around 240# pounds. A quick less than 10 minute release on the 130# gear and back on the troll. Approximately at 12:40 pm a school of yellowfin tuna around 65 pounds came through and they hooked 3 and caught 2.
By 1:30 pm Yuri turned and began fishing towards port when about close to 2:00 pm the right short trolling an Iland green and blue with a ballyhoo in it went off. Out of the water came a monster blue marlin estimated 900 plus. The fish took within minutes almost 500 yards of line out before they could clear everything and settle into the fight. Lady angler Angelica got in the chair to wrestle with the beast. This was Angelica’s first time battling a billfish of any kind. Fish was extremely aggressive and combative and stayed down for the majority of the fight. After about 2 hour fish was close to the boat. Mate Jairon was able to briefly grab the 500# leader before fish tried to take off again. As Jairon held on the hook came flying out. It was a release nonetheless but a heartbreak not being able to get fish to surface better for good pictures.
