Santa Cruz: Fish The Island That Started The Fishery In The Galapagos

Santa Cruz is the main doorway to enter the Galapagos through it’s adjacent small island Baltra where the airport is.  More daily flights to Baltra/Santa Cruz make it the preferred island to fly into.  This was the island where Ecuagringo first made history back in 1998 while testing the waters.  The waters between Puerto Ayora and 0-30 Bank at times hold more striped marlin than anywhere in the Galapagos.

The island sits more centered in the archipelago making it an ideal starting point if you are looking to explore and tour more sites. Santa Cruz offers closer access to more reefs and mounds for wahoo, tuna and bottom fishing.

If you are looking for the most diversity while fishing the Galapagos then this is the island for you.  More hotels, restaurants and nightlife than anywhere else in the Galapagos.  For anglers looking to combine striped marlin and then fishing Isabela Island for giant blue marlin Santa Cruz is the place to go.

Fish For Striped Marlin, Tuna, Wahoo & Bottom Fishing

Santa Cruz has an incredible striped marlin fishery but less mounds and areas to fish for striped marlin than San Cristobal Island. However, it more than makes up for it with some very good wahoo and tuna fishing around MacGowen Reef, Hancock Bank and Santa Fe.  The amount of bottom structure also provides a variety of reef fish, grouper, jacks, snapper and more to keep the rod bending fun for the whole family.

Fishing Seasons

Striped marlin are generally found year round out of Santa Cruz Island.  However calmest seas are mid December to mid June most years.  As long as sardines are on the banks so will the striped marlin be around. Wahoo and tuna migrate through the Galapagos year round so it is more a question of luck to connect with these smaller gamefish.  Bottom fishing is available all year as well.

Touring & Exploring

Santa Cruz offers more variety of tours perhaps than any island.  You can spend more days doing different tours on Santa Cruz or taking a boat to access smaller islands and islets that provide great snorkeling.  As a more central island it makes it closer to get to many of the great dive and snorkeling sites.

Combining Santa Cruz Island & Isabela Island (Striped Marlin & Giant Blue Marlin)

If you would like combine the world’s hottest striped marlin bite with shots at the biggest blue marlin to swim the Pacific then a combo fishing trip yo Santa Cruz and Isabela islands is a must.  Just 45 miles separates the two island and special custom packages will have you fishing each island for as many days as you want.  This is the best way to combine high volume striped marlin with giant blue marlin.