West Coast - 1st Place Marlin video Mexico May/30/2010

Puerto Vallarta Captain Steve Torres takes 1st place Marlin in Topolobampo Mexico May/30/2010

Captain Steve Torres and the crew of the Ana Maria do it again, taking home 3 cars at last weeks 19th annual Marlin tournament held in Topolobampo Sinaloa Mexico, catching the largest Marlin since 1997 6 lbs short of the tournament record 415 lbs! The blue beast was caught with the first 50 wt Tiburon Reels on the Market custom made for Captain Steve, with 130 lb IGFA Spectra and a 100 yards of top shot 100 lb Mono Philament Diamond Momoi. She bit a live Skip Jack trolling a little before 1 pm. We fished 2 days before the tournament learning the fishing grounds. The first morning Captain Steve found a nice structure at the bottom of the ocean perfect for big Marlin fishing 4 miles west of the farallon rock so We decided to fish that area with live bait the whole tournament. The first day of the tournament We released 3 striped Marlins and lost a blue the 2nd day the water temps were a little higher 80.1 and We struck gold I mean Blue!!

See video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5qWNVmivk8



http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Puertovallartafish/tournamentmarlinMay302010web.jpg


Captain Steve Torres
Crew Marcos Taymayo, and Freddy Rodriguez
Angler - Mark Martin
Boat website www.anamariasportfishing.com

Nice fish...! Are Marlin tournaments typically "catch & kill?" Not being critical, but it seems like that would result in a lot of Marlin being taken. I have NO idea how strong their populations are out there though, so take that for what it's worth--maybe it isn't a concern?

We don't get too many Marlin in the Great Lakes region, so I am just trying to learn more about it.

TB

Nice fish...! Are Marlin tournaments typically "catch & kill?" Not being critical, but it seems like that would result in a lot of Marlin being taken. I have NO idea how strong their populations are out there though, so take that for what it's worth--maybe it isn't a concern?

We don't get too many Marlin in the Great Lakes region, so I am just trying to learn more about it.

TB

Yes most tournaments in Mexico are all catch and kill, Yes everyone is worried about the fish population but right now the main focus is on the illegal commercial boats killling one or 2 marlin sportfishing is very small comparing to the hundreds that the comercial boats will kill in a day, the Marlin fishing is very plentiful here and We would like to keep it that way so we always encourage catch and release of all billfish unless we are in a tournament, some tournaments have already changed to not killing any Sailfish We won 1st place last year here in La Cruz Puerto Vallarta for 6 sailfish catch and release. but killing big Marlins is part of the culture and a way of life down here it is how most of the captains fed their family's until the tourism started. and there is Marlin taco's on almost every corner so at least nothing goes to waste. luckily I see more and more captains practicing catch and release everyday they starting to see the big picture, but this is Mexico so if tourism dies so will the fish.

Mexico tournaments are not usually catch and kill. Some are all release tournaments. Some are release and a point a pound for fish over 200 lbs. If you bring in an undersize fish to weigh you are penalized.
Here in San Carlos, Sonora, there is only one tournament out of 8 where sailfish are killed and there is a penalty for undersized sailfish
In the Sea of Cortez, the practice of charter boats (and private boats) is almost universally to release all billfish. Some anglers keep an occasional marlin to smoke but they keep quiet about it. You are going to get some pointed stares if you bring a billfish into the marina.
Consequently marlin and sails are numerous.
Wish I could say the same for edible fish. These are relentlessly overfished and the numbers are declining particularly among the slower growing species such as grouper, cabrilla and tuna.

Indeed.......

I live in Loreto Baja Sur, on the shores of the Sea of Cortez.

The sights of huge coolers going out on airlines, filled with filets is sickening.

I know it's legal and all that....but wow....it's killing the resource down here.
Between freezer stocking gringos and the constant pounding of reefs by commercial interests, the fishery here is a faint shadow of what it used to be.

I have trolled close in to islands many times without ONE bite!!
A lowly triggerfish is sometimes the only catch.

Tuna runs are a rare sight around here anymore. Most are netted before they even get here.
Things are so bad....more and more NO fish zones are being put in place inside the Loreto Marine National park boundaries.
Not just restricted take zones, but NO fish areas.

In the summer, billfish are like carp.....a pest to avoid.
Flop it in the boat and the sun beats on it for hours....95 degree sun at that.....for what?....cat food. Outrageous in my opinion.

Culturally, things are very slowly beginning to change.
Locals, who depend on the Sea to eat, are finally realizing that the resource is not limitless.....or so it seems.
However, a billfish laying in the back of a pickup, all wrinkled and bent, is an all too often sight.

I would strongly urge anyone who comes here to fish and enjoy the Sea, to resist the urge to fill that cooler and just keep enough to enjoy some fish tacos.

I know you have a choice to make and your perfectly within your rights to take a limit of fish daily....but please....fight that urge.