When Mazatlan’s tough offshore, anglers move inshore for bot
Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 1:45 pmMEXICO UPDATE: When Mazatlan’s tough offshore, anglers move inshore for bottomfishing
BY ROBIN WADE/WON Staff WriterPublished: Feb 16, 2010
MEXICO UPDATEROBIN WADE REPORT
MAZATLAN - Unfortunately it was another very slow and difficult offshore fishing week for anglers fishing out of Mazatlan. Crews worked hard but just weren’t able to find the fish. And when they did, the chances were that they wouldn’t bite. The good news was though that the inshore and bottomfishing bite was on, and those that were adventurous and open-minded enough to give it a try still came home worn out from battle and with plenty of fish for the freezers.
“I sure wish we could put our finger on the cause and correct it. Is it the "El Nino," too many long-liners, or is it just one of those unexplainable periods of time when the fish just aren't on location and when they are, they just don't want to bite at all,” said Larry Edwards reporting for the Aries Sportfishing Fleet.
There are certainly fewer things more frustrating to a crew that cares (and paying customers) than to fish very hard all day, not encounter a single strike, and knowing that from the time you leave the dock that it may be another one of "those days" when the customer often believes you didn’t try hard enough.
[url](PHOTO CAN BE SEEN ON OUR WEBSITE AT http://WWW.INSIDEOUTSIDECHARTERS.COM)[/url]
ITS NOT JUST ABOUT THE OFFSHORE FISHING HERE IN MAZATLAN—Even when the offshore bite is off, there’s still plenty of fish to be caught and freezers to be filled, like this 20-pound snapper caught last week. PHOTO COURTESY OF INSIDE OUTSIDE CHARTERS.
Only 11 offshore boats fished this past week and their catch effort resulted in only 1 striped marlin and 6 dorado for an effort that consisted of at least 88 hours fished. “While I know it will change for the better, I just don't know how soon and wish it would hurry,” Edwards said.
The inshore fishing, has however been providing the better action with numbers for the fleet resulting in a total of 86 pargo, 3 dorado and 139 cochitos for only 7 trips.
Later in the week Chappy Chapman from Inside Outside Charters reported that the Mazatlan port was for a day and a half closed due to high winds. “I was out fishing with customers on Wednesday and it got pretty rough before they closed it,” he said.
“After that we focused on bottomfishing closer in, fishing off the coast of Mazatlan for some excellent opportunities that anglers may not have considered, bottomfishing,” Chapman said. “This past week, we took a group of first-time bottom fisher’s on a 45 minute run in our super panga to an area where variety of fish are being caught including 7 different types of snapper, an abundance of triggerfish, and other species that included chile verdes, torso, paperfish, blowfish, groupers and more.”
The key to Chapman’s trips are fresh shrimp heads (look for more on that in future WON reports). But if you think about it, shrimp heads have all the juices of the shrimp, yet waste none of the bodies, and provide a great chum in the waters below. “After about 10 minutes at our first stop with the group, the fish were on. Landing an estimated 120 fish, these new bottom fishermen were hooked. Although no monsters were landed, we did have our chances. These guys are hooked now and booked some trips for next week as well.”
For their efforts the group’s snappers ranged between 1 and 3 pounds, while their triggerfish weighed between 1 and 4 pounds. “But when you’re catching 100-plus fish per day, don't let the average size of the weights fool you! This past week there were also a few very nice red snapper caught in the 20- to 24-pound range. Not bad when offshore they are having such a hard time.”
BY ROBIN WADE/WON Staff WriterPublished: Feb 16, 2010
MEXICO UPDATEROBIN WADE REPORT
MAZATLAN - Unfortunately it was another very slow and difficult offshore fishing week for anglers fishing out of Mazatlan. Crews worked hard but just weren’t able to find the fish. And when they did, the chances were that they wouldn’t bite. The good news was though that the inshore and bottomfishing bite was on, and those that were adventurous and open-minded enough to give it a try still came home worn out from battle and with plenty of fish for the freezers.
“I sure wish we could put our finger on the cause and correct it. Is it the "El Nino," too many long-liners, or is it just one of those unexplainable periods of time when the fish just aren't on location and when they are, they just don't want to bite at all,” said Larry Edwards reporting for the Aries Sportfishing Fleet.
There are certainly fewer things more frustrating to a crew that cares (and paying customers) than to fish very hard all day, not encounter a single strike, and knowing that from the time you leave the dock that it may be another one of "those days" when the customer often believes you didn’t try hard enough.
[url](PHOTO CAN BE SEEN ON OUR WEBSITE AT http://WWW.INSIDEOUTSIDECHARTERS.COM)[/url]
ITS NOT JUST ABOUT THE OFFSHORE FISHING HERE IN MAZATLAN—Even when the offshore bite is off, there’s still plenty of fish to be caught and freezers to be filled, like this 20-pound snapper caught last week. PHOTO COURTESY OF INSIDE OUTSIDE CHARTERS.
Only 11 offshore boats fished this past week and their catch effort resulted in only 1 striped marlin and 6 dorado for an effort that consisted of at least 88 hours fished. “While I know it will change for the better, I just don't know how soon and wish it would hurry,” Edwards said.
The inshore fishing, has however been providing the better action with numbers for the fleet resulting in a total of 86 pargo, 3 dorado and 139 cochitos for only 7 trips.
Later in the week Chappy Chapman from Inside Outside Charters reported that the Mazatlan port was for a day and a half closed due to high winds. “I was out fishing with customers on Wednesday and it got pretty rough before they closed it,” he said.
“After that we focused on bottomfishing closer in, fishing off the coast of Mazatlan for some excellent opportunities that anglers may not have considered, bottomfishing,” Chapman said. “This past week, we took a group of first-time bottom fisher’s on a 45 minute run in our super panga to an area where variety of fish are being caught including 7 different types of snapper, an abundance of triggerfish, and other species that included chile verdes, torso, paperfish, blowfish, groupers and more.”
The key to Chapman’s trips are fresh shrimp heads (look for more on that in future WON reports). But if you think about it, shrimp heads have all the juices of the shrimp, yet waste none of the bodies, and provide a great chum in the waters below. “After about 10 minutes at our first stop with the group, the fish were on. Landing an estimated 120 fish, these new bottom fishermen were hooked. Although no monsters were landed, we did have our chances. These guys are hooked now and booked some trips for next week as well.”
For their efforts the group’s snappers ranged between 1 and 3 pounds, while their triggerfish weighed between 1 and 4 pounds. “But when you’re catching 100-plus fish per day, don't let the average size of the weights fool you! This past week there were also a few very nice red snapper caught in the 20- to 24-pound range. Not bad when offshore they are having such a hard time.”