Galapagos Fishing Report
Galapagos fishing has been second to none. March is proving to be a very good month in Galapagos so far this year. Waters began to calm down and you can feel the seasonal change that is over 2 months due. The water temp has dropped to an average 80 F and the water color is a dark blue. Plenty of life on the banks with birds, dolphins, sea lions and marlin display feeding habits that most people see on Blue Planet.

March 8, 2010 I had the pleasure of fishing with Bert, Jack and Chris Bookout. 3 generations of Bookouts onboard the Jhonamar to catch Galapagos striped marlin on the fly! The Rosa Blanca main bank was the first area of choice. We fished between Red Point and Area 51 as well as the other boats around us. There were plenty of fish but they lacked aggression. We raised 41 stripes, had 6 bites on the fly. All 3 anglers had bites on the fly. Jack released his first stripey on fly around 160 lbs. Next was Bert (80 year’s old and still fishing with the determination of a teenager) on a stripey around 140#. Chris had 4 bites on fly and broke off a nice striped marlin in the middle of the fight. With 41 raises using 2 teasers, 6 bites and 2 releases on fly it was a very nice day.

The Blue fishing for stripeys on fly had Mike Stough from Ohio onboard. Captain Julio Rodriguez reported 23 raises 5 bites and 1 release on fly.
Pete Santini onboard was fishing conventional with his client Mike Monty and wife onboard the Annette and reported raising 35 stripes with 21 bites and 8 releases.
Andale reported raising 25 with 13 bites and 6 releases.
Folks this is a total of over 120 marlin raised by 4 boats in 1 day! When you consider that two boats were fly fishing it is even more remarkable!

March 9, 2010 the Bookouts set off to fish on the Jhonamar again. Water condition began to calm down more than they had all year so far. Rosa Blanca bank was loaded with marlin! Fish busting bait, birds, sea lions, sharks and much marine life was seen all around. 28 marlin were raised with 4 exciting bites on the fly . Bert Bookout landed and released on fly a nice stripe of around 140 lbs. He later would fight a very stubborn stripey on a light spinning rod for 4 hours before breaking him off under the boat. When you consider Bert is 80 years old you gain newfound respect for this retired US Air Force pilot and colonel.

The Blue fishing with Mike Stough had a 100% day after hooking up to a very strong striped marlin on fly. They had 1 raise, 1 bite and 1 release. You have to consider that Mike spent almost 7 hours on the first fish he hooked.
Pete Santini fished again with Mike Monty and wife onboard the Annette had 52 raises, 28 bites and 12 releases on conventional tackle!

March 10, 2010 Jhonamar took the Bookouts for a day of fly fishing for stripes. The current change and fish were not heavy on Rosa Blanca. Most of the boats made their way to the first bank called La Entrada where a few fish were found later in the day. We covered Rosa Blanca pretty well and went as far as the Honey hole raising a few fish here and there but the activity was not as hot as the day before. We mange dto raise 6 stripes and get 1 bite from a stripey. While we were teasing a stripey and Chris Bookout cast to it a tuna of about 30 lbs bit the fly and was quickly dispatched by sharks that cut the line.

The Anette with Pete Santini and his clients Mike Monty and wife reported raising 17 on conventional and having 7 bits with 1 release.
The Blue fishing with Mike Stough raised 6, had 1 bite on fly with no releases.

March 11, 2010 another beautiful day on the water onboard the Jhonamar with the Bookouts. We headed for the first mound of Rosa Blanca bank called La Entrada. The birds began to congregate again and the bank was alive with life. You could see tailers free jumpers and free swimming lit up striped marlin around the boat. They did not tease well and Chris Bookout was trying still to catch his first marlin on fly which came almost to the wire that day. Chris hooked a strange marlin with no color in it almost at the end of the day. Once we caught the fish we were able to so it was what we call a “black striped marlin”. This is a rare striped marlin with no electric blue color on it. The fish was short and fat much like a blue marlin but the large dorsal and large pecs gave away what it finally was. The coloration was more of a blue than as stripey. We closed out the day with 16 raises, 1 bite and 1 release of the strange stripey around 180 lbs. This was Chris Bookout’s first stripey on fly ever!

The Blue still fishing with Mike Stough managed to raise 31 stripeys, have 5 bites on fly and release 1.

March 12, 2010 our last day with the Bookouts onboard the Jhonamar. Fishing La Entrada on Rosa Blanca’s first mound we found birds, sea lions and marlin feeding on the surface. Jack Bookout hooked a stripey on a perfect cast that should have been caught except and unfortunate knot on his fly line cost him a bust off! Bert was able to do good work of another striped marlin on fly of about 110 lbs and release him just under 45 minutes. We raised 18, had 3 bites on fly and released 1. At the end of the day we were fortunate to witness a marlin feeding frenzy for just over 12 minutes. It was like watching time stand still. Marlin were lit up all around the boat slashing at the same time. There were moments we estimate more than 30 marlin feeding on the surface at the same time. Needless to say during this time not one fish was raises but we did see them race through our spread chasing sardines. Words cannot describe this site. You have to see it for yourself. Definitely worth the price of admission! What a way to end a trip.

The Blue fished its final day with Mike Stough and report not far from the Jhonamar raising a total of 41 stripes, having 5 very lazy bites and releasing none.

Folks this is perhaps the best and most reliable marlin fishing on the planet. We are booked pretty much to capacity for March and most of April. We still have some good availability in May and June. Please do not wait or you may be left out! It is not too early to begin booking 2011 if you want to secure dates on the best waters in the world.
Contact us today www.ecuagringo.com


Braden Escobar
President ECUAGRINGO S.A Hunting, fishing and adventure in Ecuador, Galapagos Islands and Peru
Visit us on the web www.ecuagringo.com