Galapagos Marlin Report




Fellow anglers, this is the latest from the World's best marlin fishery....

May 3, 2010 the Big Fish headed to Rosa Blanca for striped marlin. Gerd Ellerbroek, Totto Groenmeyer and Jim Gallagher were the lucky anglers. The seas started out with 4 foot chops that calmed out into a perfect day as it progressed. There were not too many birds on the bank but there were marlin. Gerd and Totto each caught 2 stripes each before it was time for Jim Gallagher to have a shot on fly. Jim would catch his 3rd striped marlin on fly of the trip. Raising 21 stripes, having 7 bites on baits and 3 on fly we managed to release 4 stripes on baits and 1 on fly.


May 4, 2010 the Big Fish headed for an old fishing area on the West side of San Cristobal called the Santa Fe Banks and Braden’s Bank. This area has not turned on with striped marlin in 3 years now and has remained a mystery as to why the fish have not returned. However bigger suprises do lurk the area. We had not been trolling for 15 minutes when a big crash knocked the left rigger. A blue marlin missed the bait and came up on the right bridge teaser. The fish was teased to the boat and Totto presented the ballyhoo perfectly to the fish which inhaled it. About 35 minutes later we had a beautiful blue marlin around 400# to its release. We picked up and ran after a while to Braden’s bank. It wasn’t long before we had a blue estimated over 600# tried to eat the right bridge teaser again. Jim Gallagher fed bait to it twice but for some reason the hook did not stick. Circle ling the same spot about 30 minutes later we spotted a large blue swimming just under the surface. She came in for a look several times but did not pick up anything off our menu. We were able to see a large fish feeding on the surface and not long after caught 2 beautiful big eyes of a about 45#. One fish made a great dinner.

May 6, 2010 the Big Fish ran to Rosa Blanca with Gerd, Totto and Jim for another exciting day of marlin fishing. Gerd and Totto hooked 2 stripeys out of a triple that began the day and landed them both. Next was Jim Gallagher up at bat trying to catch a marlin on fly. We managed to raise 8 stripes to the fly and Jim had 4 bites out of which he fought a fish close to an hour before it broke off. We went back to conventional fishing and Totto landed another beautiful stripey on conventional and Jim Gallagher would catch one on a spinning rod for a total of 4 stripes caught on bait, 18 raises, 4 bites on fly and 5 bites on conventional.


May 10- 15, 2010- David and Nancy Mitchell fly fished onboard the Big Fish with Captain Julio Rodriguez. This is a summary of the events reported as I was not onboard. The ocean remained blue with average temperatures 77.2 to 77.6 F every day. Sea conditions were favorable on most days. The fish seemed to concentrate on the Honey Hole more than anywhere else. Pulling 3 teasers the Big Fish raised 86 stripeys and 1 blue in 6 days of fishing. The couple had a total of 33 bites on fly and David released 5 stripes with 20# tippet and Nancy released 3. 8 striped marlin released in 6 days of fishing on fly.

May 16, 2010 special guests and very good friends Mario Battiston and Jorge Espanya from Corrientes, Argentina visited San Cristobal to fish for stripes onboard the Big Fish. Ozzie Gonzales from Florida also joined them. They fished Rosa Blanca and worked their way to the Honey hole where they raised 5 stripes, got 4 bites and released 3 fish. Mario caught his first striped marlin ever as well as Jorge who released 2.


May 18, 2010 onboard the Big Fish I joined Mario, Jorge and Ozzie for a fine day of fishing the area of the Honey Hole. It took 7 minutes after putting the teasers in the water to raise our first fish. It was a beautiful sunny day with calm ocean and 6 foot rolling waves that made the fishing very pleasant. Lots of bait on the Honey Hole and water temperature averaged 76.8 throughout the day. There were lots of marlin on the bank and they were aggressive and hungry. Many times we had doubles, triples and quadruple raises. A total 25 marlin were raised and we only fished about 4 hours. We had 14 bites and 5 releases on baits. Mario and Jorge had a great day and their fill of marlin.

Folks the marlin fishing is going on very strong in Galapagos and has showed no signs of slowing down for now. We still have some availability for June and July but you must hurry to book or you will be left out. 2011 is booking up quickly too. If you want to be a part of the best marlin fishing in the world then you must hurry up and book.
www.ecuagringo.com