ECUADOR: January 2012 marlin fishing report

La Niña effects have carried over into 2012 but signs are showing it may be slowing down. While fishing has not been as good as it should be at this point in a “normal” season it hasn't been terrible either. Boats out Salinas, Manta and Galapagos are reporting seeing and raising more numbers of marlin. The tuna fishing in Galapagos has been outstanding! The rains produced by warming water temperatures are not present in Ecuador yet. However rains coming from the Amazon basin have started and this should flush nutrients that will eventually bring more baitfish in a few weeks as well as larger predators. Water temperature has warmed up along the coast of Ecuador. Galapagos is still lagging behind averaging 74 F in most of the known marlin banks. As more of our boats head out we will have continuous reports coming in the next 6 months of our high fishing season.

San Cristobal,Galapagos Islands.

A mixture of rain and dirty green water began to cover most of the fishing areas near San Cristobal in January. This mix is probably the result of rainwater being pushed from mainland Ecuador as well as the Humboldt Current bringing nutrients from the South. This is not optimum for fishing but it usually does bring nutrients that eventually lead to the huge schools of sardines migrating to feed and spawn in Galapagos. Not far behind are usually the marlin! Waters have remained 73.5 to 74.3 F in most areas which is below what it should be for this time of the year.

January 8, 2012 Miguel, Lorena and Edmundo Armas along with their invited guest Micheal Ortega onboard the Big Fish headed out for Rosa Blanca to fish for tuna and striped marlin. While the stripeys were a no show the big eye tunas were on the bank and made for an exciting day catching tuna 35 to 50 lbs on light tackle. Seas were 3 foot average and water clarity was not the best.

January 9, 2012 again the same group of anglers headed to MacGowen Reef on the BIg Fish to try their luck at tunas and wahoo. The managed to catch enough tuna to eat and released over a dozen more big eyes averaging 30 lbs.

Jan 11, 2012 the Armas family and Michael Ortega headed out for Black Sheep Bank onboard the Big Fish. It was not long after they arrived that they began raising striped marlin. Miguel Armas went 2 for 4 bites and Michael Ortega still learning the art of hooking marlin went 0 for 4. There were schools of sardines present on the monitor and the seas were almost flat calm. Water color was clear. By the end of the fishing day they had raised 10 stripeys, had 8 bite and released 2. One of the stripeys was considered to be over 300lbs before it broke the line due to angler reported error or bird´s nest.

Jan 12, 2012 the Armas returned to Black Sheep only to find the water was green and murky. Currents had changed overnight and the bait was not there. The only fish caught was a dorado of around 20lbs. Calling it an early day they ran back to Punta Pitt to finish the day of with some tuna and wahoo fishing.

Jan 13, 2012 The Patricia captain by Yury Gutierrez Jr. reported fishing Bank 0-30 and raising 4 striped marlin and a very large blue estimated over 800 lbs which did not eat. The stripeys also refused baits and were very finicky. 10 big eyes averaging 40 lbs were caught

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