Old blue eyes, disguised as marlin, now starring off Cabo San Lucas
A wildlife tidbit I was not aware of: The vast majority of striped marlin have beautiful blue eyes.
Tracy Ehrenberg, owner of Pisces Sportfishing, provided the accompanying photo and a report that states marlin fishing remains exceptional beyond Cabo San Lucas at the tip of Baja California.
During Christmas week, several boats returned flying a dozen or more release flags. A group aboard Yahoo released 20 marlin in one day.
Captain George Landrum of Fly Hooker Sportfishing, however, reports severe traffic congestion at the Golden Gate Bank, which is where the main body of marlin are lingering.
Tens of thousands of marlin have been released during one of the best seasons in recent history. Hopefully, the survival rate for these billfish is high, because they're extremely vulnerable when they gather so closely at the Golden Gate.
Remarkably, business at Pisces and Fly Hooker has been good despite a recession, their owners say. Must be a combination of warm weather, cold cerveza and an abundance of voracious marlin.
--Pete Thomas
Photo: Striped marlin eyes the camera lens before being released after its capture aboard La Brisa off Cabo San Lucas, where marlin fishing remains exceptional. Credit: Mario Banaga / Pisces Sportfishing
