Fishing

Paradise and Sailfish
By Ed Kunze  

The Pacific Sailfish is one of the most exotic game fish found in the world.

Larger than it's near identical Atlantic cousin, they share the same characteristics of iridescent colors and a magnificent sail for a dorsal fin. “Spectacular” is the only word to describe the leaps and aerobatics the angler experiences when hooked up with one of these noble fish. To have the ability to catch a sailfish, day in and day out for an entire year would be considered heaven by many a fisherman. You can do that here in Ixtapa - Zihuatanejo.

Having lived here for more than a few years, I am continually amazed as to the quality of the fishing, the warmth and generosity of the Mexican people, and the incredible paradise that defines this area.

I have been asked by many a client, which is the best month to catch a sailfish in these waters. Granted, in December through the middle of February we really get a mass migration on this coast with 13 to 15 releases a day not uncommon, but even in July the fishing is outstanding. In one day last year, under a full moon we had 5 sailfish releases and 10 school size yellowfin tuna. It got even better as the moon waned in its cycle.

We all fish primarily with a dead trolled bait called a "split tail". To get our bait we either use our own cast net or purchase the 6 to 8 inch long goggle eyes or 10 to 12 inch mullet (called ojotones and lisas) from the local night fishermen. The Zihuatanejo Bay has an incredible year round supply of bait and it is never a problem to obtain it.

The baitfish are first cut from the vent, up to and behind the dorsal fin. Then (like you are going to fillet the back half of a fish) traverse the knife along the backbone and all the way through the fish, including the tail. It takes a good sharp knife and a little practice to get the tail to split into two matched sections, but, once it is done and you break the back bone behind the dorsal fin, you have a bait that imparts a lot of action in the water.

We then sew it on a 7/0 hook in a normal manner that ensures it to not spin at variable troll speeds of 4 to 6.5 knots. The bait can be trolled by itself, or add a small plastic skirted lure over its head to make it pop along on the surface. To get it to run just below the surface, or pop up only occasionally, either add a chin weight or run a light sliding sinker ahead of the hook or swivel on the nine to 12 foot long 100 pound leader.

Santiago Valdevades on the panga “Gitana” always has live bait in his live well. By using a fresh bait for his split tail rig, Santiago has a firm bait with more “shine” that will last longer when trolled. His method has merit, because he is the highest tag and release captain in the fleet. In fact, he has been the No. 3 captain in the world for tagging and releasing sailfish for this last three years running.

The drop back method of using a live goggle eye is also very effective when a sailfish is raised up in the trolling spread. I always fish with a dozen or so live baits in the well because of the versatility a live bait offers for catching other game fish like dorado and tuna. By running a rubber band through the forward section of the eyes with a rigging needle, and then having the hook ride out in front of the bait’s nose, if the sailfish does not take it on the first try, you can still slow troll and circle back around to pick it up on a second attempt.

Another plus for the live bait method is that you can use light tackle and have more fun catching a sailfish than if he were to be caught on a heavier outfit. An International 12T with 15 or 20 pound line is an ideal setup for either the dropback or casting at a fish you spotted out in front or near the side of the boat. Using an Owner 8/0 circle hook, attach a 4 foot section of 100-pound fluorocarbon leader directly to the 4-foot (wind on) double main line. For casting at sighted fish, I do not like a long leader or a long double line. The 4-foot section of leader generally keeps the light line away from the beak. A few fish may get cut off, but the short leader has less visibility and casts better, resulting in more hookups. The circle hook keeps the line outside the mouth and helps with the release.

The catch and release concept has been slow in coming to Mexico. There has been a definite improvement because knowledgeable clients are beginning to demand it. Even though the sailfish is not considered to be good table fare, the idea of releasing "food" in a poor country is very hard to overcome. I have had a gas station attendant just stare at me in disbelief when I told him we released 5 sailfish that day. He was thinking how a single fish would feed his family for a week and I was surely one crazy Gringo.

How good is the fishing here? Ray Romanin and a group of friends from Colorado were here this last February 7, taking advantage of the 80º weather and fine amenities of one of the hotels in Ixtapa. He contacted me and wanted to fish a half day- then go to Ixtapa Island to snorkel in the clear water of the ecological preserve and sip a couple of cold ones while kicking back under the shade of a palapa for the rest of the day. We left at daybreak and I told them not to expect much for a couple of more hours. By 10:15 we had worked our way from Zihuatanejo Bay to 6 miles out in front of Ixtapa Marina and they began to wonder where the fish were. I knew we were approaching a good drop-off and I said to give it another 5 minutes because, on the meter, I also saw the baitfish were in the area. At the 5 minute mark, we had all 5 rods go down and five sailfish bouncing around behind the back of the boat. ‘Till things got settled down, we had a bit of excitement. We did manage to tag and release 4 of the fish, and one got away.

We got to Ixtapa Island by noon and had a great lunch on a fresh dorado we caught while fast trolling to the island. I still have not convinced Ray's wife that I did not have those fish tied off on a buoy in 1200 feet of water, and they were just waiting for us to show up.

Ray came back with his family on March 24 giving me a charter captain's worse nightmare by saying he wanted a repeat performance. At about 8 miles the downrigger went off and while my deckhand was reeling in an outrigger line, he got bit also. I then grabbed a flat line rod to help get the baits in while the deckhand set the hook and handed his rod off. I was about to reach out for the swivel and bring the "split tail" in the boat when a sailfish came up on the corner with his mouth wide open. I just free spooled the reel and dropped the bait down his throat. When he turned, I let the circle hook do the rest. Three nice sailfish were released and we had another great day at the island.

Sailfish are the mainstay of the sport fishing industry here in Ixtapa - Zihuatanejo but it is by no means the only fishery. From December through June we have the giant yellowfin tuna and blue marlin. School size tuna and dorado are here year round. Sometimes we have to travel a little further for the tuna or marlin. However, on the average, when targeting the species, you will get a 250-pound plus blue marlin or a 200-pound plus yellowfin tuna for every three days on the water.

If you want the thrill of catching sailfish while vacationing in a place that is a paradise for the whole family, come enjoy the laid back lifestyle of Old Mexico. Experience Ixtapa - Zihuatanejo for a week or so and get a taste of what we have all year long.

Ed Kunze is Zihuatanejo's IGFA Representative and a charter fishing boat captain. He lives in Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo year round and can be reached at 554-4876 or edkunze@prodigy.net.mx For more information on Captain Ed and his boats go to www.sportfishing-ixtapa.com or www.zihuatanejo.net/seaandsand.

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