BajaNomad - Black Marlin in Bahia Asuncion

Black Marlin in Bahia Asuncion

DianaT - 12-3-2009 at 11:59 AM

This was caught last Sunday by our friends, Victor and Armando Verduzco --- besides being our friends, they also own the hotel in town and now have a sport fishing business. They were quite happy.

They e-mailed us the photos with permission to share them. Looks like Captain Victor was also making a little very fresh sushi.

[Edited on 12-3-2009 by DianaT]

woody with a view - 12-3-2009 at 12:31 PM

cool. i woulda let it go.... i'm not judging anyone though!

it is a beautiful fish. any idea how long they take to grow to this size?

capt. mike - 12-3-2009 at 01:01 PM

i didn't know marlin were good to eat - especially raw sushi style.
i was told when they are "taken" they are either eaten by the very poor or sold to canneries that make pet foods.
i'm with Woody on this - release em. but i know these guys fish for income so who am i to say?
the last one i caught in mulege was with Capt. Alex and the fish threw up his stomach and Alex said it would die anyway so we boated it. Gave it away - he said not good for eating.

Bajahowodd - 12-3-2009 at 01:47 PM

Yup. big difference between some well-heeled tourist on a day boat outta Cabo and folks who have to struggle to make a living.

mulegemichael - 12-3-2009 at 02:35 PM

actually, marlin are pretty good eating; really dense meat...i havent kept one in quite a few years....and...if a marlin throws up it's stomach, just tuck it back down it's throat and it will be fine nine times outta ten..

capt. mike - 12-3-2009 at 03:04 PM

dt - when will you next be in BA?
that lobster sounds pretty good to me.

DianaT - 12-3-2009 at 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Yup. big difference between some well-heeled tourist on a day boat outta Cabo and folks who have to struggle to make a living.

With as little as I know about different fish, I assumed that this was one that some would throw back. But I think they are not caught very often in our area, and I am not surprised it was not thrown back.

As far as the sushi---I have no idea----I am one who has no great appreciation for sushi----even the excellent sushi made by Diver.

tripledigitken - 12-3-2009 at 03:17 PM

Mike,

Many fish taco stands in the larger towns in Baja serve Marlin Tacos. You can find them in many restaurants in San Diego also. I am not, I repeat, I am not condoning the taking of Billfish of any type, stomach in or out.

I've never eaten one and I'm sticking to that story!

Ken

fishbuck - 12-3-2009 at 04:26 PM

Marlin is very fishing tasting. But it can be eaten. It may have died during the fight.
It's recommended to use very heavy line for a marlin and reel him in hard and fast. That way they are still very lively when they get to the boat and survive well when released.
But as you can imagine it's a bit difficult to work with a fresh and angry marlin. He will flash his colors at you as if to say"don't mess with me or you'll be sorry." And he means it too!
But it's legal to keep one so it's the anglers choice.
To me they are so cool looking and since they don't taste the way I like I always let them go. To me keeping a marlin is like keeping a porpoise.

Wiles - 12-3-2009 at 04:31 PM

Properly smoked marlin is quite good.

This one's a babe, too bad.

World record is around 1500 lbs.

David K - 12-3-2009 at 04:37 PM

Had marlin tacos at the popular taco stands near the Tijuana airport and university... they were great, the first marlin I ever had eaten... BajaCactus took us there.

DianaT - 12-3-2009 at 04:43 PM

From pictures I have seen, it is not a large marlin---but, I have a question for you avid, and very informed fishermen.

Arn't black marlin usually caught further south where it is more tropical? I have not seen one in Bahia Asuncion, but that does not mean there have not been any.

Tacos or whatever, I am sure in the village it will be consumed.

fishbuck - 12-3-2009 at 04:52 PM

A little info about Baja marlin:

Overall, 183 teams and 937 anglers fished for 2 days in the 2006 Bisbee's Black & Blue Marlin Tournament, with 152 billfish caught and 96.7 percent released, including 64 blue marlin, 6 black marlin, 61 striped marlin, and 21 sailfish, for total prize money of $4,165,960.

rts551 - 12-3-2009 at 05:26 PM

Thats a Tecate can I saw in that boat!! Must be good fisher people.

Nice to see they are doing well. Bet they are great for a sport fishing trip.

monoloco - 12-3-2009 at 05:49 PM

That looks to be a baby. It is better to keep the small ones and release the big ones. The large ones are almost always females.

Sharksbaja - 12-3-2009 at 07:41 PM

Posting photos of landed Black Marlin seems like an endorsement and is akin to promotion imo. I was shocked that you posted it. Sorry we had to see it.

Looks like a very expensive boat motor and fishing gear. They can easily fish for and keep other fish.
Next time I'll be a little more "to the point". :mad:

BMG - 12-3-2009 at 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sharksbaja

Posting photos of landed Black Marlin seems like an endorsement and is akin to promotion imo.

What's is Diane promoting?

Pescador - 12-3-2009 at 08:39 PM

Ok, let's set the record straight. Striped Marlin is not very good but is certainly better than Sailfish, which is ok, but pretty greasy. Blue marlin is a lot better and is very popular and is certainly an improvment on Stripey's. But Black is in a class all of itself and is a very good eating fish.
I agree with the catch and release but that is a pretty "North of the Border" kind of an idea. It is just barely catching on in places like Cabo and Mag Bay, so I am willing to cut a little slack to these guys who have probably just caught their first marlin. I can even understand how rare these things are and how they would want to show it to everyone since it is such a rare occurence. I am sure that they will want to go back to grouper and yellowtail which are probably superior but it is pretty hard to do that to your first fish. Even the established fisheries usually cut a lot of slack to a person who has just caught their very first marlin.
I fish a lot with a commercial fisherman and when I released a marlin while he stood ready with he gaff, we did get to talk a lot about the wisdom of releasing and I noticed one day when he was by himself that he caught a stripey, which was promptly released. So, there is hope, it just takes awhile and there are years of conditioning here that have to be taken into account.

Diver - 12-3-2009 at 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sharksbaja
Posting photos of landed Black Marlin seems like an endorsement and is akin to promotion imo. I was shocked that you posted it. Sorry we had to see it.

Looks like a very expensive boat motor and fishing gear. They can easily fish for and keep other fish.
Next time I'll be a little more "to the point". :mad:

Bla bla bla ....
They don't target Marlin in Asuncion.
They undoubtedly caught it when fishing for Tuna or Dorado.
Maybe they could not revive it at the boat.
This fish will not go to waste in BA.
Diane is not promoting; just reporting.

Point is that you don't know the details so give it a break.

Bajaboy - 12-3-2009 at 09:00 PM

That sushi looks like lobster to me :?:

DianaT - 12-3-2009 at 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pescador
Ok, let's set the record straight. Striped Marlin is not very good but is certainly better than Sailfish, which is ok, but pretty greasy. Blue marlin is a lot better and is very popular and is certainly an improvment on Stripey's. But Black is in a class all of itself and is a very good eating fish.
I agree with the catch and release but that is a pretty "North of the Border" kind of an idea. It is just barely catching on in places like Cabo and Mag Bay, so I am willing to cut a little slack to these guys who have probably just caught their first marlin. I can even understand how rare these things are and how they would want to show it to everyone since it is such a rare occurence. I am sure that they will want to go back to grouper and yellowtail which are probably superior but it is pretty hard to do that to your first fish. Even the established fisheries usually cut a lot of slack to a person who has just caught their very first marlin.
I fish a lot with a commercial fisherman and when I released a marlin while he stood ready with he gaff, we did get to talk a lot about the wisdom of releasing and I noticed one day when he was by himself that he caught a stripey, which was promptly released. So, there is hope, it just takes awhile and there are years of conditioning here that have to be taken into account.

As you often do, you nailed it, IMHO.

And while we may not always agree with them, these are our friends and they have been very good to us.

Thanks
Diane

Sharksbaja - 12-3-2009 at 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DianaT

Quote:

As you often do, you nailed it, IMHO.

And while we may not always agree with them, these are our friends and they have been very good to us.

Thanks
Diane

Hey fisherman, what's up with the taste thang? Prefacing the subject matter with lip-smacking may give the reader the wrong impression. Like Diane, she has no idea what the different specie(s) are let alone can tell you what each tastes like, yet she agrees with you.

There are lots of yummy illegal or endangered animals out there. Where do people draw the line.

Endorsing the indiscriminate taking and killing of billfish is something I've always rallied against. Same with some other animals too, sharks for instance. I expect tourist anglers to respect the serious situation and do their part to save a specie or fishery.

We obviously can't be legal advocates or even stewards in Mexico but we can be considerate and minimally impactive. It's the least we can do on our part.

As far as Nationals or the locals go giving a ratsass, it doesn't happen unless the fishery like lobster and abs becomes such a valuable commodity that they have to institute and strictly enforce the fishery.

Gringos habitually abuse Mexicos' resources in their quest for bigger and better. Testosterone is a hard one to reign in.

Just look at that big grin! :biggrin:

Sharksbaja - 12-3-2009 at 10:35 PM

Diver, when the hell are you gonna start behaving like a real diver! :lol:

castaway$ - 12-3-2009 at 10:39 PM

When taking any game fish or game animal it is wise to consider BALANCE, does the eco system survive with an over abundance of predators? Prey?
Balance = selective harvest! Don't keep everything you catch, keep a reasonable amount of what you enjoy eating and release the rest.
IMHO

fishbuck - 12-3-2009 at 10:44 PM

I've never eaten Black Marlin. Only Blue and Striped. But now that I know that Black marlin is so delicious I guess I'll have to catch one, kill it and eat it.
Thanks for the tip!

fishbuck - 12-3-2009 at 10:46 PM

Ha ha, not really! But I would like to catch one some day... and release it. :cool:

dtbushpilot - 12-3-2009 at 11:02 PM

I once clubbed a baby seal, ate it and made some nice slippers for mi esposa bonita from its fur. We have an advantage being the dominate specie on the planet with our opposing thumb and all.........just kidding, second bottle of wine......carry on....dt

DianaT - 12-3-2009 at 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sharksbaja

Hey fisherman, what's up with the taste thang? Prefacing the subject matter with lip-smacking may give the reader the wrong impression. Like Diane, she has no idea what the different specie(s) are let alone can tell you what each tastes like, yet she agrees with you.

Yes I have far less knowledge than you do about about species of fish, but I agreed with the understanding of different situations---not everything is black and white. and IMHO, never will be

Diane

BajaBruno - 12-3-2009 at 11:52 PM

Jeez. No wonder nomads hesitate to post fishing reports here. Some of us are awfully judgmental.

Do you suppose he caught that on the Rapala hanging from its mouth?

fishbuck - 12-4-2009 at 12:09 AM

It looks like an iron jig not a Rapala

[Edited on 12-4-2009 by fishbuck]

fishbuck - 12-4-2009 at 12:22 AM

Similar to this:

msteve1014 - 12-4-2009 at 05:22 AM

Drinking tecate, eating lobster on the boat, catching black marlin... Looks like a great day to me. :tumble:

Pescador - 12-4-2009 at 08:04 AM

I was catch and release before it was even considered "cool" or "correct" to do so, and have watched how the sportsmans magazines, TV shows, general media, and other means of communication like person to person take place in the United States and Canada. That is all well and good and has had a really positive impact on the concept and theory of Catch and Release fishing, but before you bash Diane too hard, lets open your eyes a little bit and realize that you are dealing with a fishing community whose only contact with "them fancy northern ideas" is through contacts with the tourist fishing community. They sure aren't getting a lot of that by watching fishing shows on TV or reading the latest issue of Sportfishing in Spanish. So try to understand that their life experiences and influences are different than yours, not better, not worse, just different, and before you go about castigating a whole culture for keeping and eating a fish that has rarely or maybe never seen before, try real hard to walk a little distance in their moccasins and see if the picture is not a little different.
We do get a lot of marlin on the other side and because I speak the language, understand a lot of the culture, and am a respected fisherman with knowledge that is different from theirs, I usually have at least some audience when I talk about the rarity of billfish and how they are better served to release them. My latest project is trying to get more of the native fisherman who target yellowtail to use circle hooks so that when a big fish breaks off (which happens a lot due to the size and power of these fish) the fish has a chance of survival and may end up in their boat at a later time, whereas with a J-hook that is hooked deep in the stomach, there is no chance of survival if a hooked fish breaks off.
So I am a little disturbed by what looks like cultural disdain for I think the issue goes beyond the Political Correctness of "Catch and Release" and gets into an issue of seeing the bigger picture. Of course catch and release is the answer and has proven effective in managing fish stocks, but try to see the picture from the local fishermans point who probably has not had all the "exposure" to your way of thinking.

David K - 12-4-2009 at 08:35 AM

The photo did not kill that fish, so back off blaming Diane for posting it (good for her to help a local Baja businessman).

The number of tourist in Baja is so low now, the fish will repopulate freely... If you have a billfish issue, take it up with the Asian factory ship raping the Mexican waters and the Mexican government for allowing it to happen.

Pick your battles, and they should never be with Baja Nomads for POSTING PHOTOS... Better to be able to see things (good or bad) than to be blind to the reality of what's happening.

Thanks Diane for posting the Bahia Asuncion photos.

[Edited on 12-4-2009 by David K]

bajabass - 12-4-2009 at 08:36 AM

That is the picture of a very proud fisherman. He and his family will eat well for many days on that fish. When you have to fish to stay alive, you MAY begin to understand the mindset of a Mexican fisherman. Whether it puts money in his pocket, or food on the table, expecting him to release that fish is akin to expecting a car salesman to give you a easy great deal on a new car. I for one am much more concerned with seiners, longliners, bottom trawlers, and reefdivers stripping the oceans relentlessly. I fish in Mexico almost every weekend that weather permits. I release 90% of the fish I catch, and this practice is catching on quickly, and the recent ramping up of enforcement on sport limits is helping as well. As the proposed MLPA's are implemented in California, I expect to see the numbers of U.S. fishermen in Northern Baja to explode in the next couple years, and I hope they will respect the resources and obey the limit laws. I really want to be able to catch fish like I do now, for a long, long time.

Osprey - 12-4-2009 at 08:43 AM

Pescador, as all this catches up, catches on, all fishermen, Mexicans and extranjeros are going to have to take circle hook lessons (or maybe hypnosis might work) because the idea is to pull the hook toward the boat, away from the stomach and into the lip/mouth. All that entails erasing all the muscle memory from bizzillions of the other kinds of hookups which entailed waiting and hoping, followed by touching and feeling followed by pulling the rod tip up back, high and hard maybe several times. Invision Circle Hook University or Baja Sur Circle Hook Academy.

Don Alley - 12-4-2009 at 08:44 AM

I think it's important to promote, and sometimes even require, catch and release fishing, but only in the context of working towards a goal of sustainable fisheries, not as an end in itself. So releasing billfish is an important concept for the Mexican captains who target billfish for their clients, as happens out of Cabo San Lucas, for example. There, catch and release can be a viable alternative to a sport that would otherwise have a significant impact on fish stocks due to the large numbers of fish caught.

But for a rare an incidental catch such as this one, I don't really see any significant impact on fishing, and the only result of insisting on catch and release in instances like this are to undermine the credibility of catch and release advocates in the eyes of the local fishermen.

Osprey - 12-4-2009 at 08:54 AM

Diane, permit me one more little hijack and I'll leave you alone.

Alka-Selzer Hooks

I knew the guy, Chad Atkins. He was sitting, standing, lurching near the bar at Rancho Leonero as he let us know how he felt about the hooks to be used in the fishing tournament which would begin just 39 hours from now. “Screw MC. Screw MC users and all the sponsors who are pushing this crap.”

He was jawjackin’ about the Multi-Coated Hooks which had been declared mandatory by the tournament board. At first I thought he was just exercised about which company got the OK to provide the hooks, or the cost, about $12 per hook.

He went on. “I’m not takin’ my whole crimping kit out there, have my sleeves dancin’ all over the deck, fumblin’ around makin’ leaders and rigs on board, while we’re supposed to be fishin’.”

I’d heard it all before. Another hard-head who didn’t get the message. Tournament fishing has come a long way from keep all the fish to tag and brag, water measure and all release, circle hooks and now the MC hooks. The new hooks were catching on. Here and at other fishing resorts the managers tell the bartenders to cook a hook or two in a c-cktail glass every shift. That way, everybody gets to watch, touch, feel, be a part of something. In sea water you can almost see the things dissolving in the glass.

Gamakatsu beat Owner by just 20 days when the hooks in the little bags full of gel hit the market. They won the big prize, got a jump on Mustad, Owner, the other big hook sellers. As tournament directors around the world learned about the strength tests, the 48 hour dissolving time, the cost, they began to get in line. The hookmakers were still taking flack about the fact that the gel packets looked like condoms, that all bets were off about hook life after the packets were opened. Members of Billfish Groups, now dedicated to the use of the hooks, could finally feel they were doing all they could do for the fishery wherever their tournaments were held, whatever game fish was the object of their contest.

I suppose every salt water fishermen, especially those who fish for billfish, wondered just how long it took his hooks, in the mouth, gill or gut of a fish he released, to rust out. Bar room chatter would always include some conjecture about days or weeks for ordinary hooks but in their hearts and minds they knew better. All of them had found, at one time or another, a rusty hook in their tackle cupboard that was still sharp and strong; a rusty relic that had never been used, was shiny and bright 10 or 15 years ago when it was purchased. Not enough to say “well this thing’s been here in the drawer all this time, not in salt water”. Serious sportsmen are willing to buy, rig and use disposable hooks; same-day hooks make for short-time rigging but the fishermen can now check the rig, the leader, just before use, be assured everything looks good.

When ole Chad sobers up tomorrow he’ll buy some MC hooks, take his kit aboard, crimp and grumble. Later he’ll brag about using the hooks to whoever will listen to him back home.

DianaT - 12-4-2009 at 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BMG

Quote:

Originally posted by Sharksbaja

Posting photos of landed Black Marlin seems like an endorsement and is akin to promotion imo.

What's is Diane promoting?

Sharks, I am not promoting the taking of Black Marlin---I doubt that it would become a problem in our area.

I am promoting possible business for friends.

I have never heard anyone who has fished with Juan have anything but real praise for him as a guide, fisherman, and gentleman and we never hesitate to recommend him. Shari and Juan have worked hard and deserve the business they have.

Living there much of the time, we also have other friends who are have businesses, including fishing, that we would like to suggest and promote --- and they were very proud of this catch as it is unusual.

I knew there would be controversy, and IMHO, Pescador always seems to make the most sense when it comes to fishing and its relationship to the cultures.

Osprey,

Hijack away-----please, please, please.

[Edited on 12-4-2009 by DianaT]

castaway$ - 12-4-2009 at 10:22 AM

I applaud the passion of all the fishermen and women who contribute to the debate over the issue of the taking and consuming "sport caught fish", there are many valid points on both sides of the debate.
In particular I appreciate the contribusion by bajabass, it has been proven time and time again by science and sportsman alike that the true crux of the problem is commercial fishing and the enviromentally destructive methods used to make a buck and the heinous act of discarding the bycatch because it wasn't the intended or valuable species being sought.
I catch and consume fish, I catch and release fish, as a sport fisherman it has also been proven many times over that sportfishermen (and women, my wife is an excellent fisherprson but she has a great guide) have a VERY small impact on fish populations and sport fishing has one of the most ardent group of conservationists in support of preservation of all species and sealife in general.
I will continue to eat fish, and my personal protest leads me to predominately eat the fish I catch, I take my boat, use methods that promote the optimal opportunity to release fish I don't want to consume and I don't have any bycatch that is wastefully discarded.
In the Northwest the Salmon species are in serious trouble, I will only eat a Salmon I or those on my boat catch, I will not buy it in a store or a restaurant because I know where it came from and I don't want my dollars supporting the demise of the species.
I understand everybody has to make a living and I am not an anti commerial fishing advocate nor do I have problems with fish markets or restaurants, it's about the dollars if consumers quit buying in protest to methods change may occur.
This thread was fueled by the mexican keeping a Marlin, I'd be willing to bet he honored the Marlin by not being wasteful, I'd be willing to bet he didn't destroy the environment when he caught it, and you can bet your a** there wasn't any bycatch that was wasted.
Enjoy the Marlin senor and if I run into you in Baja lets enjoy a cerveza and some fish for dinner------even if it's marlin!

capt. mike - 12-4-2009 at 10:25 AM

a friend of mine who is a fishing and flying nut and can afford to do both as much as he wants just flew from LA to Mag Bay in his very big Piper twin (8 place) and landed at Constitucion since San Carlos is ditched.
the fishing was slow in his opinion - 1st time he went there, he also has a house at Punta Chivato so knows good fishing.
anyway i told him next time go to Shari and Juan's and get some fish!!

Udo - 12-4-2009 at 10:33 AM

I agree with BBoy.
The sushi does look like langosta.

On the food side:
Cooking marlin is somewhat of a challenge, but it tastes good if cooked very slowly to a medium-rare to medium stage. Can be steamed, poached or quick-seared on a cast iron griddle. Salt and pepper works just fine but I have used Louisiana-type seasonings as well as a saté seasoning, which is a Moroccan-style seasoning blend. A simple butter-lemon-caper sauce works well as a base for the fish.

No hijack here,totally on-topic

Sharksbaja - 12-4-2009 at 10:37 AM

Well folks she asked for my opinion. Then posted the pics. What enables the mighty fisherman to land a fish he probably shouldn't. Ego?? I don't think it's ok no matter how tasty it is or how big it is. If you use common sense and that says "cut it loose" than that's what a good conscience does. :rolleyes:

Excuses, excuses, Americans never sieze to amaze me.
That DK supports the promotion of taking black marlin is nothing new. He supports everythang we throw down there. He's a proud American doing what overzealous weekend tourist do, take take take. I wonder how many times wonder boy or rather "Mr. Promotion" has broken laws in Baja that he somehow considers himself immune to. Now be honest because you must reply! :lol:

Solution:
Republicans should not be allowed to fish in Baja. :light:

btw Diane, not slamming you for your opinion just your choice of content.

Pescador IS spot on. We don't differ much in our mindset. You don't see him posting photos of his buddies or others with dead billfish though because it might inadvertantly promote or say the wrong thing ..

Oh and I disagree with the cultural crap. Opportunists will ALWAYS take what they want. Mexican or American, does that matter. I also don't buy the ignorance thing either. Who doesn't know turtles are protected (except Mark & Olivia) or abalone or lobster. One day marlin might be, they should be.

I feel kind of ashamed sometimes that our northern brothers and sister don't exhibit control when they know better. In my book there is no excuse.

So excuse excuse excuse away!

Santiago - 12-4-2009 at 10:40 AM

Castaway$: Could not have worded it any better myself.

Sharksbaja - 12-4-2009 at 10:46 AM

Spoken like a true visitor!!!

tripledigitken - 12-4-2009 at 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sharksbaja
Well folks she asked for my opinion. Then posted the pics. What enables the mighty fisherman to land a fish he probably shouldn't. Ego?? I don't think it's ok no matter how tasty it is or how big it is. If you use common sense and that says "cut it loose" than that's what a good conscience does. :rolleyes:

Solution:
Republicans should not be allowed to fish in Baja. :light:

I agree with your points 100%. I have to ask though, you just recently talked of taking 20+# lobsters. Seems not to be consistent. :?:

Ken

David K - 12-4-2009 at 10:53 AM

Sharks, please don't pretend to know me or to change my words with yours... I do NOT support the 'promotion' of taking black marlin... I support the PHOTOS posted on Baja Nomad showing something that has happened... Do you really think that if no photos were taken of a marlin caught (or of a rock wall), it means that those things don't exist? What does it promote...? NOTHING... It shows something in history for others to learn from. Some will see good, some will not. The important thing is making it available. Harassing the photographer will only prevent future phiotos from being posted, not prevent the catching of marlin.

castaway$ - 12-4-2009 at 10:54 AM

Just to be clear you are referring to who as a true visitor?

Sharksbaja - 12-4-2009 at 10:57 AM

Spoken like a true God! (after the edit)

Diane can speak for herself David. Look at her daily post count. Frankly I think people should censor themselves sometimes......David.

DianaT - 12-4-2009 at 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sharksbaja

btw Diane, not slamming you for your opinion just your choice of content.

Pescador IS spot on. We don't differ much in our mindset. You don't see him posting photos of his buddies or others with dead billfish though because it might inadvertantly promote or say the wrong thing ..

I feel kind of ashamed sometimes that our northern brothers and sister don't exhibit control when they know better. In my book there is no excuse.

So excuse excuse excuse away!

And I offer no excuses for the reasons I chose to post this. So now I will leave the discussion----I see no reason to continue.

The only thing for which I am sorry is that it upset you.

[Edited on 12-4-2009 by DianaT]

Sharksbaja - 12-4-2009 at 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by castaway$
Just to be clear you are referring to who as a true visitor?

That would be you, unless you don't visit and fish.

Sharksbaja - 12-4-2009 at 11:01 AM

Diane, you are not the one making excuses.

Diver - 12-4-2009 at 11:12 AM

OK Sharks,
What fish and other goodies do you serve at the restaurant ?
Only farm raised ?
Maybe some of those endangered NW Salmon ??
Come on, fess up.
Aren't you concerned about Salmon and Halibut too ?
Is the billfish your only "cause" ?

Hmmm lets see;
Does that Dodge burn fuel into greenhouse gases ?
Do you sent unrecyclables to the landfill ?
Do you recycle ?
Where does your sewage sludge end up ?
How much food do you waste at the restaurant ?
Don't you make enough money to leave no footprint ?
How many sand fleas have you killed while spinning doughnuts in the sand ?
How can you live with yourself ?? :lol:

Diver - 12-4-2009 at 11:14 AM

OMG, I bet you serve that endangered fish to "visitors" too !! :lol:

Sorry Sharks,

I DO love ya but I can't help myself.

[Edited on 12-4-2009 by Diver]

flyfishinPam - 12-4-2009 at 11:34 AM

looks like a black marlin in the pictures. looks pretty small and that those are paisanos holding up the fish. so i can assume that these clientes weren't norteamericanos?

black marlin is absolutely excellent eating, white meat can be cut right off the fish and served as sashimi or cooked over mesquite, needs nothing added great flavor one of the best tasting fish that swims. striped marlin is the crappy tasting one.

how many of us fishermen have killed a bill fish?

I have (many years ago), one and for my own reasons I will never do it again.

I have a sport fishing business too so this personal philosophical decision weighed heavily on our policies from the beginning.

At first I allowed each client to make the decision as to whether or not to kill a caught billfish, but we always strongly recommended catch and release. A few years ago we decided to make killing bill fish against our company policy. Now I am phasing in a no removal from the water policy.

But that's us and we can pick and choose clientes this way. The panguero doesn't have the same control of who he's taking out. Most Mexicanos will kill a billfish if given the chance. You can check out any local tournament that is run by nationals and if billfish are in the area, you'll see a representative number of them returning on the boats.

I think at this point what we all can do is continue to discuss and set good examples. We should also continually explain our actions and the motives behind them to our local Mexicano friends and family and community. with these discussions and the background knowledge they already posses they will make the right decisions.

castaway$ - 12-4-2009 at 12:17 PM

Sharks, It is true I am a visitor from Oregon and if I am not mistaken Newport is in Oregon also. I guess I don't get your point, whether I fish in Oregon or Baja my philosophy is the same, is yours?
I respect your passion for billfish and I enjoy a stimulated debate however I don't intend to engage in your personal Jihad against sport fisherman who don't see the world as you.
There is always two sides to every debate and both sides usually have valid points.
I hear what you are saying about conservation of the species and I agree for the most part, do you understand my opinion with respect to the root cause that is decimating the billfish and so many other species? It's not sportfishing or selective harvest by sport fisherman.

Sharksbaja - 12-4-2009 at 12:59 PM

It may appear that I do not respect certain opinions. This is true when the debate becomes mudslinging. Guilty here. Don't you think that in this circumstance that opponents as well as proponents should be heard regardless of religion, politics or belief.

I have been trying to appeal to the few(but maybe many more) here who will come in contact with or exposure to billfish. There seems to be no shortage of avid fisherpeople.

Many studies show the bad situation billfish are in. Yes, I am truly aware that most of the problem lies with the commercials with indescriminate catches and methods.

Diver, it's a real struggle to be proactive and serve seafood I admit. Hell, when we got in this biz 13 years ago the ocean was a different place. I do try. For example; up until this last summer and for 3 years I did not serve salmon and it's one of my specialties. Guess what! This year the salmon have very good to excellent numbers in the NW. Same with crab. We feel fortunate.

I haven't killed or served a shark in 23 years and I adjust my menu accordingly. I understand why you ask.

Now back to marlin. My whole gist was centered on a the persons' mindset, and as this thread testifies, there are many feelings and opinions that strike a nerve. This subject apparently has more scope than I imagined.

Apolgies to those I slammed. Wish I could simmer down and not post off the cuff so hard. It's not so much fun nut antagonism is part of what fuels dialogue and knowledge.

Thank you Pam for the words I couldn't muster.

[Edited on 12-4-2009 by Sharksbaja]

Sharksbaja - 12-4-2009 at 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Diver
OMG, I bet you serve that endangered fish to "visitors" too !! :lol:

Sorry Sharks,

I DO love ya but I can't help myself.

Allrighty then..... if'n you ever DO make it to Newport. Come on in, we don't bite(hard). You might learn something new. :wow:

I have some special seafood stashed away for such an occasion!

sorry, I can't either. :lol:

bajabass - 12-4-2009 at 01:57 PM

Thank you for a well thought out post Pam! I applaud you and the other outfitters that now have a no kill policy. I also killed one billfish long ago. As I watched the brilliant colors of a lit up 100lb sailfish fade into death, I made up my mind to never intentionally kill another billfish. It was P.V., 1991. The panga operator, Carlos, said fishing had been slow. That him returning to the marina with a nice sailfish would insure many charters in the near future and that the meat would not be wasted. I have never killed another billfish, and actually never caught another as a target species since. In another person's country, we can only lead by example, and you are setting a very good one. We all should know that commercial rape is the real problem, not the microscopic sport take. Just try to remember that every fish counts!!

ElFaro - 12-4-2009 at 02:23 PM

It would be interesting to see this thread on "Bloodydecks" and how it would be responded to by that crowd!

bajabass - 12-4-2009 at 03:26 PM

I believe the BD forum would roast whole anybody telling them what to kill or not kill. A few would jump at the defense of billfish for sure. Some of those people are here on this thread. Not trying to defend, but the BDer"s as a majority are great guys. Sometimes the mob mentality takes over, even here! Maybe that is one reason I spend much more time here as of late, than on the BD Baja section. I have many interests in Baja other than fishing, and I find the company here more enjoyable, with a few exceptions.

fishbuck - 12-4-2009 at 04:30 PM

I was thinking how amazing it was that they caught it on a jig. Normally marlin don't hit those.
They will hit a fast trolled feather or a well presented live bait.
My guess is that they were jigging for tuna and yellowtail and just got incredibly lucky.
It is a bit scrawny for a black marlin so I'm guessing it was very hungry.
They were very lucky. I hope the town enjoys the feast!

Again it's legal to keep 1 billfish per day. So it really is the angler's choice whether to harvest the fish or not.
And it really isn't anybody else's business if he does keep it.
But you can all continue to pretend that you have a say in it. But you don't unless you catch the fish yourself. Then you can let it go if you want.
:cool:

tripledigitken - 12-4-2009 at 04:33 PM

That would be classified as a once in a lifetime "incidental catch"!

bajabass - 12-4-2009 at 06:33 PM

But not considered as "unwanted byproduct" and discarded by a purse seiner. You are right Mike, I have not caught a lot of billfish, but do not recall hearing of one on a surface or yo-yo iron. Probably got lost, wandered north, and ate the wrong bait fish! I can almost assure you all that meat was put to good use.

woody with a view - 12-4-2009 at 06:55 PM

last time in BA we were yo-yoing off punta jurel with that same jig. a 30# YFT hit it ON THE DROP!!!!

you never know!

edit: foto

[Edited on 12-5-2009 by woody in ob]

IRT4510-2adylure.jpg - 38kB

Ken Bondy - 12-4-2009 at 07:00 PM

This photo seems to fit. Here's a medium-sized striper on a Punta Pescadero boat, with the tag ready to go in the right foreground. He was tagged successfully and released. The tag was provided by California Fish and Game (go figger?). I filled out the information on the form, which was linked to the tag, and mailed it to the DFG. About a year later I got a letter saying that this fish was caught on a longline off the northern island of Japan.

BajaBruno - 12-4-2009 at 07:47 PM

fishbuck, I had to get out my magnifying glass, but you are correct--that blur I thought was a plastic bill is actually a metal ring.

Good eyes. I too am amazed the marlin hit that, unless they were trolling it, maybe? I know I have been lazy and moved a short distance without reeling up my line.

bajabass - 12-5-2009 at 09:31 AM

Everything from bluefin to lingcod will hit a yo-yo iron. Has anyone one this board every caught a billfish on iron, or heard of such? Interesting! Enquiring minds want to know! Pam? Shari? Pescador?

Pescador - 12-6-2009 at 09:16 AM

I have taken quite a few billfish on a yo-yo or iron but the biggest problem with that is when the fish starts coming up on top and shaking their head, most times they will throw the jig and if they are close to the boat, you find that they have thrown the jig back at you in what could only be described as retribution.
Dorado will do this too and I usually try not to hook either dorado or billfish with a jig because the headshaking is very strong and with the 5-7 oz. of weight of the jig, it becomes a deadly missle when it comes flying back. I had a pretty good sized dent in the side of my old aluminum boat that came from a smaller sized sailfish, and I often speculated about what it would have done to my body if it had hit with the same force.
I thought about that when the black marlin in the picture was shown as they were just plain lucky to get enough of a hookup in the side of the mouth to keep this fish on the line.

Skeet/Loreto - 12-6-2009 at 09:51 AM

I too have caught several Marlin on Salas Jigs especially trolling around Catalina Island.

Also have caught two Marlin on Rapallas off of Coronado Island.

Skeet

bajabass - 12-6-2009 at 03:51 PM

Thanks guys, guess I can dream of a striped marlin hitting the Rapalas and jigs I troll between Cantamar and Sausipuedes! Water stays real cold there is the problem. Need to get the Invader finished. Don't worry, any billfish will be CPR!! In the water Pam. :tumble:

BajaDanD - 12-6-2009 at 10:23 PM

If you look hard enough you can tell the sushi is not from the Marlin and nobody said it was. Looks like lobster to me. Being that it is lobster season in BA I woud guess they were eating lunch after catching the Marlin

shari - 12-8-2009 at 10:17 PM

WOW....I was wondering when someone was going to hook up one of these. We often see them on the fishing grounds but I hadnt heard of anyone catching one till now....I bet they were thrilled.
Now, this thread serves us well as food for thought just in case we hook one of those babies one day. I appreciate all the input....Pam...you are my hero...or is it heroin?

dtbushpilot - 12-8-2009 at 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shari
WOW....I was wondering when someone was going to hook up one of these. We often see them on the fishing grounds but I hadnt heard of anyone catching one till now....I bet they were thrilled.
Now, this thread serves us well as food for thought just in case we hook one of those babies one day. I appreciate all the input....Pam...you are my hero...or is it heroin?

I had "heroin" once.......uhhhhhh....never mind :lol:

...dt

Osprey - 12-9-2009 at 06:57 AM

She's a hero. Heroins are book characters.

mulegemichael - 12-9-2009 at 07:16 AM

heroines