| Copyright (c) 2009 The Greatfishing Company | | | | This trend has only been improving in recent years - |
| Well known for huge numbers of Pacific Sailfish, | | | | perhaps we are more "tuned in" to the fish and so |
| Guatemala is now becoming known also as a fishing | | | | more alert to spot them, perhaps the interest has in |
| destination for Blue Marlin. | | | | itself driven better reporting - or maybe the greater |
| The same deep blue water that attracts and holds bait | | | | volume of visiting fishermen in recent years have |
| in vast quantities, also attracts predators - and as you | | | | helped - and more days on the water inevitable drives |
| move up that food chain, in the end you get to one of | | | | more fish raised and so more marlin observed. |
| the most efficient predators in the oceans - the Blue | | | | Whatever the cause - the fact is that more and more |
| Marlin. | | | | visiting anglers are now regarding Guatemala not just |
| The productive waters already hold records for | | | | as the premier sailfish destination in the world, but also |
| numbers of billfish - including most in a day on | | | | the home of a strong and developing marlin fishery. |
| conventional (124) and on the fly (57)....as well as most | | | | Our sense is that if we direct our efforts towards |
| in a season. The large concentrations of bait and clean | | | | Marlin tactics, these statistics can only improve, and we |
| blue water that so successfully attract and hold the | | | | anticipate the fishery becoming a significant Bluewater |
| sailfish - also provide fertile hunting grounds for marlin. | | | | destination for all pelagics over the coming seasons. |
| The fishery is largely undeveloped for Marlin, as the | | | | There are several notable but largely unexplored deep |
| fleet is relatively small and the charter operations to | | | | water canyons over 1000ft that are likely to hold good |
| date have always focused attention and tactics that | | | | concentrations of large marlin - because Marlin hunt |
| target Sailfish - but even with the smaller baits and | | | | the line between deep water and the coastal plain. The |
| slower trolling speeds we have seen a consistent | | | | nearest of this significant structure is about a 2 hour |
| trend of improving raises for Blues that average | | | | run from the marina - and so really requires a |
| 350-400lbs. | | | | dedicated run to fish that area and away from the |
| Large Blue Marlin also hunt the deep bluewater - | | | | rest of the fleet. |
| pelagics up to a thousand pounds have been recorded, | | | | To develop a better understanding, there needs to be |
| but it does seem that the area predominantly holds | | | | some exploratory fishing - but the opportunity exists to |
| juveniles in the 400-500lb range. Interspersed with the | | | | be among the first to "discover" a new Marlin fishery, |
| Blues are Black marlin as well 'that tend to be larger on | | | | with the worst case outcome being to switch tactics |
| average, but the numbers tend to be fewer - perhaps | | | | and catch Sailfish either on conventional or fly until your |
| only one in twenty marlin raised in Guatemala are | | | | arms fall off ! |
| Blacks. | | | | We have the boats, crews, equipment and gear - we |
| Because the fleet have not regularly targeted the | | | | just need some anglers with a pioneering spirit and a |
| Marlin, it is largely unknown as to the full potential - but | | | | sense of adventure to accompany us. We will work |
| we do have experience over past seasons of most | | | | with you to adjust our tactics to yours to make it a |
| boats raising at least one fish per day when the runs | | | | thrilling adventure for all of us ! |
| have been on. | | | | |