The blue marlin arrived in good numbers during March with as many as 4 raised in a single day. Decisive released as many as 31 sailfish in a day with yellowfin tuna and dorado to keep anglers busy on the water, while the secluded waterside setting and fine dinning of our 'Billfish Inn' kept guests pampered after the exciting days on the boat.
Ed Burr, along with son Austin, friend Denny Doyle and captain Eddie Wheeler, who runs his boat O'Hana joined us the 7th through 9th of March. The first day saw 3 from 5 sailfish with a blue up that would not bite. With all the bonito and bait around we were back out east on the edge the following day with high blue marlin hopes and came right with Eddie releasing a 175lb blue on 20lb while we went 3 from 5 on sails. The 9th saw Austin on pitch-baiting form releasing 7 from 9 sails to finish a fun trip.
Next to join us was Scott and Maria Janda, Pat & Dawn Gothro, Brian & Ashley Walters and Tim Reed, all of ENPAC. The 14th saw us raise 4 blue marlin with 2 bites and Maria releasing a 200 pounder in a fine struggle, her first billfish ever, way to go Maria! The rest of the crew released another 7 sailfish for a wonderful day. Not to be outdone, Scott released his first blue marlin the next day while on the Decisive, a 300 pound fish that did some great close quarter jumps. We missed another blue marlin the same day and had another that would not play while releasing 5 sailfish. The other half of the group had a busy day fishing on the Circle Hook releasing 12 from 16 sailfish. On the 16th Decisive headed in the opposite direction and found a red-hot bite late in the day way out west releasing 31 sailfish from 39 bites to see the Janda group off in fine style.
Our neighbor Scott Lund joined Brad for a round of golf at the magnificent Antigua Golf resort prior to two days of sailfishing during which he released a couple fish on the fly as well as a few dorado, and some tasty yellowfin tuna.
Joe O'Brien and Don Butler arrived in a celebratory mood. Like many, after a long cold winter they were just happy to be in the tropics and back out on the water. Fishing on the fly proved difficult with a slow and tentative sailfish bite with the duo managing only a handful on the fly. Joe did have the exciting pleasure of casting to a 200 pound blue marlin which 1st mate Kennedy did a wonderful job teasing in on the first day. Joe hooked the fish on an impressive bite, however the fish spat the hook on the first series of jumps, but it's always special just to get the bite on the fly from a fired up blue.
The 23rd though the 25th saw friends Barry Fitzpatrick and John Carbone on the Decisive to release 5 sailfish from 6 bites and 5 from 7 on their first two days. Things started picking up on day three with 8 from 13 sailfish releases and a 150 pound blue on 20lb tackle for John. The 26th saw us miss a 200 pound blue and raise another that would not eat while releasing 10 sailfish to see the duo heading up to Antigua to enjoy what the 'Old City' has to offer in good humor.
Darren Terzi, his son-in-law Victor, along with Craig Ziegler and son Chuck saw out the end of the month with us. The 27th had 5 releases from 7 bites to be followed up with 6 from 9 bites the next day along with a feisty 300 pound blue released by Chuck. On the 29th the guys released 15 sailfish from 19 bites and missed a blue to see out a wonderful trip for the father and son duo's.
We will be back at it after an Easter break and are expecting to see good numbers of blue marlin in the next few months as well as some great sailfishing right through into June and July, which often bring to Guatemala some of it's very hottest blue marlin and tuna fishing.
Until the next report, tight lines, circle hooks and healthy releases.
Capt. Brad Philipps
"Decisive"