Big female Black Marlin are very high on the bucket list among billfish anglers and in the first few days of 2020, we exchanged the tales of our anglers fighting and releasing these monsters.

Summer season is in full-swing. The Blue Marlin bite started to turn on and even a few Black Marlin were a part of the action at Tropic Star. The Pacific Sailfish have been coming through in waves in incredible numbers– some boats raising over 30 a day! The big Mahi Mahi are here, which always gets people excited.

Big rooster fish being caught on poppers

Offshore the bite has been very consistent. Pacific Sailfish and Yellowfin Tuna have been dependable and a lot of fun for our anglers. The Yellowfin are hanging around the pods of porpoise and we are catching the smaller Tuna on surface lures and spinning tackle with the larger Tuna caught on live bait.

The Marlin have been showing up with more frequency but we are still waiting for the bigger numbers to show up. We have had Black Marlin on the reef and on the shallower side of the drop-off and Blue Marlin in the deeper water off the drop-off. Sailfish have been chasing teasers and popping up in the spread pretty much everywhere.

Billfish have been sighted sunning on the surface and fish species different to our menu of regulars bent rods. Guests released a Swordfish also known as a Broadbill and Striped Marlin. Yellowfin Tuna have been found with Dolphins on most days and anglers have had a great time throwing poppers and other baits to catch them on the surface.

The Sailfish have arrived in great numbers and have been feeding aggressively. We have been catching them on artificial, live bait and strip baits. The most successful approach has been with bait and switch. Dorado have also started to become regulars with some huge Dorado eating the Marlin baits. Yellow fin tuna are feeding in frenzies off shore and we are getting the smaller ones between 20lbs-501bs on surface lures and bigger ones over the lO0lbs. mark on live baits.

The fleet of Bertrams are ready, a new round of renovations has been completed to the Lodge, and the team is eagerly awaiting the arrival of our guests to open the 2019 season at Tropic Star Lodge.