Incredibly calm today. Not even a hint of breeze. Santini and his crew (Paul, Shaun, and Mike) headed out for marlin and had a decent day with two big striped marlin, 14 attacks, and 18 raises. Unfortunately one angler (who will rename nameless for this report) had bananas for breakfast and had 7 marlin jump off after they were hooked. The angler was not Paul (who had his largest career striped marlin) or shutterbug Shaun who took the amazing photo below.
Striped Marlin – Paul Michele – Blue/Pink Iland Cruiser lure
Topwater Tuna
Yellowfin Tuna – Jesse and Wayne
As for my crew of Jesse, Wayne, and Tim we spent the first half of the day targeting Wahoo and had no success. We switched over to tuna and unlike yesterday they were not blitzing on top. Instead we found them finning on top occasionally sifting small baitfish from the water. We needed to watch the water carefully and look for gentle pushes or a fin sticking out of the water. Once again the popping plugs were deadly (though we did get one on a Yo-Zuri Bonito) and the fish were some of the largest so far. Click here for our recommended tuna tackle for tuna plugging.
Tomorrow both crews are heading out for marlin…
Learn more about travel and fishing in the Galapagos at Sportfish Galapagos
Frequently Asked Questions
The fishing trip primarily targeted striped marlin, yellowfin tuna, and wahoo. Santini and his crew focused on marlin, successfully catching two big striped marlin, while another crew targeted Wahoo and then switched to tuna fishing.
Santini's crew had a decent day with two large striped marlin caught, along with 14 attacks and 18 raises. However, one angler experienced several marlin jumping off after being hooked, indicating some missed opportunities despite the good action.
The tuna were not aggressively feeding on the surface but were finning occasionally and sifting small baitfish. Popping plugs proved very effective, with most tuna caught this way and one caught on a Yo-Zuri Bonito lure, highlighting the importance of watching the water closely for subtle signs.
The day was incredibly calm with no noticeable breeze, creating ideal conditions for attentively watching the water for fish behavior, especially important when tuna were only occasionally finning on the surface.
Paul, part of Santini's crew, caught the largest striped marlin of his career during this fishing trip, marking a personal milestone for him.
The crew targeting Wahoo had no success during the first half of the day and decided to switch to tuna fishing, where they found better action, although the tuna were less aggressive than on previous days.
The report recommends specific tuna tackle for tuna plugging and provides a link for readers to learn more about the recommended gear, emphasizing the importance of using proper equipment for success.
