Mazitlan Marlin any advice

[Theron]

Howdy all

My self my wife daughter and son will on Oct 19 for the first time ever be venturing out side the walls of this great country of ours to Mazitlan Mexeco for marlin fishing never done that before either we rented a 33' boat with captain and I think a deck hand not sure about the deck hand I understand this to be the best time of year for Marlin.
Too the point of this post is there any advice you guys might have that might be good for me to now about Marlin, and Mexeco

Thanks

[flapbreaker]

I hope you speak spanish. Back in the late eighties my dad and I went to Mazatlan and rented a boat. It came with a captain and a deck hand but neither spoke english so we trolled around all day kinda wishing we could communicate with these guys. We caught one sailfish on a lure that didn't have a hook. It kinda velcro'd to the sailfish's bill. Kind of a boring way to catch'em as you had to just let it tire itself out. Not sure if things have changed down there or not. Good luck.

[Rodbender]

I've chartered in Mexico a lot.

First off it's a mistake to charter any boat without seeing it first and talking to someone who's already chartered it then making sure all the details you want to see taken care of are looked after.

What details?

Like a clean toilet, fresh water and an agreement as to how far you'll go/where you'll be fishing/how long you'll be out and what happens to any fish that are caught.
Does the radio work?
Are there functioning life vests?

Generally once Mexicans have you aboard it's all their show and as mentioned if you don't speak Spanish, and often even if you do, they stop listening and start taking you for a boat ride.

Leave the bow @ home no Mexican Capitan on earth is going to go for that kind of thing without a huge bribe, he's there to find fish to kill and sell and also to give you just enough 'fun' so that you'll leave a large tip.

Also if he can sucker you into the Sailfish Mount Scam it'll make his week if not month, it's all about rake offs.

My most sincere advice is to go down to the Docks the afternoon before you want to head out, around 1PM.Talk to returning Charters-was the boat clean/comfortable/well run/easy to communicate with?

Any extras they weren't told about sometimes bait @ $US2 apiece isn't included, this happens a lot in CSL and people get PO'd but it's SOP.

Talk to no one but El Capitan, don't deal with any Bird Dog Rat bag who approaches you on the street or Dock, make your deal with the Capitan and no one else.

If you want to C&R you'll have to pay and then make your point once the fish is hooked.

I've gone through long negotiations in Spanish about releasing any Billfish and promised to tip for any that were released only to have the Capitan or dumb cluck Deckhand try to kill the fish anyway.I mean having to hip check/stand up/disarm people who are wielding a hammer, an ugly scene aboard any boat lotsa yelling and threatening gestures.

They lie and lie and lie, some classic examples I have heard

"Oh Jes Senor but this fish is too tired to live"!
"he's already dead that's why I hit him with a hammer"!
"he belongs to the Govt so you have to pay for a piece for your dinner"!

Once you talk to your Capitan, and if he doesn't speak English hire one who does, ask him what's hot and what's not.

If Marlin are for some reason thin on the ground and there are lots of Dorado or Tuna Go For It!

Any action is better that dragging a few old lures around a place where you know d*mned well there are no fish.

You're in for the adventure of a lifetime-one way or the other.

[Tower Todd]

Have you checked with Mexico about bringing a bow into the country? They are really particular about firearms and I've heard that fisherman towing their boats into Mex have had problems with the Mex cops giving them trouble about the gaff onboard.
Good luck otherwise, it is probably the best time of the year for Blues & Black Marlin.

Tower Todd

[Theron]

Thanks for the advice on the bow sounds like more than I want to deal with on my first trip I am going to put up a new post with the details of what I have planned so maybe peaple can tell me good or bad if they have used them.

Thanks again

[sanitystrykes]

Theron, I have never been to Mexico myself, however my very close fishing buddy has been there a few times, as has his brother also. What "RodBender" shares is great real world advice.......... My buddy is very particular about his fishing: so he will go down to the port docks the afternoon or two before he plans (if not both days) and get the actual reports and to look over the catches of the day. He will interview the fisherman & captain's, and really look over the quality of each boats individual gear. (His first trip he was more laxed, and had a less than desirable experience)By doing this he found he could negotiate w/ the Captain directly, on price, expectations, species, and retainage of catch.....thus eliminating any gray areas. They have had some really great trips, and one really disappointing trip.

You will want to do your home work........ there! Unless someone has a particullarly great recommendation (remember these can also be different from boat to boat within the same charter fleet and their different captain's - deck hands).

Best of Luck & Times for your trip!

[Theron]

Thanks for the advice
I have already booked a boat besed on the repeated (saposed repeated satisfied costmers) of a travle agency hopefully they are right and if not ill eat the second day and walk the docks Thanks again