[ksong]

323 lbs and 239 lbs yft were caught on the Pacifico in Puerto Vallarta on 07-08. It looks big cow finally moved into the banks off Puerto Vallarta. Cow fishing should continue until Oct.
I have two trips to PV in Aug and I can not wait.

 

[Bret]

Yeah I saw that on BD. what a hoss. thanks for posting the pics..

 

[Minnow]

Huge tuna, thanks for the pictures Kil.

Are you going to jig or live baiting on your trip?

 

[ksong]

Huge tuna, thanks for the pictures Kil.

Are you going to jig or live baiting on your trip?
The most common method to catch a cow there is to toll slowly live skipjack.
On the first trip in mid August we might troll live skipjack to catch cow fiirst because Japanese TV fishing show crew come on the trip.
On the second trip in late August, we might do kite fishing as Basil and other fishermen from NY/NJ come with me. If we drift, I can jig, but I doubt cow respond to jigs daytime.

 

[Gunsmoke]

I noticed that Pacifico is from Kona. Book those guys if they are still in PV. I've been shafted in Puerto Vallarta three times on charters. Try to book an American boat that is visiting in PV. Those local guys never give you the boat you wanted and will not leave before 8am.

The locals are all about money. They won't run out and burn fuel. It's always putzing along to save fuel. However, I did catch a YF that went 179lbs two years ago in PV. I was lucky. Too many sailfish in PV. Easy to catch 5 to 12 a day with a decent boat. The tuna are there and always have been. They are just now realizing that there is a market for the tuna fisherman.

 

[ksong]

I noticed that Pacifico is from Kona. Book those guys if they are still in PV. I've been shafted in Puerto Vallarta three times on charters. Try to book an American boat that is visiting in PV. Those local guys never give you the boat you wanted and will not leave before 8am.

The locals are all about money. They won't run out and burn fuel. It's always putzing along to save fuel. However, I did catch a YF that went 179lbs two years ago in PV. I was lucky. Too many sailfish in PV. Easy to catch 5 to 12 a day with a decent boat. The tuna are there and always have been. They are just now realizing that there is a market for the tuna fisherman.
The Pacifico is not from Kona. The 33' Blackfin was purchased from the East Coast and transported to PV this year. The Capt. is Manny who used to run the Yolaray.

Here is a list of the boats in PV I can recommend.

-Capt. Josh is well known captin worldwide and you got to pay him a premium to go with him. He has 26(28 ?) Grady White and the current rate is $1,200. But he is a hard worker and doesn't mind staying late when you have late bites. I head that his old Grady is going to be run by his crew while Josh run a new Cabo and the rate is over $1800.

www.primetimeadv.com
[email protected]
[email protected]

-Danny Osuna on the Marla II also has a reputation to catch big tuna and marlin. I read that you got to beg him to go home early.
His current rate is $850 for 12 hour trip.

Capt. Danny Osuna
011 52 329 295 5073
011 52 329 295 5554 home
011 52 322 429 4151 cell
Email: [email protected]
31 Foot Pacemaker twin diesels

-The Pacifico is a new charter boat operation this year, but the boat is run by Capt. Manny who used to run the Yolaray.
The rate is $975 for 12 hour trip.
33' Blackfin
310-775-8135

-When I fished on the Yolaray, Manny was the captain and Tony was the mate. But I recognized Tony to be an excellent captain sooner or later.
When Manny left the Yolary, Tony became the Capt of the Yolaray, but unfortunately the boat got disabled when a big boat hit the yolaray at the dock. I heard Tony will be a captain of new 30' Grady White with twin engine and their rates are

$1000 12 hrs trip.
$900 10 hrs trip.
$800 8 hrs trip.
Tony's cell number is: 322 133 3392.

Those listed above are elite group in PV.

 

[Gunsmoke]

ksong,

Thanks for great list for Capt's in PV. I just printed it out and filed it. The reason I said Pacifico was from Kona is because it is painted on the transom of your picture. It must have been there at some point. Fuel is changing the charter industry. I used to figure 100 bucks an hour for the states. Now I'm seeing 125 to 150 per hour. That's in texas where we have to run so far.

 

[ksong]

08-11-06

Last year I told Kojika San, who is a fishing TV host based in Osaka, Japan, should fish in Puerto Vallarta for 200 -300 lbs yellowfin this year.

After I arranged with Capt. Manny of the Pacifico in June to fish on 08-11/13, I was getting nervous as cow fishing was unusually slow this summer. When I met Kojika San in PV yesterday I assured him we might get skunked because we were targeting big fish and fishing had been slow.
He said with smile that he didn't have any interest to catch small ones.
I understand what he meant as he owns a 58' Viking in Japan and he usually go after big fish.

I fished with Manny on the Yolaray last year and it was like to meet an old friend when I saw him at the dock this morning. When we got to the Rock, there was only one boat working the area. Catching skipjack was not problem. We trolled the area with three live skipjack and one goggleeye for several hours for nothing. Then Manny suddenly picked up a rod on the downrigger and set the hook after waiting for a while. Fish was on for a while and spit the hook ! He calmly released lines and fish picked up the bait again and spit it again. I don't know how many times it repeated and finally he had a solid hook up ! What a talented Capt he is !!Kojika San took over the rod and started to fight. We knew it was a big fish, but were not sure whether it was a big tuna or marlin. After over an hour fight, we could see the fish. It was a big blue marling ! Before the trip we discussed with Manny that all marlin should be released. However the marlin was bleeding heavily and Manny suggested to keep the fish as she eventually dies. Marlin must heard that we decided to kill her as Kojika San couldn't gain any line for next hours. When we got the fish on the boat, we drifted 7 miles and the fight took 3 1/2 hours !!! Manny estimated the fish around 800-900 pound. After the fight we decided to go back to the dock. We had only one bite, but it was a huge one.

Nobody complained and everybody was in happy mood.
I really wanted to show Kojika San what a big cow looks like, but taping a fight with a monster blue marlin was even better !
At the dock, we tried to weigh the fish and it needed 10 guys to move the fish. But strangely it weighed only 490-500 lbs on Manny's electronic scale !! We knew something is wrong with his scale or how we weighed the fish. Finally a taxidermist measured the fish and it turned out to be 894 lbs by length/weight table. Kojika San wanted to mount the fish and it cost him $3,500 including shipping to Japan.
I can not post pictures as I forgot to bring my camera.

We plan to go to El Banco tomorrow as a couple of nice tuna were caught there today. Kojika San said he would cut lines if we have marlin on the lines tomorrow as he wants to catch big cow this time.
I am dreaming now I can jig a small 300 lbs yft tomorrow.

08-12-06

We just came back from Cafe des Artistes restaurant in old Puerto Vallarta to celibrate our catches for two days, but it cost us $900.

I hate full moon period for tuna fishing, but I know fish are usually on the move during full moon. When I heard they had two yft in 200 range at El Banco yesterday, I sensed new body of fish moved into the area or they are in biting mood finally.
It took only 10 minutes today to get skipjack needed and got the first tuna in 10 minutes after we put lines out. It was a very small yft. When we trolled away from the fleet we had a hit,but missed. Soon after the first hit, the other line was screaming. I knew immediately it was not a small tuna this time. Kojika San asked me to fight the fish, but I let him fight as he came a long way from Japan to film a big yellowfin fight.
I wanted to finish the fight as soon as possible and get another shot as bites could tunrn off quickly as tide turns or wind changes direction. (bites were over when we got back after three hour fight.)
But I knew it would going to be a long long fight judging from how Kojika fought fish. Finally it took close to three hours to land a 240 lbs cow ! It could be a new record for long fight for the same size of tuna in PV.
Josh got double headers soon after we hooked up the fish and still landed both within an hour. Danny Osuna got a cow and landed quickly. It seemed the long drought is over and wide open tuna bites finally started in PV.
I feel Kojika San brings luck whereever he goes. In June he got 75 lbs black drum out of south NJ at his first try while my best black drum is still 70 pounder though I tried them in Virginia and Delaware for many years.
He got a 894 lbs bluefin marlin on a first day and got a 240 lbs cow next day. I am leaving PV tomorrow as my mission to help Kojika San accomplished.They are going to fish with Manny one more day and I really hope they catch a 300 lbs tuna. I really thanks to Manny for this successful trip. He really showed his talent on these trips.

 

[Bret]

Kil, Great report.. I am glad Kojika San got his tuna!! too bad the bite wasnt wide open.... Nice marlin too!!

 

[Gunsmoke]

Kil,
I know your pain from eating at the Cafe des Artistes restaurant. Last year I was with a group of 12 and I think our bill was around 2 grand. Nice place, great service and food, but a highjacker joint. If you want to find rip off places, just ask me. I seem to be a magnet for high priced food joints. The funny thing, is I NEVER get to pick the place to eat.

Glad you had a great trip. By the way, I visited the Porfidio tequilla plant on my trip to PV, and if you think Cafe des Artistes is a wallet drainer, think again. I am a tequilla collector, and not only is Porfidio one of the best, it also has some special reserve bottles for over a grand. So much for the good old days when fishing and eating in Mexico was cheap.

 

[Guest]

kil
thanks for the great report and the great catches. fish with you soon....rick

 

[bellyup]

Congrats on the catch and thanks for posting. Glad you had a great trip!

 

[ksong]

I finally got some pictures.

Kojika san fighting a blue marlin.

Nice marlin

 

[ksong]

intermission between fight.

a nice 240-250 lbs yellowfin after a long fight.

 

[Gunsmoke]

That's a very nice Blue. Also a fine YF speciman. Kind of makes that expensive dinner at Cafe des Artistes seem worth while. Great Pics.

 

[ksong]

That's a very nice Blue. Also a fine YF speciman. Kind of makes that expensive dinner at Cafe des Artistes seem worth while. Great Pics.
The charge at Cafe des Artistes doesn't seem to surprise Kojika San as he said he usually pays over $1,000 for 3 or 4 guys at good sushi restaurants in Tokyo.
Kojika san must enjoyed fishing in PV as he asked me whether we could fly directly from Kodiak Island, Ak to PV next year. We plan to fish together on an offshore bank in Kodiak Island, AK for trophy halibut, lingcod and king salmon next year.