Galapagos Striped Marlin Fly Fishing School Report

Today after coffee George Maybee, Suzanne Schmidt and I met up with our host Braden Escobar, Captain Alan Starr, and our two mates and boarded the vessel Blue for a 1/2-hour run to a different bank to look for more aggressive Striped Marlin. The weather was sunny and calm, with 75 degree water temperature when we began fishing.

I got a weak bite on the first fish but it never got the fly, then George Maybee hooked a 180 pounder which ran off 200 foot of backing then spit the fly out.

The next bite from our 19 Striped Marlin raised today came near mid day when a big Marlin hit the middle teaser, then dropped back and attacked the long teaser.

As our mate teased the fish to within 30 feet of the transom, Suzanne made a great cast and that monster jumped all over the well placed Pink and White Cam Sigler fly which was rigged with 2 6/0 Gamakatsu hooks and 20 pound Mason Hard class tippet.

That Marlin jumped at least 40 times and several times charged the boat, while Suzanne worked her magic with that fly rod and reel. It took Suzanne Schmidt Goldstein just 36 minutes to wind the leader into the tiptop of the TFO Big Game heavy fly rod to score the catch. Twenty minutes later Braden grabbed the Bill of that 200+ pound Striped Marlin to remove the fly so we could release the fish.

Suzanne's Jumping Striped Marlin
After we took some well deserved pictures of Suzanne's magnificent Marlin it swam away free and healthy. By the way that 200 pound plus Striped marlin was Suzanne's first ever Marlin, and it was also the first Marlin taken on fly tackle by a female angler ever, in the Galapagos. In addition to that, I also think that it would also have been a world record; however Suzanne had decided to release her Marlin before it was ever hooked. At her first Sailfish School with me she caught and released a 150 plus pound Sailfish on fly in Guatemala.

Later George Maybee caught a 30 pound yellow fin tuna which we will have for dinner tonight, and then He hooked the fourth bite of the day. This fish was a monster but again the hook pulled loose and the Marlin Swam away. We still have two days left in this Marlin School, and the fishing is heating up. More Reports to follow. Wish you were here!

Regards:
Jake