BlueWater Galapagos Marlin Fishing

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Author and Photography: Bill Boyce

A voyage of discovery 175 years ago set an aspiring young British ecologist on a journey of epic proportions. His voyage was remarkable because it was a journey collecting never-before-described species, and it inspired some serious soul searching. The thoughts and analysis spawned from this trip ultimately turned the world of science, Christianity – and the theory of evolution at the time – on its head!

Charles Darwin was in his early 30s when he visited the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador, but it wasn’t until he was in his late 50s that he finally decided the world was ready for the ultimate meaning of his Galapagos observations. That is when he wrote and published his ground-breaking, 1859 book, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.

Today, the world he discovered on these distant islands remains virtually unchanged, much as it was upon Darwin’s arrival. The animals still have no fear of humans, as when Darwin first approached them.

A DREAM DESTINATION
It has been my lifelong dream to experience these islands, ever since I first studied them as an inquisitive fish-biology college student. At the time, I was studying how the north-flowing Humboldt Current pushes high concentrations of nutrients into upwellings that flow directly through these islands, making them one of the richest fisheries in the world.

What many anglers in the South Pacific may not realise is that, along with a fascinating menagerie of land animals, these islands hold an incredible striped marlin fishery, as well as an abundance of other large gamefish.
I made my pilgrimage to San Cristobal Island with fellow photographer Tony Ludovico and his friend Lisa Pelligrino. There are few places on earth that afford more photo opportunities.

The hardest part about planning our trip was trying to decide what equipment to take, and what to leave at home. In the end we made the same decision: bring it all and try to find some Himalayan Sherpas to pack it around for us.

GETTING THERE
No matter where you leave from when travelling to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno – the Galapagos province capital on San Cristobal Island (population 8000) – you will need to stay the night before in the Ecuadorian port city of Guayaquil.

My first visit to this city was 20 years ago, when I worked as a biologist for the Inter- American Tropical Tuna Commission. Back then it was a rowdy port town that I had little intention of touring. But this time, my negative memories were quickly replaced with a new-found respect for what the city has become. Guayaquil now has a bustling downtown shopping district, several cultural accents and statues, and a renovated Spanish colonial district overlooking the city. It should not be missed on your night in town. Two airlines service San Cristobal from Guayaquil: Tame and Aerogal. Their flights land at a small airport just minutes from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. The town is small, with many great little restaurants, and is fronted by a quaint marina/dock area.

Undoubtedly, your first wildlife encounter will be with dozens of sea lions that greet you as they stroll along the rocks and sidewalks of the embarcadero. They show no apparent concern or fear of humans, and you can literally get within a few metres of them. Then, a close examination of the lava boulders around the bay reveals another alien-like native to these remote islands. Black marine iguanas sun themselves on the rocks, only to enter the cool, pristine waters as skilled free-divers to graze on the rich, green lettuce-like algae covering the submerged rocks. You immediately begin to realise – much as I’m certain Charles Darwin did – that this place is different than any place you’ve ever been to, or dreamt of, before.
When you arrive, Capt Braden Escobar greets you at the airport and, after a quick tour of town, lands you at the doorstep of the Casa Iguana Mar y Sol. This newly constructed bed-and-breakfast inn has a very attentive staff, clean modern rooms, and a spectacular balcony view of the harbor and bay.

The first afternoon is handy for getting your gear together for the upcoming fishing, and for catching a nap to rid you of the inevitable time lag you will experience getting here. Capt Braden can provide you with a guided tour of the Galapagos tortoises, secluded beaches, or surfspots should you need an afternoon session. This first day is the best time to get these activities out of your system, because once the fishing commences, you will never look back.

PHENOMENAL GAMEFISHING
Capt Braden’s fleet consists of three Ecuadorian-approved, outboardpowered sportfishers, between 33ft and 36ft. All have cabins, with twin 4-stroke outboards to accommodate local Galapagos charter-boat regulations.

This is incredibly fishy water. On arriving at the La Entrada Bank, some 38 miles to the northeast, we were putting out the lure spread when the line I was attaching to the outrigger clip snapped out of my hands. Sure enough, following the lure were the tell-tale, powderblue pectorals of a very excited striped marlin. A few seconds later its mate showed up in the pattern and the cockpit got a little hectic.

One fish was hooked, the other jumped off and, after a spirited 15- minute fight, a 150lb striped marlin was boatside and released. Hmm, I thought. "Braden, is this how you start every charter?" A grin came to his face. "No, I usually start with a triple."

We raised and played with several more that day, the bite seeming very tide-specific, as it often can be on offshore banks like this. Braden had a good selection of baits to rig with circle hooks, but the abundance of marlin and the time available dictated we troll his impressive collection of locally made Galapagos Lures.

"There’s a navigation buoy off Punta Pitt, at the east end, if you want to catch a dolphinfish for dinner," Braden offered, then added "It’s a good spot for yellowfin tuna as well." This is where the dilemma begins for an angler/photographer. Do I want to catch dinner and a plate of fresh sashimi, or do I want to capture them on my underwater camera? Tony and I decided to get wet, and into our first underwater encounter.

A large school of Pacific bottlenose dolphins was milling on the surface and Braden pulled up alongside. Within minutes the entire school came straight at us and began ‘pinging’ us with their sonar. Again displaying no fear of humans, they played alongside us and were joined by a sea lion and a few Galapagos sharks. "This is too surreal to be believed," I muttered to myself.

Later, once back in the boat, we were trying to act cool, but inside our heads we were screaming like madmen. This was only my first day and it already ranked as one of my life’s greatest memories!

Pulling up to the yellow buoy revealed dozens of school-sized dolphinfish. We slid in and could soon see why bait concentrations are so plentiful around these islands. The slight green tint suggests copious amounts of algal production, the building-block for a vibrant food chain. Visibility was no more than 20m so the fish appeared to come out of nowhere, then disappear back into the fog. The boat was literally surrounded by schools of dolphinfish and, once back aboard, we plucked several dinner-sized fish from the school with small tuna feathers.

DOZENS OF STRIPED MARLIN
The next day on the marlin banks we raised half-a-dozen fish, but that’s pathetically slow for these waters. More typical are days when dozens are seen and caught, and 30- to 40- marlin days are not uncommon.

And these striped marlin can scale upwards of 300lb. Not wanting to pound the same aquatic real estate day after day, Braden suggested we give the Hancock Bank (to the west) a try. You’ll catch marlin on this bank, but often there’s a number of wahoo as well. We were not disappointed. We found those wahoo, most of which were 20kg or larger, but as much as we like to catch and eat them, so do the sea lions. If the fish were not quickly short-stroked to the boat, the battle soon became a tug of war with these pennipeds to wrestle the fish from their jaws.
On this day we were greeted by another frequent Galapagos inhabitant. A huge whale shark of 15m let his presence be known by extending its massive dorsal fin some two metres above water as it slowly sauntered some 200 metres off the bow. We slowly approached and then slid in on it. Your breath stops momentarily whenever you’re in close proximity to any creature of this size underwater. After two successful drops in its vicinity, the shark’s sense of humour disappeared and, soon thereafter, he did too.

TUNA EXPLOSIONS
By this stage of our trip, we were wondering what could possibly amaze us any more that what we’d already experienced. Well, 43 miles offshore on Braden’s chart-plotter was a high spot affectionately called his ‘Honey Hole’. With still a few miles to go, we started seeing bird life from another dimension. It looked like a ‘chicken ranch’ on the horizon, and all Braden could say was, "Tuna, tuna, tuna!"

We got to the edge of the bank and a strong current could be seen upwelling over the rise. Huge seasurface explosions of slashing tuna were going off in the current, beneath hundreds of whirling seabirds. Feasting on flying fish were dolphins, sea lions, sharks and high-flying yellowfin tuna. I screamed out loud as I captured photos of 25kg yellowfin leaping in the air, snatching airborne baitfish just inches from the beaks of huge diving albatross’ with two-metre wingspans.

These intoxicating moments of natural wonder were soon shattered by the first multiple hook-up in our wake. Braden fished these tuna with marlin lures, explaining that at any moment a blue marlin could be on them. It was full-on fishing and, as we headed home that afternoon, off on the horizon we could see that a new frenzy had started all over again with the turning of the tide. It was just another testament to the incredible ecosystem that exists in these waters.

INTO THE ’HOOD
On the last day of our journey I decided to parlay the angling activity and enjoy one more day beneath the surface, capturing more of the underwater world in my camera. I wasn’t disappointed.

We had done a quick ‘drive-by’ viewing of an impressive, twin-rock formation some 10 miles offshore called Kicker Rock. You simply can’t miss it on the horizon. Rising majestically some 500ft above the sea, its sheer vertical cliffs make you dizzy as you gaze upwards from its base. A 20-metre-wide channel separates the two rocks of this formation and it just begged us to be explored with scuba tanks.

We were slowly approaching for the dive when just a few metres from the wall there was a violent eruption of fish. "What the heck was that?" I yelled, to which Braden casually answered, "A hungry school of Galapagos sharks!" A bait-ball had wandered into the unfriendly neighborhood and got what it deserved for its stupidity. How do you put such a trip into words? I will forever remember every moment, just as I’m sure Charles Darwin did for the rest of his life.

If you vow to make just one epic journey in your life, get yourself to the Galapagos and make your own voyage of discovery.

ARRANGING YOUR TRIP
The fishing around the Galapagos Islands has always been thought to be best from January through to May, when the winds are calm. However, the productivity of the surrounding water provides forage for the tuna, wahoo, dolphinfish and marlin year-round. Temperatures are very constant due to the close proximity to the Equator.

American, Aerogal, Copa, Taca, Continental and Lan Chile airlines fly from the US to Guayaquil. Overnight in the Oro Verde Hotel (www.oroverdehotels. com) then catch the Aerogal or Tame airlines flight to San Cristobal. If taking rods, check the policy of these airlines as some are more tolerant than others.

When in San Cristobal, the best spot to stay is Casa Iguana Mar y Sol, an excellent bed and breakfast hotel (www.sancristobalbb.com). Great dinners can be found in town at very reasonable prices.

Capt Braden Escobar has a fleet of three boats that are 4-stroke outboard powered, fast and reliable. For more information, visit:
www.ecuagringo.com, or email: ecuagringo@hotmail.com

Edited by Ecuagringo - 04/Jun/2010 at 10:53pm