Like magic the therapeutic effect of a night passed in the flat calm lee restored the vibrant tenor extracted by the previous two days of trying conditions; that and a strong morning of catching yellowfin tuna in the 70 - 120 pound range. And to sweeten the pie that much more our morning spot of choice, that was so kindly revealed by the jumpers I saw the prior evening minutes before blasting off, was also along the edge in the island lee. Ah yes - very nice.

Yet with this wealth of positive developments, that resulted in just shy of thirty yellowfin tagged and released, was still the unyielding draw from the east where the overall sign of fish was far better, and the size average significantly larger. Not that size is everything, I hope, but we have reached the stage of this voyage when all tagging objectives have been met, and a load of tuna have already been landed and released. While still in the market for quantity - the more these anglers pull on good size tuna the happier I am, our focus has now definitely zeroed in on the biggest fish we can find; a few more in the two hundred and up class will do wonders for the cause.

Similar to the prior outing at Clarion today we spent a significant amount of time on the anchor in the right zone, among the right signs, all the while catching fish. Aside from one opportunity that was lost to the edge, we did not hook, see, or land a tuna over one hundred twenty pounds. If they were around, we would have had a sign. So I convinced myself anyway to fit the narrative I seek to influence. I could list the continuing variety of factors contributing to our mid afternoon departure but I gather that those of you reading have recognized my objective.

It was time to go. Much as I would have preferred conditions and results to speak otherwise my confidence in Clarion coming through with a big change over the next two days is zero. The island is presently not right; it will be again, rest assured, but every fishing instinct I possess validates what I sensed and saw. Peaks and valleys, but, you won't find me complaining about our results today. In fact, I feel we were tremendously fortunate making a fine morning of it altogether. A placid night of flat calm, an extended morning of steady scratching on fine grade yellowfin tuna, and a marked change in the weather that translated into a marvelous morning of elevated spirits and good fun, yes, we were winners indeed.

And what better way to depart than in the winning category. This morning's results were a gift - I know it. As such we gathered up our winnings, headed to the cash window, walked out the door, and never looked back. The final two days will be passed in the vicinity of Socorro where we hope to close the voyage with a strong finish. Without question the best opportunity is there. It is now up to us to answer the call.

Photo today features angler James Moran who made the trek all the way from Australia to experience the unbelievable fishing of the Revillagigedo reserve. A highly experienced angler with plenty of worldly adventures under his belt, James has definitely been convinced of the unbelievable fishing this magical archipelago consistently produces. And to cement the point, James landed the beauty he is pictured here pulling on that came in right at two hundred pounds. While you are at it check out the high tech rod James is using. I'll send full resolution shots of more of these rigs in action upon my return. I'm much more amazed than impressed; and I'm learning.

Tim Ekstrom

Photo Here...