Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo
Offshore Total Tag & Release
Billfish Tournament
November 20-22, 2003
Ixtapa - Zihuatanejo, Mexico
Named one of the Top 100 Worldwide Billfish Tournaments
by The Billfish Tournament Network
GITANA
"THE GYPSY LADY"
Captain Santiago Valdovinos
The Gitana is a 25' Super Panga powered by a 75 HP Yamaha. It cruises at 25+ knots. It is equipped with GPS Navigation, cellular phone and VHS radio. It is a handcrafted panga with two fighting chairs and two "siesta" bench on the opposite sides. It features a hard top for shade over the bench area.
The Sailfish Captain of Zihuatanejo
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No.3 for the day-10 AM |
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Santiago has an ability to find some of the larger Sails that prowl the waters of Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo. He practices Tag & Release at the request on his clients. Dorado, Tuna and yes, sharks are taken for your table. Filleting, packaging and freezing your catch are included in his service.
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The Gitana is equipped with Penn 6/0 equipment matched to Custom rods. Capt. Santiago prefers the 6/0 Senators as he says they are easier on the new anglers and ladies.
Captain Santiago Valdovinos post consistent catches of Sailfish and Marlin. Santiago has over 12 years experience fishing the waters of Zihuatanejo.
The Gitana may be booked by calling 011-52-755-554-7812 after 7 Central time. Charter rates are $170.00 US per day which includes entire boat, bait, license, 12 sodas, water and 7 hours fishing time. Lunch and beer are available at the pier prior to departure.
Special Tuna trips are available for $300 US for 10 hours and $350 US for 12 hours.
E-Mail:
gitana@prodigy.net.mx
One of his best catches was that of "El Diablo", the Dorado shown with Adan, his brother & mate, below:
Here is the story of "El Diablo"
Zihuatanejo, MX -- 17 Nov 98 -- 10:00 AM -- Panga boat--Gitana
El Diablo, the baddest Dorado I ever met.
We already had the first Sail at about 9:00, about a half hour later we saw a large branch with about 4-5 Boobies on it. Cruised over and spotted a large bait school, a few small Blacktip Sharks and one Bull Dorado. Caught two of the sharks flipping the bait around trying to find the Bull. Caught a glimpse of him and Adian flipped a bait in that direction but he didn't see him when he barely missed it and went under the boat. I told him throw it again and he did. Bam, and there went about 100 yards of line and three good jumps as he ran from the boat.
The fight was on! I don't think I have ever hooked a finer fish. This mother was BAD. Clock running, it took 20 minutes to get him to the boat the FIRST time. I had been to both sides of the cockpit twice, he had cleared the water by 4 feet another 19 times. The captain would get the leader in his hand 3 more times and the Dorado would clear the water 3 more times before I got him to the boat for the 5th time, time 25:30, captain reached with the gaff, just touching his back and he surges under the boat and wraps the outboard's prop, captain jumps on the fantail and the fish is six inches to far for the gaff. EL Captain jumps over board, gaffs the fish on the way into the water and grabs him by the tail, comes up about 6 feet behind the boat, gaff in one hand, fish tail in the other.
Baddest, meanest and most beautiful 45# fish I'll ever tie into. Never caught a Marlin that came close to that fish. It was the fight you dream of, the one that never happens, never be another one like it. I'll watch that fish the rest of my life and I'll never forget that captain, Santiago, leaping off the fantail.
You just should have been there!!!
Paul Phillips
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