Blue & Black Marlin Fishing in Cabo San Lucas

Why anglers come to Cabo for blue and black marlin

Cabo San Lucas sits where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez, and every summer the warm blue water pushes right up onto the banks. That is when the big fish arrive. Blue marlin flood the Golden Gate Bank, the San Jaime Bank and the 95 Spot from June onward, and black marlin — the rarest and heaviest of the three marlin species we catch — show up on the same grounds, often right on the shelf edge in surprisingly shallow water.

This is one of the few fisheries on earth where a grander — a marlin over 1,000 pounds — is a genuine possibility on any given day between August and October. Cabo has weighed granders, and the Bisbee's tournaments held here every October regularly produce fish over 400 and 500 pounds. When you book a marlin trip with us in the warm-water months, you are fishing some of the best big-marlin water in the world, a short run from the marina.

The banks and grounds we fish

Almost all of our blue and black marlin fishing happens on the Pacific-side banks, 15 to 30 miles from the harbour. The run takes between 45 minutes and an hour and a half depending on the boat, which is why we recommend the offshore fleet — 40 feet and up — for these trips.

• Golden Gate Bank — the classic summer marlin ground on the Pacific side, roughly 20 miles northwest. Bait stacks up here and the blues follow it.
• San Jaime Bank — closer to Cabo and very consistent from July through October. Blacks are caught here every season, often right on the high spots.
• The 95 Spot — a temperature break and current line east of San Jaime that holds tuna, dorado and marlin. A great option when the current sets up right.
• Gorda Banks — on the Sea of Cortez side, a top early- and late-season option, especially for blacks in June and November.

How we fish for blue and black marlin

Big marlin fishing is a trolling game, and our crews run proven spreads. We pull a mix of large cupped-face lures — the kind that throw smoke and hold in rough water — on the outriggers, with a teaser or two in close. When we mark fish or get a short strike, we pitch a live skipjack or caballito back on a circle hook. That pitch-bait technique converts far more fish than hoping they come back to the lure.

When the live bait is right, we slow-troll bridled skipjack and bigeye scad — the single most effective way to raise a genuinely big blue or a black. It is slower fishing, but the bites you get are the ones people fly to Cabo for. Every marlin we can release, we release — our crews are careful with the boatside handling and revive every fish before letting it go.

Tackle and gear

You do not need to bring anything — every boat in the fleet carries top-of-the-line tackle matched to these fish:

• Shimano Tiagra and Penn International 50W and 80W two-speed reels
• IGFA-class rods in 50 and 80 lb class for the trolling spread
• Pitch-bait outfits rigged with circle hooks, ready at the covering boards
• Fresh-rigged lures, teasers and dredges, changed to match the water colour
• Live bait tubes and tanks to keep skipjack and caballito healthy all day

What a blue and black marlin trip includes

Full-day offshore charters of 8 hours, with an experienced captain and mate who fish these banks every week of the season. Drinks, ice, burritos or sandwiches, bait, tackle and two fishing licences are all included — additional licences are $25 each and there are no hidden fees. We recommend a minimum of a full day for the banks; multi-day trips get discounted rates and give you more shots at a big fish.