Dorado Fishing in Cabo San Lucas

Why anglers love dorado fishing in Cabo San Lucas

Dorado — mahi-mahi on the menu — are the most fun you can have on light tackle. They hunt in packs under anything that floats, they light up neon green and gold when they eat, they jump until the leader comes tight, and a hooked fish brings the whole school to the boat. On a good day we keep one fish in the water and pitch baits to the followers until everyone aboard has caught one.

They are also the best-eating fish we catch. Firm, mild fillets that most beachside restaurants in Cabo will cook for you the same evening — bring your catch to the marina and let them grill it. For families and first-time anglers, dorado days are the trip we recommend most: lots of action, lots of fish, and dinner sorted.

From June through November the warm current pushes dorado into the Sea of Cortez side in numbers, and bulls over 40 pounds show up every season. Cabo is one of the few places you can catch dorado in the morning and a marlin in the afternoon on the same charter.

Where we find dorado around Cabo

Dorado are structure fish — not bottom structure, but anything floating on the surface. Your captain spends the morning reading the water and working the edges. These are the situations we hunt:

• Weed lines and current rips — sargassum lines offshore on the Cortez side are dorado magnets in summer and fall.
• Floating debris — a single log, pallet or buoy can hold an entire school. We never run past one without a look.
• Buoys and FADs off San José and the Corridor — reliable producers through the season.
• Temperature breaks — a two-degree edge with bait on it is worth repeated passes.
• Around the porpoise and tuna schools — dorado ride along and we pick them up between tuna bites.

How we fish them: troll to find, live bait to load

The program is simple. We troll small feathers, cedar plugs and rigged ballyhoo along the weed lines and structure until the first strike. When a dorado comes tight, the first fish stays in the water beside the boat — the school will not leave a hooked companion. Then we pitch live caballito or chunk bait on light spinning and conventional tackle to the followers, which you can often see flashing green just under the surface.

It is sight fishing at its best and the action can be frantic: doubles and triples are normal, and when a big bull shows under the school everyone reaches for the heavier rod. We also catch dorado casting small poppers and jigs, which is as visual as fishing gets.

Most dorado we keep are 10 to 25 pounds — perfect eating size. The bulls over 40 pounds are photographed and, if the angler wants, released to fight another day.

Dorado gear and tackle

• 20–30 lb class spinning and conventional outfits — light enough to enjoy a 15-pounder, stout enough for a bull.
• Small trolling feathers, cedar plugs and rigged ballyhoo for locating fish along the lines.
• Live bait hooks (2/0–4/0 circle hooks) and 40–60 lb fluorocarbon leaders for the pitch baits.
• Casting jigs and small poppers for when the school is up and boiling.
• Everything is included on our boats — full trolling spread, live bait, and tackle rigged fresh. Bring sun protection and a camera.

Dorado month by month in Cabo San Lucas

What a dorado trip with us includes

Dorado trips run on every boat in the fleet — from the 25ft panga for two anglers working the inshore buoys, up to the sportfishers for groups who want to mix dorado with a shot at tuna or marlin offshore. Every trip includes the crew, fuel, full tackle, live bait, two fishing licences, ice, water, beer and lunch.

We fillet and bag your catch at the dock so it travels well, and most marina restaurants will cook it for you that night. If dorado are the priority, tell us when you book — we will match your dates to the season and the right boat for where the fish are holding that week.