Fishing info
Best Time to Fish in Cabo San Lucas
Cabo fishes every month of the year — the question is which fish you want. This is our month-by-month breakdown from 18 seasons on the water: what's biting, what the water is doing, and which trip to book.
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Best month overall
October and November give you the widest shot at marlin, tuna, dorado and wahoo on the same trip, with comfortable weather.
Best for big fish
July through September — cow yellowfin over 200 lb and blue and black marlin are in the warmest, bluest water of the year.
Best for numbers
January through March, when striped marlin stack up on the banks and multi-fish release days are common.
Best for inshore and fly
May through October for roosterfish, jacks and pargo on the beaches by panga, surf or kayak.
Month by month
| Month | Water | What's running | Target species |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 70–73°F | Peak striped marlin Cool, clean water stacks striped marlin on the Golden Gate and Jaime banks. Sierra, yellowtail and bottom fish keep the inshore trips busy on slower offshore days. | Striped marlin, Yellowtail, Sierra, Snapper & grouper |
| February | 70–72°F | Striped marlin and yellowtail The coldest month of the year and the most consistent striper fishing. Live bait on the banks, plus solid yellowtail along the Pacific side. | Striped marlin, Yellowtail, Bottom fish |
| March | 70–73°F | Stripers hold, tuna show up Striped marlin stay thick while the first football yellowfin appear on porpoise. Whale watching overlaps with the run to the banks. | Striped marlin, Yellowfin tuna, Yellowtail |
| April | 72–75°F | Transition month — roosters arrive Warming water brings the first roosterfish to the beaches, ideal for panga and fly trips. Marlin fishing stays strong offshore. | Roosterfish, Striped marlin, Yellowfin tuna |
| May | 74–78°F | Inshore fires up Prime roosterfish, jack crevalle and pargo along the shoreline. Early dorado start showing on floating structure offshore. | Roosterfish, Dorado, Striped marlin |
| June | 78–82°F | Blue and black marlin season opens Big blues and blacks push in with the warm water, dorado numbers climb, and tuna schools build. One of the best all-around months. | Blue & black marlin, Dorado, Yellowfin tuna, Roosterfish |
| July | 82–85°F | Cow tuna and big blues Warm blue water with big yellowfin on porpoise and quality dorado. Blue marlin fishing peaks through the summer. | Yellowfin tuna, Blue & black marlin, Dorado |
| August | 84–87°F | Peak offshore The hottest water of the year and the widest variety: cow yellowfin, blue and black marlin, dorado and the first wahoo. | Yellowfin tuna, Blue & black marlin, Dorado, Wahoo |
| September | 84–87°F | Big fish, quiet docks Historically the biggest-fish month of the year. Hurricane season means flexible dates, but the fishing can be exceptional. | Blue & black marlin, Yellowfin tuna, Dorado, Wahoo |
| October | 82–85°F | Tournament season The Bisbee's month. Marlin, tuna and dorado all in play, plus wahoo around the full moon near the Gordo banks. | Blue & black marlin, Wahoo, Dorado, Yellowfin tuna |
| November | 78–82°F | Wahoo and the striper return Cooling water brings wahoo through and pushes striped marlin back onto the banks while dorado and tuna hold on. | Wahoo, Striped marlin, Dorado, Yellowfin tuna |
| December | 73–77°F | Striped marlin build Striped marlin numbers climb every week, tuna stay catchable, and the inshore bite for sierra and yellowtail begins. | Striped marlin, Yellowfin tuna, Sierra, Yellowtail |
Season by species
Striped Marlin
Year-round · peak Nov–May
Cabo is the only place on earth with striped marlin all twelve months. We hunt them with sonar and live bait.
Yellowfin Tuna
Peak Jul–Dec
Porpoise schools and offshore banks hold cows over 200 lbs. Kite fishing is our edge on the big ones.
Dorado (Mahi-Mahi)
Peak Jun–Nov
Fast, acrobatic and the best eating fish in the Sea of Cortez. Found on floating structure and weed lines.
Wahoo
Aug–Dec
High-speed trolling around the banks and full-moon periods. Nothing burns line like a wahoo.
Roosterfish
Apr–Oct
Our inshore trophy. Sight-cast live mullet from the panga along the beaches of the East Cape.
Snapper & Grouper
Year-round
Bottom fishing the rock piles — the best way to fill the cooler and the taco order.
Blue & Black Marlin
Peak Jun–Nov
The heavyweights of Cabo. Grander-class fish show on the banks through the warm-water months.