Best Time › Fishing Calendars › Mexico – Baja (Los Cabos, La Paz, East Cape)
FISHING CALENDAR · MEXICO – BAJA (LOS CABOS, LA PAZ, EAST CAPE)
Mexico – Baja (Los Cabos, La Paz, East Cape) Fishing Calendar
Cabo San Lucas fishes year-round, with the East Cape season running about June to November. Marlin, sailfish, swordfish, dorado, roosterfish and tarpon are reserved for sport fishing within 50 nautical miles of the coast.
Government fish & wildlife updates
- CONAPESCA — Veda notices, sport-fishing permits
- Visit Los Cabos (official tourism) — Sportfishing and tournaments
Month by month
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inshore & reef | |||||||||||||
| Roosterfish (pez gallo) | East Cape: any month April–November (magazine — no official source found). Sport-only within 50 nm; 2 per angler per day.[7][1][2] | ||||||||||||
| Yellowtail (jurel) | Main Baja target. No official best months found.[6][7][14] | ||||||||||||
| Gulf grouper (baya) | 2 per angler per day (NOM-017). No official best months found.[1][14] | ||||||||||||
| Sierra mackerel (sierra) | Abundant in winter, best December–February (Cabo and La Paz charter calendars).[17][18] | ||||||||||||
| Offshore | |||||||||||||
| Striped marlin (marlín rayado) | Cabo San Lucas: best November–March, top months December–February (Cabo charter calendars; matches Ortega-García 2003). Magdalena Bay peaks Oct–Nov. 1 billfish per angler per day.[8][3][7][1][19][17][18] | ||||||||||||
| Blue marlin (marlín azul) | East Cape billfish late May–October (magazine). Bisbee's Black & Blue in October (tournament source).[7][9][15] | ||||||||||||
| Black marlin (marlín negro) | East Cape billfish season (magazine); Bisbee's Black & Blue target in October.[7][9][15] | ||||||||||||
| Sailfish (pez vela) | East Cape billfish late May–October (magazine — no official source found).[7][15] | ||||||||||||
| Mahi-mahi (dorado) | East Cape June–November (magazine); Cabo catch rates highest in summer–autumn (Zúñiga-Flores 2008). Sport-only within 50 nm; 2 per day.[7][4][5][1][2][15] | ||||||||||||
| Yellowfin tuna | Best September–November (Cabo charter calendars). Featured in the Bisbee's Los Cabos Offshore in October.[9][6][15][16][17][18] | ||||||||||||
| Wahoo (peto) | Best August–October (Cabo charter calendars).[7][15][17][16][18] | ||||||||||||
| Sharks (tiburón) | Shark and ray veda May 1–Jul 31 (CONAPESCA 2026); BCS season reopened Aug 1. 1 shark per angler per day.[12][13][1] | ||||||||||||
Never keep: Totoaba: total, permanent ban since 1975 in the Gulf of California (endangered).[11]
Bait & rig for each fish
Roosterfish (pez gallo)
Bait: Live sardines, mullet, ladyfish and small jacks (caballito).
Lures: Big poppers and stickbaits, and long-casting metal lures from the beach.
Leader: 30–60 lb fluorocarbon.
Striped marlin (marlín rayado)
Bait: Live mackerel and caballito (green jack), and live or rigged ballyhoo.
Lures: Small to medium marlin lures (6–10 in) trolled at 7–9 knots.
Leader: 80–150 lb mono, 15 ft.
Blue marlin (marlín azul)
Bait: Rigged ballyhoo, mackerel and live tunas.
Lures: Large skirted trolling lures.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: 40–100 lb mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; toothy species may need heavier abrasion-resistant or wire bite protection.
Black marlin (marlín negro)
Bait: Live skipjack, bonito and small yellowfin tuna.
Lures: Big marlin lures (10–14 in) on 80-lb gear.
Leader: 80–150 lb mono, 15 ft.
Sailfish (pez vela)
Bait: Live goggle-eyes, pilchards, threadfin herring and ballyhoo.
Lures: Small trolling lures and rigged ballyhoo.
Leader: 40–100 lb mono or fluorocarbon.
Mahi-mahi (dorado)
Bait: Ballyhoo, flying fish, squid and cut bait to keep a school near the boat.
Lures: Skirted trolling lures, small feathers and bucktail jigs.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: 30–60 lb mono/fluorocarbon is a common mahi start; increase for abrasion or mixed wahoo water.
Yellowfin tuna
Bait: Live baits (blue runners, bonito) and chunks.
Lures: Spreader bars, skirted lures, poppers and stick baits.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: 40–100 lb mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; toothy species may need heavier abrasion-resistant or wire bite protection.
Wahoo (peto)
Bait: Rigged ballyhoo and live baits on wire.
Lures: High-speed trolling lures and lipped diving plugs on wire.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: Use heavy abrasion/bite leader; many wahoo anglers add short wire or cable because of the teeth.
Sharks (tiburón)
Bait: Fish or squid baits attract sharks, but baiting should only be used where legal and where the exact shark fishery rules are understood.
Lures: Large plugs, jigs or trolled lures can produce incidental shark strikes; use tackle heavy enough to shorten the fight.
Rig: Simple heavy rig with minimal hardware and immediate-access dehooking/cutting tools.
Leader: Use a heavy abrasion/bite leader and a setup that can be cut quickly near the hook if removal is unsafe.
Local fishing reports — what’s biting now
- FishingBooker – Cabo San Lucas fishing reports — Charter reports, Cabo fleet
- Gringo Gazette – Fish Report — Los Cabos / La Paz / East Cape weekly fish report
- Billfish Report – Mexico — Billfish releases by Cabo boats
- Marlin Magazine – Mexico — Tournament wins and Baja features
- Bisbee's – News — Tournament results
Sources
- DOF – NOM-017-PESC-1994 sport-fishing rules and bag limits
- Ley General de Pesca y Acuacultura Sustentables, Art. 68
- Ortega-García et al. 2003 – Striped marlin sport catch rates at Cabo San Lucas
- Zúñiga-Flores et al. 2008 – Dolphinfish catch rates, southern Gulf of California
- IATTC – Dorado in Mexico (IPN-CICIMAR)
- Von Borstel et al. 2019 – Sport fishing in three Baja California Sur towns
- Salt Water Sportsman – Catching Roosterfish in Baja (East Cape)
- Marlin Magazine – Baja: Best Striped Marlin Destination (2026)
- Bisbee's Offshore Tournaments – 2026 schedule
- Visit Los Cabos (official tourism) – Sport Fishing
- DOF 2002 – Totoaba permanent veda
- adn40 – CONAPESCA May 2026 vedas (sharks & rays May 1–Jul 31)
- Posta BCS – BCS shark season reopened Aug 1, 2026
- Salt Water Sportsman – Fishing La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
- Visit Los Cabos (official tourism) – Find Your Catch of the Day in Los Cabos
- FishingBooker – Cabo Fishing Seasons
- Kingfish Cabo – Cabo San Lucas fishing calendar
- Cabo Magic – Best time to fish in Cabo San Lucas
- Boats Baja – Cabo fishing seasons calendar
Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every month on this calendar comes from the sources above. Empty boxes mean no official source gives those months. Rules change — check the agency page before you keep a fish.
On the bay, in the mangroves or on the ocean, the everyday struggles get left at the dock — for those few hours it’s just you, the water and peace.