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FISHING CALENDAR · PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico Fishing Calendar
When the main Puerto Rico fish are at their best, when seasons are closed, and the bait and rig to use. Official Puerto Rico sources give exact closed seasons, but give few “best months” — where no source exists, the month boxes stay empty instead of guessing.
Government fish & wildlife updates
- DRNA — Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales (news feed) — Notices, closures, beach monitoring
- NOAA Fisheries — Fishery bulletins (choose Caribbean) — Federal season openings and closures
- Caribbean Fishery Management Council — Closed seasons by species, meetings
- NOAA — U.S. Caribbean seasonal and area closures — All federal closures in one table
Month by month
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offshore | |||||||||||||
| Mahi-mahi (dorado) | Caught all year; main peaks January–April. Spawns September–June.[3][5] | ||||||||||||
| Wahoo (peto) | Peak by coast: north in August, west and south in September, east in October.[4] | ||||||||||||
| Blue marlin | No official best months found. The San Juan International Billfish Tournament is usually August–September. Release only in the tournament.[8][11] | ||||||||||||
| White marlin & sailfish | White marlin best June–August; sailfish best November–February (charter calendars). The Puerto del Rey Billfish Tournament (Fajardo) is held October–November.[8][14][16][17] | ||||||||||||
| Yellowfin tuna | Spring (March–June) brings the biggest yellowfin, per charters. No official best months.[14][18] | ||||||||||||
| Blackfin tuna | Schools peak in summer (June–August), per charters.[18][13] | ||||||||||||
| Swordfish (pez espada) | Charters target swordfish January–April (deep water, night or daytime deep-drop).[13] | ||||||||||||
| King mackerel (sierra) | Best in the cooler months, November–April (charters). No closed season.[15][19] | ||||||||||||
| Reef & bottom | |||||||||||||
| Red hind (mero cabrilla) | Closed Dec 1–last day of February, Puerto Rico and federal waters. Tourmaline Bank and Abrir La Sierra closed Dec 1–Feb 28; Bajo de Sico closed Oct 1–Mar 31.[1][2] | ||||||||||||
| Red, black, tiger, yellowfin & yellowedge grouper | Closed Feb 1–Apr 30 in federal waters. Charters say grouper fishing is best December–March, so the open best months are December–January. In Puerto Rico local waters, yellowmouth grouper (guajil) is closed in the same period.[1][7][20][21] | ||||||||||||
| Mutton snapper (sama) | Federal waters closed Apr 1–Jun 30. Puerto Rico waters: Apr 1–May 30 (2018 rules).[6][2] | ||||||||||||
| Lane snapper (arrayao) | Closed Apr 1–Jun 30 in federal waters. Charters say summer is peak, so best open months are July–August.[6][22] | ||||||||||||
| Silk (chillo), blackfin, black & vermilion snapper | Closed Oct 1–Dec 31, Puerto Rico and federal waters. September, just before the closure, is a strong month (charters).[1][2][22] | ||||||||||||
| Yellowtail snapper (colirrubia) | Best January–May, per charters. No closed season.[22] | ||||||||||||
| Inshore & flats | |||||||||||||
| Tarpon (sábalo) | Catch and release only, all year. No official best months found.[2][12] | ||||||||||||
| Snook (róbalo) | Charters disagree: one says May–August (summer spawning run), another says fall through spring. No official best months.[20][23] | ||||||||||||
| Bonefish (macaco) & permit (pámpano) | Catch and release only, all year. Guides point to March and November for big bonefish (Culebra and east coast flats).[2][14][24] | ||||||||||||
| Great barracuda (picúa) | Most active April–September, per charters.[25] | ||||||||||||
| Freshwater (reservoirs) | |||||||||||||
| Largemouth bass (lobina) | Spawns January–June. Limit 10 per day, 12-inch minimum. Stocked reservoirs include Cerrillo, Carite, Lucchetti, Guajataca and La Plata. No official best months found.[9][10][2] | ||||||||||||
| Butterfly peacock bass (tucunaré) | Limit 8 per day, 12-inch minimum, reservoirs only. Gets better as the water warms, May–August.[2][14][26] | ||||||||||||
Never keep: Never keep, all year: Nassau grouper, goliath grouper, midnight/blue/rainbow parrotfish, nurse shark (Puerto Rico waters), giant manta, spotted eagle ray and southern stingray. Queen conch: closed all year in federal waters and Aug 1–Oct 31 in Puerto Rico waters. Land crab: closed Jul 15–Oct 15.[1][2]
Bait & rig for each fish
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.
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.
Blue marlin
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.
White marlin & sailfish
Bait: Rigged ballyhoo and small squid.
Lures: Small skirted trolling lures.
Leader: 40–100 lb mono or fluorocarbon.
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.
Blackfin tuna
Bait: Live pilchards and sardines; chunked bait for chumming.
Lures: Small feathers, cedar plugs, metal jigs and topwater poppers.
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.
Swordfish (pez espada)
Bait: Common starting baits are ballyhoo, sardines, flying fish, squid strips or other locally abundant forage matched to size.
Lures: Trolling heads, feathers, plugs, spoons and metal jigs are common; match lure size and color to local forage.
Rig: Specialized deep-drop bait rig with breakaway/controlled weight and lights where lawful.
Leader: Heavy abrasion-resistant leader, often 150–300 lb class in specialized swordfish systems.
King mackerel (sierra)
Bait: Live blue runners, goggle-eyes, menhaden and threadfin herring; frozen cigar minnows.
Lures: Spoons, diving plugs and duster-rigged 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: Wire or monofilament leader is documented; material choice, strength and length are not universally established.
Red hind (mero cabrilla)
Bait: Squid, cut fish and live small fish.
Lures: Small jigs.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: 30–80 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; increase around sharp reef or very large fish.
Red, black, tiger, yellowfin & yellowedge grouper
Bait: Live grunts, pinfish, blue runners and big pilchards.
Lures: Deep-diving plugs trolled over the reef edge.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: 30–80 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; increase around sharp reef or very large fish.
Mutton snapper (sama)
Bait: Live pilchards, ballyhoo plugs, squid and cut bait.
Lures: Bucktail jigs tipped with squid or shrimp.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: 30–80 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; increase around sharp reef or very large fish.
Lane snapper (arrayao)
Bait: Shrimp, squid and cut fish.
Lures: Small jigs.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: 30–80 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; increase around sharp reef or very large fish.
Silk (chillo), blackfin, black & vermilion snapper
Bait: Shrimp, squid, cut bait and local baitfish are common starting choices; match bait size to the mouth and local forage.
Lures: Jigs, bucktails, soft plastics, diving plugs and metal jigs are common; choose by depth and current.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: 30–80 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; increase around sharp reef or very large fish.
Yellowtail snapper (colirrubia)
Bait: Silversides, pieces of ballyhoo or squid, and live shrimp in a chum slick.
Lures: Small jigs dropped back in the chum.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: 30–80 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; increase around sharp reef or very large fish.
Tarpon (sábalo)
Bait: Live crabs, mullet, pinfish, threadfin herring and large shrimp.
Lures: Swimbaits, soft-plastic jerkbaits, plugs and flies; small jigs for baby tarpon.
Rig: A documented tarpon option is a live-line/live-bait rig using main line, leader, a circle hook and live bait without added weight. Component strength and size must match the fish and local rules.
Leader: A strong monofilament leader helps resist contact with the gill plate and tail.
Snook (rĂłbalo)
Bait: Live pilchards (whitebait), pinfish, finger mullet and large live shrimp.
Lures: Soft-plastic swimbaits and jerkbaits, bucktail jigs, topwater walking baits and suspending twitchbaits.
Rig: Free-line, popping-cork, Carolina/fish-finder and light jig rigs are common; choose the least hardware needed to reach the zone.
Leader: 10–30 lb fluorocarbon/mono is a common flats/inshore start; move to 40–80 lb around abrasive mouths, structure or large tarpon/snook.
Bonefish (macaco) & permit (pámpano)
Bait: Live or fresh shrimp and small crabs.
Lures: Small skimmer jigs and bonefish flies (Gotcha, Crazy Charlie).
Rig: No harvest-targeting rig is recommended. Keep dehooker and cutters ready for incidental release.
Leader: Clear 10–20 lb fluorocarbon/mono is a practical flats starting range, adjusted for fish size and coral/rock.
Great barracuda (picĂşa)
Bait: Live pilchards, ballyhoo and needlefish.
Lures: Tube lures ("cuda tubes") retrieved fast, spoons, plugs and topwaters.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: Use heavy mono/fluoro or a short wire bite leader where barracuda teeth are likely to contact the leader.
Largemouth bass (lobina)
Bait: Live wild shiners.
Lures: Plastic worms, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, topwater frogs and crankbaits.
Rig: Float rig, Carolina/bottom rig, jig head or simple lure setup depending on depth and species.
Leader: Often 6–15 lb mono/fluoro; heavier leader is useful around abrasive cover or toothy fish.
Butterfly peacock bass (tucunaré)
Bait: Live shiners and small tilapia.
Lures: Jerkbaits, topwaters, small swimbaits and jigs.
Rig: Float rig, Carolina/bottom rig, jig head or simple lure setup depending on depth and species.
Leader: Often 6–15 lb mono/fluoro; heavier leader is useful around abrasive cover or toothy fish.
Local fishing reports — what’s biting now
- Captain Experiences — Puerto Rico fishing reports — Charter captains’ reports: San Juan, Carolina, Humacao, Palmas del Mar
- FishingBooker — charter fishing reports — Charter trip reports (example: Ceiba/Fajardo — wahoo, mahi, kingfish)
- Discover Puerto Rico — fishing tournaments — Official tourism page: tournament calendar
- Club Náutico de San Juan — Home of the International Billfish Tournament
Sources
- NOAA Fisheries — Seasonal and area fishing closures, U.S. Caribbean
- DRNA — Resumen Reglamento de Pesca 7949 (2018 summary; check current rules)
- DRNA — Torneos de pesca recreativa marina 2000–2013
- GCFI — Seasonal distribution of the wahoo in Puerto Rico (RodrĂguez-Ferrer et al.)
- GCFI — Reproductive dynamics of the dolphinfish in Puerto Rico
- NOAA Fisheries bulletin — 2026 mutton & lane snapper closure, federal waters
- Metro PR — DRNA grouper closure Feb 1–Apr 30 (Feb 2025)
- Discover Puerto Rico — Fishing competitions
- NC State — Largemouth bass in Puerto Rico reservoirs (Neal 2003)
- DRNA — Embalses (reservoirs)
- Marlin Magazine – Where the Bite Is: Puerto Rico
- Salt Water Sportsman – San Juan Tarpon Hunt
- Simply Caught Charters (Rincón) – Fishing calendar
- FishingBooker – Puerto Rico month-by-month notes
- Rove.me – Fishing in Puerto Rico
- Curate Fishing (Palmas del Mar charter) – White marlin
- Simply Caught Charters – Sailfish
- Curate Fishing (Palmas del Mar charter) – Tuna
- Simply Caught Charters – Kingfish
- FishingBooker – Fishing in Puerto Rico guide
- Curate Fishing (Palmas del Mar charter) – Grouper
- Curate Fishing (Palmas del Mar charter) – Snapper
- Curate Fishing (Palmas del Mar charter) – Snook
- Hatch Magazine – 20 Questions: Chris Goldmark
- Curate Fishing (Palmas del Mar charter) – Barracuda
- Curate Fishing (Palmas del Mar charter) – Peacock bass
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.