Cabo San Lucas Open Fishing: Seasons, Tournaments and the Boats You Can Charter

People search for Cabo San Lucas open fishing for two reasons. Some want to know if the fishing is open, meaning what is biting and whether they can go this week. Others mean the tournaments, the October events that made this town famous. Both answers are good news. The fishing is open all year, the fleet has a boat for every budget, and the tournament season is the biggest in the sport. Here is how we explain it to first-timers and to the friends who fly in every fall.

Is the fishing open? Yes. Here is what bites

Cabo sits where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez, and those currents bring the big fish. What changes through the year is the target.

• Striped marlin, November to May. The everyday billfish here. Catch and release is standard.
• Blue marlin, June to December. The trophy, and the fish the big tournament was built on.
• Black marlin, June to November. Less common, and bigger.
• Yellowfin tuna, May to November. The best eating.
• Dorado, July to October. Fast, colorful and a good first catch for kids.
• Wahoo, October to January. All speed.
• Roosterfish, April to October. Inshore, close to the beach, and the signature light-tackle target.

Offshore trips run to the banks every captain knows, like the Gordo Banks off San José and the Golden Gate and San Jaime banks. Inshore trips stay close to the beach and the reefs. A typical day leaves around 6am and is back by 2pm. Morning water is calmer.

The tournaments

October is the month. Bisbee's Black & Blue, in the last week of October, was founded in 1981 and is the richest fishing tournament there is, with purses above $11 million in recent years and more than 100 boats. Only black and blue marlin count, with a 300 pound minimum. The Los Cabos Offshore runs in mid October as the lead-in, with a smaller field and a lower entry. The Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot follows in early November. The East Cape has its own event in September, and the Stars & Stripes charity tournament is in March.

The boats from the Cabo San Lucas marina

You book the whole boat, never a seat. Every charter in our fishing fleet includes the captain and crew, rods, reels and tackle, one Mexican fishing license, dock and marina fees, ice, bottled water, bait when available, and all taxes. Here is the range.

• 23ft Panga, up to 3 anglers. $498 for a half day, $619 for a full day. The local way to fish inshore.
• 28ft Sportfisher, up to 4 anglers. $862 half day, $923 full day.
• 31ft Bertram, up to 6 anglers. $989 half day, $1,121 full day.
• 35ft Bertram, up to 8 anglers. $1,253 half day, $1,374 full day.
• 38ft Bertram, up to 8 anglers. $1,320 half day, $1,540 full day.
• 44ft Viking, up to 10 anglers. $2,129 half day, $2,657 full day.
• 60ft Hatteras, up to 10 anglers. $4,307 half day, $4,824 full day. The biggest boat we list.

More boats leave from the same marina: a 28ft California from $620 for a half day, a 34ft sportfisher at $1,293 and $1,549, a 42ft Bertram at $2,152 and $2,639, and a 55ft Bertram at $3,874 and $4,837.

The boats from San José del Cabo

The San José fleet leaves from the Puerto Los Cabos marina and sells one trip of 6 to 7 hours at one price. A 26ft super panga for 3 anglers is $600. A 26ft center console for 4 is $700. The 28ft cruiser is $800 and the 32ft is $900, and the larger boats, 33 to 45 feet for 6 to 8 anglers, run $1,900 to $2,200.

How to pick a boat

• First trip: a panga or a 28 footer, inshore, half day. You will catch fish and be back for lunch.
• Marlin: a 31 footer or larger, offshore, full day.
• Tell the captain your goal and your experience before you leave the dock. The crew reads the water every day and will shape the trip around you.
• Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, polarized sunglasses, motion sickness pills, snacks and a light layer.
• Tip the crew 15 to 20 percent. It is not included.
• Release the marlin. Keep the tuna, dorado and wahoo for dinner.

Open all year, loudest in October, and a panga is a fine way to start. See every boat on our Cabo fishing charters page.