Cabo San Lucas Fishing Calendar

When to go and what to know

January

A great month for striped marlin here in Cabo. These beauties are here year round, and January is one of their peak months. The weather is also perfect, as you can see in the temps below.

You can also hope to be hitting yellowfin, mackerel, wahoo and dorado. Interested in a good fight? Inshore fishing for rooster is decent in January too.

Sea Temps
  • Max: 24.7°C 74.6°F
  • Avg: 22.4°C 72.3°F
  • Min: 20.2°C 70.1°F
Air Temps
  • High: 25°C 77°F
  • Low: 14°C 57.2°F
Peak Season
  • Striped Marlin
  • YellowFin Tuna
  • Mackerel
Good
  • Wahoo
  • Dorado
  • Rooster
  • Crevalle Jack
Fair to Spotty
  • Sailfish

February

In February we welcome Grouper and Snapper to the party! Most people think of deep sea fishing for marlin when they think of Cabo — but inshore are some of the best fish for cooking: Snapper and Grouper.

Striped Marlin are in top form during February, putting up the fight you travelled here for!

Sea Temps
  • Max: 22.7°C 71.9°F
  • Avg: 21.5°C 70.7°F
  • Min: 20.3°C 69.5°F
Air Temps
  • High: 26°C 78.8°F
  • Low: 14°C 57.2°F
Peak Season
  • Striped Marlin
  • Mackerel
Good
  • Grouper
  • Snapper
  • Wahoo
Fair to Spotty
  • Dorado
  • YellowFin

March

Interested in something good to cook up during your trip here to Cabo? March is a B-I-N-G-O for some of the tastiest fish around. Snapper and Grouper arrive in February, but March is when the real season for these guys heats up.

More interested in the big boys? Striped Marlin are on-point in March! Start limbering up — you’re going the full 12 rounds with these guys.

Sea Temps
  • Max: 22.6°C 71.7°F
  • Avg: 21.4°C 70.5°F
  • Min: 20.2°C 69.3°F
Air Temps
  • High: 27°C 80.6°F
  • Low: 15°C 59°F
Peak Season
  • Striped Marlin
  • Snapper
  • Grouper
Good
  • Rooster
  • Yellowtail
  • Crevalle Jack
Fair to Spotty
  • Wahoo
  • Dorado
  • Mackerel

April

April is similar to March here in Cabo with consistent hits from Striped Marlin offshore. Yellofin tuna are not quite fully in season yet, but they can sometimes be found on deep sea charters when we head out 20-30 miles offshore.

Also a solid month for inshore fish like mackerel, grouper and rooster fish. Stick around on the boat after your charter, we’ll break out the grill and cook up some fresh fish and hang out for some beers.

Sea Temps
  • Max: 23.4°C 72.6°F
  • Avg: 21.5°C 70.7°F
  • Min: 19.6°C 68.8°F
Air Temps
  • High: 28°C 82.4°F
  • Low: 16°C 60.8°F
Peak Season
  • Striped Marlin
  • Mackerel
  • Grouper
Good
  • Rooster
  • Snapper
  • Mackerel
  • Crevalle Jack
Fair to Spotty
  • Wahoo
  • Yellowfin
  • Dorado

May

The water is warming up and do you know what that means? The Blue Marlin and Black Marlin are knocking at the door.

The Blues and Blacks are the main reason everyone flocks to Cabo to get out on the water and test their grit.

I hope you’re ready to get to work. You might be in for the catch of a lifetime.

It’s your choice, but we do recommend catch and release of these top-shelf fighters. Let’s keep ‘em coming back for more.

Sea Temps
  • Max: 25.6°C 76.4°F
  • Avg: 23.5°C 74.3°F
  • Min: 21.4°C 72.2°F
Air Temps
  • High: 30°C 86°F
  • Low: 18°C 64.4°F
Peak Season
  • Striped Marlin
  • Snapper
  • Grouper
Good
  • Black Marlin
  • Blue Marlin
  • Crevalle Jack
  • Cabrilla
  • Rooster
Fair to Spotty
  • Sailfish
  • Wahoo
  • Yellowfin
  • Mackerel

June

June is a favorite month for a couple particularly tasty reasons: Dorado and Wahoo.

If you’re looking for a mix of a solid fight and enjoying the results cooked up on a patio later it doesn’t get better than Dorado and Wahoo season.

Wahoo are some of the fastest fish on the planet, Dorado are aggressive, and they both work like magic on the grill.

Sea Temps
  • Max: 26.1°C 76.6°F
  • Avg: 23.1°C 73.6°F
  • Min: 20.1°C 70.3°F
Air Temps
  • High: 31°C 87.8°F
  • Low: 18°C 64.4°F
Peak Season
  • Snapper
  • Grouper
Good
  • Striped Marlin
  • Blue Marlin
  • Black Marlin
  • Dorado
  • Yellowfin
Fair to Spotty
  • Sailfish
  • Wahoo
  • Mackerel

July

July boasts an all-star lineup. The 2018 Red Sox of fishing.

On land: Town isn’t nearly as busy as the holiday season and spring break, making it easy to relax and enjoy a slightly slower-paced Cabo than high-season.

At Sea: All of the fan-favorites are here. We’re talking the biggest game, Black Marlin and Blue Marlin. We’re talking mid-game fighters with Wahoo and Dorado.

You could even be hitting some Yellowfin which dive deep and put your strength to the test.

Sea Temps
  • Max: 28.8°C 81.4°F
  • Avg: 25.7°C 78.3°F
  • Min: 22.7°C 75.3°F
Air Temps
  • High: 33°C 91.4°F
  • Low: 24°C 75.2°F
Peak Season
  • Blue Marlin
  • Black Marlin
  • Wahoo
  • Dorado
Good
  • Yellowfin
  • Grouper
  • Snapper
Fair to Spotty
  • Mackerel

August

Another star-studded month for fishing here in Cabo San Lucas.

Blues, Blacks, Striped, Dorado, Wahoo. Pack your bags and move down for as long as you can in August. Maybe you won’t leave.

Sea Temps
  • Max: 30.2°C 84.9°F
  • Avg: 28.4°C 83.1°F
  • Min: 26.7°C 81.4°F
Air Temps
  • High: 33°C 91.4°F
  • Low: 25°C 77°F
Peak Season
  • Blue Marlin
  • Black Marlin
  • Wahoo
  • Dorado
Good
  • Striped Marlin
  • Yellowfin
  • Grouper
  • Snapper
Fair to Spotty
  • Mackerel

September

If we’re doing sports analogies here, October is the Super Bowl of fishing and September is the playoffs.

A big month for all the marlins: Black Marlin, Blue Marlin, Striped Marlin. Great action from Dorado, Wahoo and Yellowfin.

Sailfish start poking their nose around in August and by September they’re peaking in activity.

Sea Temps
  • Max: 31°C 86.5°F
  • Avg: 29.4°C 84.9°F
  • Min: 27.9°C 83.4°F
Air Temps
  • High: 32°C 89.6°F
  • Low: 24°C 75.2°F
Peak Season
  • Blue Marlin
  • Black Marlin
  • Sailfish
  • Wahoo
  • Dorado
  • Yellowfin
Good
  • Striped Marlin
Fair to Spotty
  • Mackerel

October

This is the big one. Tournament season. The highest paying fishing tournament in the world with a cash purse that ranges from $3,000,000 to over $4,000,000 USD each year.

This is the Super Bowl. The World Series. All of the best fishermen from all over the world come here to test their mettle.

Seasoned vets to rookies are all trying to make the big show here.

Everything you’ve dreamt of catching is here and putting up a fight in October. Book early, October sells out for sure.

Sea Temps
  • Max: 30.7°C 85.8°F
  • Avg: 28.9°C 84°F
  • Min: 27.2°C 82.3°F
Air Temps
  • High: 32°C 89.6°F
  • Low: 22°C 71.6°F
Peak Season
  • Blue Marlin
  • Black Marlin
  • Sailfish
  • Wahoo
  • Dorado
  • Yellowfin
Good
  • Striped Marlin
Fair to Spotty
  • Grouper
  • Mackerel

November

Still very similar to October with a gradual departure of the Blue Marlin and Black Marlin.

The waters are cooling down and they’re packing their bags.

Absolutely a premium month for Dorado, Yellowfin and Mackerel.

Sea Temps
  • Max: 29.1°C 82.5°F
  • Avg: 26.8°C 80.2°F
  • Min: 24.5°C 77.9°F
Air Temps
  • High: 29°C 84.2°F
  • Low: 18°C 64.4°F
Peak Season
  • Striped Marlin
  • Sailfish
  • Dorado
  • Yellowfin
  • Mackerel
Good
  • Wahoo
  • Black Marlin
  • Blue Marlin
Fair to Spotty
  • Grouper

December

December is holiday season and there’s lots of fun to be had fishing in Cabo.

Get some yellowfin for fresh sashimi, Mackerel, Dorado and Wahoo for the grill or some fresh ceviche.

We see a lot of families down here for the holidays — what better time to enjoy family life than December reeling in some fish in the warm sun and clear skies?

Sea Temps
  • Max: 26.4°C 77.7°F
  • Avg: 24.1°C 75.4°F
  • Min: 21.8°C 73.1°F
Air Temps
  • High: 26°C 78.8°F
  • Low: 15°C 59°F
Peak Season
  • Striped Marlin
  • Yellowfin
  • Mackerel
Good
  • Wahoo
  • Dorado
Fair to Spotty
  • Blue Marlin
  • Black Marlin
  • Grouper

Striped Marlin

As consistent as they get in these parts. The Striped Marlin are full-time residents and can be found here pretty much any month of the year.

See the calendar here for their best months.

Black Marlin & Blue Marlin

These are the big draw. Every angler’s dream catch. They put up huge fights that can last for hours and hours.

We love to release these so they can continue to produce and thrive here in Cabo San Lucas.

Dorado, aka Mahi Mahi

Dorado are always a great time when they’re biting. They’re feisty, fast and get aggressive on the lures.

A plentiful catch, they are a premium fish for hitting the grill for a tasty, well earned lunch.

Wahoo

These striped speeders tend to cruise the blue alone, sometimes in small groups, but they don’t typically school together.

Wahoo are related to Mackerel and are some of the fastest fish in the sea and put up a great fight.

Did you know that Wahoo are called “Ono” in Hawaii — which literally means, “good to eat.”

So let’s go get something good to eat!

Mackerel

Technically Mackerel is the family name for a wide variety of sub-species (including Wahoo). Around Cabo we see some good fights from the speedy Sierra and Spanish Mackerel.