Why This Year Will Cement Los Cabos As The Sportfishing Capital Of The World

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It may only be February; however, it is already shaping up to be a strong year for Los Cabos tourist sportfishing. The industry is critical to the success of overall tourism in the area, resulting in a visitor contribution of more than $70 million pesos (3.8 million USD) to the local economy.

Why 2023 Will be a Great Year for Sportfishing

According to the Baja California Secretary of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Agricultural Development (SEPADA), approximately 200,000 sport fishing licenses were sold to tourists and locals in 2022.

For 2023, the secretary is already estimating that they anticipate the licenses sold count to be well beyond 2022 numbers.

According to the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an El Niño weather pattern may be setting up for as early as May of this year. An El Niño pattern causes colder water to hover near the costs and hurts kelp beds and fishing.

However, the fish around Los Cabos may be more actively repositioning through the rest of the year in response to the shift in ocean temperatures.

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Upcoming Tournaments in Los Cabos

The tourist sport fishing tournament season in Los Cabos really ramps up in June.

The Pelagic Triple Crown of fishing starts June 8 and runs through June 10. It offers cash and prizes worth $500,000.

It is followed by Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore on August 3 through 5. Prizes are given for anglers catching marlin-type fish as well as tuna and dorado.

A mainstay of the Los Cabos October tournament calendar for more than 35 years, the Bisbee’s Black and Blue Marlin tournament returns October 24 through 28. It has also offered fantastic prizes to anglers, such as a $3.9 million payout to a single team in 2006 and another big team payday of $2.5 million in 2012. Not too shabby for a couple of days having fun on the sea!

In November, the Western Outdoor News Cabo Tuna Jackpot returns to Los Cabos. The November 1 through 4 champion sport fishing tournament paid out $1.5 million to winners last year.

What Types of Fish are Available in Los Cabos

First and foremost, Los Cabos is known worldwide as the Marlin Capital of the World. However, there are many more fish varieties found offshore from the Mexican resort destination.

Along with the infamous “billfish,” there are some varieties of Yellowfin, Wahoo, Swordfish, Dorado, and Grouper to be caught in Los Cabos as well. Recently, many fishermen have even reported catching Roosterfish, Yellowtail, and Red Snapper in the local waters.

Even the hot summer months of June, July, and August are traditionally fair times for finding Mackerel and Mako Sharks in the water. Meanwhile, 80-100 pound Pacific Sailfish like to frequent the waters around Los Cabos in the late winter from January to March.

Year-round, there are plenty of fish varieties available in the waters off Los Cabos to support plenty of tourist fishing adventures.

What to Expect From a Tour

There are a number of different varieties of half-day and full-day fishing tours available from professional operators in Los Cabos. They generally include fishing tackle and equipment as well as an ice chest to store caught fish.

Some may also include additional services to accompany local fishing adventures such as required licenses, lunch, and plenty of cold beverages. They range from the most basic amenities to deluxe sport fishing adventures.

Many Los Cabos tour operators prefer to charter an entire boat for a group of five to eight anglers, starting at about $1,000 total for an eight-hour fishing trip. Other operators may provide a five-hour fishing trip for a per-person cost of $200 to $500. Those fishing in a group will generally find renting a charter boat a better option.

It all depends on the amenities that anglers are seeking in their fun-filled day fishing the waters of Los Cabos. No matter the amenities, most visitors to Los Cabos will say that a bad day on the sea is better than many others adventures on the land.