Cabo San Lucas Fishing
Marlin Fishing Capital

No other destination in the world can rival Cabo San Lucas fishing for the number and variety of fish caught year round. Cabo San Lucas is known as the "Marlin Capital of the World" and deservedly so, as there is more marlin fishing and marlin caught here, than any other place on earth. Book your fishing trip now!

 Cabo San Lucas - Home | Cabo San Luca Tours and Activities |  Cabo San Lucas Beaches | Cabo San Lucas Fishing |  Cabo San Lucas Restaurants
 

There are some guidelines that can help to make your Cabo San Lucas fishing trip successful and enjoyable. If you plan on doing some sportfishing during your Mexico vacation, if possible, decide ahead of time when you plan to fish, as advance reservations assure you that you will get the type of boat you want on the dates to fit in with your travel plans.
Some major fleets have websites, or you can call directly to the fleet office in Mexico. However, at most times of the year there is no problem in chartering a fishing boat with a day or two's notice at various fleet offices around town or through your hotel.

Here are a couple of examples:

Aby Charters Sportfishing - "We have some of Cabo's most modern, most comfortable Cabo San Lucas fishing boats. Strap in and get your line ready, because you're in for the sportfishing adventure of a lifetime!"

Pisces Sportfishing Cabo San Lucas - "Pisces Fleet has been established in Cabo San Lucas fishing for the past 20 years and is known for its consistency in catch rates and customer satisfaction."

Cabo San Lucas fishing "deals" offered by street vendors sometimes turn out to be costly by day's end and the boat or trip not as promised. Some are legitimate, but use caution, let the buyer beware. It is generally better to rent your boats through an established office or hotel, giving you a place to go back to if anything goes wrong. Most every Los Cabos resort can provide Cabo San Lucas fishing excursions through their activities desk.

A visit to the fishing dock ahead of time is often a good idea to see for yourself what sport fish are being caught. These days, many anglers release their catch rather than keep them, so you won’t see a large catch on-board the boat. A more accurate indicator is to look at the flags hanging from the boat's outriggers, which announce the type and amount of fish caught.

Generally, Cabo San Lucas fishing boats are chartered to individuals; therefore the price of the boat, determined by size, is the same whether your party is one person or the maximum capacity of the boat.
Some fleets will include beer and soda, and cleaning and freezing of your catch. Live bait is normally available year round and at least 10 should be purchased for your trip. The cost of live bait has been $2.00 each for the last 10 years and is paid to the bait supplier on the morning of your trip. Box lunches are extra and can be ordered from the fleet office, hotel, local deli or restaurant, or you can pack your own.
Depending on the size and strength of the fish and how determined you are, the fight can last a matter of minutes or an hour or more, before your catch is along side the boat. If your catch is a marlin, most are required to be released. Be sure you understand this prior to taking off on you Cabo San Lucas fishing adventure to avoid disappointment and perhaps an argument.

If your fish turns out to be a smaller game specimen such as dorado, tuna or wahoo, you will want to keep it to eat, or take home.
Once you are off the boat there are several options available as to what to do with your catch. Most people will want to have their photo taken with their fish if of noteworthy size. The fleet operator will have your catch taken over to the scale and have it hoisted up and weighed, at which time photos can be taken by a professional photographer, who will fill out a board with all relevant details and deliver good quality 8 x 10 prints with negatives to your hotel the next day for between $15 and $20 dollars, providing you with a lasting memory of your Cabo San Lucas fishing experience.
 
If you would like your fish to be cleaned, it will be taken to the filleting tables at the dock, skinned and cut into manageable size fillets. You can expect to pay between $2 and $10 dollars, depending on size, per fish cleaned. Once cleaned it will be handed to you, or taken by the fleet operator to be frozen and collected at a later date.
There is nothing better than fresh fish cooked in the Mexican tradition. What better way to enjoy the fruits of your Cabo San Lucas fishing adventure, than to keep a couple of fillets to be cooked by a local Cabo San Lucas restaurant. Typically they charge a few dollars for preparation. Smoking your fish is another option and can be arranged by your captain. The cost is $5 dollars per pound for the finished product, which is vacuum packed.