Cabo Marlin Season, Month by Month

Cabo San Lucas has two marlin seasons, not one. Striped marlin are the winter fish, targeted from November through March. Blue and black marlin are the summer and fall fish, running from July through October. Sportfishing goes on all year, so the question is less “when is it open” and more “which marlin do you want, and what else matters on your trip.”

Here is how the year typically breaks down. Treat it as a broad pattern: water temperature, bait and weather move the fish around from year to year, so check recent reports with your charter before you lock in dates. For the bigger picture on the destination, see our Cabo San Lucas guide.

The short answer

• Striped marlin: November through March.
• Blue and black marlin: July through October.
• Tournament season: October, with the Los Cabos Billfish Tournament and Bisbee’s Black and Blue.
• Storm season: mid-May through September by the tourism board’s count; the official eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 to November 30.

Month by month

January

Striped marlin season is in full swing. Winter is also whale season, so a January trip can pair a marlin day with whale watching. The tourism board rates fall and winter as excellent for all-around fishing, and yellowfin tuna are still in the mix through January.

February

Still striped marlin season. Winter and spring also bring sharks such as hammerheads, threshers and makos. February is a solid choice if you want a steady winter billfish target.

March

The last month of the core striped marlin window. Humpback whale sightings are still strong through March.

April

The sources we rely on do not single out April for marlin. Bottom fishing for roosterfish, jacks, grouper and snapper runs all year, and offshore fishing in the Sea of Cortez has no real low season, so there is fishing to be had. If marlin are the whole point of your trip, the months on either side are the safer bet. Ask your captain what is being caught.

May

Another in-between month for marlin. The tourism board marks mid-May as the start of its storm season, and the official eastern Pacific hurricane season opens on May 15. Mobula rays are a highlight for snorkelers and divers in May and June.

June

Still between the main marlin seasons. The Stars and Stripes tournament is held in June. As summer builds, the warm-water species start to take over.

July

Blue and black marlin season begins. Dorado (mahi-mahi) also come on in July. Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore tournament runs from Buenavista on the East Cape around the end of July. It is also storm season, so watch the forecast.

August

Peak summer for blue and black marlin. Wahoo and sailfish are best in late summer and early fall, when the water is warmest, so August and September can produce a mixed bag of billfish and fast pelagics. This is storm season, so keep plans flexible.

September

Blue and black marlin continue, and yellowfin tuna start their run, which lasts into January. September is the quiet low season in Los Cabos, with lower prices and fewer crowds, but it is also the tail of the tourism board’s storm season and the middle of the official hurricane season. Travel insurance is worth considering.

October

The last month of the blue and black marlin window and the heart of the tournament calendar. The Los Cabos Billfish Tournament is held in October, and Bisbee’s Black and Blue follows in the second half of the month, with payouts that can exceed 3.5 million dollars. Dockside weigh-ins are open to visitors. If you want to fish rather than watch that week, book early.

November

Striped marlin season opens again, dorado are still around through November, and yellowfin tuna are in season. A November tuna tournament is a fixture on the calendar. This is the month when Cabo’s offshore menu is at its widest.

December

Striped marlin settle in for the winter. Humpback whales arrive in December and whale sharks are around from November, so December trips mix well with non-fishing activities.

How to choose

If you want a striped marlin outside storm season, go between December and March. It also lines up with whale season.

If you want a big blue or black marlin, go from July through October, and accept the storm-season risk. October adds the tournament atmosphere, so plan and book early if you want that week.

If you want variety, late October and November put fall billfish, dorado and yellowfin in the same window.

Catch and release

Catch and release is the general rule for billfish in Los Cabos. Pisces Sportfishing says it was the first fleet in Mexico to go to circle hooks for live-bait fishing, a practice meant to reduce marlin deaths, and it runs a tagging program so anglers can follow released fish. The fleet’s own catch summaries list striped marlin, sailfish, blue marlin and black marlin among its billfish. Ask your crew how they handle billfish and what you can keep. For background on fish handling and boat choice, see our guide to choosing a fishing charter.

Planning notes

• License: You need a sport fishing license to fish from a boat. Charter packages typically include it; Mexico’s rules come from CONAPESCA and change, so confirm with your charter. See our fishing licenses guide.
• Weather: Storm season overlaps the blue marlin months. See our trip safety and weather guide.
• Gear: Charters supply tackle for offshore trips. If you bring your own, read our tips on traveling with fishing gear.
• More marlin trips: Compare Cabo with the billfish season on the Costa Rica Pacific coast, or read about marlin as a species.