Cabo Fishing Trip

Ttannahill14 · Nov 26, 2018

Headed to Cabo in early February... Wife enjoys laying on the beach... I get bored.

So fishing is on the agenda. Was going to charter a Panga for a day early on in the trip... and then shore fish from then on.

Any recommended Charters?
Any tips for shore fishing for the first time?
Any one know where I can rent some tackle or recommend a tackle shop?

Also, we haven't decided on cabo san lucas or san jose del cabo... anyone know if either is better fishing?

Not trying to catch any giant marlins or anything crazy... just learn a new skill and fight some fish and hopefully catch some dinner.

vanish · Nov 27, 2018

I think we've done 7 Pangas and one larger boat. We like Pangas as it is more intimate fishing, but the bigger boats ( more $$ ) almost always catch more fish. Cabo san lucas will have more of the big game as it is closer to the ocean, but the wife will want the other side as the beach on the Pacific is dangerous.

We had mixed results with Sushi Time. Really depends on the captain you get assigned. The upside is that it is easy to book online.

We also had mixed results bartering the night before down in the port. Can get a really cheap boat that way, but whether your captain puts in the effort or just drags a hoochie all day is a crapshoot.

February is the slow time of year for fishing, but there are still fish around, even marlin.

pa mt man · Nov 27, 2018

Going to Cabo same time as you. First time for this time of year. I mostly dive and party but have done some fishing. Have never fished off shore or a Panga. I have always gone with El Budster and caught fish. Haven't been there for a while and can't make up my mind if i will fish this trip. Wife is coming and she doen't fish. I am staying a few days at Cabo Pulmo and might try a Panga trip out of there.

Frenchy · Nov 27, 2018

My family used to hit up Cabo San Lucus every other year or so. They have moved a little farther north for better fishing, but have also started going in October. Not sure what the fishing is like in February, but I landed a 45lb Rooster fishing from a Panga along the shore between Cabo Pulmo and Los Bariles. Supposed to be good shore fishing from the point with the light house there.

Kaitum · Nov 27, 2018

I went to Cabo late January this past year. I really wanted to catch a roosterfish. Did a half day trip, not a single bite. Guy who set up the trip talked me into one more trip for free. Tried again for roosterfish with no luck. Last hour of that trip tge boat went out where everyone else was fishing (off shore) and I caught an 84" striped marlin. Both trips were on a 'regular' size charter boat, not a small Pangas. Just my wife and I as anglers on the boat each time. Honestly don't recall the name of either boat and can't say I'd recommend them over any others. Just walk the dock if you can't line something up ahead of time, there's no shortage of people wanting to put you on a boat.

Ridge Ghost · Nov 27, 2018

We went with Sushi Time last February. They had good reviews online and are quick to respond to any questions via email.

When we showed up on the day of our trip, the captain asked what we would like to fish for, and we told him we wanted to go off shore for striped marlin. He nodded his head, "si, we can do that", we paid up and got in the boat. After about an hour of trolling right off the shoreline and catching a few mackerel, I asked when we were going to start the marlin fishing. He said "oh no, the ocean is too rough today so we have to stay close to shore". Totally understandable from a safety standpoint, and all of the other boats were fishing in shore too, but it would have been nice of him to be up front about it before we paid him for a marlin trip. We caught a few more mackerel and a tuna to end the day. It wasn't a bad day, just not what I had in mind at all, and the communication was poor on their part.

Ridge Ghost · Nov 27, 2018

vanish said:
We also had mixed results bartering the night before down in the port. Can get a really cheap boat that way, but whether your captain puts in the effort or just drags a hoochie all day is a crapshoot.

I have heard stories of guys finding a captain on the dock and paying him the night before, only to have him not show up the next day. They call them "coyotes"- scam artists who pretend that the boat they are standing in front of is theirs in order to sell a charter, then they disappear with your money. I would be careful about the last minute bartering approach unless it's with a reputable company

vanish · Nov 27, 2018

Ridge Ghost said:
I have heard stories of guys finding a captain on the dock and paying him the night before, only to have him not show up the next day. They call them "coyotes"- scam artists who pretend that the boat they are standing in front of is theirs in order to sell a charter, then they disappear with your money. I would be careful about the last minute bartering approach unless it's with a reputable company

I've done it 3 times with no trouble of that sort, just more along the lines of the amount of motivation the captain feels like investing. No money changes hands until you're in the boat in the morning ready to fish. I can very much believe your story. There are definitely guys standing near the boats that may or may not be involved.

Its not free to fuel a boat to troll for 6 hours. Most of the captain's money is going to come from the tip, and they know the more and bigger fish you catch, the better the tip will be.

Here's a couple of the Mahi we caught on our first trip with Sushi Time back in March 2015. We caught more, and had a striped marlin toying with our bait, but couldn't get him to take. The best fishing is of course during the middle of hunting season, sigh.

Ttannahill14 · Nov 27, 2018

Thanks for all the good advice.

Yes unfortunately fishing is not the best in February... but getting away from the cold sounds awesome.

I found a guy online who bought a surf rod setup and leaves it at a local bar... you send him $20 and that reserves it for a week for you... you then go to the bar and pickup the rental rod and he donates the $20 to local cabo kids. Seems like a nice guy (american if that matters) and trustworthy. If the money's not going to charity oh well still a good deal for a rod/reel rental. If i show up to the bar and I got scammed that would suck... oh well only $20.

Panga rentals seem like the way to go for what i'm after and I'm amazed at how cheap they are. Sounds like a motivated captain is luck of the draw... money is great motivator fortunately

The wife and I just love being out on the water. Catching fish is a bonus.

Ttannahill14 · Nov 27, 2018

pa mt man said:
Going to Cabo same time as you. First time for this time of year. I mostly dive and party but have done some fishing. Have never fished off shore or a Panga. I have always gone with El Budster and caught fish. Haven't been there for a while and can't make up my mind if i will fish this trip. Wife is coming and she doen't fish. I am staying a few days at Cabo Pulmo and might try a Panga trip out of there.

We'll be there from Feb 5th-11th. Let me know if you want to grab a beer!

FishN4Eyes · Nov 27, 2018

I've fished out of Cabo quite a bit.

Mostly charters but a few pangas. Caught marlin on both.

Charters I'd recommend include Pisces and Red Rum. A full boat is not cheap, about $ 1200-$ 1500 for an all day excursion but I've done it a bunch.

Have had good days and bad days out there.

Wife and I caught six striped marlin one day and we went back out the next and caught four.

Also have had days when it's zippo.

I've always been there in February and am going back this February as well but will be staying in Los Cabos this time so I am planning on fishing the Sea of Cortez hopefully for roosterfish.

pa mt man · Nov 27, 2018

Ttannahill14 said:
We'll be there from Feb 5th-11th. Let me know if you want to grab a beer!

Im there Jan 26 to Feb 2. Ill give you a report when i get back.
https://www.elbudster.com/cabo-fishing-boats/boats
I see they haven't raised their rates much. I think i paid 450.00 for 4/people included lunch and your flavor of beer back in 2010.

Ridge Ghost · Nov 28, 2018

Ttannahill14 said:
The wife and I just love being out on the water. Catching fish is a bonus.

If the goal is less about catching fish and more about being on the water, I would also recommend whale watching- February will be prime time for humpbacks. We went through Whale Watch Cabo, and they did an excellent job. Our tour was led by an actual biologist who spoke good English. We learned a ton, and saw lots of whales and dolphins.

Ttannahill14 · Nov 28, 2018

Ridge Ghost said:
If the goal is less about catching fish and more about being on the water, I would also recommend whale watching- February will be prime time for humpbacks. We went through Whale Watch Cabo, and they did an excellent job. Our tour was led by an actual biologist who spoke good English. We learned a ton, and saw lots of whales and dolphins.

Meh that doesn't get me to excited. I didn't mean I'm not excited to catch fish... I love fishing. I just don't need to catch a giant marlin. Just lots of little fish is fine. Althouhg looking at these pictures maybe I do want to catch a Marlin ha.

Ttannahill14 · Nov 28, 2018

pa mt man said:
Im there Jan 26 to Feb 2. Ill give you a report when i get back.
https://www.elbudster.com/cabo-fishing-boats/boats
I see they haven't raised their rates much. I think i paid 450.00 for 4/people included lunch and your flavor of beer back in 2010.

I did not want to catch a Marlin... after your pictures... now I need to catch a Marlin! Nice fish!

ringer · Nov 28, 2018

We went every year for many years. Went to Palmas de Cortez in Los Barilles. About a 45 minute cab ride north on the sea of Cortez. Air conditioned condos and great bar and food right on the beach. Good boats and caught a ton of marlin, sailfish, wahoo, tuna and dorado on every trip. No shopping or big bar scene like Cabo but nice people and really good fishing and usually very calm. Some good rooster fishing along the shore. I don't like big water so I stay away from fishing the Pacific.

Ttannahill14 · Nov 28, 2018

ringer said:
We went every year for many years. Went to Palmas de Cortez in Los Barilles. About a 45 minute cab ride north on the sea of Cortez. Air conditioned condos and great bar and food right on the beach. Good boats and caught a ton of marlin, sailfish, wahoo, tuna and dorado on every trip. No shopping or big bar scene like Cabo but nice people and really good fishing and usually very calm. Some good rooster fishing along the shore. I don't like big water so I stay away from fishing the Pacific.

That sounds like our kinda scene... we don't party... maybe 1 drink a day on vacation. Wife would enjoy swimming so sea of cortez might be our better option.

Frenchy · Nov 28, 2018

The beaches at Los Barilles are not near as nice as the soft sand beaches down by the bigger Resorts around Cabo San Lucas. Its better fishing, but if your wife wants to lay out on a sandy beach its not ideal. Poolside looking out over the beach, yes.

You can rent 4-wheelers there, and cruise up the coast and find a few good swim/snorkel/fishing spots and be all by yourself. We headed up the arroyos on the 4-wheeler and found waterfalls with pools for swimming.

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