Striped marlin are still firing along the offshore grounds out of Puerto Los Cabos Marina, and Sunday delivered another one boatside for our crew. We are sitting inside the peak striped marlin window for San José del Cabo, March through June, and today's conditions lined up well for billfish work.
Today's Conditions
Early morning was nearly calm with light variable wind out of the north at 2 to 3 knots, which gave us a clean, fast run to productive water. By late morning the breeze shifted to a light southerly, building to around 6 to 7 knots through the afternoon with occasional gusts near 11 knots. Workable conditions all day and calm where it mattered most, during the early bite window.
The Strategy
For striped marlin during the May bite out of San José del Cabo, our approach is built around two methods that the captain adjusts in real time based on what the fish are doing.
Live Bait When Fish Are Up
When marlin show on the surface, tailing, free-jumping or balling bait, the play is putting a live mackerel or sardine in front of the fish. Reading the water and positioning the panga quietly is the difference between a clean hook-up and a refusal.
Trolling When Fish Are Not Visible
When the surface goes quiet, we run a spread of skirted lures and rigged ballyhoo through known structure, working current lines and color changes until we draw a bite.
The areas inside reach of a single-day trip out of Puerto Los Cabos that have been producing for striped marlin this season include the Gordo Banks, Iman Bank, La Fortuna and the broader edge north of the marina. Captain Pancho and the rest of our crew know how these zones fish under different wind and bait conditions, and that local knowledge is what turns a good day into a productive one.
Striped marlin season in San José del Cabo peaks March through June. We are in the back half of that window, with water warming and surface bait building along the coastal banks. If a striped marlin is on your bucket list, the next few weeks are one of the best windows of the year.
Book Your Trip
Our fleet runs daily out of Puerto Los Cabos Marina in San José del Cabo, the quieter side of Los Cabos away from the Cabo San Lucas crowds. Choose the boat that fits your group:
Looking for a Bigger Boat?
Larger groups or anglers who want more space, range and amenities can see the full lineup of available vessels on our fleet page.
View the Full FleetQuestions or custom dates? Message us on WhatsApp at +52 624 205 0563
