Daliken Sportfishing charter departing Puerto Los Cabos Marina at sunrise in San Jose del Cabo

Daliken Sportfishing — Local Captains' Guide

Best Time to Fish in San Jose del Cabo

Season by season and month by month: what is biting, when to come, and which boat to book. Written from 10+ years of trips out of Puerto Los Cabos Marina.

Updated July 2026 · By Daliken Sportfishing · Data from our fishing calendar

The Short Answer

October and November are the best months overall to fish in San Jose del Cabo: striped marlin, wahoo, snapper and sailfish peak at the same time. June through September is the season for blue marlin, dorado and tuna. Winter and spring deliver calm seas, wahoo, sierra, snapper and the roosterfish peak, with fewer crowds and the same rates. There is no bad month, only different targets.

Pick Your Season

Four distinct windows, four different kinds of trip. Choose by what you want to catch, then book the boat that matches.

Daliken crew with a fall season catch at Gordo Banks

October — December · The Golden Season

Fall: Best All-Around Fishing

Peak conditions for multiple species at once: striped marlin, wahoo, snapper, amberjack and sailfish are all at their best. If you can only come once, this is the window.

Book a deep sea charter

Summer dorado catch aboard a Daliken charter in San Jose del Cabo

June — September · Pelagic Season

Summer: Billfish and Dorado

Warm water brings the heavyweights: blue and black marlin, striped marlin, dorado, yellowfin tuna and sailfish. The season for serious offshore billfishing at Gordo Banks.

See offshore boats and prices

Super Panga inshore fishing trip in calm winter seas off San Jose del Cabo

January — March · Calm Seas

Winter: Underrated and Uncrowded

Excellent sierra mackerel, snapper and grouper, with wahoo peaking in February and March. Calm seas, lower crowds, same rates. Ideal for families and first-timers.

Book an inshore panga trip

Daliken captain with an inshore catch during spring roosterfish season

April — May · Inshore Prime

Spring: Roosterfish and the First Marlin

Roosterfish hit their peak in March and April close to the beach, and by May striped marlin and yellowfin tuna turn on offshore. A season with the best of both worlds.

Book a 23ft panga for roosterfish

Month by Month

The strongest targets each month, based on our own logbooks and the ratings in our fishing calendar.

January

Best: Sierra, Snapper & Grouper

Calm winter seas and steady inshore action. Great month for families and light-tackle trips.

February

Best: Wahoo, Sierra, Snapper, Amberjack

One of the two wahoo peaks, with roosterfish warming up. Strong month across the board inshore.

March

Best: Wahoo & Roosterfish

Wahoo still at their best while the roosterfish peak begins near the beach.

April

Best: Roosterfish

Prime roosterfish on the pangas. Striped marlin start building offshore.

May

Best: Striped Marlin & Yellowfin Tuna

The offshore season opens: striped marlin and tuna both rated excellent this month.

June

Best: Marlin, Tuna & Dorado

Everything turns on. Striped and blue marlin, yellowfin tuna and the first excellent dorado of the year.

July

Best: Blue Marlin, Dorado & Sailfish

Peak summer billfishing at Gordo Banks with dorado everywhere and sailfish in the spread.

August

Best: Blue Marlin, Dorado & Sailfish

Warmest water of the year and the biggest blue and black marlin of the season.

September

Best: Dorado, Wahoo & Sailfish

Dorado stay hot while the fall wahoo run begins. A transition month with big variety.

October

Best overall month of the year

Striped marlin, wahoo, snapper and sailfish all excellent at once. Book early, dates go first.

November

Best: Wahoo, Snapper & Amberjack

The golden season continues: top-rated wahoo and bottom fishing with striped marlin still around.

December

Best: Sierra, Snapper & Grouper

Excellent winter fishing in holiday season. Reliable action and perfect ceviche weather.

Want the full ratings table? Our Fishing Calendar shows all 10 species rated month by month, from Excellent to Low.

See the Full Fishing Calendar

How to Choose Your Dates

The right time to fish San Jose del Cabo depends on what you want out of the trip. If your goal is a trophy billfish, plan for June through August for blue and black marlin, or October for the striped marlin run. If you want fish for the table, dorado in summer and wahoo, snapper and sierra from fall through winter are hard to beat. If you are bringing kids or first-time anglers, winter and spring offer the calmest seas and constant inshore action on our panga trips.

Whatever the month, the trip works the same way: private boat, local captain, departing at sunrise from Puerto Los Cabos Marina, 5 to 10 minutes from the San Jose del Cabo hotel corridor. Compare vessels on our boat prices page, check what is biting this week in our fish reports, and if you are new to the sport, our guide to fishing techniques in Los Cabos explains how we target each species.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is winter a good time to fish in San Jose del Cabo?

Yes. January through March brings excellent sierra mackerel, snapper and grouper, with wahoo peaking in February and March. Sea conditions are calm, crowds are lower, and charter rates are the same, making winter a smart choice for families and first-time anglers.

When can I catch marlin and dorado on the same trip?

June through September is the overlap window. Blue marlin, striped marlin, dorado (mahi-mahi) and sailfish are all active offshore during summer, so a single deep sea trip can realistically raise both billfish and dorado.

Is there a bad time to fish in San Jose del Cabo?

No. San Jose del Cabo offers year-round fishing where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez. The species rotate through the year: billfish and dorado in summer, wahoo and striped marlin in fall, sierra and bottom fish in winter, roosterfish in spring. Every month has a strong target.

How far in advance should I book a charter for peak season?

October and November are the most requested months and the fleet is small, so those dates fill first. Booking as early as you can secures your preferred boat. Since Daliken is direct with the owner, you can also message us to check live availability for any date.