If you came to Los Cabos for tuna, this is your week. The yellowfin bite out of Puerto Los Cabos Marina is excellent right now, with the San Luis Bank and the Gordo Banks both loaded. Schoolie tuna from 40 pounds up are eating live sardines, and the real prize is out there too: cow tuna over 200 pounds coming on slow-trolled live skipjack. Those big ones take patience, but they are there. The billfish side has cooled off considerably, with blue marlin, sailfish and dorado all down, and the sharks turn on at times and make things difficult. Inshore the roosterfish keep going. Right now, tuna is the play.
Check the live San José del Cabo weather and sea conditions before your trip so you fish the right window.
Check the Live Weather Report
Daliken Sportfishing Report
Today's Conditions
Peak summer conditions have the water warm and the bait stacked on the banks, and the tuna are all over it. We are on a waxing crescent moon building from the new moon toward the first quarter, so the tides are easing back off the spring range toward neap. Lighter current means the bite windows tighten up around the tide changes, which makes an early start even more important. The mornings have been comfortable with a light south breeze, and the water flattens out best at first light. Get on the bank early and you are in the game.
Tide, Moon and Currents
Coming off the new moon, the tides are easing back toward the neap range, so the water moves less and the feeding windows are tighter around the tide changes. On the banks that means the first light window and the tide swing are when the tuna really turn on. On a slower drift we add weight and stay patient. For exact times the day of your trip, check the live weather and tide report linked above.
Excellent Tuna at San Luis and Gordo Banks
The yellowfin bite is the best fishing in the area right now, and it is not close. Both the San Luis Bank and the Gordo Banks are holding good numbers of tuna, and the action has been excellent. The schoolie tuna start around 40 pounds and up, and they have been eating live sardines readily. That is the steady, high-action fishing, perfect for anglers who want bent rods and quality fish in the box.
For the anglers chasing something bigger, the cows are here too. Tuna over 200 pounds are coming on slow-trolled live skipjack, and that is a completely different game. It takes patience, sometimes hours of working the bank with a live bait out and nothing happening, but when one of those tanks eats, it is the fight of a lifetime. If you want a shot at a 200-plus yellowfin, this is the week and this is the method.
The sharks turn on at times and shut things down. When they show up they make fishing difficult, taxing hooked tuna during the fight before we can get them to the boat, and even taking the live skipjack we are slow-trolling for the big fish. It is one of the realities of summer fishing when the bait and the predators stack up on the same banks. Our crews manage it by fighting fish hard and fast, and by moving off the spot when the sharks key in and working another area until they settle. It is worth knowing going in that not every fish makes it to the deck right now.
The Bite Right Now, Species by Species
Here is the honest breakdown of what our crews are seeing from the shoreline out to the banks.
Yellowfin Tuna, School Grade
Excellent and consistent. Fish from 40 lb and up all over the San Luis Bank and the Gordo Banks, eating live sardines on the drift. Steady action and quality fish in the box. Start up-current of the marks, let the sardine work back naturally and keep a measured chum line going.
Yellowfin Tuna, Cow Grade
The trophy target. Tuna over 200 lb are eating slow-trolled live skipjack over the banks. This requires patience and heavy gear, and you may work hours for one bite. But this is how the biggest yellowfin of the season come aboard, and right now the fish are here to make it worth the wait.
Blue Marlin, Sailfish and Dorado
All three have dropped off noticeably this week. The blue marlin activity is way down from earlier in the month, the sailfish have thinned out, and the dorado are scarce. You may still raise one while working the banks, but they are not the target right now. The tuna are where the fishing is.
Roosterfish and Inshore
Still active along the shoreline. Roosters remain the reliable light tackle option close to the marina, eating live caballito and green jacks. All released. A great half-day choice for families or anyone who wants steady action without committing to the long offshore tuna hunt.
Roosterfish Keep Producing on the Beach
While the tuna are the headline offshore, the shoreline has not quit. The roosterfish are still active along the beach, giving anglers that unmistakable light tackle fight with the comb up and a screaming drag. Live caballito and green jacks are the ticket, and every rooster goes back in the water. If the long run and the patience game offshore is not your style, the gallos are right there and still eating.
Go Tuna, and Decide Early Which Game You Want
This week the call is easy: we go tuna. What I want to know from you before we leave the dock is which game you want to play, because they are different days. If you want steady action and fish in the box, we drift live sardines on San Luis or the Gordo and you will stay busy with 40 pound and better yellowfin. If you want a shot at a 200 plus cow, we slow troll live skipjack and we commit to it, which means patience and possibly a long quiet stretch before the bite that makes your trip. You can mix both, but the boats that commit to the big fish program are the ones landing them. Either way we leave at first light, because with the tides easing toward neap the early window is the best water movement of the day. And if the sharks turn on, trust the crew when we say move, because staying and feeding them is a waste of a good morning.
Tuna Tackle by Size
Tuna fishing is not one setup. What lands a 40 pound schoolie on sardines will get destroyed by a 200 pound cow on a trolled skipjack. Here is what we run for each class of fish so you know what to expect and what to bring if you fish your own gear.
| Tuna Class | Rod | Reel | Line and Leader | Hook and Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 to 80 lb School grade |
7 ft medium-heavy, 30 to 50 lb class | 6500 to 8000 size spinner, or 30 class conventional | 50 to 65 lb braid, 40 to 50 lb fluorocarbon leader | 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook, live sardine, light drag and let them run first |
| 80 to 150 lb Mid grade |
6.5 to 7 ft stand-up, 50 to 80 lb class | 50 class two-speed lever drag | 80 lb braid or mono, 80 to 100 lb fluorocarbon leader | 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook, live sardine or small bait, gimbal belt recommended |
| 200 lb and up Cow grade |
Heavy stand-up or bent butt, 80 to 130 lb class | 50W to 80W two-speed, full drag capability | 100 to 130 lb main line, 200 to 300 lb leader | 9/0 to 11/0 circle hook, slow-trolled live skipjack, harness and gimbal belt essential |
All of this gear is on board and included on our trips. If you prefer to fish your own rods, this table gives you the classes that match what the fish are doing right now. For the cow tuna program especially, do not go light. A 200 pound yellowfin on undersized gear means a fight that either breaks off or takes so long the sharks find you.
Tackle and Techniques
What We Are Running
- School tuna technique: drift live sardines on the banks, start up-current of the marks, steady but measured chum line, adjust weight to the current speed
- Cow tuna technique: slow troll live small skipjack over the bank, keep the bait swimming naturally, be patient and let the fish eat before coming tight
- Beating the sharks: fight fish hard and fast, do not baby them, and move off the area when the sharks key in rather than feeding them fish after fish
- Roosterfish setup: spinning gear with 30 to 50 lb braid, live caballito and green jacks along the shoreline, all released
- Reading the bank: tightly packed bait, deep marks and working birds tell you more than a fixed coordinate, so we run the bank and read the sounder before committing
- Sun protection: sunscreen, hat, polarized sunglasses and plenty of water are essential in this peak summer heat
Forty pound schoolies on sardines and cows over 200 on live skipjack. When the tuna stack up on San Luis and the Gordo like this, everything else takes a back seat.
From the Day on the Water
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. The bigger boats have the range and the heavy gear for the San Luis and Gordo tuna program, and the pangas are perfect for the inshore roosterfish bite. Choose the boat that fits your group:
Fish With Us From the Cabo San Lucas Side
On the Cabo San Lucas side instead? Our California 32ft runs out of Cabo San Lucas with legendary Captain Roberto and quality gear including Shimano Talica reels. Same honest fishing, no need to cross to San José.
Looking for a Bigger Boat?
Larger groups or anglers who want more space, range and heavy tackle for the cow tuna program can see the full lineup on our fleet page.
View the Full FleetBrowse our latest Los Cabos fishing reports for the full week of catches and conditions out of Puerto Los Cabos Marina.
Questions or custom dates? Message us on WhatsApp at +52 624 205 0563
