What a difference a storm makes. After Hurricane Genevieve tracked up the Pacific side well offshore late last week, the fishing out of Puerto Los Cabos Marina came alive. Two days after the swell settled, the bite exploded: mahi mahi, sailfish and both blue and black marlin all jumped in activity, and the tuna turned back on. When a big system stirs and oxygenates the water like that, the ocean often responds with a feeding frenzy, and this week it delivered. Add the excitement of tournament action on the East Cape and this has been one of the most electric weeks of the summer.
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
Hurricane Genevieve Passed Well Offshore
Late last week, Hurricane Genevieve spun up the Pacific side of the peninsula, reaching Category 4 to 5 strength but staying well offshore, roughly 500 miles southwest of the tip of Baja. It never made landfall here, sparing the coast, though it did send a heavy swell and rough surf along the Pacific beaches for a few days. Once the swell settled and the boats got back out, the payoff was clear: a storm like that churns and oxygenates the water column and gets the bait moving, and the pelagic bite often turns on hard in the days that follow. That is exactly what we saw. Two days after conditions calmed, the fishing lit up.
Today's Conditions
With Hurricane Genevieve well offshore and moving away, conditions have settled back to fishable and the water is warm and full of life. The storm did the ocean a favor here, mixing the water column, moving the bait and triggering the pelagics to feed. The mornings have been light and comfortable, and the swell has dropped off. It is the kind of post-storm window that offshore anglers dream about, and the boats that got out early cashed in.
Tide, Moon and Currents
We are around the full moon, which brings spring tides with a bigger range and stronger current, and combined with the post-storm stir, the water is really moving and the bait is active. That strong current is a big part of why the bite turned on. We time the run so the early light and the moving tide line up. For exact times the day of your trip, check the live weather and tide report linked above.
Post-Storm Explosion: Marlin and Dorado Fired Up
This is what makes offshore fishing addictive. In the days after Genevieve, the mahi mahi, sailfish, and both blue and black marlin all jumped in activity, and the yellowfin tuna turned back on. The storm stirred the water, concentrated the bait, and the pelagics went on the feed. Blue and black marlin are both in the mix now, a spectacular combination, with sailfish adding their acrobatic fights and the dorado bite bouncing back strong. Trolling lures and rigged ballyhoo across the moving blue water is raising them, with a pitch bait ready. When the ocean resets like this, the fishing can be as good as it gets all year.
The Bite Right Now, Species by Species
Here is the honest breakdown of what our crews and the rest of the fleet are seeing after the storm.
Blue and Black Marlin
Both species are active now, which is a special combination. The storm turned on the billfish bite and the marlin are eating on trolled lures and rigged ballyhoo across the moving blue water. Pitch bait ready for the ones that come up hot. Peak summer trophy fishing, supercharged by the post-storm conditions.
Sailfish
The sailfish activity jumped right along with the marlin. Spectacular acrobatic fighters that light up the spread, and they have been eating well since the water settled. We release all our sailfish, a quick photo and back in the water, and encourage everyone to do the same.
Mahi Mahi
The dorado bite came roaring back after the storm. Mahi mahi are one of the biggest beneficiaries of a good water stir, relating to the moving bait and any structure or debris the storm pushed around. Fast, beautiful, great eating and a blast on lighter tackle. A welcome return to strong dorado action.
Yellowfin Tuna
The tuna turned back on too. After slowing in the pre-storm heat, the yellowfin have picked up with the churned, oxygenated water. Working them around the moving bait and porpoise schools offshore. A great sign that the whole offshore program is back in gear.
Bisbee Tournament Fishing on the East Cape
The excitement was not just on our boats this week. Over on the East Cape, the Bisbee tournament scene brought the region's competitive billfish fishing into the spotlight, and the post-storm bite made for some spectacular catches. The Bisbee tournaments are legendary in Los Cabos, drawing serious anglers from around the world chasing marlin and the big payouts, and it is always a thrill to see the caliber of fish that come across the scales.
Here are a few shots from the tournament action on the East Cape side. When the fishing turns on like it has this week, tournament time in Los Cabos is something special.
We Release Our Billfish
With the billfish bite this strong, it is a great time to remember why the fishery stays healthy. We release our sailfish and marlin, a quick photo boatside and the fish revived and swum off strong. Catch and release keeps these incredible billfish populations thriving for the seasons and anglers to come, and it is a core part of how we fish at Daliken.
Ride the Post-Storm Bite While It Lasts
When the ocean turns on after a storm like this, you fish it hard because these windows do not last forever. My call is to get offshore early and troll the moving blue water for the marlin, both blue and black are eating, with sailfish and dorado in the mix and the tuna back on. Lures and rigged ballyhoo with a pitch bait ready is the program. The full moon has the tides running big, so the current is strong and the bait is active, which is a huge part of why the bite is this good. Leave the marina at first light to catch the best of it. This is the kind of week that reminds you why we do this. Come release some billfish with us while the fishing is on fire.
Tackle and Gear
What We Are Running
- Blue and black marlin setup: 80 to 130 lb stand-up gear, 300 to 500 lb leaders, trolled lures and rigged ballyhoo across the moving blue water, pitch bait ready
- Sailfish setup: 50 to 80 lb gear, rigged ballyhoo and live bait, all released with a quick photo
- Mahi mahi setup: 30 to 50 lb test, 40 to 60 lb leaders, small skirted lures and ballyhoo around moving bait and structure
- Tuna setup: 30 to 60 lb test, live caballito around the porpoise schools and moving bait offshore
- Reading the water: after a storm, look for moving bait, temperature and color changes, and any debris lines the swell pushed around
- Bait: rigged ballyhoo, live caballito, green jacks and trolling lures all producing this week
Genevieve passed offshore and the ocean woke up. Blue and black marlin, sailfish, dorado and tuna all fired up in the days after the storm. This is the post-storm bite offshore anglers live for.
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 for the offshore billfish bite, and the pangas are perfect for inshore action. 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 amenities for the offshore run 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
