Monday delivered a true triple play out of Puerto Los Cabos Marina: yellowfin tuna on the offshore banks, striped marlin still hitting the spread and mahi mahi loading up on the troll. Days when all three of the headline species fire at the same time are exactly why anglers come to Los Cabos in late May. The spring transition into early summer is dialing in fast.
Today's Conditions
We are inside the warmest 10-day stretch of May and the water is showing it. Surface temperatures are climbing into the band that activates tuna concentrations on the offshore banks while still holding striped marlin in the same zones. Clean blue water, no rain, and a calm morning window long enough to run, work the bite and head back before the afternoon breeze.
The Strategy
With three species firing at the same time, the play is to cover water and stay flexible. Our crews kept multi-species spreads working all day, ready to switch tactics the moment a fish told us what it wanted.
Multi-Species Trolling Spread
A mixed spread of skirted lures, cedar plugs, feathers and rigged ballyhoo covers all three species at once. Tuna eat the small stuff. Marlin take the bigger skirts and bait. Mahi mahi hit almost anything on the flat lines, especially on color changes and around any floating structure.
Live Bait Ready on the Pitch
The moment a marlin lit up in the spread or a big tuna boiled behind a teaser, the pitch rod with a live caballito or sardine went straight in front of the fish. Quiet boat work and a clean cast turn lookers into hookups.
Iman Bank, Gordo Banks, La Fortuna and the offshore edge all continue to produce. The tuna are stacking on the banks where bait is thickest, marlin are still working the same offshore zones and mahi mahi are showing on the run between productive water and the marina.
Run a Mixed Spread and Stay Mobile
When all three species are on like today, the worst move is to lock into one strategy and miss the others. Leave the marina at 6:10 am, push offshore with a multi-species spread, and let the day tell you what to chase. If the tuna get hot, work the school. If a marlin shows, drop everything and pitch a live bait. If you see frigates and weed lines, slow down for dorado. Days like this in Los Cabos do not come every week. Take advantage.
Tackle and Gear
What We Ran Today
- Tuna setup: 50 to 80 lb test, cedar plugs, feathers, jet heads for trolling, live sardines and squid strips when fish get selective
- Marlin setup: 80 to 130 lb test rods, 200 to 400 lb leaders, rigged ballyhoo and skirted trolling heads, pitch rod loaded with a live caballito
- Mahi mahi setup: 30 to 50 lb test, 40 to 60 lb leaders, small skirted lures, pink and green heads have been producing strikes
- Teasers: running daisy chains and squid teasers in the wash to bring fish up before committing to a bait
- On every boat: a live well stocked with bait, a clean pitch rod ready to drop back and a captain reading the water every minute
When tuna, marlin and mahi mahi all show on the same day, you stop thinking about catching one species and start thinking about how many you can land. Late May in Los Cabos is delivering exactly that right now.
From the Day on the Water
Book Your Trip
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