July 2023 Baja Fishing Report

Coronado Islands / Rockpile

There are a few yellowtail around, in addition to an epic barracuda bite in the lee of South Island at Ribbon Kelp and at spots below South Island like the Lighthouse Kelp, the 5 Minute Kelp, the South Kelp, and the SKR.

Anglers throwing iron claim it is wide open sometimes, especially in the late afternoon. A few 10 to 15-pound yellowtail are mixed in with the barracuda also. Most barracuda are over the 28″ mark, with many in the 7 to 8-pound class.

Ensenada

Local boats are scoring lots of barracuda. Most are located working bait under birds in Todo Santos Bay in the lee of the Island, and up the coast a bit in the Salsipuedes area.

Trolling Rapalas will produce the best results, but casting surface iron into the bird schools is also effective. A few yellowtail and an odd seabass are mixed in with these barracuda.

At Punta Banda, there have been some signs of seabass late in the afternoon and evening, as well as good calico bass fishing up in the boiler rocks on swimbait.

Offshore the bluefin continues to frolic if you are interested.

San Quintín

After a dismal start, offshore and inshore have exploded with bluefin on the high seas and white sea bass and calico around the Island; capping it off was the trophy-sized halibut.

San Felipe

With outstanding catches of yellowtail and grouper, the first tournament of the Baja California Cup International Sport Fishing Championship, held recently in San Felipe, underscored this viable fishery.

The second venue will be in Bahia de Los Angeles on July 21 and 22.

Bahía de Los Ángeles

Yellowtail along with plenty of other bottom fish to round out the catch.

Cedros Island

Is there a Blue Moon? Is it an El Niño year?

Whatever it is, we’ll take it!

Captain’s Javier & Martin found a school of 30 to 40-pound BLUEFIN (yes, you read that correctly!!!) right outside Cedros Harbor!

Our anglers took advantage of it!

Can you say… SASHIMI?!

Magdalena Bay (López Mateos)

As expected, the variety of species has increased for visiting anglers this month. Catches included grouper, corvina, and sierra.

Cabo San Lucas 

Summer season arrived with a clatter. According to Rebecca Ehrenberg of Pisces Sportfishing fleet, the number of billfish released went through the ceiling. 

Adding to the excitement was that the Monster Mahi began to bite, with fish weighing up to 40 pounds or more.  

And in addition, the 15 to 30-pound class yellowfin tuna bite has remained constant for several weeks.

If you get tired of catching exotics, other fish, including roosterfish, jack crevalle, grouper, and mako shark, can be targeted. 

Puerto Los Cabos 

As the summer season has officially begun, more vacationing family groups are arriving. Weather patterns are warming, with humidity increasing and a more tropical feel. Some scattered clouds are burning off quickly, and elevated temperatures now average 90 degrees. Ocean water temperatures now range 80 degrees or higher, with strong currents, increased swell activity, and higher tidal swings, typical for this summer solstice time frame.

Anglers could find bait supplies of caballito and other jacks, limited mullet this season. No sardina to report. Ballyhoo and slabs of squid were other options. On offshore fishing grounds, more schools of bollito are showing. Attracting both yellowfin tuna and good-sized dorado. Inshore the main attraction has been roosterfish and jack crevalle.

East Cape 

Anglers have been experiencing increasingly great days with limits on mostly football-sized yellowfin. However, a 93-pound tuna was brought to the dock last week.

As July approached, so did the 20 to 40-pound dorado, and some luckier anglers landed multiples in a single day.

Already both striped marlin and a handful of blue marlin have been spotted.

Along with the pelagic species, the inshore anglers targeting rocky structures and reefs have found pargo, a popular bottom-dwelling species. Additionally, the roosterfish has added an extra dimension to inshore fishing adventures. Overall, promising a hot July for the visiting anglers!

La Paz

The week started slowly, but fishing improved in quantity and quality as the week progressed, and weather and water conditions warmed as cold winds abated.

It’s still not up to what we typically see this time of year, but hopefully, we’re finally emerging from some of the coldest and windiest conditions we’ve had for months.   We had quite a variety of fish which usually occurs as the waters warm and become bluer and more settled.  

There are still cooler-water fish like sierra, amberjack, yellowtail, and pargo hitting, especially around structure, with some especially large cabrilla in the counts.  However, a few more of the warmer water species have also started to show.  That includes wahoo, and at last, some of the larger roosterfish and some small schools of dorado. 

Loreto

The FONMAR team is working hard to make this final of the “Fishing in the Five” Serial in Loreto a success!

Mulegé and Conception Bay

The fishery is hot!!! I headed out with my wife’s cousin and his friend to show them about fast and slow-pitch jigging. A glassy day provided limits for all 4 of us on board. Fish were all caught close to the bottom at 250 to 300 feet. Once hooked up, you had to pull hard to turn their head before losing fish and lure! We also spearfished the day before, and the area was healthy with grouper, snapper, and big Almaco jack. Bulls Only Dorado Tournament in Punta Chivato was a success with bigger-grade fish. First place topped 40 pounds and second place 37.4!!! …Nathan Burbey

That Baja Guy
Gary Graham



With more than five decades of fishing experience – from light tackle and fly to offshore billfish – Gary Graham has experienced all aspects of fishing in the Southern California and Baja waters. His observations of species behavior, tackle and techniques are always from his unique perspective, earning him the respect of his peers as well as anglers who eagerly follow his Baja reports and features.      

Gary maintained a home at East Cape in Baja Sur for more than 18 years and still spends nearly half of each year exploring the entire peninsula in his self-contained Roadtrek van.  He observes everything Baja, from the mysteries of a tide pool on a deserted Baja beach filled with tiny sea creatures to the largest billfish in the sea.