A comprehensive guide to the best fishing spots and conditions in Baja California Sur. August brings peak fishing conditions across the Baja Peninsula, from the kelp beds near the U.S. border to the deep offshore banks of Cabo San Lucas. Whether anglers chase Yellowtail in San Quintín or troll for Marlin in Cabo, Baja delivers fast action and diverse species.
Coronado Islands
Just offshore from San Diego, the Coronados are producing Yellowtail, Bonito, and Bluefin Tuna. Surface irons and fly-lined sardines trigger aggressive bites. Charter boats like the Grande and the Liberty are reporting triple-digit Yellowtail days, offering anglers the thrill of a big catch.
Ensenada
The area is teeming with a variety of species for anglers, including Yellowtail, Dorado, and Striped Marlin, making it an intriguing destination. Near the Todos Santos Islands, bottom fishing is yielding Lingcod, Rockfish, and Salmon Grouper. Sergio’s Sportfishing Center reports steady action and mixed bags of fish—ideal for anglers of all skill levels.
San Quintín
San Quintín continues to impress. Offshore spots such as the 240 and Ben’s Rock are loaded with Yellowtail, while the bay offers Halibut, Calico Bass, and an occasional White Seabass. Easy access to lodging at The Old Mill Hotel or Don Eddie’s Landing Hotel offers a unique local charm.
San Felipe
Tony Reyes returned from another productive fishing trip led by Charter master Tony Farkas from Ontario, Canada. Tony says they had good fishing, landing big Yellowtail, a few Grouper, and some White Sea Bass in the San Francisquito area. He said the weather was good for the trip, and in the Refugio area, they caught lots of bottom fish and some good-sized Red Snapper. Enchanted Islands also produced some Grouper and Cabrilla, with anglers losing several of the Grouper. There were many bites, but they landed only one Grouper. It was a good trip with an excellent group of anglers. –Tight lines, Tom, The Longfin www.tonyreyes.com
Bahía de los Ángeles
It has been a hot summer, and the fishing in the Bay of LÁ has been even more sizzling. Yellowtail, Grouper, and Dorado are active near deep drop-offs, and yo-yo irons and deep bait rigs produce solid results.
Cedros Island
Cedros Island fishing reports indicate a productive season for anglers. Recent reports highlight the species caught have primarily been Yellowtail in the 20 to 30-pound range, with good catches of Calico Bass around the rocky structures. There have been some sightings of Dorado, but fewer than Yellowtail.
Fishing Conditions: The water temperature ranges from 65 to 70°F, which is favorable for a variety of species.
Weather: Generally calm seas, making for excellent fishing conditions.
Techniques and Gear: Recommended Tackle: Heavy spinning gear for Yellowtail, lighter gear for Calico Bass. Bait: Live bait, such as mackerel and sardines, is working well, along with jigs.
Loreto
Great day fishing in harsh conditions with Captain Miguel on the Doris—six Yellowtail to 30 Pounds, and a 5-foot Wahoo at 45 pounds. If you are in Loreto, look up Captain Miguel on the Doris. He will get you the fish.
Bahía Asunción
There are over 5,000 Sea Lions on the Island in front of my Inn in beautiful Bahia Asunción, and it is mating season for them. The large males can get badly battered and roughed up fighting over a female, and they come to my beach frequently to recover from their battles. It looked as though he was sick, as other Sea Lions were rolling this guy around in the surf. He was grunting and yelling, very vocal, but you should have heard the other guys! This fella was badly torn up, yet, after a few minutes, he swam away. You can visit Asuncion Island by panga, where every beach is packed with Sea Lions, as well as Seals, Elephant Seals, nesting Seabirds, and Turtles. It’s an amazing nature tour, and you can snorkel with the juveniles! The weather here is perfect, with air temperatures ranging from 80°F during the day to 70s at night, making it ideal for sleeping and camping. For info on Asuncion and its activities, visit this link: www.bahiaasuncion.com
Videos of the Sea Lion tours are available on the Activities page. -Shari Bondy La Bufadora Inn.
Lopez Mateos
Fifty-five-pound Yellowfin were found at the 23, offshore outside of Puerto Adolpho Lopez Mateos, plus, we had good fishing for Corvina, Grouper, Pargo, Triggerfish, and Snook. They were all found inside the Mangroves.
La Paz & Muertos Bay
East Cape
Ladies Shoot Out, 2025! Be part of the First Edition of this tournament, which we expect will become an icon in Los Barriles.
- Held on July 26 at Hotel Palmas de Cortez.
- Registration was held on July 25 at Hotel Palmas de Cortez.
- Entry fee of $400usd per team.
- Four members per team (Women Only).
- A One-Day Fishing Tournament.
- Heaviest fish wins (Dorado, Wahoo, or Tuna).
- 1st Place, (85% of the bag accumulated).
- Optional cash jackpots for each species, $200, $300, and $500usd.
Online: https://vanwormerresorts.com/store/p/2025-ladies-shoot-out
BFA Fleet Boat “El Regalo“ takes the 2025 Dorado Shoot Out!
Congratulations to Team El Regalo, Capt. Cristhian Castro, angler Oscar Verdugo, boat owner Todd Rodriguez, and the always effervescent Missy Brooks, plus Deckhands Miguel Garcia, Pako Ruiz, and the rest of the El Regalo Crew, winners of the 2025 Dorado Shoot Out with a 54-pound Dodo!
San José
The week began with exceptional signs of improvement in the fishery. On Tuesday, we had an unexpected Yellowfin Tuna bite at Vinorama and San Luis (best action came from Vinorama early in the morning). On Tuesday, we had some rain to begin the morning, and then the Tuna bite hit as boats trolled with jigs while looking for Red Snapper and Amberjack. One of our pangas caught 13 Yellowfin and two Red Snapper that morning, although most of them came on jigs and a few on strips of squid. The average size was around 20 to 30 pounds, but we also saw a handful of specimens weighing 35 to 40 pounds in the mix. A few pangas reported some tuna in the 80 to 100-pound range early in the week on strips of squid. We did see some of these Sierra pushing the 10-pound mark.
We continue to see big Roosterfish in the area on live caballito and mullet. The best action was close to us throughout the shorelines of El Zacaton, La Laguna, Secrets/Marriott, and the Hotel Zone (trailer park to Cabo Azul). The larger Roosterfish were seen at San Luis, though not many were caught this week. …Good Fishing, Brian Brictson
Cabo San Lucas
Monster marlin caught in Cabo San Lucas! “El Suertudo” (which means the lucky one in Spanish) is a custom private 80 Ft Weaver and they certainly lived up to their name with this 762.5 LB fish, caught on Sunday by Micah Stefano, a 21-year-old from San Clemente, CA. Not only was the fish big but Micah showed what he is made of, fighting the fish stand-up for close to three hours. The fish may have been bigger, but as they got to back to port late Sunday, they opted to put it in a fish bag overnight and weigh it the next day. So, it may have lost a few pounds. The fish was caught on a 50 Talica spooled with 80 LB line. Micah’s dad is Greg DiStefano, captain of El Suertudo, a well-known and respected captain, who has along with owner Guy Yocom, been in the winners circle many times during tournament season. Seems like Micah is following in dad’s footsteps.
That Baja Guy
Gary Graham
https://bajabytes.com/about/
Cellular (760) 522 3710
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.