Sportfishing in Cabo San Lucas
Sportfishing is one of the reasons many people visit Cabo San Lucas. Blue, black and striped marlin are the species most often named, and the usual marlin window is September to mid-March. No charter can promise a catch, and fish do not follow a calendar. Check the current situation with the captain for your date.
Before you book, know three rules. Fishing from a boat and spearfishing both need a personal license. A daily limit applies under a points system. Your catch cannot be sold.
Cabo fishing charters
Sportfishing trips and boat charters, with live prices, durations and cancellation terms.
Fishing license in Baja California Sur
One license per angler.
The state of Baja California Sur requires a sport fishing permit for fishing from a boat and for underwater fishing. The permit is personal and cannot be transferred to someone else. Booking a charter is not the same as having your own license, so ask the charter whether it helps with the permit and what it costs for your trip length. Check the current amount for your stay before you go.
Do not mix up the two Baja states. Baja California Sur is the southern state with Cabo San Lucas, and the northern state of Baja California sets its own fees.
Catch and release and daily limits
What you may keep and what you may not.
| Topic | What applies |
|---|---|
| Daily limit | A 10-point system with set values per species |
| Selling the catch | Not allowed |
| Catch and release | Good practice, but not a legal duty in every case |
| Keeping fish | Allowed for your own use or taxidermy, under conditions |
| Protected areas and tournaments | Their own rules apply and need checking separately |
For most visitors, the simplest plan is to ask the charter to confirm three things before you pay: the permit, the species limits for your day and what happens to the fish. Get the current table of point values per species from the captain.
Marlin season and what to expect
A rough guide, not a promise.
Blue, black and striped marlin are the species most often named for Cabo. The window of September to mid-March is a general one for all three, and it does not show a curve by species. Do not plan around a certain number of fish. A good charter tells you honestly what the sea is doing.
Ask about the price basis
Ask whether a price is per boat or per person. A group price is never a price per person.
Ask about what is included
Ask about gear, bait, drinks and the license, and about any dock or protected area fee.
Ask about the weather plan
Boat trips depend on the sea. Check cancellation terms before you pay.
More ways to plan your trip
Other things to do around the marina.
Questions to ask a charter before you pay
A short checklist for any booking.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Who arranges my permit? | The permit is personal, and a booking does not replace it |
| Is the price per boat or per person? | A group price is not a price per person |
| What does the price include? | Gear, bait, drinks, license and any dock or protected area fee differ |
| What happens to the fish? | Daily limits apply, and the catch cannot be sold |
| What if the weather turns? | Boat trips depend on the sea, so cancellation terms matter |
| Do tournament rules apply? | Cabo hosts sportfishing tournaments, and their rules are separate from an ordinary charter day |
For most visitors, a plain private or shared charter with a clear price basis and a confirmed permit is the safest start. If you want to combine the water with a different activity, the boat tours are the easier choice.
Cabo fishing charters: frequently asked questions
Do I need a fishing license in Cabo San Lucas?
Yes. Baja California Sur requires a personal sport fishing permit for fishing from a boat and for underwater fishing. It cannot be transferred, and booking a charter is not the same as holding the permit.
When is marlin season in Cabo?
The usual window for blue, black and striped marlin is September to mid-March. It is a general window, and no catch is guaranteed.
Can I keep the fish I catch?
Within the daily limit under the 10-point system, you may keep fish for your own use or taxidermy under conditions. Selling the catch is not allowed. Catch and release is good practice but not a legal duty in every case.
Is a charter priced per boat or per person?
Ask before you book. Do not read a group price as a price per person.
Do protected areas have their own fishing rules?
Yes. Park rules and tournament rules apply separately, so check them with the captain for your route and date.