Do you need a Mexican Fishing License?
https://app.sportfishingbcs.gob.mx
——— Mexican Waters ————
Mexican Permits AVAILABLE here: https://www.californiasportfishing.org/
FMM link here: https://www.gob.mx/inm/acciones-y-programas/sport-fishing-and-nautical-tourism If having trouble with FMM here is an email for assistance: bc_pescadeportiva@inami.gob.mx
When bringing fish back to the US from Mexico make sure to have your Declaration Forms filled out for everyone on the boat. Forms Here
Most of the fish off Imperial Beach Pier are the same sandy beach species you’ll find up and down the SoCal coast, such as yellowtail, halibut, spotted bass, and croaker. However, if you head out to the end of the pier you can fish several artificial fish attractants and reefs in the deeper water where you’ll find grouper species and sharks. Eight-foot thresher sharks have been pulled in from the pier as well as leopard sharks.
A maintenance project is underway on the Imperial Beach Pier until the summer of 2025. Partial or complete pier closure (brief) may be necessary. For more information, go to portofsandiego.org/IBPierProject. Some sections may need to be closed temporarily, either partially or entirely.
Good bottom fishing is the story…
Even with cold, dirty surface conditions, the fishing has been solid. Anglers are landing a variety of Rockfish, including Big Reds, Bocaccio, Mexicans, Chili Peppers, Lingcod and more.
The best action is still in deeper water, around 450 to 700 feet. If you’re targeting Lingcod, try catching Sand Dabs for bait. Plenty of them are on the hard sand bottoms near the 9-Mile Bank in 400 to 700 feet of water….Fish Dope
BAJA CALIFORNIA SPORT FISHING CALENDAR 2025
READY TO START WITH THE EXCITEMENT OF THE ROD AND REEL WITH THE NEW “OFFICIAL CALENDAR OF BAJA CALIFORNIA SPORT FISHING TOURNAMENTS 2025.”
This program consists of events from February to December, so you can participate in #beachtournaments, in #kayak in inland waters (dams), and in the open seas. Find out and participate: https://bajasport.fishing/torneos/
State Association of Fishing Clubs of Baja California, AC National Federation of Sport Fishing Sport Fishing Baja California @seguidores IGFA Conapesca Pioleros del valle de San Quintín Sport Fishing Club “PURA VIDA” La Baja UNITED SHIP OWNERS OF SPORT FISHING OF ENSENADA AC Paulina Fishing Life SHORE FISHERMEN OF BAJA AC Big Fish
Cristian Catian and friends found a few yellowtail and bottom fish on a recent trip.
In February, fishing in San Felipe is excellent but beware of the wind. The best Reef is the Golden Reef, where you can find Great White Sea Bass, Black Sea Bass, and sometimes Yellowtail. Be sure to check the weather. Rocky Point has great Grouper fishing in early March and April, around 25 miles out, and fishing Bay Bass with mac for bait to fish the Grouper, using no less than 80# test line.
Gonzaga Bay offers an angler’s paradise with its rich diversity of inshore sportfish.
Cabrilla: A favorite among anglers, prized for their delicious taste.
Yellowtail: Fast and strong, making them a thrilling catch.
Mackerel: Abundant, a great bait fish, but fun to catch, too.
Calico Bass: Known for their aggressive nature and beautiful patterns.
Rock Cod: Perfect for those who enjoy bottom fishing.
Red Snapper: Delicious and often found near rocky structures.
Whitefish: Mild-flavored and a joy to catch.
Bonito: Fast and challenging, great for experienced anglers.
Barracuda: Their speed and sharp teeth make them a thrilling target.
Salmon Grouper: Known for their large size and strength.
Shoreline fishing is ideal for both experienced and beginning anglers. Gonzaga Bay’s calm waters and diverse marine life ensure a fantastic fishing experience.
Bahía de Los Ángeles Bay: Nestled in the Sea of Cortez, known for its excellent fishing and stunning scenery. The diverse marine life and strategic location make Bahía de Los Ángeles Bay a top spot for anglers.
Bahía de Los Ángeles Bay offers an outstanding fishing experience. The variety of fish you can catch here is quite impressive. Here’s a quick guide:
Popular Species: Yellowtail, White Sea Bass, Sheepshead, Grouper, Cabrilla, Spotted Cabrilla, Dorado (seasonal), Marlin (seasonal), and Sailfish (seasonal).
Best Bait/Techniques: Scrambled-Egg Yoyo Jigs: Particularly effective for trophy-sized yellowtail and grouper. Seasonal Considerations: Summer Months: Prime time for larger pelagic fish, like dorado and marlin, providing thrilling fishing opportunities.
Shari Bondy is at Whale Magic Tours.
Today in Laguna Ojo de Liebre, we met a new, sweet baby whale we named Whal-O after one of our passengers who is crazy for whales, and that is his name! The Mama brought the baby over several times to our panga and Weilon got to touch the baby! We also enjoyed watching a juvenile breach several times. We probably
saw about 15 whales near us. …Shari Bondy
For reservations, visit the Package tour page on www.whalemagictours.com
Yellowtail continues to dazzle local and visiting anglers…Shari Bondy
La Bocana offers Inshore, Offshore, and Estuary fishing. Fish in the area are grouper, calico bass, spotted bay bass, sand bass, halibut, snook, triggerfish, yellowtail, sheepshead, white sea bass, black sea bass, tuna, wahoo, dorado, marlin, sailfish, rock cod, ling cod, whitefish, and Sierra macs.
Santa Rosalía offers a unique diversity and abundance of fish species. It’s incredible to think you can encounter everything from an acrobatic blue marlin to the powerful wahoo – each fish has its unique challenge, which makes every trip incredibly exciting. Do you have any favorite spots or stories from fishing in Santa Rosalía to share?
Punta Chivato
Good morning. Have not talked to my friends in Chivato for 2 weeks. I will text them for a report, when I left it was good yellowtail almost everywhere, surface boils, and deep local spots. You had to have Big Macs they swam away from small ones. The normal knife jigs were good at the deep holes. Wilber’s was good also. Santa Rosa too. Craig…
No Report
Casa Concepción
Weather: Improvement in weather with signs of returning to the “winter wind cycle,” with windy and rough days followed by incredible days with blue skies and flatter seas…Rick Hill
Fishing Spots:
- Lobo and Candeleros: Most boats have been fishing here, with Yellowtail among the usual pintos, red snappers, and occasional cabrilla.
- Almejas: A few boats ventured here but experienced only spotty results, likely keeping most boats closer to home until a few big Yellowtails are caught.
Outlook: Typical Baja routine with the anticipation of better catches as conditions improve…Rick Hill
Weather: Cold and windy, with heavy fog most mornings, clearing up by 8 to 9 a.m.
- Mangroves: Live bait action has been excellent for Corvina, Grouper, and occasional Pargo, though results can vary daily.
- Grouper Rocks: Productive when winds and Boca are down, with live bait shrimp or Rapala yielding great Grouper catches.
- Yellowfin Tuna: Still believed to be around 14 miles offshore.
- Town Activities: The Grey Whale Festival has kept the town busy, impacting fishing efforts.
Outlook: Optimism for better fishing conditions next week as festival activities wind down…CHERI
The lighthouse area reportedly has large schools of small to medium-sized roosters, feeding near shore. While other anglers found good yellowtail action 10-14 miles offshore.
GORDO BANKS PANGAS
As the previous week showed improvement in the fishing, we expected this one to be more productive. However, we could not drift for tuna or efficiently jig as the wind and currents were not ideal towards La Fortuna, and the fleet was forced to fish closer to shore or towards the Palmilla area to avoid some wind.
Action towards Palmilla/Cerro Colorado this week was significantly slower. The boats landed a few nice bottom fish, but you had to work on the jig for a chance at a few fish. They saw a few nice Yellowtail, Amberjack, Grouper, and Snapper among the mix caught in this area. Closer to shore, they also saw some Sierra on jigs and some Roosterfish if you have live sardina or caballito. Most Roosters are small (around 5 pounds), though they did see a handful in the 15 to 25-pound range. The bait guys continue to struggle with the sardina supply on most days. They are netting a few throughout the shorelines of Cabo Real, though not enough to supply most pangas.
This weekend was much better in terms of wind. Our fleet focused on the areas of Vinorama and San Luis. The captains reported nice, clear water, averaging temperatures of 70 degrees. While jigging, one of the boats landed a nice 25-pound Grouper on a strip of Skipjack while losing another quality fish. They also caught two nice Yellowtail and a handful of Red Snapper throughout the weekend. Most of these fish came on jigs and live sardina early in the morning. A few small Tuna were caught this week on live and dead sardina and squid strips at La Fortuna. The only big Tuna came in on Monday, weighing 97 pounds on a dead sardina.…Good Fishing, Brian
Pisces week begins with 235-pound Tuna
Author: Gary Graham
Pisces Fleet Weekly update from January 24 – 30, 2025
Catch success rate 90.67 %
All species combined comprise Billfish, 25.33% Dorado 17.33%, Tuna 37.33%, Wahoo 5.33% Roosterfish 6.67% and Other 323.33%
What a week the Pisces Fleet has had, braving the swells and reeling in impressive catches. They fished under clear skies, with various species deciding if they wanted to take a bite of the anglers’ bait and chum, making it an exciting fishing trip for every fisherman aboard. It was thrilling to see so many different fish in action. The air was warm, the sun shone brightly, and most returned to the dock with that Cabo tan. Most days, the water temperature was around 72 to 74 degrees, and the air temperature was close, from 70 to 75. This was heaven for all the visitors from different parts of the US and Canada who were thrilled to arrive in Mexico.
Captain Arturo and Mates on the 48-foot Viking, “MY WAY,” had his Oakland, California guest and single angler, Mike Glenn caught a 235-POUND YELLOWFIN TUNA on BAIT AT THE SAN JAIME!!! Congratulations, Marshall Cromer and Captain Arturo! That was one big fish and one gigantic feat!
Fishing Highlight:
Captain Orlando M. and Salvador Flores on the 35-foot Bertram, “VALERIE,” hosted anglers Dennis Hehir and Gerard Rozas from League, Texas. Their trip to Herradura resulted in the following: One outstanding 40-pound Dorado on curry and eighteen Yellowfin Tuna on bait They had a fantastic day, staying busy and enjoying their successful catches.
Captain Abel and Mate Ninja took One 199-pound Striped Marlin caught and released on a Caballito at the Herradura, plus Twenty Yellowfin Tuna and a FORTY-POUND WAHOO taken on a Ballyhoo on the 35-foot Cabo Flybridge, “RIPPER,” all on bait at the Herradura.
The 38-foot Blackfin, C ROD, ‘from The Villages, Florida, hosted Andrea, Jeffrey Pyle, Natalie Knightly, and Terry Pyle. They successfully traveled to the Cerro del Golden Orilla, catching Four Grouper, Five Ladyfish, One Sheepshead on chum, and Two Yellowtail on cuchi.
Fishing Highlight: LA BRISA
Captain Ray Winkler and Jorge Velez aboard the 31-foot Bertram, “LA BRISA,” hosted two anglers from Beulah, Michigan: Barbara Smith and Mike Kramer. Their adventure to the La Palmita Site resulted in: Ten Sierra up to 10 pounds on cuchis and Rapala, One Grouper, Four Ladyfish on chum. A memorable day indeed!
For more Cabo Fishing News, click here