Fish the Sea of Cortez from one of Los Cabos’ premier sportfishing harbors. Located in San José del Cabo, Puerto Los Cabos provides quick access to productive offshore and coastal fishing grounds, including the famous Gordo Banks.
Puerto Los Cabos is located approximately 20 miles east of Cabo San Lucas and provides direct access to the productive waters of the Sea of Cortez. Its location makes it an excellent departure point for anglers fishing the waters east and northeast of San José del Cabo.
Depending on the season and current conditions, anglers can target marlin, yellowfin tuna, dorado, wahoo, roosterfish, and a wide variety of inshore and bottom species.
One of the area’s most famous offshore features is the Gordo Banks, an offshore seamount system known for attracting pelagic game fish, including large yellowfin tuna.
Puerto Los Cabos provides access to a diverse year-round fishery.
Depending on the season, anglers may encounter striped marlin, blue marlin, black marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, dorado / mahi mahi, wahoo, roosterfish, sierra mackerel, yellowtail, snapper, grouper, amberjack and snook.
The same general Los Cabos fishing seasons apply to both major harbors, but daily fishing conditions and where concentrations of fish are located can make one area more productive than another at any given time.
The Gordo Banks are one of the best-known fishing areas accessible from Puerto Los Cabos. Located offshore from San José del Cabo, these underwater seamounts rise from deep surrounding water and can concentrate bait and pelagic game fish.
The banks are particularly well known for yellowfin tuna, including opportunities for trophy-class fish when conditions are right. Depending on the season, anglers may also encounter marlin, dorado, wahoo, and other offshore species around the banks and surrounding waters.
Fishing the Gordo Banks is never guaranteed to be the best strategy on a particular day. Captains determine where to fish based on current conditions, recent activity, bait, water temperature, and where they believe the best opportunity will be.
Puerto Los Cabos gives anglers direct access to the offshore waters of the Sea of Cortez. Depending on the season, offshore targets can include striped marlin, blue and black marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, dorado, and wahoo.
Fishing locations change constantly throughout the year. Experienced crews use current fishing activity, bait concentrations, water temperature, currents, and other conditions to determine where to concentrate their efforts each day.
For serious anglers, Puerto Los Cabos can provide access to some exceptional offshore fishing without first running around Land’s End from Cabo San Lucas.
The coastline surrounding San José del Cabo and the East Cape side of Los Cabos also provides excellent inshore and coastal fishing. Depending on the season, anglers can target roosterfish, sierra mackerel, snapper, grouper, amberjack, yellowtail, snook, and other species.
Roosterfish are one of the signature inshore targets of Baja, with larger fish becoming increasingly available during late spring and summer.
Puerto Los Cabos is located in San José del Cabo, east of the main hotel zone and historic downtown.
For guests staying in San José del Cabo or resorts along the eastern portion of the Los Cabos corridor, Puerto Los Cabos can be significantly more convenient than traveling to Cabo San Lucas Marina for an early-morning departure.
The marina provides access to both offshore and inshore fishing grounds along the Sea of Cortez side of Los Cabos. Because most fishing charters depart early in the morning, guests should consider the location of their hotel and departure marina when choosing a boat.
Both provide access to excellent fishing. There is no single harbor that is always “better.”
Puerto Los Cabos is particularly convenient for guests staying around San José del Cabo and provides direct access to the Sea of Cortez and Gordo Banks. Cabo San Lucas provides immediate access to Land’s End and the ability to work both the Pacific and Sea of Cortez sides of the peninsula.
If fishing is the priority, Playita can help determine which departure point and boat make the most sense for your trip.
Every Playita boat below departs from Puerto Los Cabos in San José del Cabo.