This past week brought a mix of productive fishing and typical winter weather across the Baja Peninsula.
As we often see this time of year, a seasonal cold front moved down from the north, bringing wind and rain across much of the region. While it doesn’t happen often, January and February can occasionally see these winter cold-front systems.
The rain was heavy enough to create noticeable runoff, and it definitely got a few arroyos flowing. It wasn’t light rain, but it also wasn’t devastating. Areas including La Paz, Cabo San Lucas, and the East Cape all received a decent amount of rain, which is always welcome and beneficial for the peninsula, as fresh water is something we can never get enough of.
Earlier in the week, I spent three days fishing on the Pacific side out of Cabo with guests, and conditions were very good. We had solid action on roosterfish and Sierra, with consistent opportunities throughout the day. While we were not targeting marlin, there were multiple boats offshore focusing on them, and the marlin fishing was reported to be very good as well.
Here on the East Cape, conditions have turned windy today and the port is currently closed, which is normal for this time of year. We are in the heart of the winter windy season, typically seeing calm mornings followed by afternoon winds, along with a few nice weather windows mixed in between.
Overall fishing conditions remain decent for the season, with encouraging signs moving forward.
Current Fishing Conditions
Roosterfish
Small to medium roosterfish are showing along the beaches, especially on calmer days when bait is present. Roosterfish activity has been better than normal for this time of year, which is a very positive sign as we move closer to spring.
Sierra
The Sierra bite has been good here on the East Cape, particularly when cooler water pushes close to shore.
White Bonita
There has been some white bonita action while jigging, offering fast-paced fishing when conditions allow.
Marlin
Offshore marlin fishing continues to be strong, particularly out of Cabo and across the East Cape region.
Magdalena Bay Update
We are also guiding trips in Magdalena Bay, where whale season has officially begun. Large numbers of gray whales are already inside the mangroves, providing incredible viewing opportunities.
Fishing in Magdalena Bay has produced:
Groupers
Snappers
A few snook
And the first yellowtail beginning to show
Looking Ahead
Over the next few weeks, roosterfish action should continue to be good, especially on calm mornings when bait is present along the beaches. The Sierra bite should remain consistent as long as we continue to see decent weather windows. There are also occasional dorado around, and as conditions stabilize, fishing should steadily improve heading into late February and March.
The yellowtail fishery is expected to begin building here on the East Cape over the coming weeks. While we are seeing the occasional fish now, the main push typically arrives in late February through March.
Reservations & Upcoming Trips
We are currently taking reservations for the upcoming season, as well as guiding in Cabo over the next couple of months. If you’d like to get on our schedule or have questions about conditions, tides, or trip planning, please feel free to reach out — we’re here to help.
While winter winds are part of this time of year, there are still plenty of fishable days between fronts. Overall conditions remain encouraging across the East Cape and the Baja Peninsula, with all signs pointing toward improving fishing as we move closer to spring.
