Carnival Radiance anchored near Land’s end in Cabo San Lucas
When our Mexican cruise on Carnival Radiance had a port stop in Cabo San Lucas, John got together with a friend who happened to be vacationing there at the same time to go fishing. I opted for a snorkel excursion instead because I’d rather look at fish than catch them. This blog is his fishing story.
Cabo San Lucas, a Fishing Destination
By John B
Cruises that stop at Cabo San Lucas Mexico offer some of the best sport fishing
opportunities in the world. Deep blue waters are close by and take just minutes to
reach from the marina allowing more fishing time. Anglers may choose to go for
marlin, sailfish, dorado, tuna or wahoo offshore, or choose a nearshore
experience. Nearshore fishing is by far the most affordable option and offers
excellent fishing for roosterfish, jacks and other nearshore species.
panga crew
Our cruise stopped at Cabo at the same time a good friend, Sydnee, happened to
be vacationing at a local resort. Since my wife, Lois, had chosen a snorkel excursion (because he was fishing and I didn’t want to) and I had pre-booked a local panga for a half day fishing adventure I invited Sydnee to join me. Prior to the cruise I researched several fishing companies and settled on Sushi Time Charters. The half day aboard the panga
cost just $300, a bargain in my book. This price included gear, ice chest with ice,
licenses and bait for two anglers aboard a 24-foot panga for five hours.
shore tenders picking up passengers from the ship
Since all ships visiting Cabo must anchor and tender passengers to the port, I
made sure to get an early tender ticket to make sure to meet Sydnee on time
ashore. And keep in mind, this fishing adventure was not booked through the ship
so time management is critical to be on time for the private panga charter as well
as not missing the last tender back to the ship.
whale tail
After connecting with Sydnee, we met up with the Sushi Time Charters representative,
Juan Carlos. After handshakes he led us to our waiting panga crewed with a
captain and first mate. We boarded quickly and headed out past the Cape, rounded
the corner and headed a short distance to the fishing grounds. The captain wanted
to try for close in marlin first, and began trolling baits behind the boat. It was
obvious this must be the hotspot as several larger sportfishing boats were trolling
throughout the area. As a welcome bonus, several humpback whales gave us a
show, making this a combo fishing and whale watching trip.
Sydnee and the needlefish
Sydnee caught the first fish, a long, toothy needlefish that she kept. When asked about keeping fish, the captain explained about a fish processor in the marina who for a nominal fee would fillet and vacuum seal our catch. Since Sydnee was staying at a local resort with access to a freezer, she could easily freeze her catch and fly it home with her. Most cruise ship anglers would catch and release their catch and not have the ability to get their catch home.
John and a roosterfish
After an hour of trying for marlin and dorado, I asked the captain to switch to rooster fishing along the beach. Rooster fishing in Cabo is spectacular and super fun. Anglers hold the rod baited with a small baitfish trolled 50 to 100 feet behind the boat. Keeping a sharp eye on your bait is key as these strong fighting sport fish expose their fins as they attack
the bait from behind. Once hooked they fight like a fish three or four times their
size. Their fins resemble a big rooster’s tail feathers and explain their creative
name.
Sydnee and a roosterfish
I caught the first roosterfish and thoroughly enjoyed the fight. Sydnee caught the
second roosterfish and giggled with glee while fighting the fish. A couple times
both of our baits had roosterfish fins chasing our baits at the same time. We both
caught a couple of roosters and clicked a couple quick pictures before safely releasing them.
John and jack crevalle
We were trolling along a very steep beach in front of an under-construction resort
when something slammed my bait nearly yanking the rod from by hands. Wow I
thought as the fish pulled line from a tight drag, this must be a monster roosterfish.
A few minutes later a 30-pound Jack Crevalle appeared which explained the crazy
strong fight. We kept this fish because I had previously tried it while in Costa Rica
and liked the taste. Jack Crevalle has a stronger fishy taste but still good to eat
when properly cooked. After landing the jack we decided to end the trip a little early
as we both had caught several fish and we still needed to get the fish to the
processor.
this fish does not look happy
Overall, this was an incredible trip for a super reasonable price. I highly
recommend a private fishing trip in Cabo San Lucas. Sushi Time Charters can be
reached at sushitimefishing.com or email them at sushitimefishing@gmail.com.
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