Long before there were any golf courses, lagoons and water slides, zip lining, ATV tours; the big draw to Los Cabos was fishing. Even before the marina was built, Los Cabos was slowly being put on the map by anglers who had discovered the waters off Baja to be rich with Billfish and a variety of other species of fish. While today many veteran anglers arrive to fish, and some are even professionals, there are still thousands of rookies wanting to try out deep-sea fishing for the first time and catch a monster fish.
Many guests at Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas have gone fishing before and are looking for their favorite meal. A famous Cabo tradition for many is to have their fresh catch cooked at a favorite restaurant.
Many local eateries offer different cooking styles, featuring 5 to 7 ways of preparation, allowing guests to sample different styles and pick a favorite. While the tournaments focus on Billfish the best fish for eating tend not to be Marlin or Sailfish. Here are some of the famous species found off the waters of Los Cabos to try and catch.
Dorado or Mahi-Mahi – This famous fish is often called rainbow fish, as when it approaches the boat, the colors in the water are absolutely beautiful. This is a very popular fish and one that is sought after for tournaments and also to fill the dinner table. Dorado is a favorite of many and often a fresh ceviche is the first style in which a chef will prepare a filet of Dorado.
Tuna – While there are several species, Yellow Fin is one of the most popular. Again many major tournaments are dedicated to catching tuna, and for amateur anglers these are a fun fish to catch and eat. Tuna is the top choice for sashimi, blackened and teriyaki style preparation, which make for amazing dishes, and a really light dinner.
The Bill Fish – Black and Blue Marlin are the largest species and striped Marlin tends to be a bit smaller. There are also sword and Sailfish off the coasts as well, while these are a bit more rare. These fish are generally catch and release, meaning you reel them in, snap a picture and toss them back, to preserve the species, only during the big tournaments do they keep them, and generally the meat is not as great to eat.
Grouper, Pargo, Wahoo – All of these species are great for making a memorable meal, especially Wahoo. Wahoo have very white meat and a very cool looking fish with sharp teeth.
Fishing in Los Cabos is one of those activities everyone should try at least once, it may hook you and be something you do every time you visit, or maybe it will be that one bucket list adventure but either way it is an amazing activity not to be missed.
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