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Baja California Sur is a land of contrasts, where desert mountains meet the Pacific in a sweep of wild beauty. Over the decades I’ve spent exploring this peninsula, I’ve watched two very different fisheries rise to prominence: Magdalena Bay and Cabo San Lucas. Each has evolved in its own way, with Mag Bay remaining remote and largely untouched, and Cabo transforming into a bustling international destination. Yet both continue to provide some of the finest sport-fishing opportunities found anywhere in the world.
Mag Bay’s famed striped marlin fishery is set against a backdrop of mangroves and unspoiled coastline. Cabo, meanwhile, is supported by modern marinas, luxury resorts, and an energy that extends from the docks into the night. Different in character but equal in allure, these neighboring destinations are two of the most prolific pelagic hotspots on the planet.
Magdalena Bay
Magdalena Bay, or simply Mag Bay, has always been a place of abundance. Stretching more than 130 miles along Baja’s Pacific coast, its waters teem with life—schools of sardines, mackerel and anchovies that draw in striped marlin by the hundreds. In peak season, anglers have reported release numbers that border on unbelievable. In November 2019, for example, Anthony Hsieh’s Bad Company crew released an astonishing 330 striped marlin in a single day, an unofficial record that captures the essence of Mag Bay’s fishery.
This is a destination built for private vessels and operations. The marlin season runs late summer through early winter, with numbers peaking in October and November. It is common for boats to make the journey up from Cabo or down from Southern California to Mag Bay, where they will stay on the hook for several nights just offshore to capitalize on the bite. Sailfish, dorado, wahoo, yellowfin tuna and yellowtail add variety, but it’s the sheer volume of striped marlin that defines the place. For fly anglers, it remains one of the best arenas in the world to raise billfish on the long rod.
The two villages of Puerto San Carlos and Puerto Adolfo López Mateos are the gateways to this fishery. San Carlos, with a population of about 6,000, is the larger and more developed of the two. It offers rustic but reliable accommodations, such as Hotel Alcatraz and Hotel Brennan, along with fuel, markets and a public pier. López Mateos, some 40 miles away, is smaller but equally welcoming, with beachside cabanas and B&Bs that cater to both whale watchers and sport fishermen.
Despite its draw, Mag Bay has remained largely untouched by large-scale tourism. Its lack of fresh water hinders development, sparing it the resort-driven sprawl that transformed Cabo. Instead, it remains a place where small-scale lodges and local captains carry on traditions, balancing economic opportunity with the protection of a fragile ecosystem. Mangroves, migratory whales and abundant birdlife share the stage with the bay’s offshore predators, making Mag Bay as much a natural wonder as it is a sport-fishing destination.
Cabo San Lucas
By contrast, Cabo San Lucas tells a very different story. Once a sleepy fishing village, Cabo has become a global tourism hub—the “Marlin Capital of the World.” At the tip of the Baja peninsula, where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez, ocean currents collide in a nutrient-rich convergence that supports a staggering variety of gamefish.
Here, anglers can target striped, blue and black marlin, sometimes in the same day. Sailfish, swordfish, yellowfin and bigeye tuna, wahoo and dorado round out the offshore lineup, while roosterfish, grouper and snapper tempt those closer to shore. The average striped marlin may not match Mag Bay’s numbers, but the diversity and size—especially of blues and blacks—make Cabo a perennial bucket-list destination.
Cabo is also synonymous with tournaments. Events like the Bisbee’s Black & Blue and Los Cabos Billfish Tournament have cemented its reputation as a stage for some of the biggest fish and payouts in sport fishing. Every fall, the world’s top anglers and teams converge here, chasing glory and seven-figure purses.
Off the water, Cabo offers the very things Mag Bay does not: luxurious resorts, fine dining, nightlife and accessibility. Direct international flights connect anglers from around the world. Marinas bustle with charter operations like Pisces and Picante, both of which have long histories of success in these waters. When the day’s fishing is done, Cabo transforms into a playground of restaurants, bars and music—another reason many anglers return season after season.
Two Destinations, One Peninsula
The story of Mag Bay and Cabo is also the story of Baja itself. When explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo arrived in Mag Bay in 1542, he noted in his logbook that the harbor was excellent but lacked water or wood. That single observation foreshadowed centuries of limited development, leaving Mag Bay pristine but remote. Cabo, meanwhile, evolved into a bustling hub of infrastructure, investment and tourism.
Both fisheries, however, remain tied to the same ocean and the same migratory patterns. Striped marlin swarm Mag Bay’s offshore banks, while blues and blacks patrol Cabo’s canyons. Each offers anglers something the other cannot: the raw numbers of Mag Bay or the big-fish diversity and lifestyle of Cabo. Together, they are Baja’s twin giants—complementary, not competitive, and equally vital to the peninsula’s sport-fishing legacy.
Whether you’re chasing numbers, size or simply the thrill of Baja itself, one truth remains: No serious angler’s journey is complete without fishing both Mag Bay and Cabo San Lucas.
Charters (Cabo)
- Pisces Fleet — Legendary Cabo operation with a large fleet and tournament pedigree.
- Picante Sportfishing — Longtime Cabo charter company specializing in marlin and tuna.
Dining (Cabo)
- Sunset Monalisa — Iconic cliffside views and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.
- Los Tres Gallos — Traditional Mexican fare with a local reputation.
Lodging (Cabo)
- Playa Grande Resort & Grand Spa — Spacious suites and family-friendly amenities near the marina.
- Montage Los Cabos — Luxury beachfront property on Santa Maria Bay.
Lodging (Mag Bay)
- The Lodge at Mag Bay — All-inclusive packages in the heart of the fishery.
- Los Locos Fishing Lodge — Remote operation known for conventional fishing and adventurous fly trips.
