Fishing and Fishing Tips for San Felipe, Baja, Mexico

Fishing in San Felipe is some of the best fishing in the world. And it’s not because of the wide range of fish you can capture at anytime, although that is a bonus. The entire experience of fishing in San Felipe is second to none. From the weather, the waves, to the friendly captains and crew who willingly share their boats, knowledge and fishing equipment with you, once you spend a day (or two) fishing in San Felipe, you’ll wish every fishing trip back home was as memorable and enjoyable as this one.

San Felipe is a sleepy fishing village, and its residents have thrived on the abundant fishing resources right off their coast. Many residents can be found ankle deep in the Sea of Cortez, fishing for large fish from the land. If going out to sea in a boat is not quite your thing, fishing is great right off the coast as well, and can be a great alternative to renting a boat. However, most fishermen want to take advantage of the gorgeous weather, the gentle waves and adventure that comes with renting a panga boat.

A great fisherman knows a great fishing day starts before the sun. Although you may be hesitant to get up at the crack of dawn when you’re on vacation, it’s worth it for a successful fishing day. Head down to The Malecon around 6am and look for medium sized fishing boats called panga boats. The boats usually have life jackets displayed to let you know they are for rent. If you don’t see life jackets, ask anyway. Prices are negotiable for renting the panga boats, so put your bartering skills to the test and see how low you can get the captain to go. If there are only 3-4 in your group, consider pairing up with other tourists looking to rent a boat. You split the cost AND make new friends; it’s a win-win situation! If you would rather have a boat and date set ahead of time, contact Pablo’s Sport Fishing Tours. This local San Felipe Fishing tour company will help you with everything you need to set up the perfect fishing experience.

When you find your panga boat and suit up in your life jackets, the captain will take you out into the sea to the places they know, from many years of experience, will be the best places to catch fish. If you have a specific location in mind, like Konsag Island, tell your captain right away so he can head that way. Konsag Island is a large, majestic rock of an island that looks like it is floating on the waves. Sea lions, seals and many marine birds live here, and it’s a great spot to fish and see plenty of wildlife. If you do not have a particular fishing spot in mind, trust the captains, they will make sure they take you to a great spot.

Types of Fish

As you sail away, the boat captains will begin to explain which types of fish you will most likely be catching, depending on the season and where you go to fish. Corvina is a general term for a large variety of fish found worldwide. What the different types of Corvina have in common is that they are classified as either drum fish or croaker fish. How can you tell the difference? One makes a drumming sound and the other makes a croaking sound.  Croakers weigh about one pound, and drummers can weigh 10-15 pounds. If you have quite a tug on your line, you might just have a drumfish!

If you are headed out to deeper waters, you may catch white sea bass and triggerfish. White sea bass usually weighs about 7.5 pounds, and if you have an extra squid in your bait box, cast it overboard, it is a seabass’ favorite! Triggerfish are known for having sharp teeth and a bad attitude, so if you find one at the end of your line, watch your fingers!

Fish By The Season

Depending on when you plan on visiting San Felipe, this is a wide range of fish species that are biting at any given time of the year. If you plan to visit May through November, you may get a lot of Dorado fish, Blue Marlin and Sailfish. If you come earlier in the year, for example March through June, you may find Rooster Fish or Amberjack pull at the en of your line. The truth is, there is no bad time to visit San Felipe, and there aren’t any bad fishing times. No matter when you go, you’ll catch something great! 

Fishing tours usually last 3-4 hours, so make sure you bring plenty of water and sunscreen, as a day at sea can become pretty hot pretty fast. Make sure you go to the bathroom before you go to, because 4 hours can seem like forever when you really have to go!

Your captain and crew will supply you with the rods and bait you need to fish, so you don’t have to worry about bringing your own or renting/purchasing equipment for the fishing trip. 

“I love to fish, so I made sure a fishing trip was on our itinerary when we visited San Felipe. I came with a few of my closest friends for a bachelor party before my wedding. Our boat captain’s name was Felix, and by the end of our trip we wanted him to come drinking with us! (He didn’t of course, very professional at all times.) We had a great day out at sea, he took us about 30 minutes from the coast and right away we started catching fish! The water was calm, the sun was hot and the company was perfect. We caught some yellowtail and sailfish, and we even had a few dolphins swim near our boat! I would recommend taking a day to go fishing to anyone visiting San Felipe, even if you’re not usually into fishing. The captain and crew were so helpful and friendly and supplied everything we needed for a good fishing day. Thanks Felix!”

-Johnny West, Newton NJ