What a week we had here in La Paz. The weather gave us exactly what we like to see this time of year: flat days, blue water, water temperatures in the mid-80s, bait available from the bait guys, and plenty of ice on board to keep everyone cool and comfortable. When all of that lines up, it usually means good chances on the water — and this week delivered.
The tuna bite kept going strong through most of the week, dorado continued to show in very nice numbers, marlin made their presence known, and for anglers looking for a serious fight around the rocks, big cubera snapper gave us some memorable moments. It was a solid summer-style week of fishing in southern Baja, with plenty of variety and some hard-pulling fish in the mix.
La Paz Fishing Conditions This Week
Conditions were about as good as we can ask for. We had flat seas, clean blue water, warm weather, and enough bait available to keep the program moving. The heat is definitely here now, with some humidity starting to build, and we have already seen the first local thunderstorms of the season.
That usually means summer is settling in. The first bigger storm activity has been sitting out on the Pacific side, and while we are keeping an eye on the weather like always, the local fishing conditions this week were very workable and productive.
Good bait, good water, and calm days gave the captains room to move, scout, and adjust depending on where the fish were showing.
Yellowfin Tuna Bite Keeps Producing
The yellowfin tuna were the main story again this week. The bite was not automatic every single day, but when the captains found the right school, things got exciting fast. Most of the focus was on finding porpoise holding fish, and the tuna we saw were healthy, strong, and mostly in that 50 to 70 pound range.
These fish are pulling hard in the warm water, so anyone hooking into one had to be ready for a real fight. They are not fish you just crank in. They test tackle, drag, patience, and arms.
A few different methods worked well this week. Trolled cedar plugs produced fish, casting stickbaits and poppers got bites, and live sardines also worked when the fish were ready to cooperate. Having options made a big difference, especially when the tuna were moving or feeding differently from one school to the next.
Bull Dorado Still Running Strong
The dorado fishing also stayed very solid. One of the more interesting things this season is the number of quality bull dorado around. We have seen a surprising amount of bulls and very few females, which is a little unusual, but definitely well received.
The dorado added great variety to the offshore program. They are always a favorite fish down here — aggressive, colorful, fast, and a blast to catch. This week’s dorado were a very welcome part of the mix and helped round out some really nice days on the water.
Marlin Showing Up Offshore
Marlin also made a presence this week, with both striped marlin and blue marlin in the area. Nothing huge was reported, but there were some fun fights and good encounters for the anglers who connected.
Most of the marlin were released, which is always great to see. A couple of blues were boated and brought back to share with the captains and families. As always, we encourage catch and release when the fish is healthy and conditions allow, especially with billfish.
Big Cubera Snapper Around the Rocks
Another fun option right now is targeting big cubera snapper. These fish are mean, strong, and they do not give you much room for error. When they bite, they usually head straight back toward the rocks, and if you are not ready, they will break you off quickly.
When these fish come up healthy, we encourage releasing them. Big cubera are impressive fish and an important part of the local fishery, so it is always good to see them handled with respect.
Final Thoughts
All in all, this was a great week of fishing in La Paz. The blue water is here, the bait situation is good, the tuna are still giving us strong action, dorado are running nicely, marlin are in the mix, and the rocks are holding some big, tough cubera snapper.
We have also started scouting the Pacific side, and early signs are looking promising. The bite seems to be getting going early over there, and if things keep lining up, it could shape into a great summer and fall season down here in southern Baja.
That is the scoop for now — warm water, good signs, strong fish, and plenty to look forward to next week.
