Nestled at the meeting point of the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez and the nutrient-rich Pacific Ocean, the coastal paradise of Los Barriles (“The Barrels”) offers you an unrivaled tapestry of marine life and a fishing experience like you will find nowhere else. It is an absolute haven for all types of fishing, thanks to its abundant and awe-inspiring species. For those seeking thrills, get ready for the ultimate blue water fishing experience, where these colossal creatures roam freely, and world records are a very real possibility. Below, we’ve summarised some of the most popular Los Barriles fish although there are plenty more to be found.
Striped Marlin
Weight
Up to around 220lbs
Season
All year peaking during the hottest months
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A strong fighting fish found in mind blowing numbers here in Los Barriles. It’s not uncommon to land five of these beautiful fish in a day at sea. The access to these to these ferocious fighters is truly unprecedented and we’ve never seen numbers of them like we have here. It’s one of the main species that put sportfishing in Los Barriles on the map. If you want to tick of this fish of a lifetime then you can almost guarantee it here
Black Marlin
WEIGHT
Up to 1000lbs
SEASON
During summers and peaks towards the end of the year around November / December.
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Also found in good numbers in the Sea of Cortez. Although less common than the Blue Marlin, this is a great location to try and tick it off the species list. While not as prevalent as the Striped Marlin, the specimens caught tend to be large.
Blue Marlin
Weight
Up to 1000lb
Season
Predominantly during summers and peaks towards the end of the year around November / December
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There is a big reason the largest Marlin sportfishing competition is held here in Baja – it’s because this is hands-down one of the best places on earth to catch a very big Blue Marlin. We don’t tend to find many small ones here in Los Barriles so hold on and get ready for the fight of your life! If you want to specifically target and tick off a big blue, then this really is the location to do it. We have several hot spots where they tend cruise, banks, ledges and drops offs. Trawling for big blues is our passion and one of the things we love to do the most!
Wahoo
Weight
20 – 90lbs
Season
April – November
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The Wahoo here are thick in both numbers and size if you know where to look and how to entice them on to the hook. Considering the amount of wahoo that are here, they are certainly under-represented on the filleting table by most boats. One of the reasons our team stand above the rest is because we spend just as much time under the waterline as we do above it. Being passionate divers and underwater explorers we have gained a unique perspective on how to target this elusive fish. In fact, until we started seeing what was going on with our own eyes, it was believed their numbers were few and far between. We’ve personally seen hundreds in a single day so we know with 100% certainty they are here, when they are here, and how big they actually get! We have established serval pressure points where they pass through on their search for food, a road map of sorts.
Yellowfin Tuna
Weight
10 – 250lbs
Season
All summer.
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If it’s a relentless screeching reel you’re after, then Yellowfin Tuna has to be your target. Forty miles off shore is home to some spectacular topography that holds yellowfin in their masses. Pack an extra couple of energy bars as these lumps of muscle will give you the workout of a lifetime. While the heavier units are rarer, the younger fish are everywhere and it’s not uncommon to land over twenty of these amazing fast-growing fish in a day. We often find these delicious powerhouses hunting right alongside large pods of dolphins so when you see activity on top of the water, it’s normally game on! One thing’s for sure, you will enjoy some of the freshest sashimi money can’t buy as we serves them up right there on the boat as fish for more.
Roosterfish
WEIGHT
10 – 90lb
SEASON
All year round but predominantly summer.
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The East Cape of Baja is famous for many things but the mighty Roosterfish is possibly its most iconic. Nowhere else in the world has this beautiful powerhouse growing to the monsters we get here and certainly not these numbers. We target these incredibly sportfish on the outer reaches of the reef as they patrol in packs, picking off green jacks and anything else that takes their fancy. Make no mistake, these gym rats specialise in endurance and they’re not for the faint hearted. However, once landed, you will be rewarded with one of the most majestic pictures ever as they flair their famous dorsal fin, giving them their well earned rooster name. [Pic by Carol Neuhoff.]
Yellowtail (Kingfish)
Weight
20 – 80lb
Season
January – April
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Why do all the delicious fish have to be so powerful and back-breaking to land? Yellowtail is in most peoples’ top three favourite fish to eat, both raw and cooked. While the winter months can be arduous here in Los Barriles, when the opportunity presents itself the fleet launches on the ruthless pursuit of yellowtail. We predominantly find them in two places: either patrolling the outside of the reef in shoals of three to five, or 40 miles offshore in mind-bending numbers.
Dorado
Weight
10 – 60lb
Season
All summer
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The humble Dorado is often over looked by serious fishermen but this delicious and hard-fighting fish can has been caught here at insane weights – and they are not isolated incidents. It’s not unusual to be shoaled by hundreds of 15 – 25lb dorado with the occasional monster either staying on the outskirts or travelling in smaller shoals of two to five fish. Whilst diving and exploring new fishing groups, we have seen 50lb+ specimens with our own eyes, and what an amazing sight to behold.
Other Los Barriles Fish
Other Los Barriles fish include Bigeye Trevally, Torro / Crevalle Jacks, Blackblotch Pompano, Cabrilla, Amberjacks, Gath pompano, Triggerfish,
Humboldt squid, prime bottom fish including Broomtail Grouper, Sawtail Grouper, Cabrilla, Snapper, Pargo …and many more.
