From Cabo San Lucas to La Paz, Loreto and Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur enters another important fishing week as the world's most prestigious big-game marlin tournament gets underway.
CABO SAN LUCAS, BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR — October 21, 2026. The wait is over. The 2026 Bisbee's Black & Blue Marlin Tournament begins its first official fishing day today, bringing elite fishing teams, experienced captains and international competitors into the waters surrounding Cabo San Lucas.
Following Tuesday's registration, captains' meeting and opening ceremonies, tournament vessels are scheduled to depart for the 7:00 a.m. shotgun start, beginning three days of competition that could produce another historic marlin catch and potentially life-changing prize money.
The timing couldn't be more interesting.
Just days ago, the Bisbee's Los Cabos Offshore Tournament produced a 350-pound blue marlin, a 334-pound black marlin and a remarkable 259-pound yellowfin tuna. Two more yellowfin, weighing 251 and 234 pounds, also topped 200 pounds, confirming that trophy-class fish are present in the region.
Meanwhile, local fishing reports indicate that the Gordo Banks continue to hold large yellowfin, productive bottom-fishing opportunities remain available around Iman and San Luis, and changing ocean temperatures are creating new questions across La Paz, Loreto and Magdalena Bay.
With tropical weather still influencing the Eastern Pacific, the next three days will test not only the skill of tournament anglers but also their ability to adapt to changing marine conditions.
Baja Fishing Conditions at a Glance
The latest available coastal sea surface temperature estimates, read from the SatFish app on October 18–19, show:
| Fishing destination | Coastal SST | Weekly trend |
|---|---|---|
| Cabo San Lucas / Los Cabos | 88.2°F (31.2°C) | Warm, relatively stable |
| La Paz | 86.7°F (30.4°C) | Cooling |
| Loreto | 85.6°F (29.8°C) | Cooling |
| Magdalena Bay | 84.2°F (29.0°C) | Cooling |
These are coastal estimates rather than measurements at individual offshore banks. Water temperature, current and clarity may vary substantially across fishing grounds. For comparison, Gordo Banks Pangas reported water averaging 89–90°F early in the week of October 12–18, easing to 87–88°F in some areas after windy days.
Water temperatures: SatFish app readings, October 18–19, 2026. Cabo Sportfishing Magazine promotes a SatFish subscription offer; see our SatFish story and disclosure.
The most significant change is the cooling in La Paz, Loreto and Magdalena Bay, while the Los Cabos region continues to hold exceptionally warm water supporting a variety of tropical pelagic species.
Bisbee's Black & Blue 2026: The Hunt for Giant Marlin Begins
For serious offshore anglers, few tournaments carry the reputation of Bisbee's Black & Blue.
Known internationally for its enormous payouts and extraordinary marlin catches, the tournament has helped establish Cabo San Lucas as one of the world's premier big-game fishing destinations.
This year's competition takes place October 21–23, with the awards celebration scheduled for Saturday, October 24.
The official fishing schedule calls for a 7:00 a.m. shotgun start each morning, with fishing continuing until 5:00 p.m.
The weigh station at Puerto Paraíso is scheduled to operate from 2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. during tournament days.
But the real excitement begins offshore.
Teams will be searching for qualifying black and blue marlin, using years of experience, advanced electronics, carefully selected bait and local knowledge to locate the largest fish in the region.
A single hookup could change the outcome of the entire tournament.
Last Week's Results Set the Stage
The recently completed Bisbee's Los Cabos Offshore Tournament provided a compelling preview of the fishing potential.
Team Tiki Perro Pescador landed the tournament's largest billfish, a 350-pound blue marlin.
Team Trixie landed a 334-pound black marlin that generated the event's largest payout, approximately $1.589 million, because of the team's jackpot entries.
In the tuna division, Team Caliente weighed a 259-pound yellowfin, while Gordo Banks Pangas reported that Team North Star Pro (251 pounds) and Team North Star (234 pounds) also brought big yellowfin to the scale on the final day.
Those results demonstrate the presence of extraordinary big-game fish in the waters surrounding Los Cabos.
However, the Black & Blue is a separate competition focused on black and blue marlin. The tuna results from last week's tournament are evidence of the region's broader offshore productivity, not an indication that tuna are part of the Black & Blue's principal weighed-marlin competition.
The central question now is whether a truly giant marlin will be located during the next three days.
Cabo San Lucas Fishing Report: Big Fish, Warm Water and Changing Conditions
The Los Cabos fishing scene enters tournament week with encouraging signs.
Water temperatures remain warm, baitfish are present in several areas, and recent tournament results confirm that both black and blue marlin are available.
Traditional offshore grounds such as San Jaime, Golden Gate and the Pacific-side banks remain important areas for tournament crews to evaluate.
But recent fishing success does not guarantee that the same locations will produce tomorrow.
Current direction, bait movement, water clarity and swell can all influence where marlin concentrate.
For experienced captains, the challenge is identifying the most productive combination of these conditions.
Offshore Marine Conditions for Opening Day
Forecast guidance available October 20 indicates that Wednesday's conditions may vary considerably between the Cabo coastline and exposed offshore banks.
Cabo Sportfishing Magazine's Fishing Explorer model showed approximately 1.8 meters, or 5.9 feet, of significant wave height at its Cabo offshore sample point for Wednesday morning, with a wave period near 12 seconds.
The same model run indicated northwest winds around 8–9 knots near the 7:00 a.m. start, building to roughly 17 knots by early afternoon, with surface currents moving generally westward.
These figures are model forecasts retrieved October 20 (Copernicus Marine waves and currents; NOAA GFS wind), not direct observations at the tournament fishing grounds. See the Cabo San Lucas forecast panel for the latest run.
Conditions around San Jaime, Golden Gate and other exposed locations may differ, particularly where swell and wind-driven chop intersect.
Captains should review the latest marine forecasts and official port instructions before departure. Cabo Sportfishing Magazine could not independently confirm the Port of Cabo San Lucas operating status when this report was prepared; check the Capitanía de Puerto and the SEMAR port status page.
Gordo Banks Fishing Report: Giant Yellowfin Remain the Headline
The Gordo Banks continue to be one of the most interesting fishing areas in southern Baja.
According to the October 18 report from Gordo Banks Pangas, several of the heaviest yellowfin tuna from the Los Cabos Offshore Tournament came from the Inner and Outer Gordo Banks.
The report highlighted the remarkable performance of local fishermen competing from 26-foot super pangas against much larger tournament vessels.
Among the catches were tuna weighing 251, 234 and 174.6 pounds.
These results demonstrate the importance of local knowledge and experienced captains when pursuing trophy fish.
Vinorama Tuna Bite Slows
Earlier in the week, Vinorama produced yellowfin averaging approximately 30–50 pounds.
Both live and dead sardines were effective.
However, fishing slowed considerably over the weekend, and live sardines became increasingly difficult to obtain as tournament demand increased.
Some crews switched to dead sardines, squid and locally caught skipjack.
The lesson for anglers is straightforward: flexibility matters.
A fishing area that produces excellent tuna one morning may require a different approach the following day.
Iman and San Luis: Bottom Fishing Provides Another Opportunity
While tournament attention remains focused on offshore marlin, bottom fishing around Iman, San Luis and La Fortuna continues producing quality catches.
The October 18 Gordo Banks report documented a variety of snapper, including dogtooth, mullet, barred and yellow snapper, along with leopard grouper.
One boat fishing San Luis reportedly landed four grouper and two snapper using jigs during an early-morning outing.
The crew also lost several fish around the rocks.
For anglers targeting these species, vertical jigs, heavy braided line and abrasion-resistant leaders can be effective when conditions allow.
Fresh skipjack chunks also provide a useful bait alternative when sardines are scarce.
Strong currents can make bottom fishing challenging, but correctly positioning the boat over productive structure can produce excellent results.
La Paz Fishing Report: Cooler Water Brings Hope, but the Bite Remains Uncertain
Farther north, La Paz continues experiencing a very different fishing season.
After weeks of unusually warm water and repeated tropical weather disruptions, coastal sea surface temperatures have begun to decline.
The latest estimate is approximately 86.7°F, down from roughly 88.2°F in an earlier SatFish reading.
This cooling could become important if it helps reorganize baitfish and predator activity.
However, recent verified fishing information remains limited.
The latest detailed Tailhunter Sportfishing report available for this edition covered October 2–9 and described difficult fishing dominated by small dorado, generally weighing five to ten pounds.
Bonito, barracuda, triggerfish and jacks also appeared in catches.
The operator reported significant disruptions from tropical weather and difficult boat-launching conditions.
There is not yet enough independently verified information from October 12–20 to declare that the larger tuna or dorado bite has returned.
Where to Look Next
As conditions permit, anglers should monitor Las Arenas, Cerralvo Island and the waters outside Bahía de los Muertos.
Changes in water temperature, bait concentrations and current boundaries may provide clues about where larger fish are moving.
Live bait, slow trolling and vertical jigging are reasonable techniques to evaluate, although their effectiveness needs confirmation from new captain reports.
Loreto Fishing Report: A Fall Transition Begins
Loreto's coastal sea surface temperature has declined to approximately 85.6°F.
That represents a significant reduction from the unusually warm conditions reported earlier in October.
The cooling trend may eventually support changes in the distribution of baitfish and target species around Loreto's islands.
However, detailed and sufficiently recent catch reports remain limited.
For now, the most useful areas to monitor include Coronado Island, Carmen Island, Danzante Island and nearby rocky structure.
Depending on actual bait and water conditions, anglers may encounter dorado, billfish, cabrilla, snapper and amberjack.
Yellowtail may become increasingly interesting as the region progresses toward cooler seasonal conditions.
These are seasonal possibilities, not confirmed catches from the most recent week.
Anglers planning longer runs around the islands should evaluate local wind, swell and current conditions carefully.
Magdalena Bay: The Countdown to the Fall Marlin Season
While Cabo San Lucas hosts the Black & Blue, another important fishing story is developing farther north.
Magdalena Bay is approaching the period when enormous bait concentrations can attract extraordinary numbers of striped marlin.
The latest coastal temperature estimate is approximately 84.2°F, down from about 85.6°F in an earlier SatFish reading.
Although water is cooling, temperatures remain relatively warm for this time of year.
The major question is whether sardines, mackerel and other baitfish are beginning to concentrate around the offshore banks and the Ridge.
When these concentrations develop, striped marlin, tuna, dorado and other predators may gather around the feeding activity.
But it is important to distinguish seasonal expectations from verified catches.
At the time of this report, sufficiently recent offshore catch information was not available to confirm that Magdalena Bay's famous large-scale striped-marlin aggregation has begun.
Captains should watch for bird activity, bait balls, current boundaries and feeding predators as the fall season progresses.
With Bisbee's Mag Bay Mania scheduled for November, the coming weeks will be particularly important for this fishery.
Tropical Weather: The Eastern Pacific Remains Active
Although the main focus this week is the Bisbee's Black & Blue Tournament, tropical weather remains an important consideration.
Tropical Storm Trudy is no longer an active system. As of the National Hurricane Center's 11:00 a.m. PDT Tropical Weather Outlook on October 20, there were no active tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific.
The NHC was monitoring a low-pressure system (EP94) a few hundred miles south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec, giving it a high (90 percent) chance of becoming a tropical depression within 48 hours. The system was expected to move west to west-northwest at about 10 mph, remaining well offshore of southern Mexico.
Because tropical cyclone forecasts change rapidly, tournament participants and recreational anglers should consult the latest National Hurricane Center advisories and official Mexican maritime notices rather than relying on earlier storm positions.
Residual swell can persist even after a storm weakens or moves away.
A relatively light wind forecast does not necessarily mean offshore conditions will be calm.
What Has Changed Since Last Week?
The biggest development is the confirmation of exceptionally large fish during the Bisbee's Los Cabos Offshore Tournament.
A 350-pound blue marlin, 334-pound black marlin and multiple yellowfin tuna exceeding 200 pounds demonstrate the quality of big-game fishing available around Los Cabos.
The Gordo Banks remain a major location for trophy tuna, although the Vinorama bite has become less consistent.
Bottom fishing around San Luis and Iman has provided productive alternatives.
La Paz, Loreto and Magdalena Bay are showing signs of cooling, but fresh catch information is needed before declaring a significant improvement in those fisheries.
And now, with the Black & Blue underway, attention turns toward the possibility of another enormous black or blue marlin being brought to the weigh station.
Cabo Sportfishing Magazine Outlook: October 21–25
For the next three days, Cabo San Lucas will be at the center of the international sportfishing world.
Teams will search the offshore grounds for the kind of marlin capable of producing a historic tournament victory.
The recent presence of large black and blue marlin makes this year's competition especially interesting, but the final outcome will depend on finding the right fish, presenting the right bait and executing when the opportunity arrives.
Beyond the tournament, anglers should continue watching the Gordo Banks for trophy yellowfin, Iman and San Luis for bottom fishing, and the cooling conditions farther north.
La Paz and Loreto need new verified catch reports to determine whether their fall fishing patterns are improving.
Magdalena Bay is moving toward its highly anticipated marlin season, with the next several weeks likely to reveal whether offshore bait concentrations are developing.
The stage is set. The boats are ready. And somewhere in the waters surrounding Cabo San Lucas, the marlin that could define the 2026 Bisbee's Black & Blue may already be waiting.
Recent coverage: Los Cabos Offshore Day 3 results · Team Trixie's record payout · Los Cabos fishing report, October 2026 · Fishing reports archive.
Cabo Sportfishing Magazine will continue following the tournament, publishing verified catches, official standings and important developments throughout the competition.
For the latest fishing conditions, marine forecasts and regional information, visit our Baja Fishing Explorer.
Editor's note: This report was prepared October 20 for scheduled publication October 21, 2026. Tournament fishing had not begun when the article was written. Fishing observations are attributed to their original reporting periods, and water temperatures are coastal estimates. Marine forecasts, tropical weather status and the official tournament schedule were rechecked on October 20; NHC's 11:00 a.m. PDT outlook showed no active Eastern Pacific cyclones. Water temperatures are SatFish app readings.
Sources: Bisbee's official tournament schedule · Bisbee's Black & Blue rules · Gordo Banks Pangas, October 18 · Cabo Sportfishing Magazine tournament results · Tailhunter fishing report · National Hurricane Center Eastern Pacific outlook, Oct. 20 · SatFish app (SST readings, Oct. 18–19) · Baja Fishing Explorer.
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