CABO SAN LUCAS, B.C.S. — The docks along the Cabo San Lucas marina pulsed with energy Tuesday as 152 teams and 595 registered anglers finalized entries for the 2026 Bisbee's Los Cabos Offshore tournament, competing for an estimated purse of $1,973,550 USD.
Registration and the mandatory Captains Meeting took center stage along the boardwalk in front of Puerto Paraíso mall.
Compressed two-day battle
This year, strategy will be dictated as much by weather charts as by water temperature breaks. Cabo San Lucas Port Captain Jesús López Contreras has advised that Hurricane Simon could head toward the area Wednesday night, which may reduce the tournament from three fishing days to two.
With that possibility in mind, anglers are preparing to go all out over the first two days, turning an already competitive tournament into a high-stakes sprint where every bite counts.
The 7-to-4 window and the 9 p.m. scale rule
Lines go in the water each morning at 7:00 a.m. and must be out of the water at 4:00 p.m.
Teams already hooked up to a big fish at 4:00 p.m. may keep fighting it, but they have until 9:00 p.m. to reach the scale and weigh their fish. That window could decide who takes home the largest share of the nearly $2 million prize pool.
What's on the line
Marlin must weigh at least 300 pounds to qualify for the scale. Beyond the main marlin purse, teams can compete in extra jackpots for yellowfin tuna and dorado, plus a catch-and-release jackpot for billfish, rewarding crews that release their fish.
Where Hurricane Simon stands
As of 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center placed Simon about 125 miles west of Cabo Corrientes and 125 miles southwest of Las Islas Marías, with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph — up from 90 mph earlier in the day — and nearly stationary, drifting west at about 2 mph. Forecasters said some additional strengthening is possible overnight and Simon could become a major hurricane again, with gradual weakening expected to begin Wednesday. The hurricane is forecast to move very slowly and erratically over the next couple of days, with an eventual turn to the north or north-northwest late this week.
A hurricane watch remains in effect for Las Islas Marías, and the center advised that interests in Baja California Sur should continue to monitor the storm, as new watches and warnings may be issued over the next day or two. Los Cabos Civil Protection said earlier this week that a direct impact on the peninsula is not expected, though indirect effects such as passing rain and wind gusts are possible. Crews will be watching the Port Captaincy for any port closure orders.
Weigh-ins at Puerto Paraíso
Qualifying fish will be weighed at the tournament scale at the Puerto Paraíso marina, where spectators gather each evening.
Cabo Sportfishing Magazine will follow the weigh-ins and post tournament updates.
