Fishing is good on the East Cape right now, according to Felipe Valdez of FV Sportfishing in Los Barriles — but the fleet is working one specific pattern: drifting the shallows, the "bajos," off La Ribera.
"We're only fishing by drifting over the bajos of La Ribera," Valdez says. Live bait goes out on the surface, while jigs and weighted baits go down below, wherever the bait shows.
That drifting pattern is producing striped marlin and sailfish, both coming from the drift itself rather than a faster trolling bite offshore.
On the bottom, the same drift is turning up yellowtail and amberjack, taken on live bait and jigs fished deep.
Water and wind
Valdez reports water temperatures of 87 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit in his fishing area, with winds of 7 to 12 knots and occasional light showers. The temperature is his own reading from the grounds; we have not confirmed it against satellite data.
What another Los Barriles outfitter reported a week earlier
For broader context, Tight Line Anglers, also based in Los Barriles, published its own East Cape report on Oct. 29, 2026 — several days before Valdez's update, so it describes the previous week rather than today.
That report described big grouper, amberjack, yellowtail and snapper on the high spots and deep rocky bottom; roosterfish, jack crevalle and sierra working the Los Barriles beach early in the day; and yellowfin tuna offshore, with blue marlin and wahoo around. The outfitter cited a satellite reading of about 88°F for the East Cape on Oct. 28, in line with Valdez's figure.
Tight Line Anglers also noted that leftover swell from Tropical Storm Vance lumped up the water at the end of October. Sea and weather conditions change quickly, so anglers should check the National Hurricane Center and Mexico's weather service before heading out; the port captain decides when boats may leave.
Before you go
Every angler aboard needs a Mexican sportfishing license from CONAPESCA. To book with Felipe Valdez or see his trips, visit felipevaldezsportfishing.com.
