Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Akumal (Complete Guide)

Located near Cancun and Tulum, the resort city of Akumal offers some of the best fishing in this part of Mexico. Knowing the best times to fish these waters can really help your success.

The best time to fish near Akumal, Mexico is from April through September for wahoo, sailfish, black grouper, marlin, blackfin tuna, king mackerel, mahi-mahi, barracuda, and amberjacks.

The region offers endless angling opportunities. Anglers can fish on crystal clear flats, near reefs, and in the mangroves and lagoons. Akumal is the perfect place to enjoy bottom fishing, spot fishing, and fly fishing.

Best Time to Fish near Akumal

Akumal is home to many varieties of fish. While dropping the line in the area, angling enthusiasts can target different types of fish. Both seasonal and year-round species can be caught near Akumal. That’s why it’s possible to fish in the local waters throughout the year. Nevertheless, there are high and low fishing seasons in the region. 

Fishing in Akumal is good between April and December. However, a peak fishing season in the region begins in the late spring and comes to an end in the late summer. The vast majority of fish species are active in the local waters at this time of the year.

The best time of the year to fish Akumal depends a lot on the fish species that you are targeting and weather. Anglers should go fishing in the region when the weather is good and their favorite fish species feed actively.

That’s why it’s so important for anglers to prepare for Akumal fishing adventures properly. Study bite times as well as weather forecasts in the region ahead of time. The best time to book a fishing trip in Akumal is when the ideal conditions for fishing are created.     

Akumal Species Breakdown: Best Times & Seasons

Anglers need to know what species they can target in Akumal. They also need to find out when and where to fish for their favorite species in the region. Below, we’ll provide information on the top targeted species of fish in Akumal.    

Amberjack

Amberjack is active in Akumal during colder months. So, it would be great to fish for amberjack in the region between January and March and between August and December.

Amberjack fishing in the area is best between September and December. Amberjack bites well in the morning and in the evening. Tulum is one of the best places to target amberjack near Akumal. 

Barracuda

Barracuda fishing in Akumal is excellent year-round. There is no bad time to fish for barracuda in the region. So, it’s possible to target barracuda in the local waters at any time of the year.

Anglers should go fishing for barracuda in the early morning or late evening. It’s possible to target barracuda in the waters near Puerto Aventuras. 

Blackfin tuna

It’s possible to catch blackfin tuna in the waters near Akumal throughout the year. A high blackfin tuna fishing season in the region begins in the early spring and ends in the early fall. The best time of the year to fish for blackfin tuna in the area is between April and July.

Blackfin tuna feeds actively in the early morning and late afternoon. Playa Del Carmen is the right place to target blackfin tuna near Akumal. 

Black grouper

Black grouper gets active in the waters near Akumal during the colder months. It’s possible to catch black grouper in the local waters between January and April and between September and December.

A peak black grouper fishing season in the region begins in November and ends in January. Black grouper bites well in the morning. Black grouper can be found in the waters near Cozumel.

Mahi-mahi

Mahi-mahi fishing season in Akumal begins in April and ends in September. The best time of the year to catch mahi-mahi in the region is between the late spring and the late summer. Mahi-mahi bites well in the early morning. Tulum is known for its remarkable mahi-mahi bite. 

Blue marlin

Blue Marlin fishing in Akumal is productive between the early spring and the early fall. However, the best time of the year to catch blue marlin in the region is between May and July.

When fishing in the waters near Akumal, anglers often catch blue marlin in the morning and in the afternoon. Blue marlin fishing is excellent in Playa Del Carmen. 

King mackerel

King mackerel is active in the waters near Akumal year-round. A high season to fish for king mackerel in the region is between January and February and between September and December.

The best months to target king mackerel are December and January. It makes sense to go fishing for king mackerel in the waters near Puerto Aventuras. 

White marlin

White marlin fishing in Akumal is good between February and September. The best time of the year to target white marlin in the region is between April and June. White fishing is productive in the waters near San Miguel De Cozumel.

Sailfish

It’s possible to target sailfish in Akumal between the late winter and the early fall. The best of the year to catch sailfish in the area is between May and June. Playa Del Carmen is one of the best places to fish for sailfish in the region. 

Wahoo

Wahoo fishing in Akumal is productive between January and July and between November and December. A peak wahoo fishing season in the region starts in November and ends in January.

Oftentimes, wahoo bite well at first light. So, it’s necessary to go fishing for wahoo in the early morning. San Miguel De Cozumel is one of the best wahoo fishing spots near Akumal.

I recommend this Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod & Reel combo (available on Amazon) for inshore and nearshore fishing. It can handle everything from redfish to snapper and king mackerel. The Penn Battalion Series Spinning Rod and the Penn Battle Spinning Reel are fantastic if you want to create your combo.

Recommended Fishing Guides/Charters in Akumal

These Akumal-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.

Recommended Fishing Charters	Location
Manny Fishing Tours	Akumal, Mexico
Pio’s Fishing Tours	Akumal, Mexico
Tulúm Sport Fishing: Double Rose	Puerto Aventuras, Mexico
AAA Charters & Adventures – Stamas	Puerto Aventuras, Mexico
Alfonso Tours	Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
La Chulada Tours	Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
Aquadventures – 30′ Grand Slam	Cozumel, Mexico
Balihoo Boat	Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
Montze Fishing And Snorkel Charters	Cozumel, Mexico
Fishing Al Gusto	Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
Gardi Crew	Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Best Seasons to Book an Akumal Charter

Akumal is well-known for its fish-filled waters. No matter when you decide to book a charter and go fishing in the region, you’ll get pleasure from fishing.

However, visiting the area at the right time increases the angler’s chances of getting a catch. So, let’s try to find out what anglers can expect from visiting the area at different times of the year.   

Spring

Spring is the beginning of the fishing season in Akumal. So, more species are active in the local waters during the spring months.

A peak fishing season in the region begins in the late spring. Anglers can target such species as barracuda, bonefish, bonito, jack crevalle, mahi-mahi, blue marlin, white marlin, permit, snook, sailfish, snook as well as albacore tuna, blackfin tuna, and yellowfin tuna in spring.  

Summer

Summer is the peak fishing season in Akumal. The vast majority of fish species are active in the region during the summer months.

Summer is a great time of the year to target such species of fish as barracuda, bonefish, bonito, mahi-mahi, blue marlin, white marlin, permit, sailfish, snook, tarpon as well as albacore tuna, blackfin tuna, and yellowfin tuna.  

Fall

It’s getting colder during the fall months. That’s why fishing is becoming less productive in the area. However, fall fishing in Akumal is also good.

In fall, it’s possible to catch such species as amberjack, barracuda, bonefish, bonito, grouper, jack crevalle, king mackerel, snapper, Spanish mackerel, tarpon, and wahoo.   

Winter

Fishing in Akumal is good in the early winter. However, January and February are low fishing seasons in the region.

Among the species that anglers can target in the local waters during the winter months are amberjack, barracuda, bonefish, black grouper, jack crevalle, king mackerel, snapper, Spanish mackerel, and wahoo. 

Best Time of Day to Fish Akumal

The success of anglers largely depends on the time of day when they go fishing in Akumal. Angling enthusiasts get successful results if they do fishing at the right time.

It’s incredibly important for anglers to analyze the bite times of their favorite fish species in the area. Plan your fishing adventures ahead of time to get the most out of a trip.  

The time of year affects how fish feed. Most fish feed actively in the early morning and in the late evening in Akumal between May and August. Water cools down and fishing is getting better during morning and evening hours.

However, it would be better to go fishing in the afternoon during the spring, fall, and winter months. The water heats up in the afternoon and fish get active.    

Akumal Fishing & Tidal Impacts

Tides have an impact on fishing. Reading a tide table is a key to fishing success. When planning fishing adventures in Akumal, anglers should analyze tide times. This helps find out when tides are high and when tides are low in the region. 

It’s important to know that high tides and low tides are not good for fishing in Akumal. It would be better to go fishing during incoming tides. Fish tend to hunt for food when the sea level is rising. 

Tide flooding creates the ideal conditions for fishing in the area. Tides bring oxygen-rich waters as well as nutrients to the area. As a result, the activity of fish increases. When the tide flows in, fish move to an estuary area and begin to search for food. So, anglers find it easy to catch it.    

Also, it makes a lot of sense to go fishing when the tide is falling in the region. Anglers have an opportunity to reach deeper places during falling tides. Fishing is more productive in such places. 

Storms & Akumal Fishing

It’s dangerous to fish during storms. That’s why Akumal fishing trips are canceled for safety reasons if there are signs of bad weather. It’s also important to note that fish usually go deeper and stay inactive during storms. 

On the other hand, fish get active and bite well before and after storms. So, it makes a lot of sense to go fishing during these times.    

Anglers should plan their fishing adventures in Akumal with weather conditions in mind. They should always study the local weather forecast before booking a trip to the region. And of course, fishing during storms and rainstorms should be avoided.  

The hurricane season in Akumal is between June and November. Rains in the region can be expected at this time of the year.

However, the rainy season in the region is between July and August. Also, storms can occur in the area between August and October. Heavy rains and storms can be expected in Akumal during these months.   

Is Winter Fishing Bad or Good in Akumal?

The weather is getting colder and some fish species stay inactive in Akumal during the winter months. Winter fishing is less productive compared to fishing during warm months. However, it’s still possible to experience fishing in the region in winter.

In December, anglers can catch amberjack, barracuda, bonefish, grouper, jack crevalle, king mackerel, snapper, Spanish mackerel, wahoo, and other species. 

Barracuda, bonefish, grouper, jack crevalle, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and wahoo are active in local waters in January.

It’s possible to target barracuda, bonefish as well as jack crevalle in Akumal in February.    

Night Fishing in Akumal

Some anglers prefer to fish Akumal at night. Summer is the best time of the year to experience fishing in the region during night hours. It’s not hot and it’s not cold in the area in summer.

Night fishing is a great way to avoid the heat during the summer months. Night fishing is good in the area. Anglers have an opportunity to catch grouper as well as snapper during their night fishing adventures in Akumal.  

Top 5-10 Fishing Spots in Akumal

Puerto Aventuras

Puerto Aventuras is a fishing destination that attracts many anglers. A lot of trips are available for anglers in the region. Trips are well-suited for beginners learning basic fishing skills and more experienced anglers looking for their next trophy catch.

Anglers can go fishing in offshore waters, experience fly fishing on the flats, or explore the depths of the reefs. Fishing in the region is best between May and August. Angler’s catches include barracuda, blue marlin, white marlin, king mackerel, mahi-mahi, sailfish, blackfin tuna, wahoo, and other species.    

Tulum 

Tulum is well known for its underwater canyon and deep blue waters. It’s not necessary to go far offshore to enjoy fishing in the area. Fishing close to shore and on flats is very productive in the region. Tulum is a good place for those anglers, who like fly fishing.

Fishing in Tulum is good between April and December. The top targeted species in Tulum include barracuda, black grouper, blue marlin, bonefish, mahi-mahi, king mackerel, sailfish as well as wahoo. 

Playa Del Carmen

Playa Del Carmen has gained popularity among anglers from all over the world. It’s the perfect place to experience deep-sea fishing. It’s necessary to go 5 miles only to get to deep waters in the region. The destination is close to the Great Mayan Reef.

The reef attracts plenty of fish. A peak fishing season in Playa Del Carmen starts in April and ends in August. Playa Del Carmen is a good place to target amberjack, barracuda, mahi-mahi, blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, wahoo, and many other species.        

Cozumel

Cozumel is another good place to fish in the waters near Mexico. The island provides anglers with easy access to numerous fishing spots. Anglers can go fishing in deep offshore waters, near coral reefs, on flats, and in lagoons.

Fishing in Cozumel is best between April and July. When fishing in Cozumel, anglers can target amberjack, barracuda, blue marlin, white marlin, king mackerel, mahi-mahi, sailfish, and wahoo. Actually, this list of fish species could go on and on.    

San Miguel De Cozumel

San Miguel De Cozumel provides anglers with excellent fishing opportunities. It’s the place where anglers can use such fishing techniques as bottom fishing, trolling as well as deep sea fishing. Fishing in the region is excellent between April and July.

Among fish species that anglers can catch in the area are amberjack, barracuda, bonefish, bonito, mahi-mahi, black grouper, jack crevalle, king mackerel, blue marlin, white marlin, permit, sailfish, snapper, snook, tarpon, tuna as well as wahoo. 

Shore/Surf Fishing: Best Times & Seasons

Akumal is the perfect place for anglers who give a preference to surf fishing. There are many good spots for anglers who want to do shore fishing in the Akumal area. 

For example, Half Moon Bay is a fishing spot that attracts a lot of shore anglers. There are no swimmers and boats in the bay. This makes the bay the perfect place for surf fishing. Anglers can also do shore fishing on the Akumal’s beaches and piers.

Among the most popular fishing piers in Akumal and its surrounding areas are Aldora Pier, Muelle Dive Palancar, Muelle de la Ventana al Mar, Colibri, Muelle Secrets Aura Cozumel, Muelle Hotel Fiesta Americana, Jet Boat Xavage and Fin del muelle.    

For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Cancun, check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Tulum, check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Benito Juarez, check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best fishing charters in Cancun, check out this list. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Isla Mujeres, check out this list.

For a complete breakdown of the best times time fish in Puerto Morelos, check out this guide.