Best Times & Seasons to Catch Mahi-Mahi in Cabo San Lucas

Mahi-mahi are one of the most targeted fish species in Cabo San Lucas waters. Knowing the best times and seasons to target mahi-mahi in Cabo San Lucas helps anglers achieve the most successful results during their fishing trips.  

The best times to catch mahi-mahi in Cabo San Lucas are from July to November. It’s the time of the year when the waters are warm and mahi-mahi feed actively.

Cabo San Lucas is a fishing destination like no other. It’s the place where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean. Cool waters meet with warm waters in this area. As a result, great fishing opportunities are created in the region. 

Mahi-Mahi Fishing in Cabo San Lucas

Mahi-mahi fishing in Cabo San Lucas is great from June to December. The best months to fish for mahi-mahi in the region are July – November. The worst time of the year to fish for mahi-mahi is from February to May. 

Anglers shouldn’t wake up early to go fishing for mahi-mahi. It’s important to know that mahi-mahi feeds actively in the middle of the day. 

It would be great to fish for mahi-mahi between tides. Fishermen have a good chance to catch mahi-mahi in Cabo San Lucas when a low tide is rising and when a high tide is falling. It’s possible to target mahi-mahi when water temperatures range from 68°F to 86°F. However, the best water temperature for mahi-mahi is 80°F – 82°F.  

Recommended Mahi-Mahi Fishing Charters in Cabo San Lucas

These Cabo-based charters are some of the best at putting you on great fishing action. The captains are knowledgeable and professional 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
Black Marlin Sportfishing	Cabo San Lucas
Cabo Sportfishing Crew	Cabo San Lucas
BlueSea Sportfishing	Cabo San Lucas
Robalo Fishing Tours In Cabos	Cabo San Lucas
El Budster Pride Fishing Charters	Cabo San Lucas
Ursula Fishing IV – 34’ Crystaliner	Cabo San Lucas
Cabo Sportfishing Crew – Ya Sabras	Cabo San Lucas
El Budster Fishing Charters	Cabo San Lucas
Fish On – Private Charters	Cabo San Lucas
La Guaycura Sports Fishing	Cabo San Lucas
Picudo Sport Fishing	Cabo San Lucas
Cabo Mahi Mahi – Samantha	Cabo San Lucas
Go Deeper Sport Fishing	Cabo San Lucas

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.

Seasonal Breakdown of Mahi-Mahi Fishing in Cabo San Lucas

Winter

Anglers can fish for mahi-mahi in Cabo San Lucas waters throughout the year. Winter offers good weather conditions for fishing in the region. Mahi-mahi fishing is good during the winter months. In winter, fishermen have a good chance to catch trophy-sized mahi-mahi. 

Mahi-mahi fishing in the region is good from December – January. On the other hand, mahi-mahi are less active in February.

The weather is cooler in Cabo San Lucas and mahi-mahi are moving closer to shore during the winter months. So, it makes sense to target mahi-mahi in nearshore waters. In winter, schools of mahi-mahi can be found within 5 miles of the shore. Live baits like mackerel work best for mahi-mahi in the wintertime.      

Spring

Spring is the worst time of the year to go fishing for mahi-mahi in Cabo San Lucas. Mahi-mahi fishing is bad in the early spring. However, mahi-mahi fishing is getting better in the middle of the spring. April and May are more productive months.

Mahi-mahi can be found in inshore and offshore waters in the spring. In the late spring, anglers can fish for mahi-mahi from the decks. It’s a good idea to fish for mahi-mahi with rigged ballyhoo during the spring months.  

Summer

Mahi-mahi fishing is excellent in the waters near Cabo San Lucas during the summer months. It’s possible to catch mahi-mahi in inshore and offshore waters at this time of the year. However, mahi-mahi travel in schools and often move closer to shore in summer.

Anglers shouldn’t go further than 10 miles to find mahi-mahi in the offshore waters during the summer months. Fishermen choose to troll or cast lures when fishing for mahi-mahi. Ballyhoo is live bait that works best for mahi-mahi in the summer.     

Fall

Fall is the best time of the year to target mahi-mahi in Cabo San Lucas. The weather is often rainy and stormy in the region in the early fall. So, anglers should check the weather forecast if they are going to visit Cabo San Lucas in September.

It can be too hot in Cabo San Lucas in September. However, the weather is getting colder and, therefore, better conditions for fishing are created.   

It’s also important to note that fishing tournaments are often held in Cabo San Lucas in the fall. So, anglers should book fishing trips in advance and avoid visiting the region during tournament days.   

Mahi-mahi can be found in inshore and offshore waters during the fall months. Anglers can catch mahi-mahi successfully both in the Pacific Ocean and in the Sea of Cortez. When fishing for mahi-mahi in offshore waters, anglers must be prepared to go 25 miles. 

In the fall, anglers choose to catch mahi-mahi with cut fish.  It’s a great idea to use such bait as a chunk of squid for mahi-mahi fishing in Cabo San Lucas during the fall months.   

Night Fishing Mahi-Mahi in Cabo San Lucas

Mahi-mahi can feed at night. That means that night fishing for mahi-mahi in Cabo San Lucas is possible. Mahi-mahi night fishing in the region can be very good.   

The success of mahi-mahi fishing depends a lot on the moon. The reality is the moon phases affect the feeding habits of mahi-mahi. Mahi-mahi prefer to feed actively in higher light conditions.    

According to the opinions of local anglers in Cabo San Lucas, the chance to catch mahi-mahi is high before a full moon and on a full moon. The full moon provides light that allows mahi-mahi to see the bait well. The ideal mahi-mahi fishing conditions are created when the moon is bright. Mahi-mahi bite all night long during a full night.    

The best season to catch mahi-mahi in Cabo San Lucas at night is from July to September. The weather is hot and that’s the reason why it’s uncomfortable to fish at night during these months. However, anglers can avoid heat when fishing during night hours. It’s also important to note that mahi-mahi fishing is excellent at this time of the year.    

This article will answer all your questions to learn how to fish in Cabo without knowing Spanish.

For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Cabo San Lucas, check out this guide. For a complete breakdown of the average costs of fishing charters in Cabo San Lucas, check out this guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to catch marlin in Cabo San Lucas, check out this guide. To learn the best charters in Cabo San Lucas, this article will answer all of your questions. For a complete breakdown of the best times to catch roosterfish in Cabo San Lucas, check out this guide.