Sí La Paz Fishing
La Paz fishing has a prize for every angler
The abundance and variety of fish in the Sea of Cortez around La Paz is amazing!
Family fishing trips are available with our kids program. We focus on snappers or small bonefish, either with spinning rods or handlines for kids younger than 6 years. They will love the action!

La Paz
Destination & Adventures
Experience La Paz
At La Paz, fishing can range from full-dress offshore glamor trips in pursuit of marlin, sailfish, dorado, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna, to nearly hopeless “mano-a-mano” shallow water battles with very powerful and “high-torque” snappers that usually win the fight, to some of the best light tackle variety “species” fishing to be found anywhere. La Paz’s highly diverse sport-fishing waters offer something for every angling personality.
The historic fishing waters surrounding the city of La Paz are located 90 miles from the tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, and only 50 miles north of the Tropic of Cancer. Water temperatures are warm, approaching 90 degrees in late summer, but upwellings, winter north winds, and currents sweeping down the Sea of Cortez can drop water temperatures into the mid-60s during February and March. In the La Paz sport fishing area, this wide range of water temperatures and currents, sometimes accompanied by intensely “green” plankton blooms, provides a nutrient-rich habitat for many fish species from tiny little ornamentals to giant marlin approaching the magical 1,000-pound mark.


Explore La Paz
Sportfishing activities at La Paz are also split geographically into two distinct parts separated by a small mountain range just south of the city. On the north side of these rocky hills lies the city of La Paz itself, and fishing here is focused around the beautiful nearby island called Isla Espiritu Santo and its nearly attached companion, Isla Partida, a shallow seamount known as “El Bajo” northeast of these islands, and along the rocky points of the Baja coast running “south” of La Paz.
Anglers also travel to the “south side of the hill” via one-hour van ride from La Paz that takes them to the panga launching beaches of Punta Arena de la Ventana, and just to its south across a small point, the small bay of Ensenada de los Muertos, or Bay of the Dead, which local real estate developers are trying to change, for obvious reasons, to the less startling “Bahia de Sueños,” or Bay of Dreams.
In summer, pangas launch on north-facing Punta Arena de la Ventana, and when winter winds make that side rough, they launch at south-facing Ensenada de los Muertos.
This entire fishing area south of La Paz is known as “the Las Arenas side,” not because of any major geographic land feature called Las Arenas, but because of the former Hotel las Arenas, now closed but still standing as a major landmark on the beach here.
Deep Sea Fishing
Going to the deep blue waters of the Bay of La Paz and beyond is one of the prime reasons why anglers from all corners of the planet come here. On your to-catch list is everything from Black, Striped, and Blue Marlin, Sailfish, and Broadbill Swordfish to Wahoo, Yellowfin Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Snapper, and Grouper.
Head out in search of big game like Marlin and Sailfish.
Yellowtail
Yellowtail are abundant during the spring months when the water is cooler. Weighing up to 90 pounds they are a prized catch.
Wahoo
Known to be one of the fastest fish in the ocean, Wahoo can swim up to 70 mph! Called ”Ono” in Hawaiian, which means “Good to eat”. Related to the tunas, Wahoo make great table fare. They are fished with a wire leader because their teeth will cut any line that ends up in their mouth. We troll live bait or lures at a fast troll near the north end of Cerralvo Island.
Wahoo come into our area after the water has warmed up so don’t expect to catch one until after June.
Sharks and Rays
“Tiburon”
The Sea of Cortez has 170 species of shark and occasionally we do catch one of the more odd species, but in general we see Hammerheads, Makos and Sand Sharks.
Bottom Fishing
Looking to enoy a bountiful day on the water, then you’ll like the inshore fishing P La Paz boasts. The calm, pristine waters of the area have made it possible for gigantic Roosterfish to thrive here, and they will be your prized catch on inshore excursions. Jacks are another local favorite, so you can look forward to reeling in beauties like Bigeye Trevally, Jack Crevalle, Green Jack, and Yellowtail. Mackerel of all shapes and sizes are a common catch too, as well as Snappers, Groupers, and peculiar Needlefish. A rare delight is the Black Snook that can make an appearance in the inshore waters from July to October, and these fellas can weigh as much as 40 pounds.
Still, Roosterfish remain the best catch, not just because they come in impressive sizes, but also because they’re smart and hard fighters. They’re not easy to catch, but can’t resist live bait.
Inshore fishing at La Paz features jack crevalle called “yellowtail jack” locally, roosterfish, ladyfish, various snappers, groupers, sierra, barracuda, and other fish species caught right off the local surf line, or along other points on the nearby coast.
Inshore: Roosterfish, Jack Cravel, Spanish Mackeral, Skip Jack, Black Tuna, Needlefish, Grooper, Big Eye Jack and others.
Fly Fishing
Salt Water fly fishing is the fastest growing outdoor sport and for good reason, and we have said for years now that the Sea of Cortez offers the largest variety of fish species to be found anywhere.
You can spend your time in La Paz, Mexico fishing with a variety of techniques. Fly fishermen love coming here because the fly fishing conditions are superb, thanks to the rocky shoreline and honeyholes close to land. If fishing from a boat is more up your alley, local guides use super pangas to get you to the most productive grounds.
Inside the Bay of La Paz you can go after Triggerfish, Bonito, Roosterfish, and Jacks. Offshore fly rodders need to go only several miles outside of the Bay to target Tuna, Mahi Mahi, and the ultimate catch, Billfish.
Spearfishing
Spearfishing is not a one-size-fits-all fishing technique, but those who love it are in it for life. Another great advantage of La Paz is that you can come any time of the year for a spearfishing trip and have an amazing and productive time in the water. You can be a beginner or a pro spearfisher, these waters won’t let you down. Whether you’d like to do bluewater or bottom spearfishing, there are La Paz fishing charters that can take you to the best spots.
You can go after easy prey like Leopard Grouper (Cabrilla) and Roosterfish, while other fighters of the deep like Dogtooth Snapper, Mahi Mahi, Marlin, and Yellowfin Tuna will give you a run for your money. Cerralvo and Espiritu Santo islands are the spearfishing epicenter, as well as seamounts like La Reina and El Bajo.
Spearfishing in La Paz is one of the most challenging yet rewarding activities in the Sea of Cortez. With a yearly influx of a wide variety of pelagics, the Sea of Cortez and in particular La Paz offers world class spear fishing and boasts a number of IBSRC records.
La Paz Spearfishing Guide
La Paz is truly one of the few spearfishing paradises, with all year around fair weather conditions and the productivity of its hunting grounds allow spearfishermen of any level, beginner to expert, to truly experience the thrill of a lifetime!
In the winter months ( December to end of March ) the water temperatures are relatively low ( around 22 to 24 celsius) the use of a 5 mm wetsuit is a must; for the rest of the year a lighter 3mm suit is going to be perfect ; and in July, August and September ( with the water reaching over 30 celsius) a tropical suit or lycra can be used specifically as protection from the hot sun and possible encounters with the rocky bottoms.
Water visibility can be, especially in the winter months, not at its best and in July it is often reduced to a few meters ( due to mixing of warmer and colder water carrying the nutrients that make this stretch of ocean so rich) ; but the added challenge of less transparency can be very rewarding due the fact that in these conditions the fish are easier to approach.
Both blue water hunting and bottom spearfishing are possible in La Paz, even in the same day different species can be targeted using different techniques and different types of equipment; these will be discussed in the “guide by species” that follows.
Spearfishing in La Paz is mainly done around the two main islands of Espiritu Santo and Cerralvo and some smaller islands or sea mounts ( el Bajo, el Bajito, la Reina); the depths are normally quite accessible ranging from a few meters to a maximum of 25 meters.
The beginner spearfisherman may find it quite challenging to capture one of the pre mentioned species but the rich grounds of La Paz offer a large variety of other prey that will offer a very exciting and rewarding option and delicious eating. In depths starting at only 2 meters, on the rocky bottoms of the island, we will find a big concentration of Trigger and Parrot fish, sometimes huge specimen, Yellow Pargos, Croackers and different species from the Jack family that will assure an exciting spearfishing day and a perfectly fine dinner for even the less experienced or the intermediate spearfisherman wanting to tune his or her diving and shooting capabilities.
Fishing Season
La Paz fishing seasons depend on what you’re after. Billfish and inshore species are best in spring and summer, while the reefs are most active over winter. La Paz fishing is amazing all year round, though. You can catch great gamefish on the flats and food fish on the reefs every month of the year. Marlin and Sailfish may tail off in the cooler months, but Wahoo and Tuna are always around and King Mackerel are at their peak.
You’ll find barracuda, grouper, red snapper and others year round and from April to August you have mahi-mahi, wahoo and tuna and of course countless Sailfish in the winter months.

Deep Sea Fishing Highlights
- Sailfish
- Dorado
- Black Marlin
- Mackerel
- Bonito
- Yellowfin Tuna
- Red Snapper
- Sierra
- Roosterfish
- Wahoo
100% Organic
Fun & Adventure
Bottom Fishing
- Roosterfish
- Bigeye Trevally
- Green Jack
- Yellowtail
- Mackerel
- Snappers
- Groupers
- Black Snook
- Barracuda
- Black Tuna

Saltwater
Fly Fishing
- Marlin
- Dorado
- Skip Jack
- Black Tuna
- Spanish Mackerel
- Roosterfish
Spearfishing
- Triggerfish
- Roosterfish
- Tuna
- Mahi Mahi
- Billfish

La Paz
Activities & Adventures
Explore Your Destination
Your vacation to La Paz is sure to consist of plenty of fun and excitement, but how about adding a touch of adventure as well? For those who can’t shake that adrenaline bug, consider booking exciting excursions, such as zip-lining, setting sail on a catamaran cruise or snorkeling and diving, to make the most out of your party destination.
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