Why go
Cabo San Lucas has been called the marlin capital of the world for a reason — striped marlin run practically year-round right off the marina, and a working fleet of charter operators has grown up around it. Picking the right one comes down to boat size, what's actually included, and whether you're booking direct or through a markup.
Choosing a sportfishing charter in Cabo San Lucas
Every operator in the marina fishes the same water, so the real differences are boat size, fleet history, and how a company prices a trip. A smaller panga is more affordable and fine for a couple of anglers on a half-day trip; a larger cruiser costs more but suits a bigger group chasing a full day offshore. Long-running operators like Pisces (since 1980) and family-run crews like Cabo Sportfishing Crew both fish the same marlin-rich water — the choice comes down to fleet size, what's included, and whether you're booking direct.
Confirm exactly what a quoted price covers before you commit. "All-inclusive" doesn't mean the same thing at every operator, and the boat you end up on matters more than the headline number.
Pisces Sportfishing Fleet – Best for Fleet History & Conservation
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Pisces Sportfishing Fleet
Pisces Sportfishing operates a fleet of charter boats from the Cabo San Lucas marina, offering sportfishing trips for marlin, tuna and dorado with a catch-and-release conservation program. The company has run charters in Cabo San Lucas since 1980.
Running out of the Cabo San Lucas marina since 1980, Pisces operates four vessel tiers — standard, midsize, large and luxury cruisers — with standard-cruiser charters starting around $445. The crew fishes roughly 300 days a year targeting marlin, tuna and dorado, many having started as teenage deckhands before working up through the fleet. Pisces was an early adopter of circle hooks for catch-and-release billfish, has taken TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice awards nearly every year from 2013 to 2025, and holds an IGFA Lifetime Achievement Award for Conservation.
Cabo Sportfishing Crew – Best for Direct Booking
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Cabo Sportfishing Crew
Cabo Sportfishing Crew is a group of six captains with a combined 100-plus years of experience in the local fishing industry, running charters from IGY Marina Dock E in Cabo San Lucas.
Six captains with a combined 100-plus years of experience run this fleet of eight boats — 28 to 48 feet — directly out of IGY Marina, rather than through a broker. Trips target striped marlin (available essentially year-round here), plus dorado, tuna, wahoo, snapper and grouper, using trolling, live bait, jigging and fly fishing depending on what's running. Pricing is billed as all-inclusive and ranges roughly $350 to $3,230 depending on boat size and trip length.
More Cabo San Lucas Charters Worth Comparing
All of these run out of the Cabo San Lucas marina and target the same core species — the differences come down to fleet size, how long they've operated, and how they price a trip.
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Tag Cabo Sportfishing
Tag Cabo Sportfishing offers private fishing charters from the Cabo San Lucas marina for marlin, tuna, dorado, wahoo, rooster and snapper, running a fleet of 14 vessels.
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Cabo Magic Sportfishing
Cabo Magic Sportfishing is a family-owned charter operator at IGY Marina in Cabo San Lucas offering all-inclusive sportfishing trips, in business since 1999.
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Top Anglers Sportfishing Charters Cabo San Lucas
Top Anglers is a family-owned sportfishing charter operator based at the Cabo San Lucas marina, offering direct-booking offshore and inshore trips for marlin, tuna, dorado and other gamefish, operating since 2004.
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Minerva's Baja Tackle
Minerva's Baja Tackle runs sportfishing charters out of downtown Cabo San Lucas alongside a full-service tackle shop, targeting marlin, tuna, dorado and other gamefish. The business has operated since 1976.
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Armada Sport Fishing & Private Fishing Charters Cabo
Armada Sport Fishing operates private deep-sea fishing charters from J Dock in the Cabo San Lucas marina, targeting marlin and other gamefish aboard a fleet of charter boats.
Planning Notes
- Marlin season
- Striped marlin run close to year-round off Cabo San Lucas
- Boat size
- Smaller boats cost less but carry fewer anglers and less shade
- What's included
- Ask specifically about bait, gear, fuel and license before booking
- Booking
- Direct-to-operator pricing is usually cleaner than a concierge or broker markup
Pro Tip
Keep exploring
Yacht & Catamaran Charters in Cabo San Lucas
From a $99-a-head sunset catamaran to a private all-inclusive yacht — the boat-day options that have nothing to do with fishing.
The Cabo San Lucas marina isn't only sportfishing boats — a whole separate fleet of catamarans and private yachts runs sunset cruises, snorkeling trips, and whale-watching outings past El Arco. A shared catamaran seat runs about $99 a person; a private yacht for the whole group costs more but comes with the boat to yourselves.
Best Snorkeling, Sport Fishing & Whale Watching in Los Cabos
From El Arco snorkeling trips to sport fishing charters and seasonal whale watching, the water-adventures worth booking.
The Sea of Cortez off Los Cabos is one of the richest marine environments in North America — Jacques Cousteau called it "the aquarium of the world." Snorkeling tours around El Arco, sport fishing charters, and (in season) whale watching are the highest-intent bookings a Los Cabos trip can include, and they're easy to get wrong without a good operator.
Nearby alternatives
Yacht & Catamaran Charters in Cabo San Lucas
From a $99-a-head sunset catamaran to a private all-inclusive yacht — the boat-day options that have nothing to do with fishing.
The Cabo San Lucas marina isn't only sportfishing boats — a whole separate fleet of catamarans and private yachts runs sunset cruises, snorkeling trips, and whale-watching outings past El Arco. A shared catamaran seat runs about $99 a person; a private yacht for the whole group costs more but comes with the boat to yourselves.
Best Todos Santos Day Trips from Los Cabos
Art galleries, a Jesuit mission, and Hotel California — a full day out of the tourist corridor, guided or on your own.
Todos Santos trades the resort strip for adobe streets, working art galleries, and a genuinely different pace — several Cabo- and San José-based operators run it as a guided day trip, so you don't need a rental car to see it.