Late-April Tuna Fishing Improves Off San Jose del Cabo

A better mix of tuna, dorado and bottom fish finally gave the San Jose del Cabo fleet something to build a trip around, and the change showed up in both the numbers and the way the pangas were fishing. Gordo Banks Pangas reported on April 26 that most boats were working Vinorama, San Luis, Iman and the 25, with crews moving more freely between tuna grounds, bottom structure and offshore water instead of grinding away in one spot.

Bait availability shaped the whole pattern. Live caballito, green jacks, frozen squid and ballyhoo made up most of the bite-chasing menu, while sardines were not available. That pushed a lot of captains toward squid strips and to areas where fish were willing to eat without a perfect live-bait program. The tuna were mostly school fish in the 10- to 30-pound range, but the better mornings still produced about four to five tuna per boat. Slower trips could still scratch out one or two fish, which was enough to mark the week as an improvement rather than a breakout.

The biggest shift was not just tuna. Dorado numbers improved later in the week, especially where water clarity and temperature lined up better, and some mahi reached the 30- to 40-pound class. Boats that worked jigs on the bottom found a productive San Luis bite with snapper, grouper and amberjack in the mix. Close to shore, roosterfish were firing, and crews that kept running offshore still had a decent marlin opportunity around the 1150 Bank and surrounding waters.

That late-April change mattered because it followed a slower, patchier April 19 report, when most successful boats managed only one or two tuna and the action centered on Iman. Water temperatures then were running about 78 to 80 degrees across most grounds, with warmer 81 to 82 degree water offshore, and the bite never looked fully settled. By the end of the month, the fleet had clearly found a more workable pattern.

The clearest takeaway for the next one to two weeks is that San Jose del Cabo looks like a flexible, mixed-bag fishery, not a single-hotspot tuna dash. Boats that stay mobile between the northern grounds and the inshore structure should have the best chance of boxing tuna while also picking off dorado and bottom fish. Early starts, a willingness to switch tactics, and backup squid still look like the smartest way to stay with the fish as the late-April pattern settles in.