Private Fishing Trip “All Inclusive” in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Cabo’s best fishing days can turn into a full sea safari. You may chase striped marlin, wahoo, dorado, tuna, or roosterfish, then spot whales and dolphins on the way to El Arco. The private boat gives your group room to set the pace, and crews such as Jorge, Gustavo, Andres, Luis, and Joel have earned praise for working hard and helping first-time anglers.

I like the up-front group price, especially for four people, and I like that rods, live bait, fishing licenses, lunch, snacks, beer, soft drinks, and water are included. The main caution is consistency: some outings end with several large fish, while others involve long quiet stretches, poor communication, or confusion over the catch and the fishing time.

Key points before you book

• $625 covers up to four people, making the price far more attractive when shared by a family or group of friends.
• Eight hours on the water gives you a real chance at marlin, dorado, tuna, wahoo, barracuda, and roosterfish.
• The captain and first mate provide the gear, live bait, and licenses, so you only need to arrive at the marina ready for sea time.
• Lunch, snacks, bottled water, sodas, and beer are included, but fish cleaning, hotel pickup, and gratuities are not.
• Whales, dolphins, El Arco, and Cabo’s famous beaches can add a sightseeing bonus to a slow fishing day.
• Confirm the captain, boat, start time, and target species before leaving the dock, since these details have not always matched expectations.

What an eight-hour Cabo fishing day feels like

This is a private charter for your group, up to four people, rather than a shared boat with strangers. That matters. You can ask for help, change your fishing goal, and decide how much time you want to spend working big-game lines instead of fitting into another group’s plan.

The listed rate is $625 per group. Split four ways, that is $156.25 each before any tip. For a full day with a captain, first mate, boat, rods, bait, licenses, food, and drinks, I consider that a fair price, especially if your group values privacy. For two people, the same rate feels much steeper, so the value depends heavily on how many seats you fill.

Fishing is never guaranteed. Cabo can produce a striped marlin before breakfast, several dorado in a morning, or nothing more than a few bonito. One successful outing produced three striped marlin, while another group spent the day catching only a few small fish. The crew can improve your odds, but it cannot control the sea.

Meeting the crew at IGY Marina E Dock

You meet at the Cabo Sportfishing Crew counter or meeting point at IGY Marina E Dock, Boulevard Paseo de la Marina 18, in central Cabo San Lucas. Hotel pickup is not included, so arrange your own way to the marina and allow time to find the correct dock.

The stated start point is also the end point. The activity lasts about eight hours, though exact departure times can vary. One frustrating issue reported on some outings was conflicting start-time information, so I would confirm the departure hour in writing before the morning of your trip.

At the dock, the captain and first mate should greet you, load the gear, and explain the plan. Boats may include Blue Tail, Blue Tail II, El Pargo, Reel Tequila, Robalo, or another available vessel. Since the boat is not fixed, ask which one you will use and how many people it is designed to carry.

Names connected with successful outings include Captains Jose, Ruben, Tito, and Felipe, along with first mates and guides such as Andres, Luis, Jorge, Gustavo, Freddie, Alex, Juan, Joel, and Ivan. Crew assignments can change, so treat these names as examples, not a promise of a particular team.

From the marina to El Arco

The route begins around Marina Cabo San Lucas before heading toward the meeting point of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez. That crossing gives you a quick look at why Cabo is such a strong base for sport fishing: different waters, currents, and habitats bring a wide mix of species close to the peninsula.

El Arco is the day’s signature view. This stone formation at Land’s End is one of Cabo’s most recognizable sights, and the boat may pass near it or pause for photos. Several crews have also made room for sightseeing around the Arch and nearby whales, which is useful if fishing slows.

Do not assume this is a dedicated sightseeing cruise. The main purpose is fishing. If photographs at El Arco matter to you, ask the captain at the start so the crew can fit them around the fishing plan.

Chileno Bay and Playa el Chileno

The route then lists Chileno Bay and Playa el Chileno. These stops bring you along Cabo’s well-known southern coastline, with views of the beach and open water. You may pass these areas while moving between fishing grounds rather than stepping ashore.

This is a helpful part of the day for families and mixed groups. A keen angler can keep working the lines, while someone who enjoys coastal views, dolphins, or whale watching still has something to watch for. In winter, groups have seen humpback whales breaching near the boat, sometimes alongside dolphins.

Sea conditions can change quickly. Reports include calm enough water for a pleasant outing as well as three to eight-foot swells. If you are prone to seasickness, bring whatever remedy you normally use and tell the crew early. The boat’s movement is not a small detail on an eight-hour trip.

Playa de los Amantes and the return toward Cabo

Playa de los Amantes, or Lover’s Beach, is another landmark on the listed route. It sits near the Arch and offers a striking contrast between Cabo’s rocky formations and its sandy coves. The view is especially worthwhile for a first visit to Cabo, but again, the charter is not a beach stop with time to swim or walk ashore.

The boat returns to Cabo San Lucas at the end of the day. If you keep a fish, clarify the plan before it comes aboard. Fish cleaning is not included, and the catch may be taken to a local processing site. Ask how much fish you will receive, what happens to the rest, and what fees apply before agreeing to keep a marlin or another large fish.

That conversation matters. One group was quoted roughly $700 to $1,000 for a mounted marlin, then faced a taxidermy price of about $1,800. Another group was told to take only five kilograms of a marlin and later felt unclear about where the rest went. I would not accept a trophy or processing arrangement without a firm price and clear explanation.

What you can catch in Cabo

The advertised targets are marlin and dorado, but the catch can be much broader. Successful outings have produced striped marlin, blue marlin, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, barracuda, bonito, skipjack, roosterfish, sea bass, mackerel, and sailfish.

Striped marlin appear often in the strongest stories. One fish measured just under nine feet, another blue marlin was estimated at eight to nine feet, and one group caught three striped marlin. These are powerful fish, and bringing one close to the boat can be the day’s main event.

Dorado and wahoo offer a different kind of excitement. A group caught three large wahoo along with roosterfish, while another landed a large mahi-mahi and yellowfin tuna. If your priority is simply catching fish rather than chasing a trophy marlin, say so clearly.

That point is important. Some crews focus almost entirely on marlin when that is the stated goal. If the marlin action is slow, you may prefer smaller, more active species. Ask for a specific plan: big-game fishing all day, a mixed strategy, or a switch to nearer grounds if the offshore bite is quiet.

Equipment, bait, food, and drinks

You do not need to bring rods, reels, tackle, live bait, or fishing licenses. The captain and first mate handle the setup, and they should show you how to use the gear if you are new to offshore fishing.

Crew effort can make a clear difference. Joel was praised for changing bait and tackle to keep the odds in the group’s favor. Other strong outings describe mates keeping lines in the water, helping children reel, and working several fish at once. A seven-year-old reportedly got hands-on help from Gustavo, while first-time anglers caught marlin and tuna with guidance from the crew.

Food and drink are included: lunch, snacks, bottled water, sodas, and beer. Since one poor outing involved confusion about what food was available, ask the crew at the dock to point out the lunch and drinks. Do not wait until you are hungry several hours offshore.

Bring sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a light cover-up, and clothing that can handle spray and fish handling. Those items are practical suggestions for a day at sea, not supplied features of the charter.

The strongest part of the experience

The best outings combine hard-working crew members with a willing bite. Captains and mates have helped groups catch marlin within minutes of reaching the fishing area, several tuna in a short morning, or a barracuda within two hours.

The private format also helps when you have mixed skill levels. An experienced angler can manage a rod without constant instruction, while a child or first-timer can receive close help from the mate. You can also share the work of a large fish, as couples did with a marlin.

Sightseeing adds real value when fishing slows. Whale activity has included multiple humpbacks breaching near the boat, and other outings saw dolphins and sharks. You may also get close views of the Arch, Chileno Bay, and Lover’s Beach without booking a separate sightseeing cruise.

The weak outings share a different pattern: little conversation, bait changed only a few times, unclear fishing choices, and a return well before the paid end time. One eight-hour booking ended after about four hours following a marlin catch. If the boat turns back early, ask why and confirm the remaining time before accepting the change.

Who should book this charter

I would recommend it most strongly to a group of four who wants a private day and is happy to accept the uncertainty of fishing. Families can benefit from the personal help, especially when children want to participate. Friends who want a serious shot at marlin, wahoo, or dorado will also find the format appealing.

It is less suitable if you need a guaranteed catch, a fixed boat, hotel transportation, or a polished sightseeing schedule. It may also disappoint you if you want a quiet cruise with little focus on fishing.

Book well ahead if your schedule is tight. The experience is commonly reserved about 22 days before departure, and the cancellation terms are strict: the booking is non-refundable and cannot be changed. If bad weather forces cancellation, you should be offered another date or a full refund.

My practical verdict on the $625 price

At four people, the rate works well. You are paying for a private boat and crew rather than four separate seats, and the included licenses, bait, tackle, lunch, snacks, and drinks reduce the usual add-on costs.

At two people, the arithmetic is less friendly, but the privacy may still justify it if fishing is a main reason for your Cabo visit. At the same time, I would budget separately for a tip because gratuity is not listed among the inclusions. Fish cleaning is also extra, and hotel pickup is not part of the deal.

Ask these questions before you board:

• Which captain and boat are assigned?
• What time will the boat leave and return?
• Are we targeting marlin all day or switching species if the bite is slow?
• How much live bait is available?
• What happens to fish we keep?
• What are the exact costs for cleaning, mounting, or shipping?
• Are lunch and drinks already on board?

Those questions take only a few minutes and can prevent the biggest misunderstandings.

Should you book the Cabo private fishing trip?

Book it if you want a private, full-day fishing attempt with a chance at serious fish and a side serving of Cabo scenery. The strongest days sound superb: marlin, tuna, wahoo, whales, helpful mates, and enough action to make the eight hours fly.

I would book with clear expectations and written confirmation. Your $625 buys access to a boat, crew, bait, licenses, food, and a genuine chance at Cabo’s sport fish, not a guaranteed marlin or flawless service. If the operator confirms your captain, boat, target species, end time, and fish-handling costs, this can be a strong value for four people.

FAQ

How much does the private fishing trip cost?

The listed price is $625 per group of up to four people. The price does not include hotel pickup or fish cleaning.

How long does the fishing trip last?

The trip is scheduled for approximately eight hours and returns to the original meeting point at IGY Marina E Dock.

Where does the trip start and finish?

It starts and ends at Cabo Sportfishing Crew, IGY Marina E Dock, Boulevard Paseo de la Marina 18, Centro, Cabo San Lucas.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. You need to make your own way to the marina.

Are fishing rods and bait provided?

Yes. Fishing equipment, live bait, and fishing licenses are included.

Are food and drinks included?

Yes. The package includes lunch, snacks, bottled water, sodas, and beer.

What fish might I catch?

Possible catches include marlin, dorado, wahoo, tuna, barracuda, roosterfish, bonito, skipjack, sea bass, mackerel, and sailfish. A catch is not guaranteed.

Is this a private activity?

Yes. Only your own group participates, with a maximum of four people.

What happens if bad weather cancels the trip?

If poor weather causes cancellation, you should be offered another date or a full refund. Normal cancellations and amendments are non-refundable.