ensenada — todos santos bay
Pacific port in Baja California, with a sport fishing fleet at the malecón. Yellowtail and rockfish around the islands, tuna offshore in summer.
Ensenada sits on Todos Santos Bay, on the Pacific side of Baja California, with cold, productive water. In the bay, around the Todos Santos Islands (16.6 km from the port), at Punta Banda and nearby reefs, bottom and mid-water fishing yields yellowtail (Seriola dorsalis), calico bass (Paralabrax clathratus), white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis), Pacific barracuda, bonito and several rockfish (Sebastes), plus lingcod. In summer and autumn, full-day boats run to banks 30 to 50 miles offshore for tuna, mahi-mahi, skipjack and marlin. Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) is a sport fishing target off Baja California. There are group departures on weekends and charters from super pangas to large boats.
best season
From April to November is the season for yellowtail, bonito and barracuda in the bay; in summer and autumn, full-day boats go after tuna and mahi-mahi. Rockfish provide fishing all year.
Local rules: A Conapesca fishing permit is mandatory for each angler on a boat; port operators sell the 1-day permit or accept yours. NOM-017 limit: up to 10 fish per day, no more than 5 of the same species. The Todos Santos Islands and the surrounding sea (10,492 ha) are a buffer zone of the Reserva de la Biósfera Islas del Pacífico de la Península de Baja California (DOF decree of Dec 7, 2016, Conanp): fishing requires authorization and respect for closed seasons, no fixed or trawl gear, and spearfishing is prohibited for household consumption fishing. Check local rules.
- getting there
- Ensenada is south of Tijuana via scenic Highway 1D, which follows the coast. The nearest international airport with scheduled flights is Tijuana, near the U.S. border.
- facilities
- Sport fishing fleets at the malecón, from super pangas for 3 people to boats for 25, with group departures and private charters. Hotels and restaurants by the port.
- country
- Baja California, Mexico
tip
For yellowtail, have live bait and a heavy jig ready when the school comes up. Bring warm layers: the water is cold and departures to the banks start before dawn.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
what you can catch here
before you fish in Mexico
Anyone fishing from a boat needs an individual recreational-sport fishing permit (permiso de pesca deportivo-recreativa), issued by Conapesca and obtained online through the e5cinco system, with fees paid per day, week, month, year or excursion. 2025 values reported by Conapesca: 1 day, MXN 204; 1 week, MXN 510; 1 month, MXN 766; 1 year, MXN 1,021; excursion, MXN 1,453 (adjusted every year). Fishing from land does not require a permit; spearfishing requires an individual permit (NOM-017-PESC-1994, amended in 2013).
- Marlin, sailfish, swordfish, sábalo/chiro, roosterfish and mahi-mahi (dorado de mar) are reserved for sport fishing within 50 nautical miles of the coastal baseline.
- Sea catch limit: up to 10 fish per angler per day, with a maximum of 5 of the same species. Billfish (marlins, sailfish and swordfish), sharks and giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas): 1 per day. Sábalo, mahi-mahi, roosterfish and baya: 2 per day. In freshwater, 5 per day. Fish caught beyond the limit are released alive back to the sea.
- Fishing within 250 m of beaches with bathers and of commercial fishing boats or nets is prohibited. Sport-caught fish may not be sold, and billfish may not be filleted on board.
- In natural protected areas, sport fishing is only allowed under the terms of the decree and each area's management program (Conanp); many have closed zones and stretches for catch and release only.
The rules and closed seasons in the rest of the app are Brazilian. Outside Brazil, the regulations of the country and province apply: confirm with the official agency.
sources and references
Access, facilities and season information changes: check with the lodge, a local guide or the city hall before you travel.
- official DOF — Decreto que declara la reserva de la biosfera Islas del Pacífico de la Península de Baja California (07/12/2016)Todos Santos archipelago 16.6 km from Ensenada; 10,492 ha polygon, all buffer zone; Articles 7 to 9: fishing with authorization, no fixed or trawl gear, and no spearfishing for household consumption
- official DOF — Plan de Manejo Pesquero de atún aleta azul (Thunnus orientalis) en el Pacífico Oriental (07/04/2021)The species is a sport fishing target on the coasts of Baja California; catches for the fishery concentrate from March to August
- market Sergio's Sportfishing Center — Open party trips (Ensenada)Todos Santos Bay, Todos Santos Islands, Punta Banda and nearby reefs; yellowtail, bonito, barracuda, white seabass and calico bass from April to November; bottom fish year-round; 1-day permit included
- market Sergio's Sportfishing Center — Private charters (Ensenada)Boats for 3 to 25 people; trips to banks 30 to 50 miles out in summer and autumn for tuna, mahi-mahi, yellowtail, skipjack and marlin; Mexican permit required