manzanillo — manzanillo and santiago bays
Colima port that bills itself as the world capital of sailfish. Sailfish, marlin, mahi-mahi and tuna, with a tournament going on for seven decades.
Manzanillo, on the Colima coast, spreads across two bays, Manzanillo and Santiago, separated by the Santiago peninsula. The city bills itself as the world capital of sailfish, and sailfish is the main target, caught on trolling with dead bait and lures and also with live bait. Blue marlin, black marlin, mahi-mahi and yellowfin tuna complete the offshore catch. The sport fishing fleet leaves from the Las Hadas marina, at the north end of Manzanillo Bay, and from the downtown pier near the port. The International Sport Fishing Tournament, run by the Deportivo de Pesca Manzanillo for seven decades, reaches its 73rd edition in November 2026, with sailfish as the star.
best season
Sailfish tournaments cluster in late November (Nov 27 and 28, 2026) and early February. Mahi-mahi and tuna complete the offshore fishing.
Local rules: Conapesca sport and recreational fishing permit for anyone fishing from a boat. Under NOM-017, 1 billfish per angler per day and a limit of 2 for mahi-mahi and roosterfish, within 10 fish; the excess is returned alive to the sea. Inside Manzanillo Bay, the fishing refuge zone around the Diamante, Marflota III and Corso wrecks (DOF Agreement of Sep 29, 2025, 307 ha, 5 years) allows only artisanal commercial handline fishing; sport fishing is not among the permitted activities. Check local rules.
- getting there
- Playa de Oro International Airport, north of the city and the bays. By road, a highway to Colima and Guadalajara. The downtown and the port are on the south side of Manzanillo Bay.
- facilities
- Sport fishing boats at the Las Hadas marina and the downtown pier, hotels on both bays, and day or half-day charters with bait and gear.
- country
- Colima, Mexico
tip
For sailfish, use a circle hook on live bait and release the fish without lifting it out of the water. A fish released whole means fishing for the seasons ahead.
Loading…
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 — Acuerdo que establece la zona de refugio pesquero parcial permanente Bahía de Manzanillo, Colima (29/09/2025)About 307 ha around the Diamante, Marflota III and Corso wrecks; only commercial scale-fish handline fishing with hook No. 8 or larger; 5-year term
- official Visit Manzanillo (Governo de Colima) — 73º Torneo Internacional de Pesca ManzanilloColima Government tourism website; Nov 27 and 28, 2026, organized by the Deportivo de Pesca Manzanillo; sailfish as the tournament species
- market Double Trouble Sport Fishing — ManzanilloBoats at the Las Hadas marina; sailfish, marlin, mahi-mahi and tuna depending on the season
- press Tom Zap's Mexico — ManzanilloTravel guide: international sailfish tournament in the second half of November and another in early February; fleet office at the downtown pier. Undated page